Arts & Culture The Lion King The Nutcracker The Flying Dutchman Love Never Dies
Sports
Movies
Atlanta Hawks Atlanta United Celebration Bowl
Justice League Star Wars: The Last Jedi Ferdinand Jumanji
Travel & Recreation
Music The Eagles Moon Taxi Tank
HeyDoctor Style Seat
No. 21
Contents Arts & culture 2 The Color Purple The Flying Dutchman Love Never Dies The Nutcracker The Lion King
4 6 8 10 12
Beauty 16 Reviews & Tutorials
17
Events 18 Anime Weekend Atlanta Studio Movie Grill - Marietta
*Cover: Excitement has overtaken the city as the hottest ticket in town is to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to watch our new MLS club Atlanta United. Here’s a shot of the guys after scoring a goal in their first game at their new home.
Photo: Anna Lira
19 22
Movies 24 Murder on the Orient Express Justice League Star Wars: The Last Jedi Ferdinand Jumanji All the Money in the World
25 27 30 34 36 38
Music 40 The Eagles Tank Moon Taxi Miami Horror
40 42 44 46
Sports 48 Georgia Tech Celebration Bowl Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Hawks Atlanta United
48 52 54 58 60
Travel & Recreation 66 Style Seat HeyDoctor
66 68
The Color Purple
The stage production of The Color Purple truly brings the Deep South to life. The most notable quality of this musical is one of detail. The carefully choreographed scenes of dance and the bold sounds of the sassy Juke Joint singing of Shug Avery (Carla R. Stewart) are just some of the most memorable scenes.
The performances of the gutsy Shug Avery and the rebellious daughter-in-law Sofia (Carrie Compere) provide the much-needed support to the downtrodden Celie (Adrianna Hicks) that gives her the courage to leave a loveless marriage and try to overcome the incest, violence, and racism to find her self worth and explore life on her own.
This musical stage adaptation of The Color Purple is sensational and comes from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, that was brought to the big screen in 1985 by Steven Spielberg. The story takes us 40-years in the life of a family in rural Georgia. At its center is fourteen-year-old Celie. When she’s forced by her abusive father to marry a cruel farmer, called “Mister,” she is separated from all that she loves. Ultimately, Celie conquers the odds to find her voice and her strength, coming into her own. This production celebrates the healing power of love and the importance of a zest for life.
We truly have a gem in Broadway in Atlanta for bringing these types of quality Broadway shows to the city. Even for people who aren’t familiar with the story or have never seen the movie (starring Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, and Oprah Winfrey) you will still be able to enjoy this colorful classic.
I give The Color Purple an 8.5 out of 10. If it wasn’t a part of your plans this week then you should definitely make it. There are two performances on Saturday and Sunday and this production does indeed offer student rush tickets. Student Rush Tickets are available for $30 and all you need to do is show up two hours prior to your chosen performance and provide valid college ID (limit is two tickets per student ID). Atlanta’s Fox Theatre plays host from October 24 – October 29.
-Jon J.
Photos: Matthew Murphy
The Flying Dutchman This is the 38th season of the Atlanta Opera and the 2017/18 season is looking promising already. This past Saturday kicked off the first-ever showing of the new production of The Flying Dutchman before it heads to Cincinnati Opera and Houston Grand Opera.
Based on a Norwegian ghost story, The Flying Dutchman tells of the famed ghost ship doomed to wander the seas until its captain can find a wife. The ghost captain, the Dutchman (Wayne Tigges), finds his love in a sailor’s daughter, Senta (Melody Moore), who is trapped in an arranged marriage, but finds an escape from her mundane life through her obsession with the Dutchman. When the ghost ship makes port in her hometown, Senta is confronted with the consequences of her love.
The most wonderful thing about opera is how its meshed within mainstream society without people knowing. Even if you’ve never seen the opera or know the story, you and/ or your children have experienced it subconsciously. If you have kids or have ever watched Spongebob Square Pants you might remember this.
Have you been following the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise? If so, you’ve heard the reference plenty of times and have even seen the ship.
If you’re of my generation (that would make you an 80’s baby) then you’ve probably seen Looney Tunes more than once. As a seasoned vet, I remember many a chase scenes with epic orchestral ringings in the ear. One of which, as I’m sure you guessed it, was The Flying Dutchman Overture.
So as you can see, the magic and wonder of opera has always been around us, particularly, that of The Flying Dutchman.
Before we’re introduced to The Dutchman or Senta, we find ourselves whisked away aboard a vessel on the high seas captained by Daland (Kristinn Sigmundsson). The captain entrusts the direction of the ship to Steuermann (Justin Stolz) while the rest of the crew turn in for the night. Steuermann sings of being homesick and as a seaman, the longing of the Southwind that would hurry them to port. This longing for the days of yesteryear causes him to fall asleep at the helm of the ship.
During his slumber, the ship is paid a visit by The Dutchman. (While viewing this performance be sure to watch for the subtle change in scenery. You’ll know of his presence when elements of the stage turn red in color like the sails of the ship). Eventually, Daland comes to check on Steuermann only to find him asleep at the helm. It immediately reminded me of The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies when Alfred told Bard nothing had happened during the night when in reality, they had been infiltrated by an army of elves. That was the surprise Daland received when Steuermann lauds of an uneventful night while in reality, a foreign ship had docked with them. Upon meeting The Dutchman, Daland is mesmerized by the treasure he offers. In exchange for said treasure, he promised his daughter Senta to him in marriage.
The destination of both Daland’s ship and The Flying Dutchman are ashore where the factory lies. This factory is where Senta can be found, lamenting over the legend of The Dutchman. Within this factory lies a large painting which causes the employed women to sing of their lovers’ return. Senta is already in an arranged marriage with Erik (Jay Hunter Morris) but her true love lies for that of The Dutchman.
Legend has it (“The Ballad of the Dutchman”) that while rounding a cape during a storm, he had cursed and sworn, “In all eternity I’ll not give up!” Satan heard, took him at his word, and doomed him to sail forever. An angel took pity on him and promised redemption if he could find a wife willing to die for him. Senta cries out that she wants to be that wife.
This story is a dangerous tale of love, greed, and the frailty of the human heart. The ending is not what you’d expect. This variable of the unknown sets the exciting conclusion for Act III… Which you need to experience yourself!
I give The Flying Dutchman 8.5 out of 10. The singing is wonderful and the set design is as beautiful as it is massive. Let it be known, this is a true masterpiece in its production and runs 2 hrs. and 30 mins. plus two intermissions (so make sure those senses are awakened). Be sure to check out the remainder of the 2017/18 Opera Season before it ends! Bravo!
-Jon J.
“Love Never Dies is everything ‘Phantom of the Opera’ fans have waited for!” This Opening Night in late-November proved to be abnormally warm. What was the change? Global warming? A heat wave? Or perhaps an air of evil settled upon The Fox Theatre?
Since the announcement of Broadway in Atlanta’s 2017/18 Season I have had this date, November 28, circled on my calendar. Even with blockbusters like the Lion King, Rent, and Hamilton coming to town, I was most excited about Love Never Dies. “Why?” You might ask? Well, that’s because I’ve been waiting for a sequel to Phantom of the Opera for almost 20 years.
Phantom of the Opera is the longest-running musical in Broadway history, just to give you an idea of how much pressure and anticipation has been riding on this (sequel). If you’re a first-timer or just attending this performance as part of the 2017/18 season, you’re sure to enjoy the performance. For those of you who are purists like me (I’ve seen Phantom 13 times in 6 different cities in 2 different countries), you will be thoroughly pleased with the story, direction, set design, characters, and of course, the singing.
