No, Valentine’s Day isn’t the most entertaining, heartwarming, romantic film ever made. Heck, it’s not even very good. Do I recommend you watch it? Sure, why not- but I suggest waiting until it comes out on DVD.

I could go on and on about the (mostly) predictable story-lines, the lack of real chemistry between the characters and the kind of dull plot, but I won’t; it’s been written, there are many reviews online and in print, writing the film off as a big-budget waste of time. You can read them if you like, but I’m going to list the hidden gems that are in the film- because there are some worthy parts of the film, believe it or not.

• George Lopez, as Alphonso, says his wife is his best friend. It was sweet.
• Taylor Swift gives acting a try as Felicia, the kind of annoying and ditsy girlfriend of Willy (Taylor Lautner). And you know what? She wasn’t too bad, she even got a few laughs from the audience. Well done, Tay.
• Julia Roberts was the only one who got a little tear-jerk from the audience, as Captain Kate Hazeltine, when her character connection is revealed.
• Topher Grace is in it, playing a pretty similar character to, well, every character he’s played. And I like that.
• Ashton Kutcher is a super sweet florist, which is adorable.
• When Sean Jackson’s (Eric Dane) love interest is revealed it is shocking. Believe me, you won’t be guessing this one!
• The real gem of the film is at the end, when the blooper reel is played during the credits. Julia Roberts makes a throw-back to her Pretty Woman days when the limo driver asks, “There’s Rodeo Drive, ever shopped there before?” To which Roberts responds, “Once. Big mistake. Huge, huge mistake.”

From “Love Story” to “You Belong with Me,” 19-year-old singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is a force to be reckoned with. Her 2006 self-titled debut album reached number on the Billboard Top Country Albums and number five on the Billboard 200. Swift’s sophomore album, Fearless, put her in fourth place for highest U.S. sales (behind Lil Wayne, AC/DC and Coldplay, respectively.)

I’ve been a fan of Swift since her February, 2007 release of the single “Teardrops on My Guitar.” But there were more teen angst hits to follow by this curly-haired songstress, like “Fifteen” and “Whitehorse.” And what made Taylor Swift so likeable wasn’t just the relatable lyrics in her country songs, but her refreshingly open attitude with her personal life. Who could forget the infamous breakup between Taylor Swift and Joe Jonas? See her hilarious dig using Joe and Taylor dolls below:

This past weekend, Taylor Swift let her personality shine while hosting Saturday Night Live. She took one more dig at Joe Jonas and addressed those pesky rumours regarding Taylor Lautner in her musical monologue, and, of course, acted in skits. My personal fav Taylor Swift SNL skit was actually the digital short “Firelight,” a spoof of Twilight.

Between TV appearances, hit songs and hosting gigs, Taylor Swift is a force to be reckoned with. Despite her muli-platinum status, her boy drama and small town charm maintain Swift’s girl-next-door image.

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Just like every Canadian gal, I watched Degrassi: the Next Generation and remember the character Jimmy Brooks. Played by Aubrey Graham, Jimmy Brooks is the basketball star, best friend of Spinner, and loyal boyfriend to Ashley. But when Spinner hangs with the wrong crowd, he foolishly jokes to a friend that Jimmy made the plan of spilling feathers on the school nerd. The school nerd seeks revenge and goes on a shooting rampage, gunning down Jimmy and thus forcing the teen to live the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Throughout the remainder of his high school years, Jimmy had aspirations of a rap career. I must admit, watching Degrassi I thought the Jimmy Brooks/rap star story line was lame. It reminded me of David’s success in the music industry on Beverly Hills, 90210, and anything that reminds a viewer of David’s keyboard performance at the beach club is not a good thing. Not that I remember a Degrassi episode where Jimmy Brooks actually performed his “inspirational” rap songs; I only remember Jimmy sulking about how he’d never make it in music because of his wheelchair and Ashley saying he was talented… or something along those lines.

