Will Oscar Lose Its 'Crazy Heart' for Jeff Bridges
82nd Academy Awards Oscar Nominations

Jeff Bridges is vying against George Clooney (Up in the Air), Colin Firth (A Single Man), Morgan Freeman (Invictus) and Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker). To the millions who tune in to the Oscars on March 7, these terrific performances. Every one deserves an award. But this is Jeff Bridge's year. The same goes for Sandra Bullock. Here's why

Pink Flies High at the Grammys
Liz Smith

In some ways, I thought the Grammys belonged to Pink. Ten years after her initial surge to fame with 'Get This Party Started,' the soulful-voiced blonde, had one of those classic gasp-inducing performances -- I've rarely seen or heard anything as astonishing as Pink's rendition of 'Glitter.'

Hollywood Has Seen the Enemy ...
Jonah Goldberg

I do love movies and I'm fascinated by what they say about American life. Of course, movies don't always reflect or articulate what moviegoers are thinking. Often they merely express what Hollywood thinks Americans are thinking or what Hollywood thinks they should believe.

J.D. Salinger: Artist Who Never Wanted to Be an 'Idol'
Mitch Albom

When someone told me J.D. Salinger had died, I jokingly asked, 'How do they know?' It was dark humor and a tad disrespectful. But I was trying to be complimentary. Salinger, who was even more passionate about his privacy than his writing, had managed, at age 91, to die a legend in both areas.

America Through the Reality Lens
Jonah Goldberg

Culturally, this has been the decade of the reality show. And what do we have to show for it? Not much more than the contestants themselves.

National Building Museum

The World's Top Architecture Museums
Jonathan Lerner

Spending so much of our lives inside them, and surrounded by them, we often take buildings for granted. But architecture can help us understand history and grapple with the future. The following fascinating museums are dedicated to buildings, cities and landscapes

Taking the Kids To San Francisco's California Academy of Sciences
Eileen Ogintz

We're at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, which in the year since it has re-opened has emerged as the city's top cultural tourist attraction, drawing more visitors than Alcatraz

Political History of the Stars & Stripes
by Andrew Burt

The history of the American flag is the story of a nation struggling to find its identity, Woden Teachout argues in her new book, Capture the Flag: A Political History of American Patriotism. Teachout, a professor of graduate studies in history and culture at the online Union Institute and University, recently spoke about the evolving meaning of the flag in American culture.

CD Review: Broken Bells - Broken Bells
As a whole, Broken Bells maintains hip-hop tinge from Burton’s production, but it’s layered across the board with genre meandering psychedelic passages and vocal harmonies woven throughout. Putting Broken Bells in Burton’s catalogue, it’s easy to see how he considers himself an auteur. He assembles great albums like a director puts all the pieces together of a great film.  In a New York Times article Burton told Chuck Klosterman, “…even with some of my favorite bands, I only like 30 or 40 percent of what they do. I'd want to make that 30 percent into the whole album.”  

CD Review: Midlake - The Courage Of Others
Midlake's sound has always been retro, but The Courage of Others takes the term to a whole new extreme. During their early career, Midlake's retro slant could be traced to striking Radiohead similarities or undeniably fuzzy 70's-rock sounds. In this album's case, "retro" means "centuries ago." Gravely spoken tales of kings, brave men, ancient woods and outward emotion are joined with wandering flutes, solemn acoustic guitars and hushed rhythms to create elegant, aged melodies. This alchemy allows Midlake to evoke the exact atmosphere they hoped to obtain, but it isn't always as engaging as one would hope.

Movie/DVD: Unconquered: Allan Houser and the Legacy of One Apache Family - Writer and Director: Bryan Beasley Narration: Val Kilmer
Directed and written by Oklahoma native Bryan Beasley, and narrated by Val Kilmer, the viewer is immediately immersed from the outset in a rich cultural tapestry that describes Allan Houser’s rise to fame and the subsequent success of his two sons as they continue their father’s work to this day.   Allan Houser has some very famous pieces to his name but perhaps the most significant part of his life were the dramatic changes he brought to the concept of Native American art during his tenure at the Santa Fe based Institute of Native American Arts from 1962-1975.

CD Review: Jimi Hendrix - Valleys of Neptune
Valleys of Neptune is a sixty-minute collection of never-before-released tracks recorded during the transition phase of The Jimi Hendrix  Experience in 1968 and 1969. In the course of a dozen cuts, the CD vividly illustrate the restless creative urge of the late guitar icon and augurs well for the next phase of archival releases.

Show Review: John Brown's Body - Pour House, Charleston, SC 2/13/10
Founded in 1995 in Ithaca, a hippie-friendly, live-music–obsessed outpost in upstate New York, John Brown’s Body has always enjoyed the following of dedicated fans. After moving their operation to Boston and cycling through numerous line-up changes, the band has settled in and cultivated a substantial national audience.

Sights & Sounds: MGMT - " Flash Delirium" (YouTube) from Congratulations due 4/13

Sights & Sounds: Gil-Scott Heron - "Me And The Devil" (YouTube)

CD Review: The Blacks - In Sickness and Health (EP)
fter a ten year hiatus The Blacks release this digital EP entitled In Sickness and Health.  Well slap me silly and call me Suzy, would ya’ looky there…the first acoustic little ditty is aptly titled “Ten Years”.

