Movies Atlanta Film Festival The Secret Life of Pets Central Intelligence
Music BeyoncĂŠ Rihanna Pitbull Nicky Jam
SPORTS Atlanta United FC Atlanta Dream International Soccer
No. 17
Contents Arts & culture 2 The Wizard of Oz The Rise of Sneaker Culture Raw Artist Atlanta Showcase
2 6 8
Beauty 10 Swatches Travel Beauty Series TBS: Prepare for Takeoff Why I Decided Not to Wear Makeup to Work?
10 12 13 15
Events 16 Lee England Jr. MomoCon Juicy Juice Teasers Atlanta Food & Wine Festival
16 19 22 24
*cover photo: Mexico faced Paraguay in international soccer action in the Georgia Dome during Memorial Day Weekend. Photo: X
Movies 27 Atlanta Film Festival Terminus Captain America: Civil War Miles Ahead Central Intelligence
27 34 37 40 42
Finding Dory Free State of Jones The Secret Life of Pets Ice Age: Collision Course Bad Moms
44 46 50 53 55
57 61 62 63 64
65 68 70 71
Music 57 Atlanta Jazz Festival Sander Kleinenberg Vicetone Dirty South Jax Jones
BeyoncĂŠ Rihanna Nicky Jam Pitbull
Sports 74 Atlanta United Football Club Atlanta Dream Mexico vs. Paraguay Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan
75 78 81 84
Travel & Recreation 87 Eating Europe: Italy & Prague J International
87 90
Arts & Culture
The Wizard of Oz This production of The Wizard of Oz is a wonderful adaptation of the all-time classic. This new production contains the beloved Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg songs from the Oscar®winning movie score, all the favorite characters and iconic moments, plus a few surprises along the way, including new songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The Wizard of Oz had its world premiere at The London Palladium Theatre in March of 2011. After a successful West End run, the production had its North American premiere in Toronto in December of 2012, and then embarked on a tour in the USA beginning in September of 2013. The national tour features the same award-winning creative team from London and Toronto: Jeremy Sams (direction), Robert Jones (set and costume design), Arlene Phillips (choreography), Hugh Vanstone (lighting design), Mick Potter (sound design), Jon Driscoll & Daniel Brodie (video/projection design), David Cullen (orchestrations) and Graham Hurman (musical supervision). Animals are provided by William Berloni. Since I mentioned Berloni, I have to note one of the animals that stole the show opening night. Toto was definitely a scene stealer, nailing the audience in the feels (feelings) with cuteness and boasting high-quality training that evening. The delivery of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was respectable. Dorothy, played by Sarah Lasko, belted out a wondrous tune once welcome to Munchkin Land. That was where we’d see the best performance of the night from Good Glinda, played by Rachel Womble.
The inside jokes that were thrown in the mix added to the fun of this family friendly adaptation. The performance overall was very entertaining for adults and children alike, and if I didn’t know any better I’d say the Wicked Witch’s minions visited the AUC showing off dance moves like that! The Wizard of Oz gets a 9 out of 10. It’s only here through Sunday so get your tickets now and feel free to dress up. You’ll see plenty Dorothy copycats and red slippers. The amount of parents matching with children was heartwarming. There’s truly no better way to spend this weekend.
-Jon J. Photo: Daniel A. Swalec
The High Museum of Art presents “The Rise of Sneaker Culture” (June 11 through Aug. 14, 2016), the first museum exhibition in the United States to examine the complex and fascinating social history and design evolution of the sneaker, from its origins in the mid-19th century to its role in the present day as a symbol of urban culture and marker of masculine identity. “The Rise of Sneaker Culture” features more than 150 sneakers, including iconic and incredibly rare shoes from the 1830s to today, some of which have never been publicly exhibited. Originating at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, the touring exhibition is organized by the American Federation of Arts (AFA) in collaboration with the Bata Shoe Museum (BSM) and is curated by Elizabeth Semmelhack, senior curator of BSM. The featured sneakers are drawn from the archives of manufacturers such as Adidas, Converse, Nike, Puma and Reebok; the collections of the Bata Shoe Museum,Kosow Sneaker Museum and Northampton Museums and Art Gallery; and private collectors such as hip-hop legend Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, sneaker guru Bobbito Garcia, and Dee Wells of Obsessive Sneaker Disorder. Highlights include an 1860s spiked running shoe, an original 1923 Converse All Star/Non Skid, a 1936 track shoe similar to those worn by Olympian Jesse Owens, an original Nike Air Force 1 and early Adidas Superstars. Also featured are sneakers by Prada and other major fashion design houses as well as contemporary sneaker collaborations with prominent figures such as Damien Hirst, Jeff Staple and Kanye West.
Significant works from the archives of Nike include sneakers spanning the career of design legend Tinker Hatfield and a complete presentation of Air Jordans I–XX3, which highlights the role this coveted series of shoes has played in the rise of contemporary sneaker culture.The shoe selections are richly contextualized with film footage, interactive media, photographs and design drawings, creating a narrative of the social history, technical innovation, fashion trends and marketing campaigns that have shaped the sneaker over the past two centuries.
-Jon J.
Raw Atlanta Showcase This past week I had the pleasure of attending my first art show presented by RAW. Raw was founded by Heidi Luerra in 2009 after wanting a way to get her out to the masses in a better way. You can join RAW online and also view work from other artists. The online hub features not only artists but filmmakers, makeup artists, photographers and other avenues of talent. A showcase will feature a selection of professionals from each field to show their work at the RAW events. Before I get into the amazing artists let’s speak about RAW in general. Are these kinds of avenues needed? I think so, but the way it’s executed is more important. For makeup artists, filmmakers, and musicians, these types of events are perfect. But for artists, painters, photographers… This particular event may pose some setbacks. Speaking with some artists about the setup of the event gave me insight into things that may need improving for future events in Atlanta. The venue was a little crowded for an art showcase and some people had to walk about 10-20 minutes just to reach the venue. Art connoisseurs coming to spend thousands of dollars at these shows don’t want to spend 20 minutes looking for parking and then have to walk a long distance to get there. I think the venue could have been better, in the interests of the artists being successful.
Aside from that I was very happy with the selection of work that I saw. There were a few standout artists whose work was nothing like anyone else’s, including our spotlight artist, apHropaintbrush. His work speaks for itself, with its uniqueness and gravitational pull. His influence is not only our African ancestors and the roots in which they come from, but the struggles that we face in todays society. Its organized yet confusing and leaves you curious (like life itself). During our conversation, he pointed out a lot of subliminal messaging he featured in his art that translates into everyday life. Feed into the energy of your elders, the universe, or whatever you believe in to move you forward past those that don’t want to see you win. You can find his work and others on RAW’s online hub. I will link his profile and Instagram down below. www.rawartists.org/goaphropaintbrush ; https://www.instagram.com/aphropaintbrush/
Review & Photos: Keisha Campbell
Beauty
Cocoa Swatches We all love seeing swatches of products before we purchase and in the community of women of color, this can be vital before we purchase a product. More companies are starting to showcase their products on a variety of different skin tones especially via social media. Just recently I discovered two outlets that specify in showcasing makeup on women of color. Some may see this as controversial but when you look at the beauty industry in the last 10 years, it was hard to find a large collection of outlets that covered all shade ranges and actually advertised it. With the growing success of YouTube and Instagram its easier to find women who actually mirror your shade range. The first Instagram page I came across was Cocoa Swatches. This page not only showcases beauty gurus but also swatches on deeper skin tones. Companies like Anastasia Beverly Hills and ColourPop Cosmetics are showing their new releases on at least three different skin tones. This takes a lot of the trial and error out of shopping for different products because you have an actual reference instead of guessing. With the huge demand for this information, Cocoa Swatches recently released their app to allow easier access to swatches and other information when shopping.
Not only can you easily pull up swatches that have been featured on their Instagram page, but you are able to have discussions on different topics and even discover new faces to follow on social media. It’s the first app of its kind that caters specifically to women of color. Staying in that same family, I stumbled across a website, www.melaninmakeup.com, that also caters to women of color. The website houses a vast variety of articles covering, but not limited to: beauty, entrepreneurial women, and DIY beauty hacks. They also have a popular Instagram page that displays women of color in the beauty community that may not get as much recognition on other platforms. Why is this important? Well, think about it this way: If you are interested in something that the majority of people are already involved in, how willing are you to try it if you have no one to relate to? How unified is the beauty community if we don’t recognize the beauty and talent of everyone involved? Beauty comes in all shades, shapes, and sizes, and its time for us to start accepting that. The platforms mentioned today didn’t see where they were being appreciated or recognized for their interests and talents so they created on an outlet for it. If that’s not girl power then I don’t know what is! The hope is that larger companies see the impact that women of color have on the industry and actually start catering to our needs as well. There should not be a select handful of companies that carry shades that compliment all women. Women of color are starting to speak up and it’s about time that our voices are heard.
