women should be kept illiterate and clean, like canaries

Average rating: 4.5. Ouch!

Sylvia Scarlett (1935) - "After the death of her mother, Sylvia Scarlett (Katharine Hepburn) decides that she can help her debt-ridden father, Henry (Edmund Gwenn), by dressing like a young man in order to move more freely in society. Returning to England from France, the pair are conned by smuggler Jimmy Monkley (Cary Grant), but are impressed enough by him to join several of his unsuccessful swindling schemes. Sylvia is unexpectedly brought out of her liberated masculine persona when she meets a breezy bohemian artist."
length: 1 hour, 35 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD through the public library
I watched it because: it was recommended on an alternate best list
IMDB: 6.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 73% Audience: 47%
my IMDB: 1/10

notable quote: "'You've got the mind of a pig.'

    'It's a pig's world.'"

MPAA rating: Approved

directed by: George Cukor

my notes: DNF. Awful. Weird, a little gross, and annoying. The characters speak with a bewildering array of unrelated accents, behave in irrational and unsympathetic ways, and "push boundaries" for no good reason. The father, played by Edmund Gwenn, is particularly unpleasant and irritating.

overall: not  recommended

Penguins of Madagascar (2014) - "Plucky penguins Skipper (Tom McGrath), Kowalski (Chris Miller), Rico (Conrad Vernon) and Private (Christopher Knights)—the most elite spies ever hatched—join forces with a chic undercover organization known as the North Wind. Led by highly trained, handsome and arrogant Agent Classified (Benedict Cumberbatch), this special inter-species task force must stop a many-tentacled villain, Dr. Octavius Brine (John Malkovich), from destroying the world."

length: 1 hour, 32 minutes

source: streamed on Peacock
I watched it because: it was on my recommended list on the platform
IMDB: 6.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 74% Audience: 63%
my IMDB: 4/10

notable quote: "Drew! Barry! More power!"

MPAA rating: PG

directed by: Eric Darnell, Simon J. Smith

my notes: well, I watched the whole thing. I guess it makes more sense if you've seen the TV show or the other movie(s). To me, it seemed like a frantic, boring mess. The only things that pleased me were Cumberbatch's smug Classified, and the frequent famous name puns.

overall: not generally recommended

Fallen Angel (1945) - "An unemployed drifter, Eric Stanton (Dana Andrews) wanders into a small California town and begins hanging around the local diner. While Eric falls for the lovely waitress Stella (Linda Darnell), he also begins romancing a quiet and well-to-do woman named June Mills (Alice Faye). Since Stella isn't interested in Eric unless he has money, the lovelorn guy comes up with a scheme to win her over, and it involves June. Before long, murder works its way into this passionate love triangle."
length: 1 hour, 38 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD through the public library
I watched it because: I've liked Dana Andrews in some other movies, and wanted to try another
IMDB: 7.0/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 85% Audience: 61%
my IMDB: 6/10

notable quote: "'Don't worry. I'm not going to kiss you good night and make you unhappy.'

    'Unhappy? Don't you take too much for granted?'"

MPAA rating: Approved

directed by: Otto Preminger

my notes: it's all right. Starts really slow, picks up in the middle, and ends in an unexpected flourish. 

Darnell is a one-note song (I'm so beautiful, bitch bitch bitch...), Faye is terrific in a stupidly limited role, and Andrews sort of stands there in the middle of it.

overall: oddly recommended

Woman of the Year (1942) - "Tess Harding (Katharine Hepburn) is a progressively-minded political journalist. Sam Craig (Spencer Tracy) is a sports writer with very traditional values. The only thing the two have in common is that they both work for the same New York City newspaper. Despite an initial and mutual dislike, the two eventually fall in love and get married. When Tess wins the Woman of the Year award, traditional gender roles become flipped and their relationship suffers as a result."
length: 1 hour, 54 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD through the public library
I watched it because: I like Spencer Tracy
IMDB: 7.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 83% Audience: 80%
my IMDB: 7/10

AFI: 100 Years…100 Laughs (2000) #90

    100 Years…100 Passions (2002) #74

notable quote: "'There's something I have to get off my chest...'

    '[starts to get up] I'm too heavy...'

    'No. I love you.'

    'You do?'

    'Positive.'

    'That's nice. Even when I'm sober?'

    'Even when you're brilliant.'"

MPAA rating: Approved

directed by: George Stevens

my notes: funny, and weirdly romantic—and nothing I ever need to see again. Hepburn's character is arrogant, abrasive, and oblivious to the honor bestowed upon her. Tracy is upright, funny, sweet, and thoughtful. The difference is distressing.

Academy Award winner: Best Writing, Original screenplay—Michael Kanin, Ring Lardner, Jr.
Academy Award nominee: Best Actress—Katharine Hepburn
overall:  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Woman of the Year]