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This is not, by any means, a cinematic masterpiece. However, it is AMAZING to look at the cast and try to comprehend how Tim Burton managed to get them all together. It's a fun watch and I always end up watching it if I stumble upon it while channel surfing. Jack Nicholson as President James Dale / Art Land Glenn Close as First Lady Marsha Dale Annette Bening as Barbara Land Pierce Brosnan as Professor Donald Kessler Danny DeVito as Rude Gambler Martin Short as Press Secretary Jerry Ross Sarah Jessica Parker as Nathalie Lake Michael J. Fox as Jason Stone Rod Steiger as General Decker Tom Jones as himself Lukas Haas as Richie Norris Natalie Portman as Taffy Dale Jim Brown as Byron Williams Lisa Marie as Martian Girl Sylvia Sidney as Florence Norris Christina Applegate as Sharona Joe Don Baker as Mr. Norris Pam Grier as Louise Williams Paul Winfield as General Casey Jack Black as Billy-Glenn Norris Brian Haley as Mitch O-Lan Jones as Sue-Ann Norris Jerzy Skolimowski as Dr. Zeigler Ray J as Cedric Williams Brandon Hammond as Neville Williams Frank Welker as the voice of the Martians

I’ve been watching this series on Amazon Prime while (anxiously) awaiting the next season of Man In the High Castle to arrive. It it took me a couple of episodes to “let go” of my visions of Harrison Ford and Alec Baldwin as Dr Ryan, and embrace John Krasinski in the role. I’ve just started season 2, and as someone who’s read more than a few of Clancy’s books, I can say that THIS is how the stories of Jack Ryan’s adventures should be told on the screen. I’ve always thought that Clancy’s books were just too detailed and in-depth to translate effectively into a 2 hour film. The 8-10 hours afforded by a season format on one of the streaming services (Prime in this case) is the ideal format. The production is well done, with a very good mix of action, drama and character development. It’s gritty when it needs to be, violent when it needs to be, and presents a few ethical dilemmas that are salient and thought provoking. It also steers clear of taking a political stand, which is challenging given the content. The real gem, in my opinion, is the chemistry between Ryan and Grier. Acting is solid throughout, and it’s leaving me wanting more. 2 seasons so far, with more planned. This could be a real “brand builder” for Prime. Highly recommended!

Oklahoma is the fourteenth studio album by American musician Keb' Mo' and was released on June 14, 2019. The album featured guest contributions from Rosanne Cash. Jaci Velasquez, Robert Randolph, Taj Mahal and a duet with Robbie Brooks Moore (his wife).

Ah, this looks like some fun. I submit The Raid 2: Berendal This Indonesian film is firmly rooted in martial arts and organized crime yet utterly better than anything Hollywood could offer. Enter Silat master Iko Uwais who has most recently found fame in Mile 22 and one of those endless star wars films. But before that he made several films in his native Indonesia. This guy makes Bruce Lee look dated. Taut, intense fight scenes directed by Gareth Evans like the one linked below are staples of the story, but as good as this one is, the best is yet to come. Track down The Raid 2: Berendal and stream it, buy it, whatever. You'll be glad you did. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8QsSqqX2yk&frags=pl%2Cwn

Montrose Rock Candy (Remastered LP Version)

Krokus Long Stick Goes Boom

The Ramones I Wanna Be Sedated (Remastered)

Jethro Tull Aqualung (HQ)

Yes I've Seen All Good People

Yes Yours Is No Disgrace

Talking Heads Psycho Killer (HQ)

I saw The Lighthouse a few weeks ago with my wife and we were both thoroughly underwhelmed. This one and Ad Astra were disappointing. However, If you love Jim Carrey at his overacting best... Lemony Snickets a series of Unfortunate Events. Very stylistic set pieces and comedic genius. Very enjoyable for the whole family! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0339291/videoplayer/vi513147161

While the intention of this thread is to highlight great, but somewhat unknown movies, I feel compelled to issue a warning about a recent “off the beaten path” film that I saw yesterday. The film is called The Lighthouse, and It is billed as a terrifying psychological thriller starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, and is receiving rave reviews from critics and viewers alike (92% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, 70% from audiences). The film is shot in a narrow 4:3 ratio, and is in black and white. These two factors made me feel cramped and unsettled from the get go - a great way to start a horror/thriller. Unfortunately, that’s about as close as it came. I will say that the film is masterfully shot - the textures and contrast in the black and white presentation are rich and well controlled, and the cinematography is outstanding. Shot selection and framing are superb, and perspective is used fluently to communicate with the viewer. The big miss, and the reason I encourage you to avoid this film, is the story (or lack thereof). This is one of those films that I really think people don’t understand, yet are reluctant to admit they don’t understand, so they go the other way, and rave about it. They extol it’s virtues of “mysticism” and “deeper meaning”, all the while hoping no one calls their bluff. This in turn causes more people to jump on the bandwagon, for fear of being left on the outside, and not “getting it”. Well I most certainly did NOT get it, and I’ll freely admit it. I was so confused, I went on line after, thinking I must have missed something big in the film. Nope. If you read the reviews and comments, it’s clear that no one really “gets it”. I did find a description that sums my own feelings up pretty well:

Incognito "The Best Of" Nov 2019

For this weekend’s offering, I’m going to share one of my top 5 all-time favorite films (and that’s a very exclusive list!) - Cameron Crow’s 2000 film, Almost Famous. First and foremost, if you are in any way a fan of ‘70s rock, this film is a MUST SEE. It is the story of the real-life events of Cameron Crow as a young teen writing for Rolling Stone magazine while touring with The Alman Brothers (Though in the film, he tours with the fictitious band Stillwater). Crow knew early in his film career he wanted to make this film. He and his wife (Nancy Wilson of Heart) wrote the Stillwater songs on their honeymoon. The film is a wonderful coming of age story, set against the backdrop of the ‘70s rock scene. There are incredibly touching moments, great humor, and unequivocally the best soundtrack of any movie I’ve seen. All of the acting performances are top notch, but the performances of both Francis McDormand and Philip Seymour Hoffman are truly fantastic. if you have the option, the “Bootleg” version is highly preferable, as the extended scenes really add to the overall film.

Are you saying "the emperor has no clothes?"