What about the rest of the cast?

I think it's time the Oscars begin to recognize ensembles in films like the Screen Actor's Guild Awards. Sure, they can continue recognizing featured performers, but it always seems unfair when other worthy cast members get left out.

This year there were a number of ensembles worthy of recognition, in addition to featured performers. Sure, Natalie Portman is a frontrunner to win Best Actress for "Black Swan" but both Barbara Hershey and Mila Kunis were surprisingly left out of the Best Supporting Actress category, when the supporting players helped make Portman shine (including Winona Ryder). I was thrilled about Nicole Kidman's much-deserved nomination for "Rabbit Hole" but I wish Aaron Eckhart and Dianne Wiest were also nominated. "Rabbit Hole" had an outstanding ensemble that extended to Tammy Blanchard and Sandra Oh. Julianne Moore got overlooked for "The Kids are All Right", as did Ryan Gosling for "Blue Valentine" but their co-stars received nominations when their performances were just as good.

If the Oscars ever do introduce an ensemble award, think of all the films from the past that could have and should have been nominated or awarded: "The Godfather", "Terms of Endearment", "Gone with the Wind", "Amadeus", "Million Dollar Baby" and so many more.

There are so many films with performances that should be awarded collectively, not individually.

You gotta have "Faith"...

With all his recent legal troubles, it's easy to forget that George Michael was, arguably, the biggest pop star on the planet. Between 1987 and 1989, nobody could touch him - thanks to his first solo album, the blockbuster "Faith."

Almost 25 years later, Michael's most popular album is being reissued on September 27th in two editions: a 2-CD deluxe edition and a box set, including a 60-page commemorative book and other goodies. I've been hoping for a reissue of "Faith" for a long time. The original CD doesn't sound bad, but it certainly could use an upgrade. Also, with the recent reissues of '80s albums, it only seems fitting that "Faith," one of the biggest albums of the '80s, gets the deluxe treatment. It will be a pleasure to hear "I Want Your Sex," "Father Figure," "One More Try" and "Kissing a Fool" in remastered sound - that is, if the engineers do a good job of remastering the album, unlike the butchered remasters of Duran Duran's first two albums earlier this year.

I'm sure the reissue of "Faith" will also benefit Michael himself - not only his bank account, but his reputation. I think most of us want to remember the Michael who shook his ass and sang about sex and monkeys on his back, rather than the Michael who keeps getting arrested in his car and in parks.

The deluxe reissues of "Faith" will be released on September 27th.

Golden Girls Live Forever

With the recent passing of Rue McClanahan, fans of the legendary '80s sitcom, "The Golden Girls," have come to the realization that Betty White is the last surviving cast member. And, without a doubt, White is at the peak of her career... and she's nearing 90 years of age! With her scene-stealing role in last year's "The Proposal," her recent, highly-rated guest host appearance on Saturday Night Live, and hilarious appearances on awards shows, White is creating buzz and goodwill wherever she appears.

But, with the deaths of Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty and McClanahan in the past few years, it's particularly bittersweet that White is experiencing this kind of unbelievable success - without her former co-stars. For us fans, she is the only living Golden Girl.

Unlike many sitcoms from the '80s, Golden Girls still holds up. The raucous laughs we enjoyed during its initial run still retain their ability to hit the funny bone. The combination of the strong writing, the actors' clear understanding of their characters, and best of all, the magical chemistry between the actors, have assured that Golden Girls remains a popular staple in re-runs.

Watching Golden Girls in re-runs has always been a joy. But, lately, it's been bittersweet considering most of the cast is deceased. Even though the show was marketed as a series about women in their retirement years, the girls always seemed so youthful and the idea of them growing "old" never seemed possible. But knowing that most of the actresses are gone, it's sometimes hard to watch the show the same way. I think the more popular-than-ever White could attribute her resurgence in fame to the fact that people simply want her to never leave because she IS so funny and charming. The cast of Golden Girls brought a style of comedy to television that will never be seen again; many of us lament that that type of comedy is gone.

But we should be thankful that the Golden Girls continue to be popular in re-runs and DVD sales. They truly are golden and will live forever.

