Merry Christmas, Mavenati. 

May your holidays be filled with hotness.

xW

TWO TO NINE

....two more days til Nine hits theatres.  The reviews have been atrocious, but I don't care.
I think I'm more excited about this than Christmas itself!

FREE DOWNLOAD: WILL-W. - HOLLYWOOD ENDING (AARON PAETSCH CLUB MIX)

Fresh off the mixing boards is an extended club cut of my new single Hollywood Ending, produced by up-and-coming Canadian producer/DJ Aaron Paetsch.  Already getting heavy airplay on popular stations like Toronto's PROUD-FM, the single is also slated for a big premiere on Billboard Magazine veteran editor Larry Flick's radio show on Sirius OutQ (Sirius Radio).  I'm offering it free to you as a Holiday gift!

If you wish to own a digital copy of the super-sleek Hollywood Ending (Aaron Paetsch Radio Edit), it is now available at the following iTunes stores: Canada, US, UK, Australia, Italy, Spain, Japan, Denmark and Germany.

Essentially, the track is a big middle finger with a freshly filed nail, to anyone who turned out not to be worth your while.  The track is set against a hypnotic, dark, electro-scape and it is an anthem for anyone who understands that sometimes it's okay to not be the bigger person; that you don't always have to forgive when it comes to your own self-protection.  Yup.  Happy Holidays!  [Download it here]  

xDr. Will

MR. WILL-W.: POP MAVEN'S BEST OF 2009

All killer, no filler. All fame, no lame. 2009 was overall a year which focused on keeping things light and fun despite some tough economic times. Let's take a look at some of my year's best....

ALBUMS 2009

1. Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster
2. Glee: The Music, Volume 1
3. James Morrison - Songs for You, Truths for Me
4. Whitney Houston - I Look to You
5. Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
6. Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted
7. La Roux - Bulletproof
8. Pet Shop Boys - Yes

FILMS 2009

1. The Blind Side
2. Julie & Julia
3. Precious: Based On The Novel "Push" By Sapphire
4. Whip It
5. (500) Days of Summer
6. An Education
7. The September Issue
8. Obsessed


How about your favourites?

SO LONG, BRITTANY MURPHY

This is really sad news. Brittany Murphy is reported first by quasi-reliable source TMZ.Com, to have passed away this morning in Los Angeles due to cardiac arrest. Her mother discovered her body in the shower. The 32 year-old actress had starred in some of the most important films of our generation including Girl Interrupted, 8 Mile, Clueless and Sin City. A few of her recent films featured some of her best work yet including romantic comedy Love and Other Disasters which never saw a North American release, but fared very well at TIFF '06 and The Dead Girl, in which she won a fair amount of acclaim despite few people seeing it. Above this, she also scored a number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in 2006 with her Paul Oakenfold collaboration, Faster Kill Pussycat. A talented young woman and grossly underrated. You will be remembered, Brittany.

ALIEN ATTACK

It's pretty clear which film would top the Box Office this weekend. Opening in 3,400 theatres, James Cameron's Avatar slaughtered its competition taking, in $73 million. Worldwide, the 20th Century Fox film made an outstanding $232 million, almost recouping half of its rumoured $500 million budget as the most expensive film to be made ever. Read my review of it here.

Last week's top film Buena Vista's The Princess and The Frog, slips to second with $12.2 million and Warner Bros.' The Blind Side continues to impress in third, earning $10 million in its fifth week near the top.

Did You Hear About The Morgans the only other new film to open in the Top Ten, debuting in fourth with $7 million. The Sony Pictures film starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant continues to get disastrous reviews, earning back only an eighth of its lofty $58 million budget.

Oscar Best Picture contender Up in the Air continues to pull is some stellar numbers, coming in eighth this weekend with $3.1 million, only screening in limited release at 175 theatres.

Next week's tally should be interesting with all the amazing Christmas Day blockbuster releases arriving like It's Complicated, Nine, Sherlock Holmes and Alvin and The Chipmunks II.

GRANDPA WILL

I'm too excited! I'm going to be a Grandpa in a couple of months. My little boy Billy seen above with the soon-to-be-mother of his puppies, Chloe.

REVIEW: AVATAR

The amount of buzz surrounding director James Cameron's 15 years in-the-making Avatar has been feverish of late. It is fresh off receiving four Golden Globe nominations, as announced earlier this week and surely will be a front-runner in the upcoming Oscars race for Best Picture and technical categories. Visually, it is a stunning masterpiece and the moment the film begins up to the point it ends 162 minutes later, Cameron manages effectively to keep me 100% engaged. The downside is that the story lacks the heart it truly wants to have, being lost in special effects and fancy graphics.

Handsome Aussie Sam Worthington plays Jake Scully, a wheel-chair ridden war veteran who is assigned on a mission to visit planet Pandora after his scientist identical twin dies. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) spearheads a program to create 10 ft. tall hybrid human/Na'vi aliens called Avatars to invade Pandora, which is abundant in its most prized resource Unobtanium. This resource would help resolve Earth's energy crisis. On his assignment, Scully transforms into Avatar form and eventually falls in love with Neytiri, a Na'vi. Colonel Miles Quatrich (Stephen Lang) makes no mistake that he is willing to pull out all the stops in having the miltary kill off all Na'vi should they get in the way of the set mission to obtaining and control Unobtanium. Scully is torn between completing his assignment and protecting the colony his beloved Neytiri belongs to. What results is a gripping war of the worlds between humans and aliens in the last half hour of the film.

In all honesty, I do not do sci-fi, so much of the plot minutiae went over my head. Thus what I was looking for in Avatar was an element of human emotion I could relate to. Metaphorically, the film parallels our times of war with the U.S. military still fighting George W. Bush's war in Afghanistan and makes a statement about the destructiveness of it all. And oddly, we wind up siding with the Na'vi versus the humans through all of this. The love story between Scully and Neytiri had traces of heart, but did not bring the film to the great emotional heights it could have gone to a la Cameron's Titanic. Also, it was refreshing to see a strong female presence as principal, not just supporting characters. Regardless, the film is effectively entertaining as a mindless escape even though the same story could have been told in significantly shorter duration. Avatar, from 20th Century Fox is now in theatres worldwide. Grade: B

PRODUCT WATCH: DAVID'S TEA

28 year-old entrepreneur David Segal spent much of his early '20s obsessing about why it is so hard to find a quality cup of tea in this city. So instead of wasting time thinking about it, he started what is now a very successful chain of tea shops in primary markets like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

David's Tea launched in 2008 and it combines the essence of fashion - that flavours should change according to season - together with the world's second most consumed beverage. It takes away the pretentiousness attached to tea drinking, making it accessible to a demographic willing to try something new. No offense to Bubble Tea. Sorted by variety whether it be Black, Green, White, Oolong, Rooibos, Herbal, Maté or Pu'erh, you will find here the most decadent assortment available anywhere. And I mean decadent.