In Love Never Dies, we are propelled 10 years into the future to Coney Island in 1907. The Phantom has taken refuge in New York after escaping Paris unscathed (Oh you thought he was dead? Phantom ended with those in pursuit finding his mask and nothing more. You never actually saw what happened to him). Even though he’s escaped to the USA he still lives in hiding and goes by the alias “Mister Y”.
The Phantom (Bronson Norris Murphy) has transformed his part of Coney Island into an amusement park that could be described as Cirque du Soleil meets A Nightmare Before Christmas. This themed spectacle is called “Phantasma” and everything from the set design to the costumes are out of this world.
Mister Y is missing something from the pieces he’s writing. That missing ‘something’ is the voice of Christine Daaé (Meghan Picerno). So he makes plans to lure her to Coney Island by inviting her to sing an opera made especially for her. She obliges the invitation out of her own desire but also because of debts created by Raoul’s (Sean Thompson) incessant gambling and drinking.
The main acts who double as hosts at Phantasma are Fleck (Katrina Kemp), Gangle (Stephen Petrovich), and Squelch (Richard Koons). It’s deep in the heart of the amusement park where Mister Y chose his lair. Everyone at the park is at his command, even the two familiar faces that followed him from Paris; Meg Giry (Mary Michael Patterson) and Madame Giry (Karen Mason).
The Scenic and Costume Designer Gabriela Tylesova and Design Supervisor Eddie Pierce earned threefold kudos from me. The visuals were absolutely breathtaking. Look for the carriage that picks up Christine from the dock, the background of the amusement park Phantasma, and the figure that I’ll refer to as the “Skeleton Dinosaur” (you’ll know it when you see it).
The opening 45 minutes were slow but that’s because of new character development and backstory from the past 10 years. Being a Phantom snob I expected immediate gratification. I wanted them to open up strongly like where the original left off: “DON JUAN TRIUMPHANT!” But they did the right thing by opening with Mister Y and giving background on the time-lapse. Love Never Dies gets a 9.5 out of 10 and I’ll be purchasing the soundtrack this weekend. -Jon J.
The Nutcracker It’s never easy saying goodbye but, after more than 500 performances in 23 holiday seasons, the John McFall version of the famous Nutcracker will finally be put to bed. I was there when McFall initially announced his retirement on stage after a performance. Before him, the company spent many years performing a traditional version set to the sounds of none other than Peter Tchaikovsky. But fret not friends, for the Nutcracker has been left in good hands. The Bolshoi-trained Gennadi Nedvigin will be debuting an allnew Nutcracker next December in 2018.
Storied favorite Drosselmeyer (Nathan Griswold) approached the stage from amongst the crowd on two separate occasions and wowed the audience with his magic and illusions. It’s the classic story with a few twists for your viewing pleasure, like the overdramatic acting from the mice once the Rat King appears and the ever-so-exciting performances by the children in the “Mother Matrushka” (Zachary Alden) scene. The term is Russian and although you may not be familiar with ‘nesting dolls’ if you were born before 1990, you’ve probably seen them in your lifetime at some point. This was one of the more popular ones from TV back in the day, but in this story, children appear from under her blouse and put on a show with dancing and cartwheels galore. Another favorite that gets the crowd clapping is “Trepak” (Dylan Clinard, Lucas Labrador, Lenin Valladares), which is three high-energy men that are going to leap on stage, perform tricks, hop over each other, and patiently wait for you to applaud them before they leave.
I’ve been very pleased with the past three years of Nutcracker by Atlanta Ballet. There’s been a gradual swing of inclusion and it’s definitely needed (in Ballet and Opera specifically).
Last year I lauded the Asian duo that played the Snow King & Queen and this year to my surprise, they featured an African-American as Mr. Petrov (Keith Reeves).
The two ACTs can be described as childlike fun (ACT I) and the beauty of dance (ACT II). ACT II is where you’re going to hear the best of Tchaikovsky and see the best of the company. On top of the aforementioned scenes, other notable performances come from the Sugar Plum Fairy (Jessica Assef), Cavalier (Moisés Martin), and Arabian (Monika Haczkiewicz and Keith Reeves). It should be noted that because of the number of dancers needed for the performances the roles played changed by night. The ones I’ve listed will be performing December 21, 26, & 28 at 2:00 p.m.
John McFall’s Nutcracker will play through December 28. Be sure to witness his last hurrah before it’s too late. I give its final run an 8.5 out of 10. It’s winter and there’s a performance downtown so don’t be afraid to dress up. Also be courteous to others while at the theatre. Every playbill at The Fox has the basic rules of etiquette listed towards the back. Be mindful of wrapping your arms around a loved one while seated (so people behind you can see) and whatever needs to be done, do it before, intermission, or after the show (leaving in the middle of a performance is rude and distracting).
-Jon J.
Photos: Charlie McCullers
The Lion King The Lion King is the world’s #1 musical and it would be hard to argue against that. Fans of the Disney classic will have the chance to witness greatness from now through January 28. I attended opening night on Thursday, January 11 and witnessed firsthand why this show is one of the best to ever hit the city.
The most memorable productions onstage always have a notable component or two that stands out. Often times it’s a song or two, stage design, or even props that “wow” their way into audiences’ memories. For me, a production that’s no longer on Broadway (and I felt was heavily underrated) was Starlight Express. If singing and dancing weren’t challenging enough, these characters had to do so on skates. The Phantom of the Opera is my all-time favorite and featured a flawless soundtrack and a decorative chandelier that falls from the ceiling to close out ACT I. After Thursday, The Lion King was added to my list of shows that I’ll never forget.
The opening scene in ACT I kicks off at Pride Rock and the song “Circle of Life.” Like the film, all the animals gather together at this central location to see King Mufasa’s new cub Simba, the next in line to be king.
I never expected how this would happen at The Fox Theatre. After a thunderous drum (which is part of the song) my attention was drawn away from the stage and into the crowd. Before I knew it, elephants, giraffes, and other animals were walking down the aisles to the stage. The tallest animals in the show are 18-foot giraffes from “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.” The two you’ll see in “Circle of Life” stand 14-feet high. What a way to open the show!
The production features three Atlanta natives – Nia Holloway as “Nala,” Courtney Thomas and Jane King as ensemble dancers. Holloway, who attended Norcross High School, is the youngest woman to play the adult “Nala” in The Lion King. Rounding out the rest of the cast are Mark Campbell as “Scar,” Gerald Ramsey as “Mufasa,” Buyi Zama as “Rafiki,” Nick Cordileone as “Timon,” Greg Jackson as “Zazu,” Ben Lipitz as “Pumbaa,” Gerald Caesar as “Simba,” Keith Bennett as “Banzai,” Martina Sykes as “Shenzi” and Robbie Swift as “Ed.”
As many complimentary remarks as I have for this show, I’m not sure any of them can describe my appreciation for the costumes and set designs. The props, puppets, and backgrounds for this show are absolutely incredible. With that, I’d like to acknowledge the following: Scenic Design- Richard Hudson, Costume Design- Julie Taymor, Mask & Puppet Design- Julie Taymor & Michael Curry.
I give The Lion King 10 out of 10. For Broadway shows, it’s not going to get much better. You’ll get to hear all of your favorite songs from the movie and a few added ones for the tour. You can find tickets HERE but they’re going fast! So be sure to grab a friend or a date and experience the best-of-the-best on Broadway… In Atlanta.
-Jon J.
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Beauty
Our Health & Beauty Specialist Keisha Campbell is back and has expanded her YouTube Channel with loads of tutorials and reviews for you to see. With spring around the corner, we chose to highlight these three videos specifically: Valentine’s Day, Sunglass Spot, and Prom. Don’t forget to share and subscribe and be on the lookout for future reviews on our website.
