Use it!

On-Key Karaoke Hand Held Player
Even if you are the worst Karaoke singer around, IVL Technologies' On-Key Karaoke Hand Held Player automatically corrects your voice with pitch correction so you'll never miss another note. The player plugs into your TV set while song lyrics and background images appear on the screen. The music is played through the TV's sound system. Twenty-five preloaded songs and 10 downloadable songs are included, while thousands more can
be purchased at www.onkeysongs.com.



Read it!

The Hollywood Book of Love
James Robert Parish
McGraw-Hill, $26.95
Love at first sight, forbidden love, jealous love, endless love. Romantic movies portray love at its best and worst. Fans of these films will enjoy Parish's collection of scenarios from Hollywood's greatest love stories from the silent era to today.

Code of Honor: The Making of Three 
Great American Westerns

Michael F. Blake

Taylor Trade Publishing, $29.95
The idea of the tough, courageous loner willing to sacrifice his life for the greater good is often at the heart of the best Westerns. Blake offers detailed accounts from three classic American Western films - High Noon starring Gary Cooper, Shane with Alan Ladd and The Searchers featuring quintessential cowboy, John Wayne.


Ask Me Again Tomorrow: A Life in Progress

Olympia Dukakis
Harper Collins, $39.95

Everywhere Olympia Dukakis travels, fans shout out to her, "I know who I am!" That's the line she made famous in Moonstruck (1987) playing Cher's mother, Rose Castorini. The role won her an Oscar for best supporting actress. In her autobiography, Dukakis reveals the emotional 30 year journey as a stage actress which eventually led to overnight success in Norman Jewison's touching film.



Hear it!

American Wedding

Universal
The overall impact of this upbeat and fun disc is somewhat lessened by the presence of so many sonically interchangeable bands. Sure, it boasts offerings from modern rock big guns like Foo Fighters, New Found Glory and Good Charlotte, but the majority of the material is previously released. A notable parallel with the film: the best moments come courtesy of the Canadian content. On screen it's Eugene Levy as Jim's loving but hapless dad; on record it's contributions by Sum 41, Gob and an insanely catchy new Avril Lavigne song.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider:
The Cradle of Life

Hollywood
The vivacious video game vamp's latest adventure comes complete with a suitably bombastic soundtrack. It's a balanced diet of crunchy riff rock and frenetic dance beats by the likes of Moby, Filter, The Crystal Method, P.O.D. and Saliva. Surprisingly, the best song here is also the mellowest. The Dandy Warhols' "The Last High" is a dreamy synth-soaked pop tune that owes a massive debt to David Bowie's classic "Ashes To Ashes". Equally notable is Sinead O'Connor's vocal turn on "Tears From The Moon" by Conjure One, the latest project from Canadian Rhys Fuller (Delerium).

Masked and Anonymous
Columbia
If you thought understanding Bob Dylan was tough at times, how'd you like to try it in Japanese or Spanish? Masked And Anonymous casts the legendary icon as a downtrodden musician. The soundtrack entrusts 10 of his songs to other recording artists like Los Lobos and The Grateful Dead, as well as international acts like the Magokoro Brothers and Francesco de Gregori. Remarkably, these acts sing in their native tongues yet still convey all the power and emotion of the original versions. Dylan and his current touring band perform four tunes themselves, with the highlight being an electrifying new version of 1967's "Down In The Flood".

- Mike McCann