Gallery: Yonder Mountain String Band - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC 2.3.10
YMSB performing at The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC on February 3rd, 2010.   Concert Photography by David Oppenheimer

Feature: Caravan Of Thieves - Acoustic Swing Purveyors
Judging from some of the vivacious story-telling on Cavaran of Thieves’ debut Bouquet and their dramatic live performances, you’d think this project was a pure off-broadway achievement.  Instead the quartet led by husband and wife duo Fuzz and Carrie Sangiovanni (vocals and acoustic guitars) have carved a niche with their unique blend of gypsy folk/rock and captivating live performances, bringing new version of "live entertainment" to clubs throughout the Northeast.

Sights & Sounds: Spoon - "Got Nuffin" (YouTube)

The Shotgun: Story of the Year, Watson Twins, Mission Hill

Gallery: George Clinton & Funkadelic - House of Blues, Boston, MA 2.19.10
George Clinton & Funkadelic at the House of Blues in Boston, MA 2.19.10.  All photos by Brian Diescher

CD Review: Golden Triangle - Double Jointer
Double Jointer is a breezy piece of jangly, lo-fi, garage rock from Brooklyn’s Golden Triangle.  A sexually split six-piece (3 Gals, 3 Guys) they come at you with fuzzed-up-high-pitched vocals and driving rhythms that tumble into the ear.  Some efforts (“Cinco De Mayo”, “Death To Fame”) aren’t much more then sketches while others (“Neon Noose”) are closer to polished pop.  Double Jointer plays like a group’s first record but that’s not to say there aren’t good songs and bits of potential lurking in the corners. 

News: Exile On Main Street Reissued With Ten Never Heard Tracks

Hound crowned Let's Dance winner
Comedian Rufus Hound is crowned Let's Dance champion in aid of Sport Relief after an entertaining parody of a Cheryl Cole hit.

Take That star checks into rehab
Take That star Mark Owen checks into rehab after admitting to a drink problem and cheating on his partner.

Drug ring 'link' in Haim's death
Actor Corey Haim's death is being linked to a major drug ring which is illegally obtaining prescription drugs, US police say.

Hollies miss Hall of Fame honour
The two remaining original members of pop group The Hollies are to miss the group's induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in New York.

This Morning to air at weekends
ITV1 daytime show This Morning will be screened seven days a week, programme bosses announce.

Teenager gets UK Eurovision vote
A teenager from Essex is chosen to represent the UK in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo.

Arrest over Susan Boyle break-in
A teenage is charged over a break-in at singer Susan Boyle's home in West Lothian.

Bleakley achieves water-ski goal
The One Show presenter Christine Bleakley water-skis across the English Channel in aid of Sport Relief.

Sir David to voice CBBC animation
Veteran actor Sir David Jason is to lend his voice to CBBC's first ever in-house animation series, it is announced.

Royal art is shown for first time
A new exhibition showcases the art Queen Victoria and Prince Albert presented to each other.

Puttnam hails 'buoyant' UK cinema
Lord Puttnam says UK cinema is in a robust state, but says film should be reflected more on primetime television shows.

Broadway set for Ray Charles show
A musical celebrating US musician Ray Charles will open on Broadway in November, it is announced.

Malkovich to tread London boards
Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich is to play a Josef Fritzl-style Austrian psychopath at the Barbican, in London, next year, it is announced.

Peter Jackson's Wellywood sign faces legal challenge
Film director Peter Jackson may face legal action over his plans to install a version of the famous Hollywood sign in New Zealand.

Phil Spector 'denied fair trial'
Lawyers for music producer Phil Spector are appealing his murder conviction, claiming he was denied a fair trial.

The Prodigy to headline Bestival
The dance group are to finish their world tour by topping Sunday night's bill at this year's Bestival on the Isle of Wight.

Jay Sean wins Asian Music Awards
Jay Sean sweeps the boards at the 2010 Asian Music Awards by winning the four awards for which he was nominated.

Bristol UK's 'most musical city'
Bristol beats Manchester, Liverpool and London to be named Britain's "most musical city" in a survey by the Performing Right Society.

Corey Haim was 'tormented soul'
Lost Boys actor Corey Haim was a "tormented soul", his friend and fellow actor Corey Feldman says.

Wall Street 2 pushed back
Oliver Stone's sequel to 1987 hit Wall Street will not be in cinemas for another six months after film studio bosses push back the release date.

Academy defends Fawcett snub
Actress Farrah Fawcett was not in the Oscars memorial segment because she was more known as a TV star, the Academy says.

Wonderland film breaks 3D record
Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland enters the UK and Ireland box office at number one, with record opening takings for a 3D movie.

Sara Cox gives birth to baby girl
Radio 1 DJ and former breakfast show host Sara Cox has given birth to her third child, a girl named Renee.

Skins drama gets two more series
Popular teen drama series Skins is commissioned for a further two series, broadcaster E4 announces.