Instagram @keenicxle Snapchat: keishanicole11 Website: Beauty
-Keisha Campbell
Valentine’s Day Inspired Makeup Sunglass Spot Reviews Spring/Prom Inspired Tutorial
Events
“Anime Weekend Atlanta 2017 was a success!” Anime Weekend Atlanta was even more fun than expected. One of its unique draws is that it’s a legitimate 4-day convention with smaller crowds. It still draws attendees by the thousands but it’s not your shoulder-to-shoulder, “Sorry for stepping on your feet” numbers of Dragon Con or MomoCon.
Better known as AWA, this anime-focused convention takes place annually at the Cobb Galleria and the Renaissance Waverly Hotel in the Cumberland/Vinings area in North Atlanta. This year the festival ran from September 28 to October 1 (Thursday to Sunday).
On an annual basis, attendees gather from all around to celebrate Japanese culture. That culture includes anime (cartoons), manga (comics), books, film, food, paraphernalia, artwork, and cosplay (costume) accessories.
When attending AWA, you can look forward to gaming rooms (both table and video), cosplay photoshoots, movie rooms, parties, raves, fan panels, autograph sessions, fashion shows, a cosplay contest, and even a manga library! (And that was quite an impressive library)
Our own TBZ cosplayed this year as Perfect Cell from Dragon Ball Z. As you can see below, he took part in a Dragon Ball Z photoshoot, one of many themed shoots at AWA this year. From the looks of things, TBZ stood in ‘perfect’ confidence against four Androids.
AWA had a plethora of panels to attend this year and we made it to two. On Saturday, we peeked our heads in the Anime Music Video Awards and watched the Costume Contest hosted by notable cosplayers Yaya Han and Kaybear Cosplay. The panels were dispersed between the Galleria and the Renaissance Waverly Hotel. There wasn’t a lot of signage but if you grab a pamphlet by the registration area or download the AWA mobile app you should find the rooms just fine.
Atlanta is fortunate to have 3 major conventions here that you could call the “Big 3.” Those three are Dragon Con, MomoCon, and AWA. All three are amazing conventions and each offer something special that the other does not, but since AWA is the smallest attendance wise I’d like to point out two major strengths of theirs. First, it is by far the most diversely attended of the Big 3. I didn’t see anywhere near the same number of Black/Hispanic cosplayers at the other two conventions. Second, AWA was an all ages environment but actually felt like it. Now some aspects were 18+ but where most would complain of too many ‘kids’ being around, it was a nice change to see so many future cosplayers and first-timers enjoying themselves. Let’s be serious, we were all there at one point, we’ve all been teenagers. Who wouldn’t want to be able to attend an anime convention without their parents?
Speaking of cosplayers, you can catch a few staff picks on the next page. You can follow our friends from AWA on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to stay on top of their events throughout the year.
We can’t wait to see what guests and panels await us in 2018. Check their site for deals on membership for next year’s Anime Weekend Atlanta!
The left is from #MeMeMe! The right is Ouja Akuma as Hades from Kid Icarus: Uprising
-Jon J. & TBZ
Photo: Jon J.
Photo Editing: Yoh Phillips
Top Left: Wonder Woman @spreenoel
Top Right: Lux from League of Legends
Bottom Left: Officer Vi from League of Legends @ventress.megitsune
Bottom Right: Guts & Griffith
Studio Movie Grill Opens in Marietta November 16 The original first-run, in-theater dining concept that revolutionized the theater-going experience, will open its 3rd metro Atlanta location on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. SMG Marietta, located at 40 Powers Ferry Road, is over 49,000 sq. ft. encapsulating 11 dine-in auditoriums totaling 1285 luxury seats, plus high-design public areas, such as a front lounge, premium bar, and spacious outdoor patio.
Moviegoers will relax in custom-built Inorca® VIP leather recliners and experience state-of-the-art Dolby sound with NEC laser projection to ensure the most comfortable cinematic viewing. Each theater features built-in tabletops and ‘push for service’ call buttons at your seat to enable guests to order from the full-service premium bar and extensive American grill menu. Every SMG theatre, including Marietta, offers 100% reserved seating online and at the box office. We experienced all of these during the VIP media grand opening Thursday night and everything was great. The food was delicious, the staff was more than hospitable, the drinks were great, and the sound was unlike anything we had ever experienced.
The opening of SMG Marietta marks the company’s 29th location across nine states. SMG’s signature design marries crisp architectural details using natural materials.
The interior is modern and features a selective mix of textiles, stone surfaces, warm woods and furniture classics. SMG Marietta’s opening will also unveil the company’s latest concept prototype that includes an open outdoor patio.
With the mission statement of “opening hearts and minds, one story at a time,” SMG proudly supports surrounding theater communities with specialty programming and outreach. In celebration of its grand opening, SMG will be partnering with non-profits for select events and offering discounted pricing exclusive only to the Marietta location.
But the most impressive detail about their commitment to the community is there accommodation for special needs children. Special Needs Screenings will take place on Saturday mornings at 11 AM to accommodate families raising children with special needs. Special Needs Screenings are shown with the lights up and the volume lowered, and children are free to move around and talk. Screenings are free to special needs children and their siblings. Other family members will receive matinee pricing to encourage families to attend together.
Learn more about all this new location offers on the SMG Marietta website. -Jon J. & EDB
MOVIES
Director Kenneth Branagh and writer Michael Green have delivered a gem in Murder on the Orient Express. You will immediately fall in love with this style of writing and production. One that reminds me of the clever subtleties of a Cohen Bros. film or a haughty exchange between Niles and Frasier.
What starts out as a lavish train ride through Europe quickly unfolds into one of the most stylish, suspenseful and thrilling mysteries ever told. From the novel by bestselling author Agatha Christie, the story tells of thirteen strangers stranded on a train, where everyone’s a suspect. One man must race against time to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again. The film boasts an all-star cast including Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley and Josh Gad.
While the trailer takes a more serious approach to explaining the film’s content, there is far more to experience than the YouTube clip lets on. The amount of comedy, both crude and intelligent, that is riddled throughout the story made this 114 minutes of pure enjoyment.
View the trailer HERE
What should’ve been a lofty ride across Europe turned into in a murder mystery after the train derails because of an avalanche in the dead of night. During this time, a shady art dealer named Edward Ratchett (Johnny Depp) was murdered and nobody seems to know what happened. In turn, everyone on the train becomes a suspect and boy are there some shady characters onboard!
Luckily for the passengers, the world’s greatest detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is onboard and ready to accept the challenge… With the right proposition (he is French you know).
It’s the “Who dun it?!” of Who dun it’s and it’s in theaters today. I give Murder on the Orient Express an 8.5 out of 10. At certain points, you’ll feel like you’re playing a real-life version of “Clue,” but that’s what makes the film so much fun. With the diversity of the cast, the different backstories, and how they all come together is a true sight to experience. With a PG-13 rating and just under two hours in runtime, any age will be able to enjoy this.
-Jon J.
I was hoping at some point in my life I would be able to say this and finally that day has come: “DC finally got it right!” It was a long, painful road for the DC Universe but they finally got their act together. Many fans thought it would be impossible to outdo Wonder Woman but alas, that day has come with the release of Justice League. They even strayed away from the Marvel blueprint of giving characters stand alone films before releasing a team one. The DC Universe hit us with a “Ain’t nobody got time for that” and just put it out.
I’ve been thinking about this for some time now and I thought this blockbuster release would be a good time to experiment with a video review. So if you’d like to check it out it’s posted below. It features an interview with Gal Gadot, a clip from the movie, and some cool behind the scenes footage.