WTH happened to Y&R?

It's no secret that I love soap operas. I have stayed faithful to the genre even when its viewership began to decline after the much-watched O.J. Simpson trial in the 1990s. But soaps are more vulnerable than ever with the recent cancellation of Guiding Light and the upcoming finale of As the World Turns in September, both shows I might add which have aired on CBS.

CBS still has a holding in the soap genre with their top-rated soap, The Young and the Restless, which has rated number one in the ratings since the mid-eighties. But even Y&R is beginning to show its wear and tear and it couldn't come at a worst time. With the ending of both GL and ATWT, Y&R remains one of the few soaps on CBS aside from its sister show, Bold and the Beautiful. But even faithful viewers of Y&R are being turned off by the show's recent stories, which have grown more lurid and bizarre in recent years.

Y&R has had some crazy storylines from time to time in the past (remember the Katherine Chancellor double storyline?) but somehow back in the day, the stories worked, thanks to strong writing, good storytelling and fine performances. Nowadays, the writers have come up with ridiculous and repetitive storylines: Nick jumping back and forth into bed between his wife Phyllis and ex-wife Sharon; the lurid and often off-putting story involving Victor Newman's alienated son, Adam; but the worst has to be the show's TWO recurring double storylines. Not only is Patty posing as Jack's wife Emily, but Lauren is now being impersonated by an imposter named "Sarah" (who may be Lauren's longtime nemesis Sheila with plastic surgery made to look like Lauren). Y&R nowadays seems like it's turned into Passions. What's next? Jill is a witch? Victor Newman is a wizard? Nikki Newman is a fortune teller? The stories have become outlandish and lack the motivation and classic storytelling that were Y&R's trademarks in the '80s and '90s under the guidance of the deceased (and much-missed) Bill Bell.

Visit any Y&R board online, and you will read comments from viewers - many of whom have watched the show for decades - lamenting the demise of the show's quality. Many soap journalists and viewers have predicted that soaps may no longer be on television in the future. With the way Y&R is heading in terms of its characters and stories, it has no one to blame but itself for its loss of viewers.

Enough with "Glee"!

I'm going to just come out and say it: I'm tired of the show "Glee." I'm tired of hearing about it; I'm tired of reading about it; I'm tired of seeing it advertised on Global ad nauseam; and I'm tired of hearing that d*#% cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" (which has spawned countless imitations/covers), and all the other "Glee" covers which have been featured on the television show's two soundtracks (It has not even wrapped up its first season and already there are two soundtracks, not to mention an upcoming digital EP for a Madonna-themed episode).

Yes, call me the "Glee Grinch," but this show hasn't finished its first season and already it's overexposed. Sure, the cast is charming and can sing (although a lot of their voices sound "processed" and a bit too perfect), and there are some cute lines, but the show is so hyped up it doesn't always deliver. I enjoy the episodes, but its hype factor always leaves me feeling... a bit let down. Yes, Jane Lynch is fantastic (and please give her the Emmy now), but anyone who has followed her career for the past 15 years, most notably in Christopher Guest's "Best In Show" and "A Mighty Wind" would tell you that she's been scene-stealing for years.

Being a geek myself, it is almost heresy that I am not championing the show. That's not to say I don't like it, but I just don't think it's that good. It's become like Twilight - a pop culture phenomenon that has become so big, it's hard to enjoy it just on its merits. It's in your face (and ears) everywhere you go, that it just turns you off.

I guess I'm just not part of this "Glee" club.

Wanted: More 3-D screens

After the astonishing and unprecedented success of James Cameron's "Avatar," and now Tim Burton's adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland," movie viewers have established that they are willing to pay the big bucks for a 3-D movie viewing experience. "Avatar," which has grossed over $700 million (U.S.) - a large percentage of that gross can be attributed to 3-D ticket prices - was still going strong when it had to vacate 3-D screens for Burton's "Alice," which itself has already made over $200 million (U.S.) in just two weeks. "Avatar" had monopolized 3-D screens over the holiday season, not to mention the Oscar season of both January and February. But "Alice" may have to give up its monopoly of 3-D screens when both "How to Train Your Dragon," and "Clash of the Titans" open in a few weeks. The demand for 3-D films has grown over the past few years, and has intensified since the release of both "Avatar" and "Alice". But most cinemas are only equipped with a few, if not single, 3-D screens. It will be interesting to see how theatres will physically change as the demand for 3-D films grows. And, of course, movie viewing experiences will increase financially for moviegoers as well.