-Keisha Campbell
Source: http://www.popsugar.com
Travel Beauty Series
THE NIGHT BEFORE If you travel a lot like me, then you know how important it is to keep your skin well taken care of before, during, and after flying. This short, but sweet series will take you through my routine of taking care of my skin while traveling. Being in the air can take a toll on your skin not only because of the altitude but, because the air on the plane in recycled. For a flight of four hours or more with the same air from everyone in a tight space, you can see how the air isn’t the best for your skin. I have a routine in place that ensures my skin is well taken care of while I’m traveling. The day before I hop on a plane I make sure my skin is travel ready. I have oily skin as I have stated before, but my routine can work with any skin type. Before I go to bed, I’m sure to use the Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask. Before I begin to explain the benefits, I just want my readers to understand that all skin types need to take care of their skin when
traveling. With this Cucumber Mask my skin feels so moisturized and youthful. It’s soft to the touch and easy to manage. This extra boost of moisture ensures that my skin will be able to withstand any high altitude no matter the destination. To seal the moisture in I use the Josie Maran Argan Oil. This makes my skin so radiant! I always thought oils were useless (because I have oily skin) but this heals my skin. I don’t have dry patches and the oil absorbs into my skin and does its magic. When I wake up my skin is soft, plump, and most importantly doesn’t feel oily. I use this oil every night after I wash my face. I have noticed a difference in the texture of my skin and its overall appearance. This is the first step on your travel journey and wherever the world might take you. -Keisha Campbell Sources: http://www.sephora.com
TBS: Prepare for Takeoff Sheet Masks From Sephora The items pictured left are sheet masks. If you are on a flight under three hours I don’t see this as a necessity. Sheet masks are a quick way to enjoy a mini facial while taking care of your skin. These can be very expensive for no reason in my opinion. Sephora hosts a nice variety of these masks for a reasonable price as well as brands like Dr. Jart and Boscia. These masks are no more than ten dollars. I do this before I take a nap on the plane and when I wake up, my skin is very soft and plump.
Today is the day for your trip and there a few things you want to make sure are in your carry-on. If you’re like me, you prefer to travel with no makeup to allow your skin to breath. If not, be sure to pack some moisturizing makeup remover wipes to remove your makeup, especially if you’re on a longer flight. Moisturizing sprays, sheet masks, and water are your best friends.
Hydrating face sprays give an extra boost to your skin throughout any flight. Evian Mineral Water Spray (pictured on pg. 13) and First Aid Beauty Vitamin Hydrating Mist (pictured right) are affordable and efficient sprays that add a refreshing mist of moisture to your skin. Being at such high altitudes can dry out the skin and the air on a plane isn’t always the cleanest. Adding vitamins and minerals to your skin puts back what is being taken out (it also adds extra protection with the treatments you did the night before).
Taking these small steps as a frequent flyer ensures I am taking the best care of my skin and I don’t have to worry about doing extra work once I step off the plane. As I’ve said before, even with oily skin, it is important to hydrate our skin properly. Hydration prevents premature aging, fine line, wrinkles and many other major signs of aging. Stay tuned for the last segment detailing the steps to take after a long flight. Instagram: @keenicxle
-Keisha Campbell
Sources: www.sephora.com
Why I Decided Not To Wear Makeup To Work For A Month I took some time away from writing articles and discussing the latest beauty trends to go on a journey (one of more natural beauty techniques and self discovery). Being that I’m so intrigued by the makeup world it’s hard to see what path you really want to take at times. I always advocate taking care of your skin and loving your skin but I took some time to figure out what that really meant. In recent years, I thought I was comfortable in my own skin with no makeup. It was one day that I was headed to work early in the morning and I was running late that I met a challenge: I could either put on my full face of makeup or be much later than expected to work. When I saw myself going back and forth with these two options it hit me. Why was I so uncomfortable with the idea of not wearing any makeup if I was so comfortable in my own skin? To make a long story short I chose to bypass the makeup that day. I received more smiles and more compliments than I ever had working with a full face of makeup. This was so puzzling to me because here I am thinking I could have at least thrown some concealer on and some mascara. As the day went by I took a bathroom break where I stopped to look at myself in the mirror and I stared at myself for about a minute. I smiled and in my head I said, “Wow, I love how I look. I look beautiful and this feels really good!” If you’re wondering what it is that felt good, I will explain. After taking off my makeup at times I would notice that I would feel different and not in a good way. It was as if the good day that I had ended because I took my makeup off. When I looked in the mirror that day, I was really happy with what I saw. I realized that was the moment I was truly able to say, “I am comfortable in my own skin.” With this beautiful discovery I challenge myself to not wear makeup at all to work for a full month and to keep it to a minimum outside of work. This forced me to love my skin. The acne scars, the eczema, and the discoloration. They say it takes 30 days to break a habit and I feel like my unintentional habit of needing makeup has been broken. Not only did I find a new love for myself but, I was able to discover new and more natural ways to grow with my beauty routine. This isn’t meant to take away from anyone who enjoys wearing makeup daily. This was simply a message to myself and others that you can love you and still enjoy the fun of makeup. If you have ever had any similar feelings like the ones I discussed above then I challenge you to create your own challenge of personal growth. I can truly say now that I don’t need makeup and when I put it on, I know that it’s because I want to and not because I feel like I need to. I will continue to cover the beauty community but through a set of new eyes.
-Keisha Campbell
Tree Sound Studios Presents
Lee England Jr. It’s not everyday you come across a kind soul like that of Malissa ‘Mali’ Hunter. But it’s also a rare occurrence witnessing a youth with such talent as Lee England Jr. If you haven’t had the opportunity to experience a dinner at Tree Sound Studios, you need to make that happen. It’s an ATL “must” if you’re a resident. Above being a well-connected, beautiful spirit, Mali is about positive vibes, family, and extending herself to others. This is what happened with LEJ. Both hailing from Chicago, we were able to hear his story before he performed for a packed audience in a room commonly known as “the cave.” LEJ is a classically trained violinist who holds three music degrees, including: BS in Music Education, BS in Audio Engineering and a BA in Violin Performance, all from Southern Illinois University.
EVENTS
In collaboration with R&B singer, K’Jon, LEJ found himself traveling the country performing as a soloist and member of the band. During this time, he was a featured act, in which he was given time on the stage by himself. One tour stop was at a dinner celebration, during All-Star Weekend for Michael Jordan’s birthday. By the end of Lee’s solo, an audience including Spike Lee, Chris Paul, Dwayne Wade, Gabrielle Union, Russell Simmons and Michael Jordan, himself were on their feet applauding. Immediately following the performance, Jordan offered Lee an endorsement through the Jordan Brand to support his artistic endeavors. This made him one of four non-athletes to represent the brand. On the subject LEJ said, “When I decided to walk the path that was meant for me, Michael Jordan gave me shoes that made me fly.” It was after the networking, socializing, Mali’s cooking, and the Courvoisier flowing from the heavens, that we were able to hear LEJ for ourselves. With a building overflowing with inquisitive minds he gave two performances that night. Back in ‘the cave’ we heard LEJ and his band perform ballads from both old school and new school and even original tracks they’ve been working on.
See a CLIP of his performance
Top Left: Lee England Jr. and Ed Lover Bottom Right: Jasmine Guy and Terri J. Vaughn
Part of the Tree Sound experience and dinners that Mali produces are the people. It is impossible to attend her events and not have a sense of family. I myself met five newcomers who had never attended her dinners and all of them noted how nice the crowd was. Another cool part of the Mali Effect is that you’ll never know who will show up. Mali and LEJ received support and love from music and entertainment talent such as Ed Lover, Terri J Vaughn, Angie Stone, Ariane (Love and HipHop ATL), Jasmine Guy, and many others. Kwanza Hall was also in attendance to announce that night was officially marked as “Tree Sound Music Day.” Another memorable experience at Tree Sound Studios marked by good food, good music, and good vibes. You can see all the photos in our FB Photo Album.
-Jon J. Photo: Kent Foster Top: Mali Hunter Bottom: Ariane Davis
MomoCon Tis the beginning of con season here in Atlanta and what a way to kick things off with MomoCon. A con (short for ‘convention’) that started off really small at Georgia Tech and for some time it was free. Now, they’ve grown almost as big as DragonCon and have been attended at major hotels and the Georgia World Congress Center. It also has gotten a lot better than most cons here in Atlanta and it’s still growing. So what a way to start the beginning of the con season; by being around amazing cosplayers, anime fans, manga, video games, j-pop/k-pop, and friends. I’ve been able to see some amazing artists like Shayla Hall, Shawn Crystal, Alyssa Lewis, and Marcus Williams. I got to view their amazing artwork and talked to them about being in the industry and what it holds for inspiring artists. I also had the chance to meet a really cool YouTuber and cosplayer Blikku, who’s really bubbly and super friendly. She gave some really cool insight on how to start cosplaying, the in’s and out’s of the industry, and how to be consistent on being a YouTuber and growing an audience. I really enjoyed being at her booth, she was loads of fun.
