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— TV
The TV event of the year is here: The Academy Awards, with all their red-carpet glamour, touching and/or boring speeches, and awards that surprise and snub, air on Feb. 22. Hugh Jackman hosts this year's show. He's presented awards before but has never hosted. (Academy Awards air Feb. 22, 8 p.m., ABC.)
"Mistresses" is a fascinating look at the lives of four British friends. The title makes it sound slimy and soapy, but give it an hour and you'll be hooked. Sure, the women all tangle with infidelity in one form or another, but as so often happens in BBC productions, they are much deeper and real than that. Check it out. (Premieres Feb. 20, 8 p.m., BBCA)
One of the most underrated reality shows out there is "High School Reunion." There have been four seasons, but TV Land is calling this season two (the earlier seasons ran on the WB). Watch the class of 1988 from Arizona's Chandler High School reunite and immediately devolve into the back-biting, grudge-holding, ugly-ducking-feeling kids they were back then. (Premieres Feb. 18, 10 p.m., TV Land.)
Movies
Traditionally, movie studios don’t release big films going into Oscar weekend, and you can really tell it by this week’s list. The best of the lot is probably “Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes To Jail,” which continues the adventures of everyone’s favorite loud-mouthed matriarch as she ends up behind bars and comes to the aid of a female inmate who’s being harassed. (In theaters Feb. 20)
DVD
It's hard to believe "Changeling" is based on a true story. Angelina Jolie plays a woman whose young son vanishes, and when a boy is returned to her, she's the only one who insists he's not her child. Sure to send any parent's pulse pounding. (On DVD Feb. 17)
Music
Do you dream of moping around ironically to Smiths songs? The band may be a distant memory, but lead singer Morrissey returns with his latest solo effort, “Years of Refusal.” Rolling Stone magazine said the album “states down existential dread with muscular glam-rock riffs, cheesy synths and heroic mariachi flourishes.” It’s nice to know that some things don’t change. (On sale Feb. 16)
M. Ward takes a break from his collaboration with Zooey Deschanel (She and Him) to release a solo album called “Hold Time.” Rolling Stone wrote, “His immaculately arranged Americana is still as comfortable as an old cardigan, but now there’s a hint of sunshine.” (On sale Feb. 17)