Remasters

In recent years, even as CD sales decline, there have been numerous reissues of albums on CD. Recent reissues in the past few years include the Pretenders's first four albums, Whitney Houston's first album (a 25th commemorative reissue), Carole King's seminal "Tapestry", Erasure's "The Innocents," Elvis Presley's "Elvis in Memphis," and, of course, most notably, the recent Beatles remasters. Even Bananarama and Samantha Fox have reissued their back catalogues.

This month, Hip-O-Select is reissuing Diana Ross' 1973 "Touch Me in the Morning" album. Like many reissues, this will feature remastered sound, plus bonus tracks. In this case, fans will get a whole other album in addition to the 1973 release. Originally the album was intended to be a collection dedicated to Ross' first-born daughter Rhonda, but was scrapped in favour of a more pop-sounding release. Ross has had a number of her '70s releases reissued on CD, so having "Touch Me" added to this growing list of reissues is a plus for fans.

But there are many other albums waiting to be reissued. For the most part, they need to be remastered because the original CD releases featured poor sound and need an upgrade. Here is a list of albums I would like to see reissued.

1) Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A" - one of The Boss's biggest selling albums really needs the reissue treatment only to upgrade the '80s sound quality of the album's original CD release. Plus, it's one of the biggest albums of the '80s and it's time to revisit this classic, and give it the redux treatment that "Born To Run" received.

2) Prince's Warner Bros catalogue - this will probably NEVER happen as Warner Bros and Prince seem to still bask in their feud that has been going on for years (case in point, Warner Bros did not feature any Prince songs in their career-spanning box set "Revolutions in Sound" - or perhaps Prince would not allow WB to use his songs). But who wouldn't want to see deluxe packages of "1999," "Purple Rain" and "Sign O' The Times," plus all the other classic Prince albums from the late '70s and throughout the '80s?

3) Anita Baker's "Rapture" - Baker's surprise 1986 smash featuring her special brand of jazzy R&B desperately needs a sound upgrade, not to mention a remastering job which will allow her stunning vocals to shine through.

4) Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt's "Trio" - this album featuring three of music's finest female vocalists was a deserved hit in 1987, but their three voices really need to shine on an upgraded CD remaster.

5) Natalie Cole - Live! - This brilliant concert album was issued sometime in the '90s on CD but quickly disappeared. Cole was very popular in the mid-70s as an R&B queen, then reinvented herself in the early '90s by covering her father's catalogue (and other jazz classics). But Cole was never better than on this 1977 live album. She really belts it out on this one, and it's time someone belts out a new CD of this classic.

6) Madonna's "Like A Prayer" - Madonna's critically acclaimed 1989 album could use a sound upgrade, not to mention I am sure there are some demos and unreleased tracks that could be added to a reissue, in addition to the popular club remixes of the title track and "Express Yourself."

7) George Michael's "Faith" - one of the biggest albums of the '80s, released in 1987, like Springsteen's "Born in the USA" is begging for a reissue. Surprisingly, there was not a 20th commemorative reissue in 2007. Perhaps a 25th anniversary reissue in 2012?

8) Donna Summer's "Live and More" - Perhaps not as essential as Summer's "Bad Girls," but "Live and More" was her first number one album in the US, not to mention it featured the popular 17-minute opus "MacArthur Park Suite," featuring her disco cover of the Richard Harris classic. This album was one of the most popular - and significant - albums of the disco era, alongside the Saturday NIght Fever soundtrack.

9) Nirvana's "Nevermind" - As it approaches its 20th anniversary, Nirvana's breakthrough album has - perhaps surprisingly - never been reissued since its release in 1991. I imagine we will see a commemorative reissue in 2011.

