Trace Adkins works with five different producers on his 11th album, suggesting the country music veteran and reality TV star is searching for an infusion of fresh energy.

Along with Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Iron Man 3” is one of the rare superhero threequels that doesn’t disappoint. While Jon Favreau remains an executive producer and co-star, he passes on the directorial duties to Shane Black of “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.” Black maintains all the action, humor, and character development that made Faverau’s first two films so enjoyable, while also incorporating his own unique signature. His film continues to raise the stakes and pushes its characters to their critical limits. In addition, “Iron Man 3” makes some hilarious commentary on the media’s role in terrorism with several inspired twist. The result is the darkest of the “Iron Man” trilogy and, ironically, the funniest.

In the galaxy of big-screen superheros — a rather glum lot — Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man is the snappy one.

The best-tasting veggie burger I’ve ever met is falafel. A product of the Middle East, falafel are deep-fried fritters made from ground chickpeas or fava beans that are tucked into pita pockets and drizzled with tahini. They are delicious, hearty, inexpensive and relatively healthy.

The road to Florence isn’t long when country music stars are in town. People flock from the East Valley to the Country Thunder music festival, spurring the question: What else is there to see in Florence? It didn’t take long to find an answer — alpacas.

Whenever Esi Impraim’s mother made jollof — a rich, tomato-laced dish of meats, rice and sometimes seafood — the time it took to bubble away on the stove was always excruciating.

Figarro is a female short-haired black and white cat, about 10 years old. She is a sweet thing that loves giving “Eskimo kisses” and being super cute. When not doing that she also enjoys spending time with her human friends. Figarro seems to almost always be purring. She knows how to see the brighter side of life and is hoping for a forever home soon. She’d also like her new family to rename her with a more “girly girl” name.

I have read so many good books lately I couldn’t decide which one to review. It was a toss up between “The Obituary Writer,” by Ann Hood and “The Secret Keeper,” by Kate Norton (I don’t know about you but any title that contains the word “secret” draws me like a magnet — maybe it was that early Nancy Drew conditioning).

From the moment chocolate was discovered it was considered a valuable, divine and decadent treat. The first chocolate candies were invented in the 1860s by Cadbury, who was also the first to market them in a heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day that same decade.

Much like recent arthouse films “Weekend” and “Keep The Lights On,” “North Sea Texas” is a realistic portrait of gay life and romance – not the frequent clichés one may find on TV’s “Modern Family” or “The New Normal.” Adapted from the novel “This is Everlasting” by Flemish writer André Sollie, the film follows a young teen growing up along the Belgian coast as he falls in love with a neighborhood boy. Unlike the star-crossed lovers at the heart of “Brokeback Mountain,” this story luckily has a more hopeful ending for its burgeoning protagonist.

C.W. Griffin, wow do you kiss your wife with that mouth? (“Most anti-gun-control lobbyists are not patriots,” AFN, Feb. 17).

The genders have been reversed but the supernatural, star-crossed teen angst remains firmly intact in "Beautiful Creatures," which clearly aims to pick up where the "Twilight" franchise left off.

Jessica Starr was never one to take no as an answer.

Dustin Hoffman’s directing bow at 75 finds a perfect match in the well-heeled subject of “Quartet,” a charming tale of aging musicians whose passion for life continues undiminished in a stately English manor filled with humor, caring and of course great music. This optimistic fairy tale about aging and the continuing possibilities it offers for emotional satisfaction should strike the fancy of older audiences who turned the British indie “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” into a breakout hit released around the world. Leading a cast of real-life musical veterans, Maggie Smith and Tom Courtenay put the stamp of quality on a lush-looking production, albeit one that adheres to genre rules with an iron grip.

Bedtime at Katherine Heigl’s house can take a while. As a mom of two daughters and seven other kids of the four-legged variety, she likes to give each one special attention.

NEWTOWN, Conn. — A man opened fire Friday inside the Connecticut elementary school where his mother worked as a teacher, killing 26 people, including 20 children, as youngsters cowered in their classrooms and trembled helplessly to the sound of gunfire reverberating through the building.

Seeking gift ideas for that music lover this holiday season, check out the following box set reviews from The Associated Press:

‘Alex Cross’

Nearly 40 years after first slapping on the makeup, donning the costumes and changing forever the way a live concert is performed, Kiss can still bring it.

Jackson, a 3-year-old American Pit Bull mix, can be a little shy at first, but when he realizes that you aren’t going anywhere he is a very sweet and wiggly boy. Jackson is energetic and loves to play. His favorite toy is the Frisbee. And when he’s not playing he loves to cuddle and kiss. Jackson may get along with cats, but it’s not recommended that he be housed with other dogs or children younger than junior high age.

The challenge for Carly Rae Jepsen following the monster success of “Call Me Maybe” — arguably 2012’s biggest pop culture moment — was to steer clear of one-hit wonder status. She did that with another pop smash, the anthem “Good Time,” and Jepsen shows she has even more hits on her second album, “Kiss.”