I myself prefer a cup of Black Tea and I am absolutely in love right now with After Midnight, which combines the flavours of Dark Chocolate, Orange Peel, Pink Peppercorns and Cardamom. The label on my 100g tin claims that it acts as an aphrodisiac and I can confirm that yes, it works. Ditto for the Organic Hojicha Crème, which is a creamy tasting Green Tea. The Cream of Earl Grey also gets lots of compliments every time I serve it to friends. And in the summer I like to make a pitcher of Gunpowder Taffy, which is a citrusy, caramel-flavoured Green Tea. Other popular flavours include the Crème Caramel Rooibos and the just released Tiramisu Rooibos.

David's Tea also sell some really gorgeous accessories like Tiffany & Co.-inspired turquoise tea pots and all sorts of cool infusers for your mug in the event you don't need to make a full pot of tea. The cupcakes they serve in-store are to die for, including one of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup variety. And did I mention that they offer free shipping within Canada and to our friends in the U.S. for orders above $50? Yes. Tea, anyone?

REVIEW: NINE - THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

While we await its theatrical release with baited breath, Universal Music Canada sent me the best early Christmas gift - an advanced copy of the soundtrack for Nine. The film, based on the play of the same name, is inspired by the story of legendary Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini and takes place around the time Fellini underwent a creative drought making his acclaimed masterpiece, 8½. Replace Fellini with the character Guido Contini plus a very sexy female cast of award-winning entertainers as his lovers, and there you have the most eagerly anticipated movie musical in quite some time.

Just looking through the album’s track listing, I could not help but be filled with curiosity how Pénelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Dame Judi Dench, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson and the film’s main star Daniel Day-Lewis, would fare as singers. Nicole Kidman, many of us already know is an adequate vocalist as seen in one of her career best roles in Moulin Rouge. And well, Grammy winner Fergie needs no introduction.

Producers Rob Marshall and John DeLuca arranged for the cast to record the film’s tracks in London late September 2008, about a month before shooting began. The results though are mixed, but there are some incredible surprises to be found. For one, Music Director Paul Bogaev does an excellent job setting the musical landscape of Italy in the ‘60s, when the story takes place. Day-Lewis is first introduced to us on Guido’s Song and although he is not blessed with an amazing voice, he still does a very credible job tapping into the psyche of a man in a midlife crisis. With the abundance of cast members the material is dispersed, meaning at most, the cast members are responsible only for one or two numbers each.

Oscar winner Cruz is working with a paper thin voice, but delivers with conviction as sultry seductress Carla on A Call from the Vatican. Folies Bergere is perhaps the soundtrack’s greatest performance alongside Fergie’s fiery Be Italian, as Judi Dench delivers pure Parisian ferocity as Guido’s confidante Lili. And who would ever have guessed that Kate Hudson as American film critic Stephanie, could belt it like a champ on Cinema Italiano? This track was one of the three new pieces which Broadway composer Maury Yeston made for the film.

Cotillard who plays Guido’s neglected wife Luisa is an incredible actress, but not so much a vocalist. The same can be said about the legendary Loren as Mamma. It is said that Yeston had to craft songs specifically around both Cotillard and Loren’s limited ranges. Perhaps I should really wait to see the visual pairing of the film together with these songs before commenting further as I have a history of falling in love with songs after seeing them in video form.

Also featured on the soundtrack is a Ron Fair (The Pussycat Dolls, Christina Aguilera) remix of Cinema Italiano, which still wouldn’t have much of a place on radio today even in its reworked state. Surprisingly, The Noisettes also make a contribution on the charming Io Bacio, Tu Baci, in addition to a second contribution from Fergie, an okay updating of Quando Quando Quando. Newcomer Griffith Frank beautifully takes the reigns on his version of Unusual Way, sung by Nicole Kidman who struggles somewhat on her version. Although director Rob Marshall’s casting choices (not the material itself) account for much of the mixed moments on the soundtrack, it is still very much worth a listen. Nine – The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is in stores December 21, 2009. Grade: B

Listen to actress Kate Hudson give it her all on Cinema Italiano (Ron Fair Mix) (courtesy of Geffen Records/Universal Music):

GLEE YOURSELF

With the first season of Glee being bloody over already, what else will I do on Wednesday nights until April? The plus side however is that season one, Road to The Sectionals, will be out on DVD Tuesday (December 29, 2009)!

GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

Up in the Air and Glee lead this year's pack of Golden Globe Awards nominees. The former garnered a total six nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in the motion picture categories, while the latter earned four in the television categories. Following closely behind Up in the Air with five nods is Rob Marshall's musical Nine, due in theatres on Christmas Day, while James Cameron's Avatar got four. Golden Globe darlings including 30 Rock, Mad Men and Big Love all earned three nominations behind Glee.

The motion picture acting categories are highly competitive this year and notably, personal favourites Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep each received two nominations. Bullock is nominated for her stellar performance in The Blind Side (Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama) and also The Proposal (Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy). Meryl Streep will be competing against herself for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy with Julie & Julia and the soon to be released It's Complicated; her 24th and 25th Golden Globe nominations and surely just two of many more to come.

The match for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama is heated one with some really evenly-matched nominees including George Clooney (Up in the Air), Colin Firth (A Single Man), Morgan Freeman (Invictus), Tobey Maguire (Brothers) and Jeff Bridges (A Crazy Heart). The same can be said about the very competitive Best Supporting Actress category which will be pitting Mo'Nique (Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire), Pénelope Cruz (Nine), Julianne Moore (A Single Man) and co-stars Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air).

Although very accurate overall, missing from this year's list of nominees is Welsh actor Michael Sheen who put on an fantastic performance in little-watched The Damned United. Director Lee Daniels (Precious) who drew some some exceptional performances out of the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Mo'Nique and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe rightfully should have been recognized for his work as Best Director.

Long overdue is legendary director Martin Scorcese receiving the honourary Cecil B. DeMille Award this year. Although I've said it before also, Jane Lynch is the one to beat for her work as Sue Sylvester on Glee for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series and I am excited particularly for her.

