Four-star movie: A Night at the Opera

A Night at the Opera
Director: Sam Wood
1935

This was supposedly the first Marx Brothers movie to actually have a plot, with a male and female romantic lead. There was indeed a plot, as long as you didn't squint at it too closely, but mostly it was an excuse for the Marx Brothers shenanigans. This is the one with the classic stateroom scene, and lots of other set pieces. It doesn't completely jive with my sense of humor, but I'm not enough of a churl to say I didn't enjoy it. It was also a nice break from all the grimdark 4-star movies that came before and after it on my list.

Four-star movie: Nights of Cabiria

Nights of Cabiria
Director: Federico Fellini
1957

I thought this movie about a prostitute was one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen. Roger Ebert calls Cabiria hopeful, but I think it’s about making the same mistakes and being unable to change. There's a scene where she prays to the Virgin to let her change her life, but once she leaves the church, there is no miracle for her, or for the lame uncle. And at the end of the movie, she's lost her house and her life savings, by trusting the wrong man, yet again.