Now when it came down to doing interviews, I got to do 2. I had the honor of speaking with Erica Mendez, voice actor of Ryuko Matoi from KILL la KILL, and Pac from Pac-man. I also interviewed Zach Collison who voices Steven from Steven Universe. The interview went well with both and I learned a lot about both voice actors and the industry. Erica Mendez started voice acting at the age of 13. She stated that her boyfriend was voice acting so she decided to do it with him as well. She started her career doing a voice match for Pac-man, but also did Labyrinth of Magic, and Lalaloopsy. But what really put her on the map was KILL la KILL as she voiced the main character Ryuko Matoi (even though she was supposed to be Mako’s little brother, but she got the main role instead). She’s a huge fan of anime and would like to do a voice over in a Final Fantasy game or film. Some of her favorite voice actors are Cree Summer, Steve Blum, Lauren Bailey, and Troy Baker among others.
Now with Zach Callison… Man, this kid loves Mass Effect. Off the bat, the interview started off with Mass Effect and he did mentioned that he, “Would love to do a voice over in that game.” He’s been in the industry for 11 years and started voice acting on a radio show called Adventure in Odyssey. He really enjoyed the radio show and from there he pursued it. So when it comes to singing songs from Steven Universe, his most requested songs are “Cookie Cat” and “Giant Woman” but his favorite song is “Stronger Than You” (which is my favorite too). The only reason why it’s his favorite is because he doesn’t have to sing it, but said Estelle (the voice of Garnet) has an amazing voice. Zach has been to 15 cons so far and has no plans of stopping, or as he energetically put “I found my people!” I tried to get him to give up some spoilers about Steven, but he couldn’t really spill any beans. He just said, “You’re in for a big surprise in the next couple of weeks!” More Photos As the con came to an end on Sunday, everyone was still browsing around, getting that last bit of shopping in at the dealer’s room, testing out video games, or taking their final pictures in their cosplay. It was a lot of fun for the beginning of the con season. If you guys want to start off you summer con season right, I would suggest MomoCon: awesome staff, awesome people, awesome place, just all-around awesome!
-TBZ Photo: Jonathan Davis
Juicy Juice Teasers
We were part of a select few media/bloggers invited to a very entertaining experience presented by Juicy Juice. Everyone in attendance were the first to try Juicy Juice Teasers, the new drink by Juicy Juice. It’s great that the familiar juice box we grew up on (80s & 90s) is making a comeback and with a new product for this new generation. Juicy Juice Teasers are a combination of juice and tea so it was very appropriate that the South (known for sweet tea) was first in line to get a taste. After chatting it up with Juicy Juice rep Coreen Bailor, we had a better idea of the company’s direction: “She (Ryleigh) is a good, young talent. She’s definitely on the rise and we’re just happy to work with someone who has that energy and represents a lot of what Juicy Juice stands for. This was the first time the company had ever worked with a social media star so this was a big step forward for everyone. We were trying to come up with an event to launch this (Teasers) in a big way, and the media agency we work with (360 PR) knew about Ryleigh, introduced us to her, and here we are.”
Teaming up with YouTube sensation Ryleigh Ledford was a great move. The talented, 15 year-old rising star became famous for her pop covers on YouTube. She’s sung the National Anthem at a Braves game, stays active in her community, recorded her first CD at age 12, and has close to 100,000 subscribers on her channel. We were fortunate enough to catch her when she wasn’t raking in millions of hits on one of her videos (and she has lots of them) as she happily posed for pictures with kids and performed for the crowd along with radio station Power 96.1. She deserves the acclaim for sounding amazing but she’s equally a gem to be around as a person.
Juicy Juice provided all attendees with zip sacs and desserts as gifts. In the sacs were necessary items for life like selfie sticks (because who’s gonna pass up a free selfie stick) and Juicy Juice graphics. Adults and kids alike enjoyed themselves and she definitely gained new fans from The Peach Review®. With plenty of food and fun for all (and even “adult” Juicy Juice concoctions) we had an amazing time with everyone at the King Plow Center with Juicy Juice and Ryleigh Ledford. You can check them out on FACEBOOK and follow RYLEIGH on YouTube for all of her videos. A beverage company that targets children pairs up with a talented child-star whose as sweet as the drinks they’re promoting, was a match made in heaven.
In the words of the local poet Otis Williams Jr: “Long live the juice!” -Jon J. Photo: Keisha Campbell
Left: Ryleigh Ledford Bottom: Kids pose for a group photo
ATLANTA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL In the company of more than 250 chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, pitmasters and artisans hailing from Texas to the District of Columbia, the sixth annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival returned to Midtown Atlanta June 2-5. Promising to surprise and delight attendees once again, the
four-day weekend showcases the rich food and drink traditions of the South through a variety of Learning Experiences, Tasting Tents, Dinners & Events and Masterclasses – all designed to educate and entertain guests from the novice to the connoisseur.
Out of everything afforded to us from Masterclasses to ‘Destination Delicious’ to Sunday Brunch, the most fun was had at the Tasting Tents. Tasting Tents are an all-you-can-indulge experience, featuring the best flavors of the South. Located in the Greensward Promenade area of Piedmont Park, the new Tasting Tent location offered ample space and seclusion. Lots of outdoor green space and a gorgeous fountain provide a haven for sommelier and mixologist lounges, a Pairings Tent, live music, tailgating areas outfitted for barbecuing and relaxation, and a pick-your-garnish cocktail garden.
Delicious Food, Memorable Experiences, That’s AFWF
Once we arrive to the Tasting Tent, we went into sensory overload. From the natural beauty of our surroundings to the food displays and good company, we knew we were in for a treat!
“Trust me, it was worth the wait” Table & Main Buttermilk Fried Chicken - It is said that long wait times can enhance the reputation of a restaurant. During Friday night, attendees happily waited to sample “The Signature Buttermilk Fried Chicken.” Trust us, it was worth the wait.
Lane Southern Orchards Peach Cobbler & Peach Ice Cream - This family owned farm harvests some of the best peaches in Georgia. The Peach Cobbler & Homemade Peach Ice Cream was a summertime festival hit.
O & O Hooch Hooch-A-Rita Mixer - This summer favorite is a great light and refreshing drink for the summer.
New Belgium Brewery Sour Brown Ale - Drinking beer during the hot summer months in Georgia, is a great way to relax and cool off. Brewery connoisseurs enjoyed sampling the light yet robust “2016 La Folie Sour Brown Ale.”
The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival returned to Midtown Atlanta for the most anticipated Food & Wine event of the year. Every summer, locals and regional foodies alike, make their pilgrimage to Midtown to celebrate savory success with AFWF
Grand Champion BBQ Smoked Beef Brisket & Macaroni in Cheese - A tasty morsel came in the form of Smoked Beef Brisket and Macn-Cheese from Grand Champion BBQ. We enjoyed some serious Q from the pits of Grand Champion. As the festival comes to a close we wanted to make sure that you not only keep the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival on your radar, but also to continue your support of them yearround. Every so often they host/mention special events throughout the year which you can track on their website and their socials: Facebook Twitter Instagram Be sure to save the date! June 1-4, 2017, for next year’s festival!
-KJ & Flo Photos Courtesy of 360 Media
Movies
The 40th annual Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) announced a lineup of over 150 feature length and short films, Opening & Closing Night screenings, talent appearances, and a list of Marquee screening events for their 2016 edition. Their loaded schedule of events for 2016 kicked off with an Atlanta-made feature film, “The Fundamentals of Caring” as the Opening Night presentation on Friday, April 1, 2016 at the Plaza Theatre. The film starred Paul Rudd, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Ehle and was lensed in Atlanta last year. Director Rob Burnett (WE MADE THIS MOVIE, The Late Show with David Letterman) attended the festival’s opening and walked the red carpet with his father. This was the first of many events that took place during the 10-day spectacle April 1-10, 2016.
Photos: Border Union Photography
Films
The Witness (6/10)
Directors Dave Adams & Josie Swantek bring us the real-life story of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Traveling to Thailand to investigate their extensive sex trafficking problem, they run across ‘activist’ Mickey Choothesa, who says he rescues young girls from traffickers and provides them with food, clothing, etc. The plot thickens when Mickey is exposed as a fraud and Dave & Josie return to Thailand to alert the parents of these girls to the truth.
Fifty years ago, the name Kitty Genovese became synonymous with urban apathy after news that she was stabbed to death on a Queens street while 38 witnesses in nearby apartments did nothing. Forty years later, her brother Bill, who was 16 at the time of his sister’s death, decides to find the truth buried beneath the story. In the process, he uncovers a lie that transformed his life, condemned a city, and defined an era.
The Wrong Light (9/10)
Like Lambs (8/10)
Director Don Cheadle takes us on a spirited journey through a Miles Davis experience. It truly is an experience with composition responsibilities given to Robert Glasper and Cheadle playing Miles himself. As opposed to delivering a typical documentary, we start off during a low point in Davis’ career; A five-year hiatus from music. During his time away he clashes with Columbia Records, spends too much time with the wrong people, his house becomes host to debauchery, and attempts to balance a tumultuous relationship with a writer from Rolling Stone.
