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50th Annual Grammy Awards is Can’t Miss TV

Sheryl Crow’s new album and the movie "The Band’s Visit” are also among the week’s best offerings.
/ Source: msnbc.com contributor

Television

Image: Amy Winehouse
Winehouse garners 6 Grammy nominations (Photo: Business Wire)Universal Republic

The Grammys have become infamous for the occasional salty slip of the tongue. Some of the rockers and hip-hop artists sometimes forget they’re appearing before a television audience of millions and they converse in front of the mics as if they’re backstage at Coachella. Perhaps that’s why “The 50th Annual Grammy Awards” is another exception to shows that have been allowed to go on despite the strike. Who needs writers when there’s so much mellifluous language being created organically? This year’s extravaganza will feature Alicia Keys and Brad Paisley among the performers, along with the Foo Fighters joined by Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones. There will also be a segment devoted to the Beatles that includes the casts of “Love” and “Across the Universe.” And should troubled singer Amy Winehouse appear to collect awards, viewers could be in for a treat. With a lineup like this, certain people might be at a loss for words. (Sunday, CBS, 8 p.m.)

Movies

Image: The band's visit
Sony Pictures Classics

When you hear the term “human comedy,” it usually begs the question, “As opposed to what? Robotic?” But some comedies are more human than others. There are the tired, formulaic helpings of tripe from the Hollywood machine that strain to produces smiles let alone elicit genuine laughs. And then there are rare gems such as “The Band’s Visit.” The debut feature from Israeli writer-director Eran Kolirin tells the story of the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra and its trip from Egypt to Israel to perform at an Arab cultural center as part of a goodwill exchange. But the group arrives to find there is no official welcoming committee at the airport, gets bad directions, winds up in a small, remote desert town tired and with no way to get to its destination, and then slowly gets involved in the lives of the locals. It’s poignant and hilarious, and it illustrates how naturally human beings from different sides of a chasm can bond. It’s too bad the makers of Hollywood comedies can’t come together as beautifully as this. (Sony Pictures Classics, opens Friday in limited release)

Music

Image: Sheryl Crow album, \"Detours\"
A&m

Sheryl Crow has a lot to say. Usually, she says it in her music. But “Detours,” her sixth studio album, is as if she’s shouting it because not enough are listening. Crow has a few words for the current governmental powers-that-be, especially when it comes to the environment. But she also opines on more personal topics, including a broken love affair and her bout with breast cancer. “Detours” reunites Crow with producer Bill Bottrell, who worked with her on her Grammy-winning debut album, “Tuesday Night Music Club.” Some of the more memorable cuts on “Detours” include “Gasoline,” “Make It Go Away (Radiation Song)” and “God Bless This Mess.” Whenever Sheryl Crow has something to say, it’s a good idea to pay attention. You just might like what you hear. (A&M)

DVD

Image: The DVD, \"Across the Universe\"
Sony Pictures

I remember hearing about somebody in film school who made a movie based solely on Beatles’ songs. The filmmakers could never release it because they forgot one tiny detail: It’s not so easy to secure rights to those tunes. It’s almost like trying to get Paul McCartney to play at your wedding. But lately it seems the restraints have loosened somewhat. There is the George Martin-approved “Love” show in Las Vegas. And there is also a fine motion picture entitled, “Across the Universe.” Directed by Julie Taymor (“Frida”), it tells a love story set against the backdrop of the ‘60s tumult and the Vietnam War, and it does so in a rather flamboyant, stylized and adventurous manner. “Across the Universe” is out this week on DVD in a two-disc special edition with commentary from Taymor and some live performances. If McCartney still won’t play at your wedding, you can show this at the reception instead. (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Books

Image: The book, \"Charlatan\"
Crown

How about this for a title: “Charlatan: America’s Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam.” If you guessed Dr. Phil or Donald Trump, you’re wrong. This new book by Pope Brock tells the fascinating true tale of John R. Brinkley, who in 1917 decided to establish himself in Kansas as a doctor and prescribe goat glands as a tonic to liven up tired local farmers. This con man became a wealthy sensation across America as a result, but he also attracted the attention of Morris Fishbein, who was almost as well known as a “quackbuster.” He pursued Brinkley for many years to uncover his deceptions, but somehow the rascal not only eluded exposure but continued to build his empire with the help of millions of gullible followers. He even became a player in radio and rock ‘n’ roll. “Charlatan” is evidence that fooling the public has been a popular sport for many years, even before TV brought the phonies into our living rooms. (Crown)