You can view a complete list of nominees for the 67th Golden Globe Awards click here. The awards will be aired live on NBC Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 8 PM EST. I haven't seen a few of the key contenders yet, but for now my personal picks are below:

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA:

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA:

SANDRA BULLOCK -THE BLIND SIDE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA:

GEORGE CLOONEY - UP IN THE AIR

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:

NINE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:

MERYL STREEP - JULIE & JULIA

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS - NINE

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:

UP

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE:

MO’NIQUE - PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL "PUSH" BY SAPPHIRE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE:

STANLEY TUCCI - THE LOVELY BONES

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE:

JASON REITMAN - UP IN THE AIR

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE:

JASON REITMAN, SHELDON TURNER - UP IN THE AIR

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE:

JAMES HORNER - AVATAR

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE:

“CINEMA ITALIANO” — NINE/Music & Lyrics by: Maury Yeston

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA:

MAD MEN (AMC)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA:

GLENN CLOSE - DAMAGES

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA:

JON HAMM - MAD MEN

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:

GLEE (FOX)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:

LEA MICHELE - GLEE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:

MATTHEW MORRISON - GLEE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION:

JANE LYNCH - GLEE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION:

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS - HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

REVIEW: ALICIA KEYS - THE ELEMENT OF FREEDOM

I have tried with considerable effort to get into Alicia Keys' fourth studio effort The Element of Freedom. Having received multiple reader requests to give it a go, I really hate to say it, but I'm just not loving it. And this is coming from someone who has supported all of her releases, which have sold a combined total of 30 million copies worldwide.

Keys pulls back a bit this time around and in terms of sound, she ventures into more of a rock direction compared to her earlier work. There are several '80s/'90s sounds as much of the arrangements center around the piano and Moog keyboards. Her vocals are a little less polished on this album, although there is more a feeling of organic raw emotion as a result of this. Thematically, the album is about a deeply-affecting break-up. Song after song, we hear about Keys' love obsession and having to overcome heartbreak, yet still holding onto her feelings of love for her past lover. This perhaps makes the album a little stagnant.

I will not deny that there are some gorgeous tracks on The Element of Freedom. Doesn't Mean Anything, Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart, Wait 'Til You See My Smile, That's How Strong My Love Is are all beautifully understated and melodically sufficient, but none of these siongs have that signature Keys fire that felt so warm to the touch previously. Remember A Woman's Worth, How Come You Don't Call Me?, Fallin' or You Don't Know My Name? There was passion in that. The Alicia Keys featured on this album is indeed a maturer woman, but she is a fraction of what she was. I'm not even going to comment on the let-down of a collaboration with Beyoncé, Put it in a Love Song.

There are a few surprises like the one bouncy mid-tempo track This Bed which holds on to the theme of lost love with its repeated hook "This bed/Is too lonely without you", despite sounding distinct from the rest of the album. The "broken down" version of smash hit Empire State of Mind wraps up the album beautifully and I actually prefer this take on it versus the version with Jay-Z being pumped in the clubs and on radio. That soaring chorus of "Now you're in New York/These streets will make you feel brand new/Big lights will inspire you" is spine-tingling. I'll continue giving this album a few more listens, but I'm sorry I wasn't able to give this one a bit more praise, Mavenati. Please forgive. Grade: B-.

If you'd like to read a glowing review for Alicia Keys' The Element of Freedom, you can visit Pop Trash Addicts where Mike just loved it up and then some! The album is now in stores and you can check out Empire State of Mind II in full below (courtesy of Sony/BMG Records):

JENNIFER HUDSON AND MICHAEL BUBLÉ: HEATING UP YOUR HOLIDAYS

ABC aired Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's hour-long Christmas special I'll Be Home For Christmas tonight, documenting her return to her hometown of Chicago. The program followed Hudson as she went back to her former high school and church, reuniting with friends and family along the way. More notably, she delivered some very soulful renditions of This Christmas, O Come All Ye Faithful, The Christmas Song and Silent Night and we could sense her nervousness in singing alongside some local mentors she looked up to growing up. She remains humble despite having earned her place alongside them.

Although the special didn't necessarily connect us to any deep emotional level with her, America like Hudson, has had a tough run over the past while. Seeing her be strong enough to overcome it all is fitting in these times of hope and change.

During the special, Hudson did a duet medley of Baby, It's Cold Outside and Let It Snow with Canada's beloved Michael Bublé. Hudson made him a first choice to collaborate with in this special, stating that his voice perfectly exemplifies for her the meaning of Christmas. The two playfully bantered back and forth and if you do a search on YouTube, you just might be able to find the performances online.

Bublé also just announced the launch of his Crazy Love Tour, with its American leg kicking off March 10th in Orlando, Florida and wrapping up April 9th in Los Angeles, California. The European leg of his tour begins May 6th also in Sheffield, England, although there are no Canadian dates announced yet. For a full list of tour dates, visit the handsome crooner's official tour site.

As an interesting aside, Bublé revealed to MR. WILL-W.: POP MAVEN readers that he finds much joy in eating some of his favourite comfort foods which include: his Grandmother's homemade Risotto, Velveeta Mac and Cheese, Beef Jerky, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (my Mavenati in Australia don't know what they're missing!) and Cheetos. He also let us know that his most essential item of clothing to bring along while touring is his favourite pair of jeans, which he has had repaired four times apparently. Perhaps, he'll be on Santa's Nice List this year and get a gift card to his tailor.

Don't forget to check out my review of Bublé's Crazy Love album here. Watch a teaser for the Crazy Love Tour below:

*I took the above photo of Hudson during her 2008 visit to Toronto during TIFF. The photo of Bublé was taken 2006 at his Sony Centre show in Toronto.

AVATAR: YAY OR NAY?

I don't do sci-fi movies. I just don't. It's not my thing and never has been. But James Cameron's (Aliens, The Terminator, Titanic) latest film Avatar appears to be getting an inordinate amount of buzz of late. To be honest, the trailer looked terribly boring so I didn't expect much and I don't think I am alone on that. I was watching TODAY this morning and the host would not stop going on about how amazing the 3-D film was and she also doesn't do sci-fi. Critical consensus website Rotten Tomatoes has it at a 91% rating, easily making it one of the best reviewed movies of 2009. So I must say that I'm curious now.

Are you going to see Avatar when it opens this Friday?

REVIEW: ANDREA BOCELLI - MY CHRISTMAS

I am going to go out on a limb here and any risk coolness points that I might have left, but my motto has always been to appreciate art for an artist's craft and the heart put into it. Andrea Bocelli's My Christmas has put me into holiday mode completely and despite the many blockbuster releases that have hit the shelves in recent weeks, this one has preoccupied the Disc 1 tray of my CD player much of late. Inasmuch as a David Foster production can be safe and predictable, I cannot deny that this album is damn good. During the holidays, I want something heartwarming and festive, not cutting edge.

Bocelli tries some new things here, scaling back the operatic theatrics in his vocals for a new audience of pop music listeners like myself on secular classics like White Christmas, the über-cute Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Jingle Bells (featuring The Muppets!) and Silent Night; all epitomizing holiday spirit. The divo arrives in full enchanting force doing what he does best on numbers like The Lord's Prayer, Adeste Fideles, Cantique De Noel and Caro Gesu' Bambino. That is powerful stuff right there.