Video Review
As for the film, I can tell you in two simple words, “It’s awesome!” I cannot say this enough, I was so thoroughly pleased after I left the media screening that I was in complete shock. As a matter of fact, all of us stayed afterward and discussed. This has only happened twice.
The Justice League movie ties up some loose ends from Batman vs. Superman and gives us a glimpse of the direction Warner Bros. is taking the DC Universe. In this film you’ll be introduced to three new characters that were only mentioned in the past: Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Aquaman played by Khaleesi’s baby daddy Jason Mamoa. If you don’t understand that reference, you probably don’t watch Game of Thrones and that… is concerning.
Now if you’ve been paying attention to the trailers and promotion, you probably came to the conclusion that Aquaman would have a prominent role in this film. Nope, that belongs to Cyborg. But you’ll still get a healthy dose of that Pantene Pro-V hair and those biceps #TeamSwole. While Cyborg acts as the “hard to work with” character, Aquaman is the “I work alone” guy. Flash provides the comedy with his socially awkward exchanges and his introverted attempts at getting to know the team.
Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) is the glue of the team. She keeps everyone when times get tough and will go out of her way to make sure the rest of the guys realize “this is bigger than you.” There’s a scene in the film where the antagonist Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) attacks Themyscira in search of one of the three boxes to give him absolute power. The fight sequence between him and the Amazonians is probably the best of the whole film.
There are a few things you should know… I’m attempting to execute without any spoilers so here we go: 1) Someone familiar is going to help out 2) Stay for the ending 3) They pulled a Marvel out of their hat… Wait past the credits.
The Justice League movie gets a 10 out of 10. It’s just under two hours in length and it explains so much that you’ll leave feeling satisfied. Purists might be unimpressed with the suits and body armor but if that’s all you can complain about then it’s still a great movie. This is one you have to see this weekend. Also, in case you’re wondering if this Cyborg is the same one we know and love from Cartoon Network?
Booyah!
-Jon J.
First, I want to say this movie is emotionally awesome, it’s everything that I expected in a Star Wars movie plus more. With the movie, to me, it was more like The Empire Strikes Back when it came to Luke being trained by Yoda and becoming one with the force. Meanwhile, Han, Leia, and Chewie were on Cloud City being betrayed by his best friend Lando, because Lord Vader kept altering the deal. In The Last Jedi, it was kinda the same except this time Luke was training Rey even though she’s already strong with the force and she has some kind of mental link with Kylo. Finn made a new friend or love interest in Rose and go off to some type of casino city to find a hacker, who ends up betraying them kinda like how Lando betrayed Han.
Now before I go any further, some of you may have peeped a hilarious commentary by Jon J., who usually does these reviews. The video was made for fun and you nonJedis might enjoy it (he’s not a Jedi either). If you want to check it out, click below.
Video Review
The only gripe I had with the movie is that Snoke died too early. I was expecting him to last longer, at least till the third film. I kinda wanted to see more of his power, I mean we can tell how strong he is, but I wanted to see more of him. Captain Phasma was freaking awesome, she got more screen time AND… she put in some work. Finn caught some hands from her, but the way she went out was kinda lame… but I think she’ll be back. The cinematography was beautiful, from all the new creatures to the ships traveling in space to the landscape and the buildings, everything looked really nice. I really liked the ice creatures and the new little creatures that Chewbacca befriends called Porgs.
The only reason why I’d say the movie was emotional was for Carrie Fisher’s death. She’s one of the iconic stars from the franchises and she’s been there since day one. Just seeing her on screen for the final time as Leia was just really sad so R.I.P Carrie. Other than that there are a lot of other emotional scenes: seeing master Yoda and the death of Luke. Other than that the movie was freaking awesome, I’d give it a 9.8.
-TBZ
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Ferdinand, directed by Carlos Saldanha, tells the story of a young bull who stood out from the rest. Like Rudolph and the other reindeer, the other steer on his ranch poked fun at him and questioned why he wouldn’t engage in their aggressive play. While butting heads and bulldozing objects wasn’t his forte, he did enjoy one thing; flowers.
This ranch, in particular, had a reputation for providing bulls to Madrid for bullfights. While Matadors came for the bulls, it was the goal of every bull to take out the Matador since it had never been done. Ferdinand (John Cena) is joined by Bones (Anthony Anderson), Guapo (Peyton Manning), and Valiente (Bobby Canavale). Valiente tries to act like the tough kid in front of everybody but that’s just him acting out because he’s jealous. Ferdinand’s father is a big strong bull but also treats Ferdinand with kindness. In contrast, Valiente’s father is extremely harsh with him and has a dark outlook on life which Valiente hides by bullying people.
After Ferdinand’s father is picked for the ring, he waits around for his father’s return but it was to no avail. Soon discovering this is not a life for him, he takes a gamble and runs away. He makes his way to a far away meadow (after getting rescued because he fell down a hill) and wakes up in the care of a young girl named Nina (Lily Day). She keeps Ferdinand and allows him free rein of the pasture, often finding himself under his favorite tree, smelling flowers, and enjoying the views.
"Ferdinand proves you should be the change you want to see.”
At this point, it would seem like you could just end the story and live happily ever after right? Well, Ferdinand sadly makes one crucial mistake by following Nina and her father to the flower festival in the city. Now that Ferdinand is a full-size bull, it would be best for him to stay at home. He’s harmless but his sheer size would scare people and sure enough, it did. He’s eventually captured and taken back to the ranch where he started. All of the other bulls were shocked and amazed at how large he had grown and of course, Valiente took extra exception to this. But Ferdinand stood his ground and avoided violence at all costs.
Now that he’s back as an adult, he eventually musters up the courage to tell everyone there that they don’t have to fight. It was clear that they truly didn’t want to, but needed to for survival. As a group, everyone was on the same page which was training to beat the Matador in case they were picked, but behind closed doors with Ferdinand, they exposed themselves. They were grief-stricken, knowing that no bull has ever gone to the ring and returned.
After threats throughout the movie, from bulls, humans, and Matadors, Ferdinand showed the entire city that violence was unnecessary. The rose-sniffing giant stood face-to-face with what looked to be death by sword and he merely plopped back on his behind and stared. His peaceful protest drew a roar from the crowd as they pleaded “Let him live!”
By staying true to himself and being the change he always knew was possible, all the rest of the animals were spared and he was able to return to the farm with Nina again. It’s a valuable lesson in humility, peace, and staying true to oneself no matter what. Not to mention adults will recognize it for the humor that only a grown person could get.
I give Ferdinand an 8.5 out of 10. At 106 minutes you shouldn’t be bored as it’s just a few minutes over the 90-minute average. If you have the time I’d see it while it’s in theaters. If you have children I’d definitely take them to see it sooner than later simply because of the message that’s wrapped inside all the fun. -Jon J.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is the hilarious sequel to the original Jumanji that starred the late Robin Williams. The Williams’ version came out in 1995 and the sequel takes place soon after in 1997, where Jumanji has evolved from a board game to a video game.
In this modernized version, four high school kids randomly end up in detention together. Those kids are Spencer, Fridge, Bethany, and Martha (Alex Wolff, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, and Morgan Turner respectively). While tasked with removing staples from soon to be recycled magazines in what looks like the school’s basement, Spencer stumbles upon an old video game console. He and Fridge investigate and decide to try it out. Once the foursome is focused on the video game and choose their characters, they get sucked into the game and turn into the characters they chose.
Now full-grown adults, Spencer (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), Fridge (Kevin Hart), Bethany (Jack Black), and Martha (Karen Gillan) have to lift the curse on Jumanji in order to return back to their normal lives. This part of the film can’t come fast enough because from here on, hilarity ensues.