“Like Lambs” takes place at an exclusive boarding school where for some students its like ‘Saved by the Bell’ and for others it’s more like ‘Mean Girls.’ The school houses children to some of the most elite families across the globe. These students had a front row seat to the economy crashing several years ago. Two boys, Charlie and Dollarhyde hatch a plan to take over the school and seek justice their own way; a ransom. Once their ransom video goes viral the true shenanigans and adventure begin.
Miles Ahead (8/10)
Confirmation (9/10) Filmed in Atlanta, “Confirmation” takes a look behind the curtain of Washington politics, depicting the explosive 1991 Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination hearings where Anita Hill accused him of sexual harassment. The hearings brought the country to a standstill and became a pivotal moment in American culture forever changing how we perceive and experience workplace equality and gender politics. Kerry Washington, Wendell Pierce, Greg Kinnear, Eric Stonestreet, and Jennifer Hudson star. Directed by Rick Famuyima and written by Susannah Grant. This free event was celebrated with mass acclaim as people swarmed Georgia State’s Rialto Theater to attend the first come, first serve, screening. Even Wendell Pierce himself made an appearance for the film’s screening.
Photo (top left) courtesy of HBO Films
Bottom left/Top right: Border Union Photography
Closing Night
Photos: Yoh Phillips
On Closing Night of the Atlanta Film Festival, we were able to catch a combination of awesome films. In attendance pictured above (from left to right) director Chad Hartigan (Morris From America), Erica Ash, Taylour Paige, and director Stella Meghie (Jean of the Joneses). Jean of the Joneses revolves around the troubled Jones family, one of whom dies at the start of the movie. When the paramedic who answers their 911 call falls for rambunctious Jean, the courtship goes south during a calamitous Jones funeral. That was followed by Morris From America, a heartwarming and crowd-pleasing coming-of-age comedy with a unique spin. The film focuses on Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas), a 13-year-old who has just relocated with his single father, Curtis (Craig Robinson), to Heidelberg, Germany. Morris, who fancies himself the next Notorious B.I.G., is a complete fish-out-of-water (he listens to rap but his German classmates listen to electronic music). To complicate matters further, Morris quickly falls hard for his rebellious and older classmate Katrin. Morris sets out against all odds to take the hip-hop world by storm and win the girl of his dreams. From Masterclasses with William H. Macy to early screenings and world premieres, the Atlanta Film Festival continues to deliver new ideas and bring riveting films to ATL. We cannot wait until next year! -Jon J.
Campus MovieFest, the world’s largest student film festival, announced Atlanta as the host of the inaugural TERMINUS – a four-day event dedicated to bringing together young creatives and industry professionals for the best of film, TV, and gaming. This one of a kind festival ran June 16 through 19, 2016 at the Marriott Marquis in Downtown Atlanta and throughout the city. TERMINUS featured hands-on workshops, educational panels, game design expos, exclusive film and TV screenings, live-play tournaments, awards, chances to rub elbows and network with celebrities and industry leaders, and much more. Ideas United, producers of TERMINUS and creators of Campus MovieFest, chose Atlanta to launch TERMINUS based in large part to the city’s ongoing dedication to supporting and cultivating the entertainment industry. The four-day experience creates the ultimate platform for emerging talents and industry professionals alike to take their art and careers to the next level. TERMINUS grew from Campus MovieFest (CMF), the world’s largest student film festival that started in 2001 when four students at Emory University provided their peers with everything they needed to make movies in one week. CMF has since featured more than 1,000,000 students at colleges and universities worldwide. Each participant in the inaugural TERMINUS film festival will also receive all the necessary technology and training to tell their stories for free, thanks to corporate partners and schools. Past winners have walked away with over $2 million in prizes and seen their films on screens big and small. Campus winners will move on to compete at TERMINUS, earn professional and educational opportunities, and see their work at the Cannes Film Festival (which we’ve featured before), in-flight on Virgin America, and much more.
If you’re into film or video games, this is definitely the festival to be a part of. All four days offered so much for everyone involved. The great thing about film and video games is that there’s no prejudice with age. We met people as young as 18 and as old as 49. The end of each night offered after parties and opportunities on video games of every system (like a young person’s dream). So after multiple rounds of Super Smash Bros. (Wii) and Mortal Kombat (Sega Genesis) on Night 1, we spent the rest of our time catching docs and features. We saw copious films throughout the festival but here are a few that stood out: Frozen, Wary, Phobic of Being Seen, I Alone, Hidden Amongst Us, Dawn, Weapons of Mass Deduction, Southern Mentality, USF I Love You, and Pulling Strings. A few of our faves turned out to be award winners too, which is great to see. In the Elfenworks (Social Justice) category, I Alone (a film about an American Muslim in college during a terrorist attack) won first place and Frozen, Wary, Phobic of Being Seen (a victim of sexual assault becomes frozen in time, deals with victim shaming) won second place. Hidden Amongst Us (a college student lives in a dorm during school but is actually homeless) was an Elfenworks finalist. Dawn (a vengeful assassin sees his comeuppance) won Best Directing and Best Cinematography while Southern Mentality (a woman shares her story about sex trafficking) won Best Documentary.
CMF Staff at an After Party
Laura Hutson, director of ‘Southern Mentality.’
The team behind the award-winning film ‘Dawn.’
Not only was this an impressive outfit, it’s probably the most well-organized college-focused festival I’ve seen in some time. TERMINUS is the best place to catch the filmmakers and designers of tomorrow. With TERMINUS’ ‘Watch-PlayCreate’ you get a good idea of what to expect. Watch movies, play video games, and create films, friendships, and relationships with your peers. Speaking of which, we made friends with creative minds from all over the country. From St. Augustine, Florida, to Statesboro, Georgia, all the way to San Jose, California. If you’re into film or gaming and looking for a stepping stone into either, Campus Movie Fest is the place to be. We are already preparing for TERMINUS next year in Atlanta. Will YOU be there?
-Jon J. Photo: Jonathan Davis
After party shenanigans
Nolan Tashjian of Weapons of Mass Deduction
Captain America: Civil War is an action packed thriller that Marvel fans will love. Why will they love it? The characters, the long-awaited battle of Team Cap vs. Team Iron Man, the involvement of Black Panther, and many other facets. But what do I think? Well, I enjoy a good conspiracy here and there, and anyone who follows the House of Mouse (Disney) knows a few that follow them. Weeks leading up to Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, reviews leaked left and right (and as media we were embargoed to a certain date, but reviews were released beforehand) absolutely bashing the movie to death. In my review of BVS, I cited headlines leaning towards disgust and disapproval of Warner Bros. venture into the DC Universe. Now we have Civil War, a Captain America movie that was 80% everyone else and 20% Captain America. So how is a movie that was predictable the majority of the way through score so well but DC’s film tanked? Just have a look: Rotten Tomatoes: 90% Cinema Blend: 5/5 Metacritic: 75% Variety: The most mature and substantive picture to have yet emerged from the Marvel Cinematic Universe Now contrast that to everything that was said about BVS. Both of these movies are fair, but as I know crowds and trends, everyone will be hailing Civil War as the best thing ever (like Variety above) and discussing how it was so much better than BVS. Well, here’s the thing, they aren’t the same… And they’re more similar in storyline/action scenes than people want to admit.
TRAILER (*Minor plot spoiler, proceed with caution*) Captain America: Civil War’s main focus is the divide amongst the group at the signing of the Sokovia Accords. Their contrasting opinions on the new U.N. amendment to oversee their activity and how to handle things, is what drives them to split. Heroes begin to pick sides, love interests arise, old friendships are measured against new ones, there’s a lot that goes on. So much that it overshadows the fact it’s a Captain America film. You can watch this movie and in the first 30 minutes I’m pretty sure you’ll fee like you’re watching a third Avengers installment.
As far as the negative, Marvel ruined this movie by exposing way too much in the trailers (just like BVS), leaving most things to be predictable. Especially in the 2nd trailer when we discover that Spiderman (Tom Holland) would be featured in the film. That would’ve been a great shock to audiences in the theater, ruined by these 8 minute long (exaggeration) trailers they show months in advanced. For the good, people will love the array of heroes they get to see. People have been buzzing about Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) for months and I’m happy to say he had a great performance (watch his assistant in her 10 second cameo). Ant Man (Paul Rudd) totally steals the show once the fighting begins. You’ll find him to be Grated Deadpool for the kiddos in this one. So the brightest spots in the new Civil War are the fight scenes, the emergence of Black Panther, and the collective humor of Ant Man and Spiderman.
So Avengers 3 (see how easy that was) gets an 8 out of 10 from me. Don’t be fooled by all of the DC/Marvel comparisons. This rivalry started in comic books long, long ago. Marvel fanboys are the Beyhive of comic films. Review with caution‌
-Jon J.