I was starting to forget about the Jimmy Brooks’ days on Degrassi when, out-of-nowhere, a young Canadian emerged on the rap scene. The rapper, named Drake, had just signed with Lil’ Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment and quickly became the hottest new star. But hey, doesn’t this Drake fella look an awful lot like Aubrey Graham? Drake is Aubrey Graham?!

 
Name change aside, Drake is a proud Canadian. He’s not too big to appear on MTV News, or even give shout outs to his fav Canucks.  I’m so proud to have a Canadian representing a new genre of music, especially one that rolls with the who’s-who of rap. I love his song Forever featuring Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne and Eminem. It’s so catchy just try not saying “If you ain’t been a part of it at least you got to witness, bitches,” after a couple listens.

Another Canadian making waves is Lights. 22-year-old Valerie Poxleitner performs dream pop and her hit, Drive My Soul, has become a radio favourite. She reminds me a little of a softer Gwen Stefani.

The designs for her album look like a graphic novel, and rumour has it a comic book is even in the works for the singer. It’s nice to have a dreamy indie pop singer getting attention in the States next to Drake’s rap; it shows that we are good in more than just one genre of music.

But Drake and Lights are a once-in-a-blue moon rarity. Canadians rarely make it in America. One that should be receiving attention is Joel Plaskett. Plaskett is a little bit folk, a little bit pop/a little bit this, and a little bit that. His quirky charismatic style reminds me a little of Jason Mraz, and he’s got a lot of talent.

This summer, I had the pleasure of seeing Plaskett perform live. He has a great sense of humour, a unique way with music, and is a fantastic performer. The music industry has a lot to offer, with sensations like Madonna to youngin’ Taylor Swift, but the mainstream is missing out on Joel Plaskett.

Every day I turn on the radio and listen to the greatest hits, feeling quite content. Sure I, like everyone else, have listened to Drake and Lights and am proud they are Canadian. But when I listen to an artist that others have not heard, like Joel Plaskett, I wonder how many others I’m missing out on. Surely there are hundreds of Canadian musicians that fly under-the-radar, just waiting for their Lil’ Wayne to snatch them from the bitter cold of Toronto and introduce them to Hollywood’s elite.  And while us Canadians are filled with pride when one of our own makes it in the big leagues, it’d be even sweeter if we supported that talent before their were chillin’ in LA-LA-Land.

Who are your favourite under-the-radar musicians and what country are they from?

I love watching the Academy Awards, the Emmys, the Golden Globes, the VMAs, and whatever else gets celebrities dressed up and stuffed in one room competing for an award. The main reason award shows bring me such delight is because they are live, the reactions are unplanned, and some major faux-pas always occurs. Remember Faith Hill’s reaction to Carrie Underwood scoring a Country Music Award?

I love to expect the unexpected when it comes to TV shows, which is why I tuned into ABC’s Dating in the Dark. Here are the basics of the show:

• Three men and three women date each other in a dark room. They cannot see a thing!
• Each person picks someone they would like to see in the light.
• When the light shines during the reveal, it only shines on one person at a time. That way, the person being revealed cannot see the other person’s reaction.
• Then, whoever wants to continue spending time together waits on the balcony. But whoever doesn’t want to spend more time together, leaves the house. Usually one person waits on the balcony while the other leaves the house.

I have always been under the impression that men are more shallow than women. While women rave on about personal characteristics, men always seem to discuss how hot a girl is and judge her on the 1-to-10 scale. So it was surprising for me watching Dating in the Dark to discover that I have it all wrong. On this show, it is usually the women that walk away. These women also usually cry, because the only thing revealed in the light is how incredibly shallow they are.

Watching Dating in the Dark revealed that even the people who seem super sweet (“and just looking for love”), can be just as shallow as a country singer furious with losing an award. Because the truth is, just like the women on Dating in the Dark, we are all shallow. Just like Kate Winslet, we all want the approval of our peers (especially in the form of an Academy Award.) Just like Leighton Meester, we all want to be successful in our chosen field (even if it’s hard to schedule late-night show tapings with Cobra Starship thanks to an impossible schedule on Gossip Girl.) And just like Faith Hill, we’re all disappointed when our dreams don’t come true.