While all four characters provide comedy in their own ways, nothing touches the back and forth between Spencer and Fridge (The Rock & Kevin Hart). Their synergy was apparent like their prior film together Central Intelligence. Fridge was once a tall, muscular football player but in the game, he’s short, out of shape, and has a weakness to cake. In contrast, Spencer was a Grade A nerd before the game,
but in the game he’s the hero with all the positive attributes and no weaknesses. Following in a close second is when Bethany, the pretty, self-absorbed teenie bopper turns into Jack Black, a fat, hairy… guy.
The team has to work together and find a green gem that was stolen from a statue of a Panther that watches over all of Jumanji. The only problem in this film is that the antagonist is an absolute joke. Van Pelt in the original film was a famed marksman, but in this version (Bobby Cannavale), he’s just evil. He’s not scary or sinister and the way they tried to force that on him didn’t work at all. The only word I can think to accurately describe 2017 Van Pelt is cheesy.
The film overall is hilarious and if you want a good PG-13 laugh you should check it out this weekend. I give Jumanji an 8.5 out of 10. Now I want you all to pay attention to the scene where they find “the missing piece.” In the scene where they find the piece, you’ll see a subtle yet soft tribute to Alan Parrish (Robin Williams). Once you see this and it knocks you right in the feels, you’ll truly feel like the two films are connected.
-Jon J.
All the Money in the World, directed by Ridley Scott, tells the story of the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) and his mother’s (Michelle Williams) relentless pursuit of the truth. If that wasn’t enough, she was also tasked with convincing her father-in-law John Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer) to pay the ransom, because that was the last thing on his mind.
As JPG III said in the movie “To be a Getty was something special” but he never learned this until his father, John Paul Getty II (Andrew Buchan) reached out to his father one day out of desperation. His childhood memories of his father were nonexistent and therefore until that point had never thought of reaching out to him. He often wondered where he was but didn’t think of reaching out until his wife Gail convinced him. Once he reconnected with his father, JPG wanted the family involved in the Getty Oil business which JPG II initially declined. Even though his son was not qualified in the least bit, nepotism is extremely common amongst the corporate elite (among other levels of business). The blessing ends up being a curse as JPG III explains, “My father could never contain his drinking… Which led to drugs.” So just when you’re thinking they’re all set for life, JPG II, the son of John Paul Getty the gazillionaire, gets hooked on drugs.
While John Paul’s son is constantly away from the house on his drug escapades, he spends ample time with the grandson and soon becomes his favorite. So even though his grandson ends up getting kidnapped and he balks at a ransom, he knows deep down inside he not only loves him but loves him the most out of all his grandchildren.
Once the inevitable happens, remember the name Cinquanta (Romain Duris) and pay attention to his transition.
In the first 10 minutes of the film, I was questioning the replacement of Kevin Spacey with that of Christopher Plummer. But as time went on, Plummer proved he was the proper replacement for the now-fired Spacey and turned out to be the perfect Scrooge. The only complaint I have is there are places where you can tell Plummer was ‘copied and pasted’ into the scenes. They’re obvious to me because this is what I do, but even those who aren’t meticulous about detail will be able to notice scenes where “that coloring doesn’t look right.”
Watch the trailer HERE
I give All The Money in the World an 8 out of 10. It’s a good movie that’s worth giving a chance this Christmas Weekend. Oh and I didn’t forget Marky Mark, he’s in the film too. It’s just that he’s so useless that you could’ve replaced him with anybody and the movie would’ve been the same. He was supposed to play the role of a wheeler-and-dealer, a ‘fixer’ of sorts… But you sir are no George Clooney and you fixed nothing.
-Jon J.
MUSIC
The Eagles There are concerts. And then there are bucket list concerts. On the evening of October 21, 2017, I had an opportunity to attend a ‘bucket list’ concert when I attended The Eagles concert at Philips Arena.
I had seen the Eagles perform so many times on TV, YouTube, etc., that I had an image of how I wanted the performance to unfold. I know this is dangerous, because rarely does a concert live up to how you imagine you want it to be. This was one of those rare exceptions.
As the time slowly approached for the band to take the stage, you could feel an electricity in the air beginning to build. When they finally took the stage, they opened with the acapella sung “7 Bridges Road”. I’ve always loved this song purely for the unabashed display of The Eagles’ ability to showcase their harmonies.
That was the beginning of what I’ve come to call a ‘2-Hour Old Folks Singalong’.
After “7 Bridges Road” the band introduced Deacon Frey to the crowd and he immediately went into his Dad’s signature song — “Take It Easy”. You could tell everyone was having ‘Glenn Frey flashbacks’ as Deacon sang. The fact that he physically resembles a young version of his Dad just added to the déjà vu moment.
The guys didn’t disappoint either — after “Take It Easy”, they rolled into “One of These Nights”, “Take it To The Limit”, “Tequila Sunrise”, “Witchy Woman”, “In The City”, “I Can’t Tell You Why”, “Peaceful Easy Feeling”, “Best of My Love”, “Lying Eyes”, “Love Will Keep Us Alive”, “New Kid In Town”, “Those Shoes”, “Already Gone”, “Rocky Mountain Way”, “Walk Away”, “Heartache Tonight”, and then they sang that other song …. Oh yeah, “Hotel California.”
For an Eagles fan it just didn’t get any better. They did two encores and kept the fans on their feet.
I was thoroughly blown away that a bunch of 60-year old cats could sound sooooo good; harmonize sooooo well; and play sooooo tight! Steuart Smith’s and Joe Walsh’s guitars were at the top of their games. Henley’s drumming and vocals were top-notch (as usual), and Vince Gill’s addition fit like a worn glove; also, Timothy B. Schmidt held down the bass, and his vocals were still on point (“I Can’t Tell You Why” and “Love Will Keep Us Alive”).
It was one of those shows where when it ended, people didn’t want to leave; we just stood around and basked in the aura of what we had just witnessed, and fellowshipped with each other.
What a great evening! I can now put a check mark next to the box marked ‘Attended An Eagles Concert’.
The only thing missing was Glenn.
-KJ
RIP Glenn Frey 1948-2016
Actor R&B sensation Tank released a brand new album titled “Savage” September 29, 2017. The 11-track LP boasted features from Candice Boyd, J. Valentine, Ludacris, and fellow crooner Trey Songz.
At first I was apprehensive when I heard of a new album on the horizon. I was more familiar with his onscreen appearances on Bounce TV/TV One than his music at the time. But any doubt I or anyone else had prior to his album release was totally nullified with the release of his single “When We.” Not only was the song itself a hit, but the official music video has over 39.6 million views and counting. With the success of the music video and a ridiculous amount of air-time, the momentum was solidified and all that needed to happen was the release of his album. I am happy to report that the entire 11-track LP is a banger. This is one of those albums that you can play from beginning-toend without skipping. The general public owes Tank a huge ‘thank you’ for showing what real R&B sounds like and how bad it’s needed on today’s music scene.
The entire month of September saw Tank on the road for his “Savage Tour” which also stopped here September 3 at Wolf Creek Amphitheater.
Watch the video for “When We”
The timing for this release couldn’t be better, as the state of love music is in a sort of transformation period right now. Currently, the R&B genre has seen many new entrees (mostly from women) and a uniform sound has started to take shape. If you took Jhene Aiko, Cassie, and SZA and played their music simultaneously it would all sound the same. Then on the guys’ end, the focus is usually on the music than the lyrics. What gets infused on an otherwise pleasant sound are cringeworthy lyrics that boast a type of straight-to-the-point message that’s not emblematic of love making or even ‘setting the mood.’ But fret not, for “Savage” has come to deliver the public into love-filled euphoria.
