Not all Movies are Rated Equal

Going to the movies can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Not all films turn out to be quite worth the price of admission – a fact we usually don’t discover until we’ve already bought a ticket and planted our expectant butts down into a seat. At that point, not even an extra-large bag of delicious popcorn smothered with the finest high-quality artificial golden topping butter substitute will lessen that crushing sense of disappointment.

With that in mind, what if we updated the Movie Ratings System to better reflect this all-too-frequent reality? That way, the cinema-going public could more accurately gauge what to expect going in.

But first, here’s a brief history of the process. Read more

Night at the Movies

Catch the latest flicks.

1. Valentine’s Day | February 12, 2010
From the director of Pretty Woman comes a romantic comedy that features one of the largest all-star ensemble casts in cinema history. Taking place over the course of one Valentine’s Day, the star-studded troupe plays an intricate group of couples and singles whose stories of the heart intertwine throughout the movie. With enticing eye candy, dramatic breakups and heart-warming makeups, this puts a fresh twist on the pressures and expectations of this love-laden holiday. Read more

Modern Love

Love. The word is only four letters but holds such power and prestige that Romeo and Juliet died for it and Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee keep getting back together because of it. L-O-V-E. Such a small yet omnipresent word; rolling off your tongue and through your teeth and up into the air like dust that never settles. It’s invisible, it’s blind, it’s palpable. It can also be illegal in some states. Consuming and confusing; revengeful and regretful. The course of true love never did run smooth. It feeds all of our physiological methods of perception: We see it when lovers stroll hand in hand under a starry sky. We taste it from a lover’s kiss and feel our breath bate as it bleeds into our soul. We reach for it in the dead of night or in Rod Stewart’s case cheekily croon: ‘I wanna give you my love touch.’ It is featured in almost every television show or film and each song we tune into. Oh, the power of love that Céline Dion sings so well. Read more

Books to Entertain and Enlighten

Do a little soul-searching with these unique book finds. With creative How-Tos to help you add beauty to your home life, and a true story of embracing marriage to add warmth to your love life, these reads will lift your spirits for the new year. Read more

The Shopping Addict’s Redemption

When I was young, my mother was infamous for her habit of constantly buying and returning things. I sometimes answered the door when the man from our local department store made his weekly call to pick up packages. Once, when I didn’t know where the package was he told me, “she keeps them in the hall closet on the top shelf.” (He was right.) Later in life, my mother graduated to returning condominiums – putting down deposits one week and collecting them the next before the cancellation deadline. At the time, this compulsion of hers was simply puzzling. But as is the case with so many facets of our parents’ lives, we begin to understand them better over time and sometimes even find ourselves falling into the same idiosyncratic patterns we ridiculed as children. Consider the following: Read more

Give Cheer

‘Tis the season to forget all about the stresses of gift giving. This Holiday, dip into Santa’s goodie bag to discover what’s on everyone’s list. Read more

Gifts from the Heart

Christmas isn’t just about presents and decorations; it’s about love and family. So try to give to those who are in need – and remember: your money won’t be just another present to them, but a symbol of love and compassion. Here are some places where you can get started: Read more

Her Wish List

TIMEX Women’s watch
Harnessing the brilliance of Swarovski crystals, the TIMEX Women’s Crystal Collection delivers sparkling elegance. www.timex.ca

SILVER-PLATED JULEP CUP
Give a personalized flowerpot for a one-of-a-kind gift.  www.potterybarn.com

CHIWAWA DOG CLOCK
Cherish every loving moment with your furry friend. www.teatroverde.com

COCO CHANEL PILLOW
Touch a fashionista’s heart with this Coco Chanel hand-painted pillow by Priscilla Mae. Read more

His Wish List

DRESS TO IMPRESS Keep him warm with this great coat. www.mackage.com

BLACK ROYAL TYPEWRITER Type up your best work with this vintage typewriter. www.etsy.com

ORGANIZE AND RECHARGE That’s what you can do for his most-used gadgets. www.potterybarn.com

BULLDOG OPENER Savour every get-together with a wall-mountable bottle opener. www.potterybarn.com

NIKE BIG NIKE HI Turn heads with this white-and-red number. www.athletesworld.com Read more

Sound for the Soul

Their sounds may differ, but the gripping voices of soul singer Jarvis Church, soprano Michelle Danese, Ben Harper and Vanessa da Mata give their emotionally involved audiences chills with equally moving performances.

Jarvis Church
In his self-produced CD The Long Way Home, Juno Award-winning, Grammy-nominated Gerald Eaton, a.k.a. Jarvis Church (a name he derived from living between two parallel streets in Toronto) drives a rhythmic, sexy pop-soul vibe. “My lyrics are very personal, they are little windows into what’s going on in my life. When you’re writing about something that you honestly feel, the words come a lot quicker.” Read more

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