10) "Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live" - say what you will about the Bee Gees, they released some incredible singles and were known to put on a good show. Surprisingly, they have only released a few live albums. This live album from, released in 1977, captures the Brothers Gibb just before they would shoot into the stratosphere with "Saturday Night Fever."

So, music listeners, what albums do you think should be given the deluxe treatment?

The Holy Grail of CDs

So, here it is. Finally. After months of trying to obtain a copy of what is becoming the Holy Grail of CDs: a box set of newly discovered live performances by Ella Fitzgerald from the early '60s, I finally have one in my hands. Yes, I am now the owner of Fitzgerald's "Twelve Nights in Hollywood."

I had a chance to buy a copy in November of last year at Soundscapes, one of Toronto's few remaining CD stores, but I didn't have enough money at the time, and when I returned to Soundscapes a week later, they were sold out. It was the same scenario on Amazon.com, which would quickly sell out of the set even when a new shipment came in. Who knew that a CD box set would be such a hot item in this digital age? I mean, who buys CDs anymore? And who buys box sets?

Surprisingly, there have been a number of excellent box sets released in the few years. Sony/Legacy has released some superb box sets on Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Hall & Oates and Elvis Presley in recent years. Labels Atlantic Records, Motown and Warner Bros have released box sets covering their respective histories. I imagine the high prices for these sets give the record companies a good profit; otherwise, we wouldn't see so many box sets released these days.

But I'm most impressed by the success of Verve's "Ella Fitzgerald: Twelve Nights in Hollywood." There has been such a high demand for this collection of unreleased live performances by the legendary jazz vocalist. Fitzgerald's releases are readily available on CD (her Songbook series has been very successful on all formats from vinyl to CD), but this latest box set will surely be a collector's item. Word has it that Verve has only pressed a certain amount of copies, making this collection a limited edition.

I still buy CDs regularly, but the release of "Twelve Nights in Hollywood" has been a true event. Obviously, finding unreleased material by Fitzgerald is significant enough, but as with their previous releases of Fitzgerald's work, Verve has done a superb job with the packaging of this set. Now that it is in my hands, I cannot wait to listen to the four discs of Fitzgerald giving an intimate performance at the Crescendo in the early '60s.

Many music fans are willing to pay big money for this set. Perhaps you will, too, especially if you're a jazz fan. I'm sure this will be a CD set you will want in your collection.

That is, if you can find it.

Does Kate Beckinsale...

...look for scripts that scream "CRAP" on the front page?

Whiteout? Seriously??

A once promising actress, Beckinsale has pushed aside period pieces in favour of crappy horror films like the Underworld series and now the ridiculous looking Whiteout.

Going to the movies... is a pain

Remember the days when movies were $2.50? Okay, I am showing my age here, but I DO remember the days when movies were cheap.

And there were no cell phones. No blackberries.

When popcorn and a coke wasn't veering on $15.

When butter was free.

Ah... butter. Butter has become a contentious issue for me at the movies in the past few years. When movie theatres (namely, Cineplex) started charging fifty cents for a squirt of popcorn, it made butter-on-my-popcorn lovers roll their eyes, but they would fork over the fifty cents, nonetheless.

Now, butter (at Cineplex theatres) is 69 cents. But if you want "layered butter," you have to pay extra. Meaning, you have to pay for each squirt of butter. Ridiculous! (This is why I like AMC. they do not charge for butter - they have self-serve butter and you get UNLIMITED BUTTER!! Also, their popcorn is way better!)

By the time you get your layered butter, your order for a large combo is almost $20. It's crazy.

And when you get into the theatre, you have to deal with 20 minutes of bad commercials (what is with those cow/milk commercials?), obnoxious couples talking throughout the movie, people twittering/texting/CALLING people DURING the movie, people sneaking into the movie halfway or three-quarters into the movie (imagine someone sneaking into Empire Strikes Back AFTER Darth Vader has revealed himself as Luke's father - if this was 1980, I'm sure it would happen!).