My Christmas unleashes a few unexpected surprise collaborations, the strongest being the chilling What Child Is This (featuring a subdued Mary J. Blige). Duets like The Christmas Song (featuring Natalie Cole) don't offer anything new we haven't heard prior and one slight veering in the country direction with Blue Christmas (featuring Reba McEntire) is well-intentioned, but the result is one of few non-gratifying moments on the album. Overall, a classic. Grade: A-

Preview What Child Is This by Andrea Bocelli and Mary J. Blige below (courtesy of Decca Records/Universal Music):

THE PRINCESS AND THE RUGBY BALL

Timed perfectly for a holiday release, Buena Vista's The Princess and The Frog hit theatres with a bang this weekend at top spot, earning $27.9 million from 4,800 screens. The film features the voices of Terrence Howard, Oprah Winfrey and Anika Noni Rose, whom many of you might remember from Dreamgirls.

Two Warner Bros. sports-dramas occupy the second and third slot respectively, with excellent The Blind Side which topped the Box Office last week slipping to number two this weekend. Clint Eastwood-directed Invictus opened in third and has been getting excellent reviews. Check out my review of it here.

There isn't much else new to report this weekend with very few movies opening. After many weeks in the Top Ten now, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, A Christmas Carol and 2012 still hang on strong in fourth, fifth and seventh respectively.

REVIEW: INVICTUS

I have no idea how he finds time to do it, but Clint Eastwood has done it again. Invictus won't be winning any Oscars, but it is his third great effort to be released in a span of 13 months, the last two being 2008's The Changeling and Gran Torino.

Invictus is the true story of Nelson Mandela (Morgran Freeman) in his first term as South African President in 1995. He has a plan to unite his people and does so via one thing they are jointly passionate about, Rugby. He enlists underdogs The Springboks, led by Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) to accomplish this. The team had been hovering near the bottom of the league for quite some time, and perception wise, they fared unfavourably with black South Africans and more favourably with white South Africans.

The Springboks are a metaphor for apartheid in South Africa as ethnically speaking, they resembled "the same people" who wrongfully arrested Nelson Mandela. And if the team were able to overcome this negative perception, it could perhaps inspire the people of South Africa, black or white, to come together. Mandela challenges and inspires Pienaar to lead his team by example, setting their sights on the 1995 Rugby World Cup Championship. Although seemingly impossible, the team makes it there while Mandela watches eagerly from the sidelines.

Invictus is a story about hope and change. Although I know little about Rugby, I found myself immersed completely in the film. My only problem with the story is that we kept getting thrown for a loop thinking being teased with signs of Mandela's imminent danger, whether it be a van driving way and slowing down in his path, when it turned out it was just someone delivering newspapers or an airplane that happened to be flying too low, when really that's all it was. The danger never comes to fruition and perhaps instead, more intensity could have been created by focusing on the obstacles the team had to overcome in order to achieve greatness; this is where the heart of the story truly lies.

Freeman puts on yet another fine performance, although there were quite a few noticable moments where he would drift in and out of his South African accent. I am a stickler with accents admittedly. I found also that Anthony Peckham's script made Mandela out to be a little too Rugby-obsessed when realistically, I'm sure he had many more pressing concerns on his plate as President. Also, Damon as a principal character is underutilized still and that is a shame because we all know the level of work he is capable of.

If were to compare Invictus with some of the other excellent sports dramas which came out this year like The Damned United and The Blind Side, I'd rate it just a notch below those two. Nonetheless, the Warner Bros. film is still an enjoyable watch. Grade: B+

REVIEW: GEORGE MICHAEL LIVE IN LONDON DVD

Well, how's this for a surprise? I had no idea that George Michael was releasing his 2008 25 Tour on DVD until I was casually browsing the Music DVD section at HMV the other day. I had to have it.

The two-disc DVD set titled George Michael Live in London documents the pop legend's final London show at Earls Court in 22 tracks on the first disc and behind-the-scenes documentary and three bonus performances on disc two. Having attended his Air Canada Centre show in Toronto, I can say that this recording of the show is possibly even better than the actual performance I saw. The downside however, is that his 25 years of hits which was originally presented in a two act, 150 minute long show, has been pared down significantly for this release.

Michael makes no mistake about making a grand entrance, starting the show on a high note with Fastlove, followed by I'm Your Man from his Wham! days and then more recent hit Flawless from 2004's Patience album. He also updates the classic Everything She Wants in an age-appropriate manner, illustrating why his melodies have stood the test of time.

Although for me, Michael's dance material has always been his strength, his career is marked by many, many outstanding ballads. Father Figure, One More Try and A Different Corner have a very strong presence on this disc. He devotes a good portion of his show to some of his more jazzy material, which seems to have been more of a focus in recent years, including covers of Feeling Good (Nina Simone) and Roxanne (The Police) and his own Spinning The Wheel, which transforms into a big anthemic dance mix. Even though his voice has deteriorated slightly since his prime, having lost a bit of his upper range he once had, Michael's amazing talent cannot be denied still.

One of the details which made this show so memorable were its vignettes and the gorgeous 3000 LED screen lightshow that were projected as Michael performed. In his performance of Roxanne, it is explained that his camera crew invaded the lives of some prostitutes in the Red Light District of Amsterdam and this footage is shown to set the tone of song. This pretty much sums up the level of detail Michael puts into his show for his fans. In his performance of Too Funky, we take a trip back down memory lane with snippets of the original video starring now media mogul Tyra Banks and Linda Evangelista, among many other supermodels on the runway. We learn interestingly that Michael had an uncle who took his own life shortly before he was born on his chilling tribute, My Mother Had a Brother. That uncle aspired to be a star and never came to terms with his failure. He became what that uncle never could be.

Never one to avoid scandal, Michael arrives on stage in a police officer get-up on Outside, mocking that famous 1998 bathroom sex scandal which led to his arrest; it's party time, indeed. The show would not be complete without a delivery of the career-defining Careless Whisper, which has the audience singing along in unison, before capping it all off with the celebratory Freedom '90.

The documentary featured on the second disc titled I'd Know Him a Mile Off shows Michael in all his fire randomly firing profanities in good humour, at friends and crew. Clearly a perfectionist, we learn that he listens and critiques his live recordings right after his shows. And it is quite fun watching him interact with his superb backing vocalists on a sisterly level.

George Michael Live in London is an essential for fans like myself who have hungered far too long for something new. Michael will be releasing an EP for The December Song, his first Christmas track since perennial favourite Last Christmas, on December 15, 2009. Perhaps this is a sign of more to come? Grade: A

To view some photos of took from George Michael's 25 Tour, click here.

Below is a video I got of Freedom '90, for a taste of what his show felt like:

REVIEW: GLEE: THE MUSIC, VOLUME 2

Although not quite as amazing as its first volume, Glee: The Music, Volume 2 is an essential from any fan of the amazing Fox television series. Columbia Records has made the clever business decision of splitting these highlights from the show into two separate releases, warranting two purchases. Really, we all know everything could have been packaged into a dual disc set timed for the Holidays.