The way I see the tracking on this album is more like a process. The very first track borrows the album title “Savage” and has more of a trap feel that appeals more to his new generation of listeners. This is where I’d say if you’re on a date, this is the song in the car that bumps while driving back to your place. That follows with another headnodder “Everything” which features Trey Songz and Ludacris. By this time you should be pulling up to your place and hoping she’s following behind you. With that, playtime is over, because tracks 3 through 11 are all about getting in that mood for love. My personal favorites are “When We” “Nothing On” and “Stay Where You Are.”
In between crafting his albums, Tank continues to make an impact as a songwriter, leaving his mark on pop culture at large. His writing credits include songs for everybody from Jamie Foxx, Pitbull, Aaliyah, and Beyoncé to Trevor Jackson and Adrian
Marcel. At the same time, he’s evolved yet again outside of music with his fitness program Stronger U and starring role on the 2015 TV One hit Born Again Virgin. It’s crazy to think he cranked out this kind of quality while balancing acting and songwriting. It makes me wonder what he could’ve delivered if all of his time was spent on his music!
This new generation unfortunately missed an incredible period in the late 90’s/early 2000’s where love could be heard all around. From Ginuwine and 112 to Next and Dru Hill, the masses could feel the love and as a man, you had your pick of music to set the mood. Tank has revived that era of greatness with “Savage” and for that, we owe him a huge thank you. My only gripe with this album is that I wish it was longer. I mean can a brotha get at least 14-tracks? Next time can we get an album that inches closer to 60 minutes instead of this 44?
This album is versatile in so many ways, that it delivers music for every type of listener to the point where buying the censored version doesn’t damage its validity as a true R&B album.
“Savage” is available now on all platforms:
iTunes Amazon Soundcloud Google
-Jon J.
The perfect way to kick off this sunny weekend after having weeks-long cabin fever is with Nashville’s own alt-rock-five-piece band Moon Taxi. On Friday, January 19, 2018, they released their fifth studio album titled Let the Record Play and it’s easily the most complete project I’ve heard this year.
I discovered the group earlier last year when they released their album-titled single “Let the Record Play” and I was immediately drawn in by their smooth percussion and big band sound (I didn’t know if I was listening to jazz or rock). But it was their single “Two High” that pushed me over the edge from being ‘aware’ of the band to an official supporter.
Watch Too High
The aforementioned track, which was also featured on a Jeep Compass commercial and performed on “The Today Show," was a perfect pick for a single as it draws in a mass appeal from a myriad of angles. First off, it’s a call to action: “We can walk together with our hands up in the sky!” We can come together and peacefully do anything we want to do “just don’t give up on the vibe.”
The track quickly morphs from section to section with minimal instrumental support, to jumpstarting the party with the ‘big-horn’ section, to the back-soothing melodies that prep you “to get ready for more.” It’s a motivational, party starting, feel-good track that deserves all the acclaim that’s come its way (like its 74 million streams on Spotify).
The song “Trouble” has the band acknowledge the realities of life, the inevitable if you will: “Troubles gonna find us wherever we go.” Here’s a track that shows off the wide range of instruments used on the album. All throughout the track you can feel the good vibes from the strings section… Which is great, but before you can get comfortable they come out of left field with both guitar and keyboard solos. The sound is mesmerizing.
Moon Taxi consists of Trevor Terndrup (vocals, guitarist), Spencer Thomson (lead guitarist and producer), Wes Bailey (keyboardist), Tommy Putnam (bassist) and Tyler Ritter (drummer). The band’s inspiring, inclusive worldview can be felt in their lyrics and their sound. “It doesn’t matter where you stand, we’re just trying to get folks to stand together,” said Terndrup.
Produced by Thomson, Let The Record Play is a document of one of the most creative bands to emerge from Nashville’s immensely fertile landscape – and one that has been thriving on the festival scene for years, bringing their electric performances to Coachella, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo and beyond.
Their sound is a battle cry to unify the masses through infectious melodies, but if you’re more into the rock segment of ‘alt-rock-five-piece band’ they have you covered there too. “Moving To The City” features heavy drums and guitar paired with more rugged lyrics to fit the genre. The track “No More Worry” has more of a 311 feel to it. I remember the first time I heard “Amber” when it debuted, it has that kind of sound. I had the same type of relaxing vibe while listening to “No More Worry” (the track lays true to its title).
If you’re ready for the first great album of 2018 or you’re looking for a project that you can “Let the record play” without skipping a track, Moon Taxi has delivered that and more with their new album. You can purchase and/or stream their new album HERE
-Jon J.
Miami Horror, despite their name, has no ties to sunny Florida. They are an indietronic band based out of LA by way of Melbourne, Australia. THE SHAPES is a fun, colorful EP that opens with "Sign of the Times". This track is about where we are as a society right now. Full of empty expectations and relying on sex pills and materialistic things to get by. Sometimes it's hard to tell if we are really happy or if we are being told we should be happy as long as we follow the trends. There's definitely mention of the stresses of being a musician in the demanding world of publicity trying to live your dream.
"Trapeze" is a good follow up. We all get lost sometimes and often sit waiting for a some type of sign to tell us what we are supposed to be doing in life. But once you let go of doubt, block outside voices and believe in yourself everything becomes clear. You don't feel like just another human taking up space here on earth. Only you have the keys to make that change.
Of course no album is complete without a song about love. "Leila" sounds like a woman who takes what she wants and comes and goes as she pleases. This song paints the classic scenario of the addicting unrequited love. It's a sad thing to watch because you know no matter what she does she is welcome back with open arms.
"Azimba" is an interesting and kind of oddly placed track. It has a very dierent vibe from the rest of the EP but still likable. Opening with African beats, the music takes you to another continent and the lyrics are in Swahili. I translated the words and it honestly sounds like a good time.
Because of my Chief Editor's love of football, he discovered the group several years ago while watching BEIN Sports and playing FIFA (the video game). As I am a new Miami Horror listener, "Dark Love" is the sound I was expecting and looking forward to from this band. I used to go to an underground club called MJQ Concourse and this song takes me back there. It's fun and even tells a story of finding love in a dark place. A place that you know is sketchy and dingy but completely fulfilling. Ignoring all the warning signs you jump in blissfully ignorant.
With an 80's vibe, this funky band still has some foreseen growth. This particular EP is one I would pull up on my next beach or road trip. I hope they enjoy the ride!
THE SHAPES is available now for purchase/stream via:
APPLE MUSIC | iTUNES | SPOTIFY | SOUNDCLOUD
-YOAngie!
SPORTS Georgia Tech came into the week looking to avenge the heartbreaker from last week (losing by a point to Miami in Miami) by giving fans a homecoming win against ACC opponent Wake Forest.
The momentum was totally in Tech’s favor but they couldn’t take full advantage of it. Running back KirVonte Benson finally got his long-awaited touchdown after a 100plus yard night but that was overshadowed by the botched extra point attempt. So after two failed 2-pt conversions and a fumbled PAT, after all that dominance and scoring the Jackets were only up seven points, 31-24.
But all doubt was put to rest in the last 3:00 of the game when Yellow Jacket hero and leader Taquon Marshall ran for a jaw-dropping 70-yard touchdown to extend the lead by 14 points.
Georgia Tech’s defense held tight the final two minutes and capped off their homecoming with a comeback victory 38-24.
It was a very brisk 50 degrees that set the environment for the annual “Battle of the Techs.” Georgia Tech came in the game at (4-4) while Virginia Tech sits #17 in the nation with a (7-2) record. Yellow Jacket fans were hoping for a big win today as two of their last four losses were nailbiters (losing by one point to Miami and four points to Virginia).