Maybe I wax nostalgic for the '80s, but I don't remember going to the movies being such a pain until the last 10 to 15 years when prices became ridiculously high and patrons began bringing in every piece of hardware they could find into theatres.

I love going to the movies. I love the experience of enjoying a film WITH an audience. But I prefer watching a movie with an audience who wants to experience the film - not their cellphone, not their iPod or keep getting up and down from their seat. And the prices of movies (save for Rainbow Cinemas) has become a turn-off.

I have a projector at home. Perhaps I should watch my films at home.

And I can have as much butter as I want - without paying 69 cents per squirt.

Another sign your career is in decline...

"Now available at WALMART."

Kelly Clarkson - Already Gone?

For a pop star who was manufactured through the American Idol system, Kelly Clarkson is refreshingly honest.

Unlike so many artists who spin the typical record company PR, Clarkson remains blunt and down-to-earth, eight years into her career as the first - and most successful American Idol winner.

A few years ago, when Clarkson released My December, she and Clive Davis got into a public debate over the album's lack of commercial hits: Clarkson wanted to follow her heart as a serious songwriter, while Davis wanted Clarkson to record another album of monster radio hits, something she had done on her previous album, Breakaway. In the end, Clarkson stuck to her guns and was able to release the album she wanted. While the album was not as big a seller as Breakaway, Clarkson found new respect amongst fans for not being another record company puppet.

Clarkson compromised a little by recording All I Ever Wanted, a more pop-leaning album than My December, and with the album's first hit single, My Life Would Suck Without You. The album's third single, Already Gone, is courting controversy because the single, written by Ryan Tedder, sounds similar to another song Tedder wrote for Beyonce, entitled Halo, and which was recently a Top 10 hit.

According to a CBC interview, Clarkson explains her side of the story:

We wrote about six songs together, four or five of them made the album. It was all fine and dandy. I’d never heard of a song called ‘Halo.’ Her album came out when my album was already being printed. No-one’s gonna be sittin’ at home, thinking ‘Man, Ryan Tedder gave Beyonce and Kelly the same track to write to.’ No, they’re just gonna be saying I ripped someone off. I called Ryan and said, ‘I don’t understand. Why would you do that?’”

Clarkson fought the record label from releasing it, but the song has been released to radio. Sure there are similarities, but Clarkson's vocal performance is strong - as usual. But, again, it shows Clarkson's courage in defying her record company. Some may call her ungrateful or bratty, but I find her refreshing and honest, traits you don't see in a mostly cookie-cutter pop world. It's even more surprising considering Clarkson comes from American Idol, which is about singing other people's songs and molding in one's self into America's fantasy of an ideal pop star.

There are rumours Clarkson may be dropped from her record label and Clive Davis' good graces. That would not be surprising, considering Clarkson appears unwilling to censor herself. I hope Kelly doesn't change.

Whitney's Return

Whitney Houston's long-awaited comeback is in full swing. And the most anticipated part of her return has been whether or not her voice is still there.

Of all the pop singers of the past 25 years, Houston has been considered "The Voice." More so than Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. In her prime, nobody could sing like Whitney.

Carey's voice has deteriorated in the past few years, surprisingly, thanks to her meltdown in 2001 and evidently not taking proper care of her voice. Dion is still a strong singer, but her style of singing is simply not heard on radio anymore.

Houston rose to fame like Dion with her powerhouse vocals and syrupy ballads, which simply don't fly on pop stations carrying the latest R&B/hip-hop hits from Beyonce, Rihanna, and Flo Rida. So far, three tracks have been leaked from Houston's upcoming album I Look to You, including the title track (written by R. Kelly) and "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" (written by Diane Warren). The latter track is typical Warren-style schmaltz: full of tired cliches about finding strength in one's self. I'm sure it's supposed to pull the heartstrings considering what Houston has been through for the past ten years, but the song is so syrupy, even Houston cannot sell it. The other problem is, sadly, Houston's voice has deteriorated - badly. Houston's creamy smooth vocals have been replaced by a roughness that suggests that the luster in her voice has completely disappeared.

