you just want things to be resolved so you can have simplicity back

Some moral dilemmas, family drama, and a little goofiness.

Cold Mountain (2003) - "In this classic story of love and devotion set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, a wounded Confederate soldier named W.P. Inman deserts his unit and travels across the South, aiming to return to his young love, Ada, who he left behind to tend their farm. As Inman makes his perilous journey home, Ada struggles to keep their home intact with the assistance of Ruby, a mysterious drifter sent to help her by a kindly neighbor."
source: streamed on Dish
I watched it because: it was mutually agreeable
IMDB: 7.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 70% Audience: 77%
my IMDB: 8/10

notable quote: "'I can talk about farming in Latin. I can read French. I can lace up a corset, God knows. I can name the principal rivers in Europe, just don't ask me to name one stream in this county! I can embroider but I can't darn! I can arrange cut flowers but I can't grow them! If a thing has a function, if I might do something with it, then it wasn't considered suitable!'

    'Why?'

    'You can ask 'why' about pretty much everything to do with me!'"

MPAA rating: R

directed by: Anthony Minghella

my notes: I like this one. It is amusing (not a thigh-slapper, but in a "feel good" sort of way), smart, tender, and deeply sad.

Academy Award winner: Best Supporting Actress--Zellweger
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Actor--Law

• Best Cinematography

• Best Film Editing

• Best Music, Original Score

• Best Music, Original Song--T. Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello

• Best Music, Original Song--Sting

    originally reviewed here

overall:  highly recommended

Doubt (2008) - "It's 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx. A charismatic priest, Father Flynn, is trying to upend the school's strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier, the iron-gloved Principal who believes in the power of fear-based discipline. The winds of political change are sweeping through the community, and indeed, the school has just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller. But when Sister James, a hopeful innocent, shares with Sister Aloysius her guilt-inducing suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald, Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal crusade to unearth the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school. Now, without a shard of proof besides her moral certainty, Sister Aloysius locks into a battle of wills with Father Flynn which threatens to tear apart the community with irrevocable consequences. "

source: streamed on Dish
I watched it because: it was mutually agreeable
IMDB: 7.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 79% Audience: 78%
my IMDB: 7/10

notable quote: "There are people who go after your humanity, that tell you that the light in your heart is a weakness. Don't believe it. It's an old tactic of cruel people to kill kindness in the name of virtue."

MPAA rating: PG-13

directed by: John Patrick Shanley

my notes: this is a deceptively simple movie disguising an extremely complex idea. What does right or wrong really mean? Who decides when a wrong has been done? Is the sin of pride at least as bad as other, more overt sins? How can anyone know what the truth really is, when we each see through our own perceptions, biases, and unthinking conceit?

Academy Award nominee:
• Best Actress—Meryl Streep
• Best Supporting Actor—Philip Seymour Hoffman

• Best Supporting Actress—Amy Adams
• Best Supporting Actress—Viola Davis

• Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay—Shanley

overall:  recommended

Rio Grande (1950) - "Rio Grande takes place after the Civil War when the Union turned their attention towards the Apaches. Union officer Kirby Yorke is in charge of an outpost on the Rio Grande in which he is in charge of training of new recruits one of which is his son whom he hasn't seen in 15 years. He whips him into shape to take on the Apaches but not before his mother shows up to take him out of there. The decision to leave is left up to Trooper Yorke who decides to stay and fight. Through it all Kirby and Kathleen—though separated for years—fall back into love and decide that it's time to give it another try. But Yorke faces his toughest battle when his unorthodox plan to outwit the elusive Apaches leads to possible court-martial. Locked in a bloody Indian war, he must fight to redeem his honor and save the love and lives of his broken family."
source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I was in the mood for a Western
IMDB: 7.0/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 71% Audience: 70%
my IMDB: 6/10

notable quote: "'Aren't you gonna kiss me goodbye?'

    'I never want to kiss you goodbye.'"

MPAA rating: passed [TV-PG]

directed by: John Ford

my notes: a good one
overall:  recommended

Minions (2015) - "Ever since the dawn of time, the Minions have lived to serve the most despicable of masters. From the T-Rex to Napoleon, the easily distracted tribe has helped the biggest and the baddest of villains. Now, join protective leader Kevin, teenage rebel Stuart, and lovable little Bob on a global road trip. They'll earn a shot to work for a new boss, the world's first female supervillain, and try to save all of Minionkind from annihilation."
source: I owned the DVD
I watched it because: I wanted to see it once more before selling it
IMDB: 6.4/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 55% Audience: 49%
my IMDB: 5/10

notable quote: "Once upon a time, there were three little pigs. The pigs encountered a big, bad wolf, who hired the three pigs to come work for her. One day, the pigs did something very stupid, so the wolf huffed, and puffed and she BLEW THEM OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH! The end."

MPAA rating: PG

directed by: Kyle Balda & Pierre Coffin

my notes: meh. Cute, but it tries too hard. And Sandra Bullock is not funny as a voice actress.
overall: marginally recommended

[the title quotation is from Doubt]