Miles Ahead Miles Ahead, inspired by events in his life, is a wildly entertaining, impressionistic, noholds barred portrait of one of 20th century music’s creative geniuses, Miles Davis. Don Cheadle filled the title role and co-wrote the script with Steven Baigelman while also making his directorial debut. A crazy reporter from Rolling Stone, Dave Braden (Ewan McGregor) forces his way into Davis’ house and, over the next few days, the two men unwittingly embark on a wild and sometimes harrowing adventure to recover a stolen tape of the Davis’ latest compositions. Throughout his crazy flashbacks, some of his most beautiful memories are with dancer Frances Taylor (Emayatzy Corinealdi). During their romance and subsequent marriage, Frances served as Davis’ muse. It was during this period that he released several of his signature recordings including the groundbreaking “Sketches of Spain” and “Someday My Prince Will Come.” The direction of the film and its starting point is what I found most fascinating. Out of all the places in his life Cheadle could’ve highlighted, he chose the period when Miles wasn’t making music. Davis went through a five-year period where he disappeared. During this period there was depression, tumult, and lack of trust. Everyone was looking to take advantage of him: Columbia withheld his checks until they received new music, Dave went through a brief period of greed wanting to steal his secret recordings, a representative for another artist named Junior wanted to steal his tape, and he had a spat with law enforcement.
The question of did he really turn into a gun-wielding vigilante set to take back his music… Is like the question “Did Prince REALLY beat Charlie Murphy in basketball and serve him pancakes?” (insert deep-thought emoji). Miles Ahead is a wonderful adventure through the musical prowess of Miles Davis led by the creativity of Don Cheadle. After facing many setbacks, including lack of funding and talent availability, he had nothing but positive things to say about the crew and the Cincinnati’s Film Commission. He thanked them for “pulling out all the stops. Only three features have ever been shot there and we were very lucky because they had recently wrapped Todd Haynes’ film Carol and they were in a good place. Still, there were days when we had two cameras and only one operator available, because the other was working on another project. We also didn’t have use of the Steadicam for the first week. But fortunately everyone was totally committed.” Breaking all the rules of your typical documentary or biopic, I give Miles Ahead a 7.5 out of 10. It gets off to a slow start and the story does have holes in it, but once it finally gets going you’ll become entranced with the story and its characters.
-Jon J.
Central Intelligence officially kicks-off what I’d like to call “The Year of The Rock.” Dwayne Johnson aka “The Rock” is in and is striking while the iron is hot. Just this year he’s filmed Wrestlemania (TV Movie), Central Intelligence, Ballers, and Baywatch and has announced plans for San Andreas 2, Doc Savage, Jumanji, Moana, and many other projects in the works. The combination of The Rock and comedian Kevin Hart was the perfect pairing that nobody expected. Hart plays a high school standout that peaks after graduation and ends up working as an accountant (I like to think of him as the DirecTV “peaked in high school Rob Lowe”). Johnson went from being bullied in school to a CIA agent who needs somebody he can trust to accomplish his mission. I’ve noticed a recent trend in comedies the past few years and the formula seems to be this: have fast exchanges between the main character and supporting actor/ actress and spew as many vulgar one-liners as possible. But if you’re dropping vulgarity every few minutes for comedy, you want it to go over successfully like Deadpool. What you don’t want is to get so lewd and crazy that you end up falling face-flat like Dirty Grandpa. Thankfully, these guys have Hart (you like that). There was word that production was fighting tooth and nail about the rating of the film and now I see why. The “crude and suggestive humor” and “strong language” was very crude and very strong. So strong that 20 minutes into the film I had to double-check the rating because I was sure it was R (but it is indeed PG-13).
(L-r) KEVIN HART as Calvin and DWAYNE JOHNSON as Bob in New Line Cinema’s and Universal Pictures’ action comedy “CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
But the very fabric of the film is based on the relationship and onscreen presence of Johnson and Hart and it’s a match made in heaven. It was a beautiful balance of the silly natured, oversized character of Johnson’s and the type-A personality of an accountant meshed with the real-life comedian in Hart. I give Central Intelligence a 9 out of 10. As much as I love the film, I’d have to disagree with the PG-13 rating. The only nudity comes from Johnson but the language used within the first few minutes immediately gave me an R-rated feeling. So just know that if you bring children with you.
-Jon J.
Finding Nemo won the 2003 Academy Award® for best animated feature and nominated for three additional Oscars®. In 2008 the American Film Institute named it among the Top 10 greatest animated films ever made. At the time of its release, the film was the highest grossing G-rated movie of all time. With accolades to boot and notoriety such as this, you see why Finding Dory was the next logical step for the franchise. Everyone’s favorite blue tang Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), is on a semi-forgettable quest to find her parents. Like a glorious, colorful ancestry dotcom commercial, she’s in search of her past and where she came from. But before I could embrace everyone’s favorite sea-bunch from a decade ago, Disney decided to treat audiences to a surprise.
Piper (shown above) is an animated short that greets audiences before Finding Dory. DisneyPixar successfully sucker punched everyone in that IMAX screening in-the-feels (so many feelings) and immediately triggered a reaction from parents and children alike.
Now that you’ve been warmedover with emotions, you’re prepared to tag along with Dory on her quest with true friends Marlon (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Hayden Rolence). Together, the trio find themselves on a journey that spans across the ocean. We see cameos from old favorites like the sea turtles Squirt (the baby) and Crush, the surf jargon expert (Righteous! Righteous!). The adventure to find her family is one that many in reality take in finding themselves. It’s as much an adventure in self discovery as it is in dealing with disability. Having dealt with STML (Short Term Memory Loss) her entire life, we see flashbacks of how her parents nurtured her and treated her disability. We see both the happy and frustrating moments of caring for Dory.
The institute (which looks a lot like the Monterey Bay Aquarium) holds a whale shark with terrible vision (Destiny, voiced by Kaitlin Olsen) and a beluga whale with faulty sonar (Bailey, voiced by Ty Burrell). The hijinks continue as all of the characters find themselves in precarious situations, hopping through water fountains, traveling through pipes, and utilizing ninja skilled cephalopods. I give Finding Dory a 9 out of 10. The film’s comedy will satisfy parents while the kids enjoy the craziness of the characters. As it stands, I’m in search of knowing which will be greater: the thousands upon millions of people relishing in this heartwarming classic or knowing that an entire generation of children will be introduced to Sigourney Weaver for the first time?
-Jon J. Another friend Dory haphazardly comes across is Hank (Ed O’Neill) the octopus, who she immediately refers to as the septopus since he has seven tentacles. The odd pair become friends after her adventures take her to a Research Institute for Sea Animals that’s run by Sigourney Weaver (it’s the best surprise). This is where humans keep animals that are injured or sick and once they’re healed are released back into the wild.
Free State of Jones, directed by Gary Ross, tells the true story of the Jones County uprising against the Confederacy in Jones County Mississippi. In those times, if you were a part of a company (military) and you left for any reason, you could be tried for treason or hung on sight. None of this mattered to Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey), who was a nurse during his brief stint in the war but a farmer by trade. His views clashed with those of the confederacy and because he was a freethinker, that came with its own set of problems. Newt was a man of the Lord and his belief can be summed up in one bible verse: “Whatever a man soweth, he shall reap!” The two things that disgusted him the most was seeing the exception for the rich (if you owned 10 or more slaves you didn’t have to fight) and the government’s 10% (confederate soldiers approached homes seeking 10% for sustenance, blankets, etc). The biggest problem with this was that the rich continued making rules and laws and they saw fit and the military factions were taking more along the liens of 90% and leaving the poor people and farmers with 10%. Knight believed firmly, that whatever a man put into the ground (Whatever a man soweth) belongs to him (He shall reap). Once he’s shunned by his wife Serena (Keri Russell), he leaves his town and through the advice of a friend, finds himself in a swamp. This swamp is an underground safe haven for those who abandon the war and runaway slaves. Once there, he reunites with a house slave he met once before named Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). From there, their numbers grow and the uprisings begin.
A burley, rugged McConaughey, puts on the performance of a lifetime as Newton Knight. He played a man who had a backbone and who was about his principles: A man of God cannot be owned and whatever a man puts into the ground belongs to him. He had the look, the lines, and the persona to pull off this character and connect with the audience. Every time he stood up for a family, every time he protected a woman or child, every time he took up for a black person, you connected with him. He was what you used to hear often in the 80s and 90s “A man’s man.” McConaughey’s relationship onscreen with Mahershala Ali (who played Moses, a runaway slave) was stellar. Together, the two build a trust and working relationship between those who fled the war and slaves who fled their masters, to create one cohesive unit; The Free State of Jones. They were smart enough to get by with the resources they were afforded and humble enough to know when they were outmatched. Their constant protection was the swamp. Infantry never penetrated the swamp, so if they ever found themselves in a town or area they felt could be penetrated by stronger numbers they could revert to the marshes. As time elapses and the war ends, they show another part of history (like this story itself) that many people are unaware of: reparations. 40 acres and a mule: The promise to black people in the United States at that time. That promise quickly goes null as times change and presidents change. Years after blacks were “emancipated” parts of the South and definitely Mississippi still kept blacks in servitude.