The title track is a better song, and a reminder that despite his, um, extra-curricular activities, R. Kelly is a superb songwriter (he provided Michael Jackson with his last number-one hit in America, "You Are Not Alone.") But Houston's performance, while heartfelt, is hampered by her haggard voice. Despite the excellent production, nothing can distract from the fact that Houston's voice is in rough shape.

Like many, I was hoping Houston's comeback would be a triumph a la Tina Turner in the '80s, or even Carey's a few years back. I've got to give Houston credit for pulling her life together.

But there's no avoiding the fact, "The Voice" is gone.

Is Off the Wall Michael Jackson's best album?

As the world continues to grapple with Michael Jackson's death on June 25th, copies of his magnum opus, Thriller, and greatest hits collections continue to sell out on Amazon.com and in stores. But the one album that SHOULD be selling out is Off the Wall.

Recorded and released in 1979, Off the Wall wasn't Michael Jackson's first album, but it might as well have been. Jackson had already recorded a few albums when he was with Motown, but those albums were really just to sell singles and Jackson had no contribution to the song-writing or producing. Off the Wall was Jackson's first solo album on Epic Records, and produced by Quincy Jones, and it was the first album that showed Michael Jackson was more than just some teen pop star; he was a genuinely talented song-writer and performer. He wrote the album's first single, Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, one of his most enduring hits, a song that effortlessly blends pop, soul and disco. But the rest of Off the Wall is just as good, just as funky and - yes - just as sexy.

While Thriller may get voted as Michael Jackson's best album, I would argue Off the Wall is the superior album. It's looser, funkier and more organic, whereas Thriller is more calculating, trying to be the biggest pop album ever (on many levels it does succeed), but Off the Wall is simply more fun. Try resisting the grooves of "Rock With You," "It's the Falling in Love," and the title track. And Jackson sings "She's Out of My Life" with pure emotion.

So, if you cannot find a copy of Thriller at HMV, and you don't own Off the Wall, pick up this album, Jackson's finest moment.

Riverdance

I've seen the Riverdance special on PBS. It's entertaining... for about five minutes.

Seeing it with a 905-er audience at the Canon Theatre, it's hell for two hours. And unlike PBS, you cannot switch the station; you are a prisoner. The only good thing I can say about the show is that my ticket was free of charge.

Riverdance is faux-Irish dancing and I hope it doesn't give the impression that this is the "culture" of the Irish. Because if it is, I now understand why drinking is so popular in Ireland. 'Cause I seriously wanted/needed a drink watching this show.

Basically, Riverdance is "Irish dancing" (if you can call it that) with really boring interludes of a faux-Spanish dancer, a bad Enya impersonator, and lame narration that seems borrowed from the live-action Transformers movie.

Some of the dancing is impressive. But people in the audience reacted like this was the first time they saw feet move in coordination. The people behind us were literally having orgasms. This was obviously their first time outside of Acton.

The "star" of Riverdance is some bearded guy with an attachment to wearing shiny outfits that look like they belonged in the '80s/early '90s. He did the same move over and over and over again, yet the audience gave him a rousing ovation after each "solo." Speaking of ovations, these Riverdancers would not leave the stage. I had to sit through (endure) no less than six curtain calls because the Riverdancers needed applause for each dancer, and then five ovations for the main stars.

Throughout the evening, as the dancers clogged and tapped across the stage, I thought of my friend Rachel inviting me to see Sugarland. Yes, I would rather have seen a country music concert than watch Riverdance. I would rather have attended a Toby Keith concert than watch this crap. Then I thought of my other friend, Karen, who had invited me to see Dance Flick. Yes, I would rather have watched a Wayans Brothers movie than watch Riverdance.

After the show mercifully ended, my friend Maria sent me a text message saying how fabulous the revival of West Side Story on Broadway was. This enraged me so much I thought of putting a curse on Maria a la Drag Me To Hell ("You shamed me!"), but relented as I realized it was probably a childhood dream of Maria's to watch WSS on Broadway, bringing her back to the days when she would imagine herself as Anita...

Final verdict: I would rather watch "High School Musical on Ice" (which I have seen) than sit through the horror of Riverdance again.