The rivalry proved to be a formidable matchup and went all the way to the final two minutes. Georgia Tech won 28-22 but it was the path they took to victory that Yellow Jacket fans shook. With seven minutes left, Georgia Tech quarterback TaQuon Marshall tried to extend their drive rolling out to the flat. But instead of throwing the ball away, he tried to find an open receiver. The pass was intercepted by VT cornerback Greg Stroman who ran it in for a touchdown. With a failed two-point conversion attempt the Hokies lead 22-21. Another heartbreaker was brewing and everyone could feel it (those aforementioned nailbiters that caused utter sadness).
That heartbreaker was nearly confirmed by the ensuing kickoff being fumbled. Luckily Georgia Tech was able to recover at their own 17-yard line. But TaQuon Marshall was not swayed by any of it and launched an 80-yard pass to wide receiver Ricky Jeune for a touchdown to take the lead.
If you ignore the stats and just go off the visuals, this was a true ACC battle that went down to the final minutes. A match where you could truly say from either side, “This was a good game.”
It was the day the state of Georgia had waited for all-season; the annual rivalry known as “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.” A raucous, sell-out crowd at Bobby Dodd Stadium set the tone for the age-old rivalry. For Georgia, a win means bragging rights for a year, an improved record to 11-1, more support for their College Football Playoff argument, and they would roll into the SEC Championship game with precious momentum.
On the other hand, Georgia Tech was hoping to not only end the regular season on a positive note, but a win would put them at 6-5 and bowl eligible. But as always in Atlanta sports, things never go exactly as planned. An early sign that it was going to be a long afternoon was Tech fumbling the opening kickoff. The final score of 38-7 ended the regular season and bowl hopes for GT while UGA went on to the National Championship but lost to Alabama. -Jon J.
Photo: X (p. 47, 48)
Hakim Wright (p. 46, 49)
A chilly winters’ day welcomed the 2017 Celebration Bowl. This year’s edition featured two previous winners, the SWAC’s Grambling State Tigers and the MEAC’s North Carolina A&T Aggies. In its third year, it was seen as a special occasion that the winners of the first and second iterations would battle it out to see who is truly the best Historical Black College/University football program.
We had to wait until the second quarter to get any points on the board. Running back Marquell Cartwright caught an 11-yard pass from NC A&T quarterback Lamar Raynard for a touchdown.
Grambling responded with a touchdown of their own with 43 seconds left in the half. DeVante Kincade found Jordan Jones in the end-zone for the game-tying touchdown.
The deadlock was finally broken when A&T’s quarterback Lamar Raynard scored on a QB dive through the middle just a yard away from the end zone. Raynard closed out an impressive 7 play, 56-yard drive that took all of 1:04. With the score 21-14, Grambling had 33 seconds to make a miracle happen. They marched downfield with efficiency but without any timeouts, their options were limited and failed to score again.
North Carolina’s Marquell Cartwright ended up winning the Offensive MVP Award. Cartwright ended with 20 carries for 110yards and a touchdown on the day. Picking up where Tarik Cohen (MVP of their first Celebration Bowl victory) left off no less. Cohen is currently playing in the NFL.
The final score was NC A&T 21, Grambling State 14. So the inaugural winners of the Celebration Bowl end up victorious in its third edition to stake its claim as the best football program in the HBCU-verse.
-Jon J.
Photo: Hakim Wright
ATLANTA FALCONS
It’s been said that a picture can say a thousand words. Well, if you take a look at the photo above, you should get a clear idea of how the Falcons-Cowboys game turned out on Sunday, November 12.
The rival owners with rival stadiums saw their teams battle it out on the field. The only problem was the boys from Texas weren’t at 100% and the owners themselves were at odds.
With Ezekiel Elliott suspended, a lot of the offense would have to be made up by Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. But again, as I reference our photo, his plans for the day got… smushed?
Falcons defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn had a franchise record six sacks on the night as the defense pressured Prescott through all four quarters. The defense as a whole totaled eight sacks. De’Vondre Campbell would supplement that defensive onslaught with a team-high 11 tackles.
Quarterback Matt Ryan was connecting all-night with his receivers, completing 22 of 29 passes for 215 yards and 2 touchdowns. On top of a phenomenal performance by Ryan, he became the fastest quarterback to reach 40,000 yards.
Fans and personnel alike agree this was a pivotal game that could affect the rest of the season. With the 27-7 victory, the Falcons moved to 5-4 on the season and were well on their way to reaching their goal of making the playoffs.
With a string of luck tacked with a slew of penalties, the Falcons saw themselves past the New Orleans Saints 20-17. This was the 96th regular season matchup between these two division rivals, with the Falcons leading the all-time series 50-45 and gaining wins in their last two meetings. This first meeting between these two franchises was an important one in the playoff race and the race to win the division.
The last time these two teams met, the Falcons offense rolled in the first half, scoring 35 points on their way to clinching a first-round bye with their 38-32 victory over the New Orleans Saints. In that game, quarterback Matt Ryan broke the franchise record for most passing yards in a season.
Things were looking up for the franchise at this point and only one thing stood in their way: Carolina.
In the coming weeks, the Carolina Panthers would end up winning the division but since the NFC South was so stacked, there was the possibility both Atlanta and New Orleans could reach playoff glory too. There were a myriad of formulas that would have seen the Falcons reach football Valhalla but the easiest route would be a win. Atlanta teams have never been ones to excel under pressure and Cam Newton’s Panthers would definitely test that Falcons defense.
The first half of the game saw more punts than action on the field and neither team was able to recover. For the Panthers, it was a lack of efficiency from quarterback Cam Newton (good for us) and for the Falcons, a complete lack of a running game (bad for us).
It took Cam Newton four quarters to reach double-digit completions and managed an average of 5.5 yards per catch. Atlanta, on the other hand, experienced rushing woe like never before. Between four different rushers and 26 carries, the team totaled a very inefficient 60 yards for the game.
Thanks to some fourth quarter heroics the Falcons were able to squeak out a 22-10 victory. The ‘win and you’re in’ scenario was complete and they traveled to Los Angeles to face the Rams in the first round of the NFL Wild Card. While the Falcons rose to the occasion and trounced the Rams 26-13, it would be their next match against Philadelphia that would end their Super Bowl dreams. The Dirty Birds are just a few pieces away from being a legitimate threat in the NFC South. We’ll see if they can go the distance again next season. -Jon J.
Photo: Hakim Wright
It was definitely not the same outcome for the other birds of prey, as the Hawks offloaded the majority of their roster that saw them playoff glory.
At a woeful 14-33, fans have settled with the fact that the club has defaulted to a ‘rebuilding’ phase but hopefully not the one that Philadelphia claimed for nearly a decade.
That’s not to say that there haven’t been any exciting games in the house that ‘Nique built (Wilkins). There have been plenty of narrow wins and losses and small victories to be proud of. The biggest blow was when they got rid of Paul Millsap, who on multiple occasions was the team’s leading scorer.
From their playoff roster (the one most are familiar with) the only familiar faces left are Kent Bazemore and Dennis Schroder.
Here we have a tale of two comebacks: the one led by the Hawks and the one led by the Celtics. I’ve often said if football/basketball games ended after the first half we’d have the best sporting franchises in the country.
The Hawks led by as many as 16 points during their first half run but all that changed in the second half where Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown came alive. Irving finished with 30 points while Brown made due with 27. The final score was 110-99.
So in that game they lost by 11 and in the next game they won by 12. In the third period, the Hawks rallied a comeback outscoring the Knicks 30-19. This comeback displayed a true team effort as everyone from the starters to the last bench player made it on the floor and scored points.
We’ll keep an eye out for what should be an interesting off-season. -Jon J.
Photo: Hakim Wright
To say that the city’s newest sporting addition was supported by fans would be a gross understatement. In fact, the state and fans from all around the region have fallen headover-heels in love with the franchise.