It was gut-wrenching to see freed men tending to their own farms, only to have to return to plantations soon after. Under the guise of “apprenticeship” many blacks were forced back into labor against their will. The obstruction and the discrimination continues to this day. Many people have seen trailers for this and another movie coming out this fall called “The Birth Of A Nation” and see it as a move to “divide us.” The reason films like these are important is because history is to be learned for the betterment of all. We don’t want to repeat these things. The local government of Ellisville (in the film), tried to obstruct the votes of blacks. Fast forward to today, many areas in the South are doing the exact same thing right now. The discrimination highlighted in the film was a balance of race and class. Fast forward to now, it’s the exact same thing. If you watch this film you’ll see so many similarities to what’s happening today that you should feel touched (that is, if you choose to be aware of such realities). TRAILER The issue of race is not as complex as the masses make it to be. Sometimes a simple notion like ‘listening’ is viewed with skepticism and more than meets the eye. Was asking for freedom so much? The right to vote? Is an interracial relationship hurting anybody? (Nowadays you’ll see the term ‘miscegenation’ thrown about) The Free State of Jones County mulled over things so simple and truly divisive. Blacks and whites alike had their own homes and land, and Newton Knight himself lived with and had children by Rachel, a black woman. The overall theme to be seen from this (that still applies to today) is the common cause between blacks and working class whites; There’s more in common than meets the eye.
The Free State of Jones gets a 9 out of 10. Matthew McConaughey should get a nod come award season and possibly Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mahershala Ali for supporting roles. The film runs about 2 hrs and 20 mins properly earned its R-rating for language and death. The masses should be coming down from their Finding Dory hangover, so what better time to catch this film than the week before Independence Day?
-Jon J.
All Dogs Go To Heaven, Homeward Bound, Oliver & Company, Bolt, Balto, Lion King, and 101 Dalmatians have what in common? Animals. Most people have a very emotional attachment when it comes to animals and there are plenty of film catalogs to prove it. By the way, my favorite by far is one that wasn’t mentioned, “Cats & Dogs.” It was epic in every way. So why not continue the trend with some brilliant ideas, quirky artistry, and a quasi-familiar direction, eh? Thanks to writers Ken Daurio, Brian Lynch, and Cinco Paul we have this amazing film, The Secret Life of Pets. So to get things started, I have to tell you two things: First, this movie is absolutely hilarious and second, since this is a full review there shall be spoilers (proceed with caution). The premise of the film lives within its title. People want to see what their pets are doing when they’re not around. Our first dog is Max (Louis C. K.). He lives with his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) in Manhattan and in his eyes, life is perfect. His circle of friends includes an overweight cat Chloe (Lake Bell), a fluffy dog Gidget (Jenny Slate), a Dachshund named Buddy (Hannibal Buress), and a Parakeet named Sweet Pea.
Max’s life is pretty swell until Katie rescues another dog (she rescued Max as well) and brings him home to stay. But this dog is a huge, slobbering nuisance named Duke (Eric Stonestreet) and is seriously cramping Max’s style. It didn’t take very long for Max to come to his ultimate and final decision: He must get rid of Duke. At first blackmail was keeping him at bay but when Duke saw a window of opportunity, he took it, and haphazardly throws them into a hilarious adventure across New York. You’ll get laughs out of all the characters but the funniest by far was Snowball (Kevin Hart). Snowball is a renegade rabbit that has an adorable look that doesn’t match his ‘Call of Duty’ mindset. Snowball is hellbent on exacting revenge on humans for discarding their pets. You know a film is going to be hilarious when fluffy bunnies quote scenes from Boyz in the Hood and dancing sausages carry tunes from Grease (the musical). After Duke and Max are jumped by a large group of street cats, their collars are stolen and they get picked up by animal control. This is where they cross paths with Snowball. Snowball plans an escape for a bulldog that was also captured but resembles Bane from DC Comics. It was after this chance encounter the two realize that, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend.’
I like the slight infusions of culture every so often. For example, Gidget has a crush on Max and part of the reason is because she binge watches telenovelas all-day long when her owners leave. Leonard is a poodle who can control his owners iPod and immediately switches genres from Classical to Punk Rock once his owner leaves. One scene showed all the animals having a party at another pet’s house whose owner travels all the time and they were listening to rap music. The twists and turns in this film are great and the characters are hysterical. It’s a movie that will keep kids locked in and parents entertained. At the film’s conclusion, I could overhear children talking to their parents and hearing the youthfully innocent sound of, “What’s Grease?” And I’m 95% sure the Boyz in the Hood reference went over everyone’s head (which is why after reading this review and you clicking the link above, you will be one of the few that get it). The Secret Life of Pets gets a 9 out of 10. It’s approximately 90 mins. in length so it won’t get boring and the PG rating it earned was pretty accurate too. The lead role was a good one for Louis C.K. and I’m sure Kevin Hart will win over new fans as Snowball. I’m not sure this will do Finding Dory numbers but it will definitely do some serious damage at the box office this weekend.
-Jon J. *Photos courtesy of Universal
Scrat, everyone’s favorite squirrel from the Ice Age franchise, is still in pursuit of his precious acorn. This time, his pursuit leads him into outer space, where twists and turns directly effect what’s happening on earth. It’s because of Scrat, the Ice Age gang find themselves running against time and an asteroid. As the fifth installment in the Ice Age series, “Ice Age: Collision Course” has found itself in a very pivotal time. As with a lot of films, the more you make in a series, the high the risk that you lose your mojo and it becomes increasingly harder to recover. With action/horror films/adventure films there are certain obstacles, but with animated films, it’s an entirely different set of obstacles. The only film that I can see continuing its run with little worry is Toy Story. But Toy Story has the benefit of the doubt factor being a Disney-Pixar creation. With them dominating the animated film field, it makes one wonder if this Twentieth Century Fox Animation project can survive. I think we all see what happened to the once beloved “Land Before Time” series (which extended their series to 14 films and a TV series). With all of that being said (and I’m sure the creators knew all of this), this movie fell in the trap of most current comedies that I’ve noted before: Yell/Show as many shock images/ words as possible and hope it goes over well. There were a lot of attempts at comedy for the parents but it wasn’t like “The Secret Life of Pets.” Here we see glowing nipples, scenes of excrement being stepped on and then thrown at other characters, brief comments about cross-species mating, a Llama who lightly pushes religion, and the duo that is Crash and Eddie had a few scenes where they appeared androgynous.
Normally, I’d say that adult humor is for adults but that’s hard to combat when images come into play. To juxtapose, “Finding Dory” had seals who looked funny and had funny accents, “The Secret Life of Pets” quoted lines and names from 80’s and 90’s movies, “Collision Course” has glowing nipples and poo. WATCH TRAILER It continues with more adult topics like getting married, dating, and reasons galore why being single equates to being alone. Again, I’d say these are broader contexts but still applicable. If I can see them, you can too. Peaches (Keke Palmer) has a new love interest named Julian (Adam Devine) and they have intend to get married and move away. Naturally, Manny (Ray Romano) doesn’t want her to leave and doesn’t approve of Julian at all. But the focus and conversation changes thanks to Scrat’s mischievous interstellar hunt for his acorn. A new and foreign image appears in the sky and a new furry image comes out of the ground. Buck (Simon Pegg) is identified by Diego (Denis Leary) and continues to tell the pack that trouble is heading their way. After the group discovers the meteor is headed right for them, the group find themselves in a life or death predicament. “Ice Age Collision” course gets a 6 out of 10. I hope this fifth installment doesn’t equate to death for the franchise, but they are definitely teetering towards the end of their mojo. It’s a fun film if you want to see something this weekend with your family or your kids, but it’s not something you’re “missing” that’ll be talked about next week.
-Jon J.
THE ‘MEAN GIRLS’ FOR GROWNUPS Directed and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, Bad Moms observes the lives of three overworked, under appreciated mothers, who are breaking themselves to appear to have ‘normal’ lives. Amy (Mila Kunis), Carla (Kathryn Hahn), and Kiki (Kristen Bell) are three mothers who find each other and form a bond after being continuously put down by the three-headed monsters that run the PTA: Gwendolyn (Christina Applegate), Stacy (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Vicki (Annie Mumolo). The ring leader Gwendolyn is a vicious, powerhungry, control freak who forces parents to follow her ways or pay the price. This film is loaded with comedy, good comedy, and not the forced kind that I talk about where people just yell as many buzz words as possible in hopes to getting a laugh. Amy, Carla, and Kiki confront social norms and do it in a way that at some times are serious, but most often are softened with humorous oneliners. In my opinion, Kathryn Hahn stole the show in this film. Mila Kunis’ character is more or less the lead, but Hahn’s comedy was off the charts.