Happy Record Store Day!

Who knew that vinyl would survive - even in these tough economic times? Today is "Record Store Day"... a day to commemorate the (few) record stores that exist today.

Here in Toronto, record/CD stores have been closing at an alarming rate (the biggest blow being Sam The Record Man closing in 2007), but a few survive. My favourites include Soundscapes, a charming CD store located in Little Italy on College Street. Soundscapes specializes in rare and hard-to-find music from genres such as soul, pop, jazz, folk, americana, and country. They also carry many independent Canadian acts which are hard to find in HMV, which is still the most prominent music chain in Canada.

Sunrise Records also remains in business. While Sunrise generally just carries the latest hit recordings, they do feature a decent enough catalogue. I think, however, Sunrise is much better than HMV for purchasing DVD's, particularly their flagship store at Yonge and Gould, which has a superb DVD selection.

Sonic Boom, located at Bloor and Bathurst, is a huge warehouse-style store that carries both new and used CDs on their main level, and a decent selection of new and used vinyl in their basement. Rummaging through their many used titles can be a chore for the casual music collector, but if you enjoy CD treasure hunts, Sonic Boom is worth visiting.

Of course, there are many other great record stores in Toronto. Check out Queen Street West which has many great vinyl stores still in business.

In this digital age, some may laugh at the idea of people continuing to buy vinyl and CDs, but those of us who love the traditional method of purchasing music... HAPPY RECORD STORE DAY! Get out there and support your local record store.

Did we underestimate Tom Cruise's box-office appeal?

When Tom Cruise's film "Valkyrie" opened last weekend, after months and months of bad press, middling reviews and little interest by moviegoers, the seemingly cursed, Bryan Singer-directed World War II epic surprised many by debuting at number four with approximately $21 million. Okay, opening at number four is respectable, but back in the day, a Tom Cruise film would usually open at number one with huge numbers. But in the last few years, Cruise's image has suffered so badly, that it is a shock that Valkyrie made any money at all. That it opened in the top five with $21 million only proves that, despite the negative press and bizarre public appearances on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and "Today Show", Tom Cruise's box office crown may be chipped, but it's not broken or destroyed.

It could be argued that most people associate Tom Cruise as the couch-jumper on Oprah, or as the Scientology celebrity who criticized Brooke Shields' use of anti-depressants for post-partum depression and went toe-to-toe with Matt Lauer over prescription drugs on "Today". But, evidently, there are many out there who remember Tom Cruise as a box-office star who, at one time, made interesting movies and would pay to see them regardless of bad reviews, but simply because it starred Tom Cruise.

I have not seen the film, and do not have much desire to. After all, it's going to be difficult for me to buy Tom Cruise as a German - WITHOUT a German accent. But I can understand why moviegoers wanted to see a Tom Cruise. Despite all the negative press in recent years, Tom Cruise has generally made good movies. For fun popcorn fare, there was Top Gun, Cocktail, Mission Impossible to keep us entertained, even if they were shameless entertainment. And he would also make deeper, more interesting films such as Born on the Fourth of July, Rain Man, and Magnolia. He has made some stinkers, such as Vanilla Sky, but overall, seeing Tom Cruise at the multiplex has generally been a positive experience.

So, perhaps it's too early to call to end Tom Cruise's box-office reign. It no doubt has been taken over by his friend Will Smith, who, although his latest film Seven Pounds is only performing moderately at the box office, has made boffo box-office blockbusters such as I Am Legend, Hancock and I, Robot. But Cruise is still in the game, and if a movie like Valkyrie, with all of its bad press and less-than-favourable reviews, can attract moviegoers, than we no doubt underestimated Cruise's box-office appeal.

Hugh Jackman as Oscar host?

The choices for Oscar host have become increasingly eye-raising in the past few years... Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres, Jon Stewart, and for the upcoming Oscars... Hugh Jackman? Okay, so the Australian-born hunk is an actor with success in Hollywood (and a good actor at that), and he has a flair for musical theatre (having won a Tony award), but after the comedic monologues from Rock, Stewart and DeGeneres of the past years, people will be looking for Jackman to poke fun at Hollywood. However, since Jackman is part of the A-List, how will that be possible? I find the choice of Jackman a curious choice, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Let's see how he will handle the duties -- will he break into song? Will he reveal secrets of the Hollywood stars? Will he be as funny as Carson and Crystal? Time will tell...