Atlanta United just completed their inaugural season in Major League Soccer (MLS) and the squad lived up to all the expectations.
The organization as a whole impressed the world over as multiple players won awards from Rookie of the Year to MLS All-Star appearances. A myriad of players led the league in goals and assists and different points of the season and once it ended, even office staff got in on the awards. This type of success doesn’t go unnoticed, as a handful of our starts caught the eye of football clubs in Europe and South America.
The combination of Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra and Club President Darren Eales have put together the most impressive club in the league. After one season, United have set the tone and showed the country that a different framework has been put in place for success. Often referred to as the ‘retirement league’, MLS has built a reputation on being a landing strip for global stars inching towards retirement or past their prime. United on the other hand has been signing the best young, up-and-coming talent out of Europe and South America and the formula has worked to much applause and fanfare.
The aforementioned stars are part of our South American contingent that have bolstered our play and status within the league. Led by a brand name in South American football, Manager Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, those players include Miguel Almirón, Josef Martinez, Leandro Gónzalez-Pirez, Carlos Carmona, Yamil Asad, and Hector ‘Tito’ Villalba.
Martinez impressed so quickly that his seven goals in three matches led to the club purchasing him outright from Torino where he was originally on loan. This also occurred when Greg Garza went down with an injury. His presence on the wing made a huge difference in attack so when he went down his absence was felt immediately.
In their inaugural season, the club went 15-9-10 (W-L-D) and were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs. For those of you not familiar with football record keeping, a win equals three points and a draw equals one. So while it looks like we had more than a few draws, in the end, we were still able to get points from those ties (and ended with 55 points, 4th place in the Eastern Conference).
What the club has achieved in just one season is truly phenomenal. The bar has been set high for the city and the league. They made the playoffs without having an official home stadium until halfway through the season and had a string of away matches that saw them home three times in almost 40 days.
But the city was bold enough to meet the club halfway when it came time to unveil their new digs. Once MercedesBenz Stadium was officially opened, it stayed full the remainder of the season.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Avg. Attendance: 48,514 Highest Attendance: 71,874 Playo Match Attendance: 67,221 Total Tickets Sold: 886,625
To top off the awards received, it was announced that the city of Atlanta was awarded the 2018 MLS All-Star game. Things have been running on all 12 cylinders since the beginning of their season and the offseason has been no different.
The club offloaded a number of players to free up space for big moves and they were big indeed. As you can see to the left, Atlanta United signed U.S. Men’s National Team standout Darlington Nagbe, rising stars José Hernandez and Franco Escobar (not pictured), and the biggest signing of the offseason Ezequiel Barco. The signing of Barco set a new MLS Transfer Record with a transfer fee of $15 million.
The club recently announced their new United Soccer League (USL) affiliate Atlanta United 2. The new minor league club will be a nice compliment to the first team (Atlanta United) and put more emphasis on football in Atlanta. Atlanta United matches are the hottest ticket in town! So much so, that there’s a waiting list for season tickets. We’ll provide links below to everything ATLUTD so you and those closest to you can get in on the excitement.
Season Ticket Waiting List Single Match Tickets
Multi-Game Pack
Group Tickets
Schedule Radio & TV Schedule ATL UTD 2
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-Jon J.
Photo: Hakim Wright, Anna Lira, X
Travel & Recreation
Style Seat is the Beauty & Wellness app that’s revolutionizing the industry. It started with an idea by Melody McCloskey after feeling frustrated from the lack of ease in scheduling a beauty appointment. Along with co-founder Dan Levine, Style Seat was born and now scheduling appointments across 16,000 cities couldn’t be easier!
Within the app you can find a myriad of helpful categories from “Most Booked” and “Top Barbers” to “New Stylists” and Top Nail Artists” and the best part is they’re all curtailed to your location. So whether you’re at home or on the road, the app will find what you want and find the closest choices to you.
To give you an example of how easy and user friendly this app is, I’ll show you how easy it was to book a haircut with Barber & Hair Stylist Caddy Womack. First, tap on the “Discover” bubble to find a barber, then (since mine is saved) his name appears above.
After tapping his logo the screen (pictured left) appears, displaying his five-star rating, the ability to bookmark him as a barber, a share tab to share his services with a friend or family member, and his list of services available along with their prices (the screenshot doesn’t show all of his services but he has around nine).
So we’ll go forward and choose the “Caddy Special”. With each service a brief description of said service is listed in gray underneath it. So now we’ll press the “book” button next to the Caddy Special which will give me his available dates and how I’d like to proceed.
Style Seat is now available on Apple and Android.
The above screen gives me his availability for Tuesday, Jan. 30. For this we’ll choose 11:00 AM. After I tap the aforementioned time it confirms if I’d like to book and asks how I’d like to pay. That’s it! You can pay inperson after your service has been rendered or you can save your financial information on the app and have it billed once your appointment is completed.
No more calling to see when ‘so and so’ is available for an appointment, now you can see their availability live through this amazing app. -Jon J.
Launching in November 2017, HeyDoctor is the newest mobile app to throw its hat into the telemedicine ring, providing patients with fast and affordable medical care with little to no hassle. While other apps on the market require patient-doctor video conference calls for diagnostic and treatment services, HeyDoctor is the first app to provide patients with boardcertified physician care all via text.
Patients can obtain services such as HIV testing, UTI diagnostics and treatment, birth control refills, and more. The app is free to download, is available on both iOS and Android devices, and is currently available in 19 states with more coming soon. With no insurance necessary and the majority of consultations costing no more than $20, HeyDoctor is a game changer.
The HeyDoctor app provides users with seamless, intuitive navigation. The front page shows all of the services provided and gives patients detailed information such as how the service works, what treatments may be provided, and whether medications that may be prescribed will have side effects. Users can also find answers to frequently asked questions about each service provided and can message or call anytime with other questions.
“I had patients sit for hours in a waiting room for basic issues that required only a couple of minutes.” -Dr. Brandon Levy
HeyDoctor is now available on Apple and Android.
“With no insurance necessary and the majority of consultations costing no more than $20, HeyDoctor is a game changer.” *Services are currently available in Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Another benefit of this service is the ease with which patients can share their medical records from HeyDoctor with their primary care physicians. Patients can either request to have records sent to their doctor or can simply show them their HeyDoctor records on their phone.
The recent boom in telemedicine options has turned the patient-doctor dynamic onto its head, providing patients with less financial restrictions and more accessibility to doctors who
truly want to help. Dr. Brandon Levy, co-founder and chief medical officer of HeyDoctor, stated that he “had patients sit for hours in a waiting room for basic issues that required only a couple of minutes.” He “knew there had to be a better way to connect with [his] patients.” In the ever-expanding field of telemedicine, HeyDoctor has provided that way.
Visit HeyDoctor today!
-Erica Bizzell
Editor-in-Chief Jon Jones
Editor KJ
Beauty Contributor Keisha Campbell
Videography Malcolm “X” Lewis
Music Contributions Lauren Brumley YoAngie! Caquias KJ
Art/Graphics Bob Jeffreys
Sports Esli Lara Mike Brown Jon Jones Tony Stanford Jr.
Fashion Team Joy Larkin Keisha Campbell
We hope you enjoyed our 21st issue of The Peach Review®. If you’d like to see more content (pictures/ videos) or keep up-to-date on events around ATL you can:
Photography Hakim Wright Malcolm “X” Lewis Yoh Phillips Anna Lira Jonathan Davis Kent Foster Event Contributions Khaleah Evelyn Desmond Mclennon Erica “EDB” Bizzell Consultant Desmond Mclennon Video Games Titus “TBZ” Rowell Alana Clarke
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