Among the best on this disc are versatile Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison's Endless Love which actually eclipses its original (Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross); Canadian heartthrob Cory Monteith's just-perfect I'll Stand By You (The Pretenders); versatile Lea Michele's excellent takes on the one of the best pop songs of the '90s Crush (Jennifer Paige) and showstopper Don't Rain on My Parade (Barbra Streisand); and underutilized Jenna Ushkowitz's True Colours (Cindy Lauper).

Soulfully gifted Amber Riley's unforgettable And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going (Jennifer Holliday/Jennifer Hudson), which is only marginally off of Hudson's gold standard set in the motion picture Dreamgirls. Her other solo contribution on this disc Don't Make Me Over (Dionne Warwick) sums up what Glee is all about: loving yourself for who you are and refusing to change for others. And of course, how can we forget those outstanding cast renditions of Proud Mary (Tina Turner) performed in wheelchairs, Imagine (John Lennon) which is missing the hearing-impaired guest cast on this version, and the uplifting My Life Would Suck Without You (Kelly Clarkson) which capped of this stellar first season.

Listen to the cast of Glee perform Clarkson's number one hit below (courtesy of Sony/BMG Records):

I'll admit that I don't care much for Morrison's mash-up of Don't Stand So Close To Me/Young Girl (The Police/Gary Puckett & The Union Gap) and Monteith's (You're) Having My Baby (Paul Anka - also a Canadian!), both which thematically fit in with the episodes they belong to as moments of comic relief, but wind up sounding out of place here. The cast's cover of Jump (Van Halen) also doesn't quite translate as well with Adam Anders and Ryan Murphy's Glee makeover. Overall, the spirited 17-track collection is still an fantastic listen and full of bright moments. April, when season two of Glee begins, cannot come soon enough! Grade: A-

PRODUCT WATCH: GODIVA DARK CHOCOLATE CANDY CANE CRUNCH

God. Somebody please take these away from me before I do something I will regret. I was shopping at Indigo (which is essentially the Canadian equivalent of Borders or Barnes & Noble) and could not resist a package of these while cashing out. And it was love at first bite.

Godiva Chocoiste Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Crunch is not for everybody, but if you adore the combination of Peppermint and Chocolate, you will be in for a delectable treat. These individually wrapped delights have a White Chocolate center with Candy Cane bits thrown in for good measure. They are then dipped in Dark Chocolate and covered in more crushed Candy Cane bits. Only available for a limited time during the holidays, you get 16 of them in a package and they retail for approximately $20.00 (CAN) or $15.00 (US), so make them last. Mmmm.

SUSAN BOYLE LIVE IN TORONTO - CANCELLED

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as per a press release from Syco Music/Sony Music Canada (thanks Nader!), Susan Boyle's free Toronto performance originally scheduled for Monday, December 21, 2009 at First Canadian Place, has been cancelled.

The Britain's Got Talent first runner-up is responsible for one of the best selling albums of 2009, I Dreamed a Dream. Boyle was slated to do a free performance for 2,000 people and an autograph signing for 500 fans with wristbands. After having been postponed from November, the cancellation is a result of Boyle requiring more time to keep up with her hectic international promotion schedule. She will be back early 2010, although no date has been confirmed yet. I'm very sad.

BILLBOARD MAGAZINE'S BEST OF THE 2000s

Billboard Magazine just released its Best of the 2000s charts today based on the past ten years of chart statistics and there were some surprises among the bunch.

Mariah Carey owns the title to the Number One Song of the Decade with We Belong Together, which charted fourteen non-consecutive weeks at the top of the Hot 100 Chart in 2005. The latter part of the decade however, hasn't been as successful for Carey with her latest album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel only garnering one lukewarm hit with Obsessed. The single peaked at number seven this year on the Hot 100 Chart.

Coincidentally, Obsessed was intended as a strike by Carey against Billboard Magazine's selected Artist of the Decade, Eminem. Beyoncé had the notable distinction of being shortlisted twice in that same category also as both a solo artist (ranking fourth) and in her stint with Destiny's Child (ranking ninth).

Although now defunct, boy band 'N Sync topped was named Best Selling Album of the 2000s, selling over 10 million copies of their 2000 sophomore album No Strings Attached. Sadly, with album sales on the decline, artists posting these type of numbers has become a thing of the past.

The Rolling Stones just edged out U2 as the Top Touring Act of the 2000s, earning $869,471,325, while the latter took in $844,157,925. Madonna, whom you would think would have topped the list, came in third with $801,299,671.

It was announced also that 2009's Top Selling Album was Taylor Swift's Fearless, just re-released in a Platinum Edition format this October. Swift was also named Artist of the Year too. The final sales tally has yet to be announced, although it looks as though Susan Boyle is edging up with her debut I Dreamed a Dream which continues to sell at an alarming pace.

The year's number one song is Black Eyed Peas' Boom Boom Pow, followed impressively by a Lady Gaga double of Poker Face and Just Dance respectively in second and third. Unfortunately there will be no awards ceremony for The Billboard Awards, after having ceased in 2007 due to a behind-the scenes fallout.

PRODUCT WATCH: VIVA GLAM GAGA LIPSTICK

Not that I know much about make-up, I do look forward to seeing who MAC Cosmetics will unveil as their new spokespeople for their VIVA GLAM campaign. Previous years have seen artists like Elton John, Mary J. Blige and Fergie selected. How exciting is it that both Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper will be joining forces in launching their own individual lipsticks for $14 a pop each on February 25, 2010? 100% of proceeds will go to the MAC AIDS Fund which fights the stigma and shame associated with HIV and AIDS.

I'm already picking ladyfriends in my mind to get these for. Are you running out of reasons to dislike Lady Gaga yet?

BARBARA WALTERS' TEN MOST FASCINATING PERSONALITIES OF 2009

I don't watch much television, but on Wednesday nights I am sure to put aside the gym, light some candles, pop open a bottle of wine, cuddle on the couch with my dog Billy and enjoy a hot little hook-up named Glee. During a commercial break, I realized that Barbara Walters would be revealing her annual Ten Most Fascinating Personalities on ABC. I am always curious to see whom she picks and her eclectic 2009 list includes:

10. Lady Gaga - pop's new megastar; it turns out she's not a hermaphrodite (!) and that she enjoys sex with women. Out of respect, she took her sunglasses off for Walters.

9. Jenny Sanford - wife of adulterous South Carolina governor
8. Tyler Perry - director, actor, producer and cross-dresser who overcame an abusive childhood
7. Glenn Beck - Fox News' outspoken television personality
6. Brett Favre - recently retired and then not retired NFL star
5. Kate Gosselin - recently divorced mother of eight and reality television star
4. Adam Lambert - openly gay American Idol runner-up
3. Sarah Palin - former U.S. Vice Presidential candidate and now sexy author; her second time appearing on the list.
2. Michael Jackson’s Children - Paris, Prince Michael and Prince Michael II ...the world is watching more closely than ever
1. Michelle Obama - American First Lady and trash television lover

Who's missing?