WATCH TRAILER
Amy works for a startup, has two overachieving children, and a husband in real estate. They appear to be the perfect family, but her son is entitled, her daughter is oversensitive, and her husband while not only lazy, is exhibiting signs of infidelity. Carla is a single mom who admits that she’s not the greatest but loves her son a lot. She’s fearless, lewd, vulgar, and to say her outfits are provocative could be an understatement at times. Kiki is a stay at home mom with five children and a husband that expects her to do it all. Aside from watching all of the children, he expects for his needs to be taken care of too. For all three women, things are just, too much. When the trio revolt, their ultimate turning point is when Amy gives Gwendolyn the shaft publicly at a PTA meeting. The comedy that ensues from there is simply amazing. This is a must-see comedy for anyone that’s a mother, has a zest for comedy, or if you just want a good laugh this weekend. Besides, there’s a whole new set of quotes and one-liners to be remembered. Especially if you were a fan of the “On Wednesdays, we wear pink” and “Don’t have sex, you’ll get pregnant and die” type of quotes. Christina Applegate will not disappoint. Bad Moms gets a 9 out of 10. If you are indeed a mom, this should be seen with a group of girlfriends, not your children. The comedy and some of the sexual topics are way too detailed and lewd for child accompaniment. When I say this is a ‘must-see’, I mean go see this tonight. If you don’t see this tonight, then go see it this weekend.
-Jon J.
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Poster Artist: Yoyo Ferro
Within the past four or five years, the month of May has become the most anticipated month of the year in Atlanta and not just for the change of the season. With May comes sports, music festivals, arts festivals, and the Atlanta Jazz Festival. Although the festival itself is a three-day celebration of Jazz, the city embraces the festival whole-heartedly and celebrates all-month long. It’s a beautiful thing to see and take part in. There’s literally something for everybody, everyday of the week. The best way to experience great music and see different parts of the city is to take part in Marta Mondays and Neighborhood Concerts. Marta Mondays is exactly what it sounds like, various Marta Stations throughout the month hosted concerts from 3-5pm and it was awesome. This year we saw shows at Chamblee, Five Points, Lakewood, and Midtown Stations. These Marta Stops hosted artists such as Sander Pinheiro, Mike Walton and his Quartet, Indie Revenge, and Grüt. The Neighborhood Concerts are also aptly titled, as concerts were held in various neighborhoods across the city. The cool part about this portion of performances is that each concert was hosted by that area’s Council Member. The areas included: Perkerson Park, John A. White Park, Oakland Cemetery, Howell Park, Washington Park, and West Manor Park.
Once May 27 hit, the city rejoiced and prepared for their first day of Atlanta Jazz Festival awesomeness! The first night (Friday) wet residents whistles with a pair of performances at 7pm and 9pm that evening. The first came from Next Collective and the last was JOI. For a few years the festival was trying to adjust the days to see which would benefit residents the best and I’m glad they switched to the Friday - Sunday schedule (before it was Saturday - Monday). Once Saturday came, the festival officially kicked off with a full head of steam. Boasting copious vendors, tons of food, a play area, and three stages, there was literally something for everybody. One of the best parts about the festival (aside from it being completely free) is the array of sounds. For example, you might hear one set on the Main Stage that’s mostly vocals, while the Local Stage blasts blues and the International Stage hosts smooth jazz. The headline of the festival was Gregory Porter (pictured above) and he brought the house down. It was definitely worth staying late to see him perform. I spoke to a large number of people who were unfamiliar with him who became fans by the end of the night. A true festival experience! Follow the festival throughout the year for events and news HERE -Jon J. Photos: Matt Alexandre
Returning this month, Sander Kleinenberg hits us with a killer new single “We Rock It,” which could be his biggest crossover track in some time. Taking a little inspiration from ‘80s hip-house and bringing it back up to date, We Rock It sees female vocalist DEV deliver feisty lyrics over a high-energy, rolling house beat, with classic stab and vox samples. LISTEN HERE
American singer DEV is best known for providing the vocal for Far East Movement’s worldwide smash Like A G6, which sampled her own track Booty Bounce. The single reached No. 1 in the US, selling over 4 million copies across the world. With her second studio album due this summer, she makes for a super-hot collaborator for Sander. Big things are coming for Sander in 2016. We Rock It is the sound of him getting into his stride and our soundtrack for the rest of the week!
Vicetone is back with a brand new remix, putting their own spin on Bonnie Mckee’s new single “I Want It All.” Off the singer’s 2015 EP Bombastic, Vicetone harnesses McKee’s signature pop vocals, while adding pounding kicks and a sultry saxophone-infused breakdown. LISTEN HERE
Starting her music career at the young age of twelve, pop singersongwriter Bonnie McKee landed her first record deal with Warner Reprise Music by the age of sixteen. With a resume that includes singles for Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Ke$ha, Taio Cruz, and Christina Aguilera, McKee has earned six Grammy nominations, and was dubbed by Rolling Stone as one of the music industry’s “best kept secret weapons.” Comprised of Ruben Den Boer and Victor Pool, Vicetone have made the DJ Mag Top 100 for the past three years in a row, with multiple Top 10 singles on Beatport including “I’m On Fire,” “Nothing Stopping Me” and “Pitch Black,” the former of which reached #1 on Beatport’s Progressive House Chart. This year saw the duo transitioning from singles into longer forms with the release of Aurora, their debut EP, along with a following North American tour that featured performances in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and more.
LISTEN HERE
Following a string of successful singles, producer Dirty South and newcomer ANIMA! team up on “All Of Us,” the first release from Dirty South’s forthcoming album. “All Of Us” kicks off with melodic chords and soothing vocals, leading up to a dark and sweeping breakdown that culminates in a climax of melodies and pulsating bass. With two Grammy and ARIA nominations to his name, producer Dirty South has built the foundation of his craft upon a series of accomplishments. Composing, collaborating and creating remixes and singles with more than 50 artists in total, the producer has lent his talents to a wide array of artists ranging from Snoop Dogg, Kaskade, The Temper Trap, and more. His latest single “Find A Way” is currently still in rotation, hitting #1 on the BPM Top 20 Countdown and charting at #3 on Dance Radio.
Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, live beat-maker and South London native Jax Jones today shares his new single “House Work.” The infectious track features prolific London artist MNEK and Chicago house legend Mike Dunn. “House Work” is available to buy and stream now. At his roots, Jax Jones is a solo artist. Growing up in a musical family and constantly inspired by the sounds of afrobeat and hip hop gave Jax a fascination with the anatomy of the rhythm section. A prolific producer in the studio, Jax favours an old school approach, building on layers of live beats and real instruments to create living, breathing tracks… but a live set-up is where Jax Jones really comes to life. An organic take on live house, Jax plays a full band of instruments himself to build layers brick-by-brick. It’s an athletic display that separates him from his contemporaries. In “House Work,” this depth creates one of the weightiest, bass-heavy bangers of the decade in which old school Chicago beat-and-bass is given a slick 2016 finish.
LISTEN HERE
BeyoncĂŠ Formation Tour
Throughout the day, the weather in Atlanta on Sunday, May 1, consisted of scattered storms that came to an abrupt end when the Queen had arrived. We are talking about the one and only Beyoncé aka Bey, Yoncé, Mrs. Carter, and Sasha Fierce to name a few. Atlanta’s Georgia Dome was her third city stop on her three month Formation World Tour. Beyoncé is one of a few artists that can shut down a whole city. Evidence of the Yoncé City Wide takeover was apparent as we rode MARTA which we called BEYTA (Beyoncé Transportation Authority) yesterday due to the overtaking of the subway by the Beyhive. The packed-out dome experienced a new level of vibrant excitement from the beginning. Opening acts included recent tour addition DJ Khaled, with a lineup which included August Alsina, The Dream, 2 Chainz, Yo Gotti, and T.I. After the openers, Beyoncé hit the stage at 9pm and came out hard stating, “ATL! If you came to slay tonight say, ‘I slay!’ If you’re gonna do your thing tonight say, ‘I slay!”