Doctor's girl nervous over debut
Karen Gillan - who plays Doctor Who's new companion - says she's feeling the butterflies ahead of the start of the new series.

Lucas quits Shooting Stars quiz
Little Britain star Matt Lucas says he is too busy to return to the forthcoming series of BBC show Shooting Stars, it is announced.

Bourne again
Director Paul Greengrass talks about reuniting with Matt Damon for his Baghdad-set conspiracy thriller Green Zone

Big Bang
The struggle of keeping a car going on coffee beans

Roman candles
Creating a line of light along Hadrian's Wall

In pictures
Blue Peter's most loved pets, past and present

In profile
Take That star Mark Owen's life and career

Hoodwinked?
Were rumours of Sarkozy's infidelity a media hoax?

Gomp/arts
Keeping up with the theatrical Joneses

Film: Ben Stiller: There’s Something About Mortification
Noah Baumbach’s “Greenberg” crystallizes the Ben Stiller persona.

Kathryn Bigelow: How Oscar Found Ms. Right
Kathryn Bigelow’s two-fisted win at the Academy Awards has helped dismantle stereotypes about what types of films women can and should direct.

Film: ‘The Runaways’: The Girls Who Kicked In Rock’s Door
The most striking thing about “The Runaways,” a new film about the trailblazing bad-girl rock band from the 1970s, is how authentic it feels.

MUSiC: Brad Mehldau and Jon Brion’s Jazz-Pop Encounter, the Sequel
The latest collaboration between the jazz pianist Brad Mehldau and the pop producer Jon Brian, who teamed on the influential album “Largo” eight years ago, will be released on Tuesday.

For Donald Glover, ‘Community’ Is Only Part of His Comedy
The comic Donald Glover has thrived as a writer and actor on network sitcoms like “Community,” but traditional television comedy comprises only a portion of his output.

Performance Art Gains Favor; Fights Ensue
With performance art now fashionable, there’s a search for revenue that angers some artists.

Elizabeth Marvel Plunges Into the Briny Deep of Character
The actress Elizabeth Marvel has drawn praise over the years from critics and theatergoers for her poise and dexterity with both classical roles and contemporary parts.

television: From Elmore Leonard, a Lawman Ready to Shoot
“Justified,” a modern-day western beginning on FX on Tuesday, is the latest in a long line of series and films based on Elmore Leonard stories.

Passing the Baton at the Verbier Festival Orchestra
While young orchestras have been around forever, marketing them as billboard attractions is something new.

Film: Niels Arden Oplev and ‘Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ Hit U.S.
“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” and its celebrated director arrive in America, each trailing big expectations.

In Defense of Ambroise Thomas’s ‘Hamlet’
Ambroise Thomas’s “Hamlet” returns to the Metropolitan Opera on Tuesday, no doubt to be furiously denounced once again as a travesty of Shakespeare’s tragedy.

Kazan, Tennessee Williams and Target Margin Theater
Target Margin Theater’s new show revisits an experimental Tennessee Williams and Elia Kazan production that flopped on Broadway.

Playlist: New CDs From Zola Jesus, No More Shapes and Walter Smith III
New CDs from Zola Jesus, No More Shapes and Walter Smith III.

The Bare Essence of Yasuko Yokoshi’s Choreography
Yasuko Yokoshi’s work, which will be performed at Dance Theater Workshop beginning Wednesday, boils down modern dance and traditional Japanese dance to their bare essence.

Angel Corella, Ballet Expatriate, Returns Home
The American Ballet Theater alumni Angel Corella now has his own dance company, the Corella Ballet Castilla y León, which opens on Wednesday night at City Center.

DVDs: Norma Talmadge, a Heroine When Silence Spoke Volumes
Although she was perhaps the biggest female star of the silent era, Norma Talmadge is barely remembered today.

British TV Ads Show Their Arty Side at Yerba Buena Center
Next weekend the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts will bring the latest batch of award-winning British commercials to the Bay Area for the first time.

Fair Swamped by Second Raters
At the 23rd European Fine Art Fair, the addition of galleries and dealers has turned it into a collector's supermarket.

FX Harsono's Rebellious, Critical Voice Against 'Big Power' in Indonesia
For the past four decades, Mr. Harsono has provided a critical voice against political and social oppression in Indonesia. Some of his seminal works are now on show at the Singapore Art Museum, until May 9.

On the London Stage: Love May Die but Its Phantoms Play Enduring Roles in London
Temperatures rise in “Ghosts” and irony betrays “Sweet Nothings,” as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Love Never Dies” opens.

Redesigning the Concept and Role of the Automobile
The vision of smart, eco-savvy cars free from the threat of congestion, crashes, pollution and parking spats could soon become reality, according to the authors of a new book, "Reinventing the Automobile."

Review: The Foundations of Russian Culture and Art
“Holy Russia,’' an exhibit at the Louvre through May 24, examines the impact of Western, Eastern and Middle Eastern culture on Russia since its conception.

China's First Lady of Opera
The person who has been carefully nurturing many of China's top singers in the Western opera tradition for international careers is the 93-year-old Zhou Xiaoyan.