VIDEO PREMIERE: MARIAH CAREY - H.A.T.E.U./TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT

Give Mariah Carey a video camera, some good lighting and she'll find any excuse to show off that famous cleavage of hers. I love her latest single H.A.T.E.U., although its release is really after the fact now since I haven't touched Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel since picking it up back in September.

One thing I will say is that she quickly is becoming a fantastic actress. Just watch her emote at the 2:40 mark; that is genuine emotion right there. Good job Brett Ratner, who directed this. And yes, she looks totally amazing as usual. I am just getting bored of the bikini and playing with the hair thing. Mariah, for the record, I always have and still do love you. I just don't like the music you're making right now. Might I suggest more Big Jim Wright, Freemasons or Cahill for the next album?

Tour dates have also been announced for her 2010 Angels Advocate Tour. Click here to find out if Carey will be visiting your city! I'll definitely be checking out her 2/9/10 show at Toronto's Air Canada Centre.

REVIEW: JULIE & JULIA DVD

This is the movie which inspired me to blog and although I don't intend to review many DVDs here, I will make an exception for this one. Julie & Julia, directed by Nora Ephron, is something special. Based on the novel Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, this film intertwines the real life stories of celebrity chef Julia Child and blogger-turned-author Julie Powell.

We are introduced to Child (Meryl Streep) who relocates to Paris with her husband Paul Child (Stanley Tucci). Having worked a government job in America previously, Child has no other real passion in life other than eating. She decides to take cooking lessons at one of the finest culinary institutes in Paris, starting off on shaky ground. Determined not to be a "frivolous housewife looking to kill time", Child soon proves that with determination and some elbow grease, she too can chop an onion and debone a duck with the best of them. One thing leads to another and she finds herself developing the first ever English language French cookbook. But of course, Child is not met with her share of rejection and opposition along the way.

Simultaneously, we learn the story of Powell (Amy Adams) who worked at a crisis-counselling Call Centre after 9/11. Miserable and uninspired, she finds passion and inspiration in Child's famed The Art of French Cooking. Hungry for a challenge, she makes it her goal to prepare each and every one of the 524 recipes from that cookbook within one year. To document the journey, she launches a blog where her readers lend their encouragement as she sets out to reach her ultimate goal, successfully deboning a duck. In the process of emulating her idol, Powell encounters some roadblocks in mastering Child's recipes. The unwavering dedication she places on her culinary craft leads to mounting tension between her and amazingly supportive husband Eric (Chris Messina). Powell's blog becomes wildly successful, generating much media interest. We learn that even she manages to the catch the attention of her beloved idol in the process of becoming a successful author.

Above all of this, the legendary Streep puts on an Oscar-worthy performance here. I forget completely that I am watching Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia. She fully embodies what it means to be Julia Child - a woman unfraid of making mistakes; a woman who truly engages in her craft with such dedication that it doesn't even seem like she is working. Adams also is wonderful as Powell - a real person who like the rest of us, gets frustrated on her bad days, sometimes taking the wonderful things around her for granted. Despite being a horrible Bitch for much of the film, we still root for her. Tucci, who won my heart in The Devil Wears Prada, is equally endearing here again and let's not forget the wonderful Jane Lynch (of Glee fame), who just never gets enough screen time in this film as Child's younger sister, Dorothy. Ephron truly understands both Julia Child and Julie Powell and I walked away feeling that they are both my good friends whom I could call-up and get advice from.

Anyone who has ever been at a loss for direction in their life needs to see Julie & Julia. Sometimes I look back on my life and think at the many directions I could have gone. If I worked harder at my day job, perhaps I could have been a Director by now. If I worked that much harder, I could have been a more successful musician. If I went to every audition my agent sent me on, I would have been a successful actor today. And maybe if I continued with my studies, I could have been a Psychologist. Blogging however, gives me a sense of contentment. I feel at home doing it and I feel as though I have nothing to prove to the world, other than to share the things I love most with all of you. Powell's story really struck a chord with me.

Also included on this DVD is a Featurette about Ephron's detailed background work in creating the script for this film. We learn about Streep's approach to playing Child in that she was not so much about portraying her, but rather she was portraying Powell's ideology of her. As well, we learn about how Adams truly identified with Powell's struggle to find her true passion as she too was approaching her '30s and unsure what she wanted to do with her life before becoming the successful actress she is now. Fascinating.

Columbia Pictures' Julie & Julia is now available on DVD and your life will not be complete without at least seeing it. Grade: A+

NEW MUSIC: MINI VIVA - I WISH (CAHILL RADIO EDIT)

I'd like to introduce you to the UK's next hottest export Mini Viva, a pop duo consisting of Frankee Connolly and Britt Love. The duo are produced by powerhouse production team Xenomania who have worked with heavy hitters in recent years like Girls Aloud, Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys, Sugababes and Cher. This of course is not news to you, since Mavenati like yourselves are always on the pulse.

Although there is no set release date still for Mini Viva's Geffen Records debut, buzz has been building very steadily for these two young women; not quick enough though to meet an originally planned November 2009 release. First single Left My Heart in Tokyo oozes the early '90s, which is timed perfectly as pop music is making a return to the House Music-inspired sounds of that era, leaving a lasting impression on me.

An album sampler from the duo surfaced yesterday, giving us a clearer picture of what to expect. They are a result of an in-depth study of girl groups, borrowing a bit of TLC's edginess, the sass of Sugababes and the accessibility of Spice Girls or Girls Aloud. Somehow, Mini Viva manage to separate themselves from other girl groups with their lyrical substance, never depending so much on hooks solely as a lot of the time Xenomania's arrangements do the speaking for them. Love's charismatic vocals have an Amy Winehouse-like quality and I would say that somehow the attention inadvertently shifts to her most of the time.

Slickly produced I'm Hooked picks up where they left off with strong second single I Wish (Bananarama, anyone?). What You Feel is a leap forward in maturity and a cut from the same cloth as Pure Shores or Black Coffee by the dearly-missed All Saints. The ballad Emotions of Love, gives their repertoire some emotional depth. Although not as fun as I was anticipating, Mini Viva's material is on the right track and I am expecting big things from them.

Check out this stellar remix of I Wish by ultra-hot UK production team Cahill below (courtesy of Geffen Records/Universal Music):

Thank you Adem.

KE$HA: WHAT'$ THE DEAL?