Britney, For the Record

Watching the Britney Spears "comeback" special For the Record last night on MuchMusic, you felt as though Britney's handlers were trying desperately to showcase a recovered and revitalized Britney Spears to the public. But once again, typical with Spears' almost ten-year career, her handlers once again presented an image that is false and unconvincing.

Now, I like Britney. She has made good pop music in the last decade (perhaps some of the best pop music), and she appears to be a sweet, fragile person, still innocent even as she is pushing 30. But there was something desperate about For the Record, as the show worked on all cylinders to make it appear this was Spears' triumphant comeback, when it was anything but.

There is something sad about Britney, almost Marilyn Monroe-like, and not in a good way. She seems unhappy, joyless, seemingly blank in the eyes. There is no spark, no ambition, no determination, unlike Madonna, who made an appearance last night, still has even at 50. Watching Madonna and Britney, side-by-side, was an interesting experience. The difference between Madonna and Britney is that Madonna controls everything: her image, her money, her staff, everything. You can sense her control when she walked into the room where Britney and her entourage were. Nothing penetrates Madonna's powerful yet icy facade or those puffed-up cheeks; she's impenetrable. But Madonna was never a puppet like Britney is, and if ever she was a puppet, Madonna always had at least one hand on the strings pulling her; the only difference is when the string was cut, Madonna did not fall, but the person pulling the string would.

Britney certainly lacks the drive her peers Christina Aguilera and her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake have. Yet unlike Madonna, Aguilera and Timberlake, Britney does not have the same grip on her career as they do. Watching Britney rehearse videos and dance routines throughout the special, you get the sense that she had nothing to do with the concepts behind them. None of these creations are her original ideas. Someone else is creating her ideas and telling her what to do. Britney seemed bored and disinterested throughout.

As much as the special wanted us to believe this was a "comeback", I think it's too soon for a Britney comeback. In fact, I don't think there should be a comeback, because the star herself appears not even interested in coming back.

Revisiting the (Christmas) Classics: Kim Stockwood's I Love Santa

There are some singers who were born to make Christmas albums: Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, Julie Andrews, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Boney M (oh, come on, admit it -- you love their Christmas album!) et cetera. The list could go on and on. And, of course, there are those singers who should not make a Christmas album (Jessica Simpson, anyone?).

It seems as if making a Christmas album is part of any singer's contract. Even during the boy-band hey-days, New Kids on the Block, N*Sync and 98 Degrees all made Christmas albums. But rarely are any of these albums more than smart marketing ploys to lure shoppers into spending money during the holiday season on their favourite singer jumping on the Christmas-album bandwagon.

However, one of the best Christmas albums in recent years is by a Canadian singer who like Presley, Andrews et al. was destined to make a Christmas album: Kim Stockwood. She's has had a few hits on Canadian radio, most notably Jerk and 12 Years Old. She is a talented singer-songwriter with a cheeky sense of humour and a gift for writing thoughtful, personal songs with strong melodies. Which is why she's the perfect singer to make her own Christmas album.

Released in 2006, I Love Santa gets some play during the Christmas season because of Stockwood's popular version of It's a Marshmallow World. There are a handful of other popular Christmas classics such as Silver Bells, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and an absolutely gorgeous version of Silent Night (featuring Damhnait Doyle and Tara MacLean). But thankfully, Stockwood also features some of her own songs, including the title track. The album is a charming, warm-hearted Christmas album with a slightly jazzy sound; the kind you can listen to snuggled up in front of the fireplace drinking egg nog or a hot chocolate.

Although it's only two years old, Stockwood's I Love Santa is already one of my favourite Christmas albums of all time. I don't think it's too early to rank it with the Christmas classics. Treat yourself this Christmas to Kim Stockwood's I Love Santa.