Okay, so apparently newcomer Ke$ha's debut single Tik Tok is shaping up to be massive hit, with it currently sitting at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. It's not every day that an artist goes that far at first crack. I'm not about the hate, but I just don't see what the big deal is here. The singing isn't all that astounding. The hook isn't all that memorable. The production is pretty neat, but not spectacular... enough. Did I miss the memo or something? What do you like about the song? And who actually really brushes their teeth with Jack Daniels? That's so frickin' narsty. Eww.

NEW MUSIC: FERGIE - BE ITALIAN

Fergie (seen to the left in this photo I got in a 2007 Toronto visit) is known to many of us for her string of Top 40 hits with Grammy-winning group Black Eyed Peas. She is also a successful solo artist in her own right having sold six million copies of her 2006 album The Dutchess worldwide. Many of us however do not know Fergie (née Stacy Ann Ferguson) as an actress.

Long before she found success as a recording artist, Fergie appeared on one of my favourite Saturday morning programs Kids Incorporated. The show featured essentially, a cast of kids singing age-inappropriate pop songs with tied-in story lines. Thus, acting has always been in Fergie's skill set. Nonetheless, I was very surprised to learn that Fergie was casted by one of my favourite directors Rob Marshall (CHICAGO, Memoirs of a Geisha) in his latest project NINE, out on December 18, 2009.

Fergie plays the role of Saraghina, prostitute lover of Guido Contini (Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis). In the film, she is given the plum assignment of singing signature number Be Italian and I must stay I am thoroughly impressed by her versatility. She sounds incredible here and I am sucker for a woman who is willing to undergo a transformation in the name of her art. Allegedly, she put on at least 30 lbs. for this role. I have said it many times before, but I am thrilled to see this film.

NINE - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be in stores December 22, 2009. For now, you can enjoy Fergie's stunning performance below (courtesy of Geffen Records/Universal Music):

REVIEW: BROTHERS

Director Jim Sheridan is responsible for some very memorable work including In the Name of the Father, My Left Foot, In America and Get Rich or Die Tryin'. His latest work Brothers, brings together a stellar cast that includes Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Clifton Collins Jr., Sam Shepard and outstanding newcomer Carey Mulligan. Brothers is a story Sam Cahill (Maguire) who is sent off to war in Afghanistan in 2007, leaving behind his wife Grace (Portman) and two daughters Isabelle (Bailee Madison) and Maggie (Taylor Geare). At the same time, shamed younger brother Tommy (Gyllenhaal) is released from prison after serving a sentence for robbery.

Sam's fighter plane crashes in Afghanistan, and Grace is informed of his death. She is left to pick up the pieces on her own, developing a relationship with Tommy in Sam's absence. There are a few running story lines in Brothers including that of Sam and Tommy's budding relationship and his playing a father figure to the two daughters. We also learn that Sam survived the mentioned plane crash, although he is held captive with a colleague, who he is forced to murder in the name of his own survival. Although it starts and never really takes off anywhere, there is also the story line of Tommy and his father Hank (Shepard) feuding. Hank makes it no mystery that he is ashamed of Tommy, constantly comparing him to his failures to Sam's accomplishments.

Sam returns unexpectedly however, completely shaken after his experience at war. Think Pearl Harbour, but less budget and even more drama. Everything spirals downwards from here as he begins to show signs of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder/Shell Shock. This is where Maguire truly shines in this role, crossing over the dark side after having remained reserved for much of the movie. He observes the changed dynamic between his brother and his wife, accusing them both of having an affair. His daughters become terrified in his presence and he also has to face the wife Cassie (Mulligan) and child of the colleague he murdered. Everything culminates in a feverish boiling point where we are unsure if the story will end in tragedy or if there is at all any hope of redemption.

There are some really excellent performances all around and Portman in particular, is excellent as the unconditionally loving wife. At the age of ten also, Madison puts on a very seasoned performance and she definitely is one to watch. The normally excellent Gyllenhaal isn't given much of an opportunity to show his range here unfortunately and this a problem with David Menioff's script.

Brothers perhaps goes out of its way to throw us for a loop and admittedly this is a bit frustrating: it's clear that Grace and Tommy don't have an affair, yet suddenly it is implied that they did have an affair for the sake of advancing the plot. Perhaps Menioff could've left a bit more to the imagination to make Sam's return less expected because we never really get a sense of his absence, which is needed for us to understand the true impact of his return on his family's lives. I did enjoy this film, but overall it could have taken a few more risks to complicate the struggles its characters faced. Lionsgate Films' Brothers is now available in wide release. Grade: B.

BUZZ FOR BULLOCK

Alas, quality prevails! Warner Bros.' The Blind Side continues to roll ahead of its competition with its positive buzz, putting it at the top of the Box Office this weekend, raking in $20 million. As reviewed here previously, the film is an absolute gem and I recommend it highly. There is actually quite a bit of Oscar buzz generating for Sandra Bullock's career-best performance here and I for one would love to see her get rewarded for her work on this film. After having seen many of the other contenders in the Best Female Lead Actress race, I am confident that she is a front-runner.

Of course, that teen vampire flick is still making more many than I could ever imagine in a lifetime, after a two-week reign. Despite a 63% slip from last week, it is still doing well enough to hang on for second with $15.7 million.

Brothers from Lionsgate Films, starring an incredible cast of Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire debuts in third with a $9.7 million take. Read my review of the film here.

Hunky Matt Dillon has two films in the Top Five with Buena Vista's comedy Old Dogs in fifth at $6.9 million, bringing its total to $33 million, almost recouping its $35 million production budget. Dillon's other film, Sony Screen Gems' Armored placed sixth in its opening weekend with $6.6 million. The action-drama film also stars Laurence Fishburne.

Miramax Films' Everybody's Fine opened in tenth spot with $4 million in ticket sales. As reviewed earlier, the Robert De Niro headlined film is worth a watch. Also worthy of a mention is Paramount Pictures' Up In The Air directed/written by Jason Reitman (Juno) and starring George Clooney, which opened in only 15 theatres this weekend in 13th spot. The Oscar contender, which I reviewed back in September during TIFF, is getting lots of buzz in the Best Picture and Best Lead Actor categories.

Surprisingly running out of steam already is Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire. The film drops to twlefth spot, with a take of $2.3 million in its fifth week in theatres.

REVIEW: EVERYBODY'S FINE

I loved this film. Director Kirk Jones' comedy-drama Everybody's Fine features an outstanding ensemble cast of Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell. Jones' short but accomplished body of work as a director also includes the well-received Nanny McPhee. De Niro plays Frank Goode, a recently widowed father of four. Frank decides to go on a surprise road trip to connect with his emotionally estranged children, but finds along the way that things might not be as well with them as he had been led to believe by his wife.

We meet Amy (Kate Beckinsale), who is a very successful Marketing Executive. Upon arriving at Amy's home, Frank realizes that there is much tension between herself, her husband and son. We then meet Robert (Sam Rockwell) whom Frank thought was an Orchestra Conductor but turns out to be a Percussionist. Lastly, we are introduced to Rosie (Drew Barrymore) who claims to be a successful dancer in Las Vegas, living in a luxurious suite. Frank soon finds out there may be more than meets the eye with her.

Together Amy, Robert and Rosie come together to hide a secret about their brother David (Austin Lysy) from their father. David is unreachable after Frank makes an attempt to reconnect with him. Finally, the story unfolds when he is united together with his children due to an unforeseen crisis. We learn that the reason how Frank's children are pressured to conceal the truth from him for fear of disappointing him, as he had always held high expectations for his children. As it often turns out on life, dreams don't always amount to reality and often we make it by knowing that we are content on our own terms. Perhaps this is the biggest flaw with Everybody's Fine - we connect so much with De Niro in his portrayal of Frank as a loving father that there seems to be somewhat of a disrepancy with his children's perception of him as a demanding father. I simply don't see why it is that his children were so compelled to hide the truth from him and this is perhaps due to a lack of development in Jones' script.

The film is full of touching moments and I was floored by De Niro's compelling performance, tearing up a few times. Every line and nuanced moment De Niro delivers is strong; he lives and breathes what Frank Goode is truly about and we feel absolutely terrible for him knowing that his children choose to keep him at a distance. Beckinsale, Rockwell and Barrymore all give honest performances and despite their character flaws, they are likeable and relatable. Everybody's Fine asks the question of whether or not it is sometimes easier to just lie for simplicity's sake even when things aren't always fine. By the end of it all, you'll walk away understanding the liberation of honesty. There definitely won't be much Oscar buzz for this one, but it is definitely worth a watch as long as you go armed with a package of Kleenex. Miramax Films' Everybody's Fine is now in wide release. Grade: B+

PRODUCT WATCH: MARKS & SPENCER CHRISTMAS CAKE

One of the things I love most about visiting London is its abundance of Marks & Spencer shops. With my family being from the formerly British colony of Hong Kong, we observe many British traditions. One of the things that marked my childhood here in Canada was visiting M&S with my mom and buying cookies. By 1999 though, the retailer ceased operations in Canada, shutting down its final 38 stores across the country. I believe one of the many reasons it failed was its focus on fashions which simply didn't catch-on with Canadians, thus accounting for much of its struggle to remain relevant.

Every once in a while I have friends or family visiting from England and without fail, I request always that they bring back some cookies from the chain retailer. My favourites are the Chocolate Dunkers and All-Butter Sultana Cookies. M&S recently announced on their website that they now ship internationally, however, I tried placing an order the other day and it turns out that they do not ship many food items. A shame.

Although I'm sure many of you find it cringe-worthy, I absolutely adore their Christmas Cake and wound up having to go through third party importer Blighty's to get it. I am anxiously awaiting its arrival in the mail. I cannot wait to sink my teeth into that spicy citusy goodness, chew those candied Morello Cherries and savour that essence of Brandy. Don't even get me started on that sugary Marzipan icing that covers the cake.

For those of you in North America who love M&S as much as I do, you can check out these online retailers which ship to these parts:

• BritSuperStore.com
• Blighty's
• ShoppingFromBritain.com

Believe me, it's worth it. Yes, that's me greedily hoarding a supply of cookies last summer at the Covent Garden M&S store!

GRAMMY NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

So the Grammy nominees were announced last night at Nokia Plaza in Los Angeles and Beyoncé leads the pack with a jaw-dropping ten nominations (This pic to the left, to the left is one of many I got from her I Am... Tour). Teen country pop sensation Taylor Swift gets plenty of respect this year also with eight nominations also, while urban acts The Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell and Kanye West received six nominations each. Personal favourite Lady Gaga received five nominations alongside Jay-Z and David Guetta. Perhaps Lady Gaga's greatest chance at winning will come in the Best Electronic/Dance Album category, although she does face some stiff competition in Pet Shop Boys' Yes and Guetta's One Love.

I must say that I am very pleased that pop acts are in the running for top-tier awards this year like Record of the Year and Album of the Year, whereas in previous years it seemed as though rock, jazz, country or soul albums garnered more respect. Also, there is more of a female-male balance among the nominees this year and that is always good to see.

Canada also should be very proud of its rising star Drake, formerly of Degrassi: The Next Generation, scoring two nominations in the rap categories alone based on his EP So Far Gone. And even Britney Spears got a nod for Womanizer in the Best Dance Recording category.

Although my taste often borders on that of a 17 year-old girl, I have to put on my fourty five year-old heterosexual Caucasian male cap when thinking from the pespective of Grammy voters. My picks are as follows:

Record Of The Year

Use Somebody

Kings Of Leon

Jacquire King & Angelo Petraglia, producers; Jacquire King, engineer/mixer[RCA Records]

Album Of The Year
The E.N.D.

The Black Eyed Peas

Apl.de.ap, Jean Baptiste, Printz Board, DJ Replay, Funkagenda, David Guetta, Keith Harris, Mark Knight, Poet Name Life, Frederick Riesterer & will.i.am, producers; Dylan "3D" Dresdow, Padraic "Padlock" Kerin & will.i.am, engineers/mixers; Chris Bellman, mastering engineer[Interscope Records]

Song Of The Year
Use Somebody

Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings Of Leon)[RCA Records]

Publishers: Martha Street Music/Songs of Combustion Music/Music of Windswept, Followill Music/Songs of Combustion Music/Music of Windswept, McFearless Music/Bug Music, Coffee, Tea or Me Publishing/Bug Music.]

Best New Artist

MGMT

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Halo

Beyoncé
Track from: I Am... Sasha Fierce [Music World Music / Columbia]

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Love You

Maxwell

Track from: Blacksummers' Night[Columbia]

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

I Gotta Feeling

The Black Eyed Peas

Track from: The E.N.D.[Interscope Records]

Best Pop Vocal Album

Funhouse

Pink[LaFace Records]

Best Dance Recording

Boom Boom Pow

The Black Eyed Peas

will.i.am & Jean Baptiste, producers; Dylan Dresdow, mixerTrack from: The E.N.D.[Interscope Records]

Best Electronic/Dance Album

The Fame

Lady Gaga[Streamline/Interscope/Konlive/Cherrytree]

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
When Love Takes Over (Electro Extended Remix)

David Guetta, remixer (David Guetta Featuring Kelly Rowland)[Astralwerks]

Best Short Form Music Video
Boom Boom Pow

The Black Eyed Peas

Mat Cullen & Mark Kudsi, video directors; Anna Joseph & Patrick Nugent, video producers[Interscope Records]

To view a complete list of nominees for the 2010 Grammys, click here. The Grammys will air Sunday, January 31, 2010 8 PM EST on CBS. Who are you rooting for?