And so the “Formation” movement began. She performed 30+ songs for the night, including: 1. Formation 2. Sorry 3. Bow Down / Tom Ford 4. Run The World 5. Interlude com Superpower 6. Mine 7. Standing On The Sun / Baby Boy (Sample Freaks ) 8. Hold up 9. Countdown 10. Me, Myself & I 11. Runnin’ The two hour-plus show for the sold out Georgia Dome was outstanding from a production standpoint as well. The Super ‘Bey Bowl’ production featured a rotating mega-cube that showed videos of her during her costume changes, a wall of speakers right behind the cube, a long 60 meter catwalk that lead to another stage which allowed her dancers ample room to kill every dance move, and lets not even discuss the set dancing on a Beyoncé-made pond… Epic! Overall, Mrs. Carter continues to surpass expectations in her life and career. Despite all the rumors about her marriage to Jay-Z, concert goers were treated to personal, loving moments of the couple and their child Blue Ivy. Her brands continue to soar as the topselling merch item was a $45 black t-shirt that states in red, “Boycott Beyonce.” Clearly from last night there is nothing but love and support for her. She is clearly motivated to continue to stay relevant and set trends in the entertainment industry to solidify her own legacy. For more information on “The Formation Tour,” you can visit her WEBSITE
-Desmond Mclennon (Photos by Daniela Vesco/Parkwood Entertainment)
ANTI WORLD TOUR
G
ood things come to those who wait and that was the case for the city of Atlanta and pop
star, Rihanna! On Wednesday, May 18, Rihanna’s Anti-World Tour was greeted by an energetic, loud, and sold out crowd at Philips Arena. A great deal of that energy had spilled over from hip-hop artist Travis Scott’s show opener. Atlanta was originally scheduled to be one of the early shows on her North American dates (back in March), however it became her last stop before she begins performing in Europe next month. The fact that she was still sold out and the crowd’s energy almost led the Bajan princess to almost shed her ‘rude gal image’ and drop a tear. As she so passionately stated: “Y’all got me feeling some sort of way…Y’all got me feeling like I’m Michael Jackson…Atlanta you all got me feeling like I am from Atlanta right now. You’re gonna make me start acting up and @#$^”
All the aspects of the concert were awesome — from the talented band, background singers, and skilled dancers with their air tight choreography. The show was all about Ri-Ri and she was never out-staged. Her costumes were unique, trendy, and conversation items to say the least. She performed a slew of her old singles before giving us her album in full. Featured tracks include: Stay, Love the Way you Lie (PART II), Woo, Sex, Consideration, Live Your Life, Desperado, Man Down, Diamond in the Sky, Kiss It Better, Run This Town, All of the Lights, Take Care, We Found Love, Umbrella, and many more. For more information on Rihanna’s Anti-World Tour visit TOUR and for more pictures click HERE
-Desmond Mclennon
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Fenty Corp)
Saturday, July 2 was a day I had looked forward to for months. Latin sensation Nicky Jam kicked off his “The Fenix Tour” at Philips Arena this past Saturday to jumpstart Atlanta’s holiday weekend. The opening acts were so great, you almost forgot it was a Nicky Jam show! The DJ did an excellent job of keeping everyone entertained between acts, and then there were the acts themselves: De La Ghetto, Zion y Lennox, and Valentino. The entire show as a whole was spectacular, but I was most impressed with Zion y Lennox. The veteran duo stole the show and had the arena on their feet the entire performance. They performed tracks like “doncella” “tu príncipe” “yo voy a llegar” “zun dada” and “cuanto tengo que esperar.” Once Nicky Jam finally came onstage, the entire arena erupted. Everyone danced through his entire set. The entire Fenix Tour experience was like a five hour dance party. This also marks the first time I’ve attended a concert at Philips Arena that went past midnight. Nicky performed a long list of remixes and features with artists like Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, and a string of other artists. We heard songs like “No soy tu marido” “El perdón” and “Hasta el amanecer.” I couldn’t have asked for a better lineup or performance. Not to mention he told everyone to lookout for his new movie. Then after his announcement, he followed that with a surprise appearance by Vin Diesel. The Fenix Tour at Philips Arena gets a 10 out of 10. You will definitely get your moneys worth and there’s no better time or place to dance the night away. Video Clip -Jon J.
Pitbull
BAD MAN TOUR On Thursday, July 28, it was Atlanta’s turn to host the “Bad Man” tour. Headlined by Pitbull and supported by opener Prince Royce, the duo turned Philips Arena into a fullblown party. But before the party could begin, the latin heart-throb Prince Royce performed a list of tracks that won over the women in attendance. All of his songs were enjoyable but you could tell when he was going to focus on the ladies. Once he seemed comfortable in his set and the crowd came alive, he performed one of his many ballads “Te Robaré.” The women went crazy as he teased the crowd, lifting his shirt every so often to show off his six-pack. As he focused his time towards the front of the stage, he leaned in towards a collective of young female fans and continued with the lyrics “Te besaré esta noche. Seras mia esta noche” (I’ll kiss you tonight. You’ll be mine tonight). The young man-bun sporting, Bronx-born Dominican, had ladies swooning with his every word. Video Clip After he took a short break, he quickly returned with a guitar and politely asked everyone to pull their phones out, “I want to see everyone’s flash right now.” So the arena lights dimmed and everywhere you looked, you could see LED dots all over the crowd thanks to their cell phones. So as he continued to play “Extraordinary” everyone obliged his request and waved their phones (flash on) as far as the eye could see.
One lucky lady was brought on stage to be serenaded. It was very apparent that this accomplishment had made her entire life. When Royce asked her if he could sing to her, her response (while out of breath from screening) was “You can do whatever you want!” As the arena erupted in laughter he continued to sing The Weeknd’s “Earned It” sending the young fan into hysteria (and this was before he kissed her with a rose in between their lips). After Prince Royce performed his love ballad to that one lucky fan, he asked the crowd if they were ready for Pitbull. As the crowd erupted with applause, he was determined to see which side of the arena was the most hype to see Pitbull: The left, middle, or right. So the DJ played “Trap Queen” by Fetty Wap, “All the Way Up” by Joe and Remy Ma, and a salsa mix to see who was the loudest. Once Royce ended his set, he thanked the crowd for having him (while topless of course) and just as quick as he came on stage, he walked to a platform and descended under the stage. After a 20 minute DJ set, the lights blacked out and giant screens started showing biographical statistics about the main course for the evening (Pitbull). The funny thing was, we were able to read these notes on “Mr. Worldwide” while enjoying a very familiar background track. It was only appropriate that the King of Miami had an info movie with Miami Vice playing in the background (meaning Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”). As the bio faded away, the Miami skyline appeared with a cool scene of surrounding bodies of water calmly waving to and fro. And then boom, the crowd goes insane as the freshly dressed Dade County representative comes out in all-black and kicks-off his set with “Don’t Stop the Party.” DON’T STOP THE PARTY VIDEO Every two or three songs, Pitbull, born Armando Christian Perez, would share stories about his early life and personal bits including immigrating from Cuba. He also took the opportunity to pay respect to ATL’s own Lil Jon, who played a big part in his discovery in the early 2000s. If his various pauses to speak life to the arena served as insight into his life, it served more as a rest period from all of the dancing. His catalog would span hours on end if played continuously. The minute Pitbull came on stage, the level of excitement peaked through the roof and never changed. With an awesome live band and gorgeous dancers, Mr. Worldwide proved why he’s deserving of such a title.
With YouTube videos that have pierced the 8 billion views mark, he could’ve performed through the night until the next morning with his catalog of tracks. Instead he opted for party/club classics that received optimal acclaim from the fans (who he mentioned and thanked multiple times). We heard popular tracks like “Fun” “Dance Again” “Live it Up” “Rain Over Me” “Bon, bon” “Fireball” “Meet Me at the Hotel Room” “Time of Our Lives” “Timber” and my favorite “Time of My Life.” The “Bad Man” tour was as epic a concert as you’ll ever experience in life. On a personal note, this was a performance that broke into my Top 3 concerts of all-time. Partying, dancing, socializing, good vibes, wonderful atmosphere, and not a single, bad thing to say about the humble Miami native. If you haven’t bought your TICKETS, you should do so. Now.
-Jon J.
SPORTS
This Spring/Summer has seen tremendous growth for Atlanta’s Major League Soccer club Atlanta United. With a number of signings and coaching additions, the club is really starting to take shape in preparation for the inaugural 2017 season. The first player to sign with Atlanta United FC was 23-year-old Goalkeeper Alexander Tambakis. The 6’ 2” goalkeeper comes to Atlanta from Panathinaikos, one of the top clubs in the Greek Super League. He will play the 2016 season on loan with Charleston Battery, Atlanta United’s newly announced USL affiliate. A few months later, Atlanta United made news by signing an 18-year-old striker named Jeffrey Otoo. The 5’9” Otoo comes to Atlanta from Charity Stars FC, located in Accra, Ghana where he scored 21 goals in 13 games since December 2015 playing in Division 2. He will play the remainder of the 2016 season on loan with Charleston Battery, Atlanta United’s USL affiliate. Otoo is described as a strong, powerful and quick young player. He is naturally left footed with powerful shooting ability and is a high energy performer off the ball. Eight days later, United announced the signing of 15-year-old midfielder Andrew Carleton. Carleton will be added to Atlanta’s roster as a Homegrown Player in 2017 upon completion of the necessary Homegrown Player training requirements. Carleton, a native of Powder Springs, GA, will be the first player to sign a Homegrown Player contract with the club.
July was a big month for the club as they signed three players during that time. That includes midfielder Chris McCann (Wigan Athletic), striker Kenwyne Jones (Al Jazira), and forward Hector “Tito” Villalba. As football continues to grow in popularity in America, it was vital that Atlanta United came out swinging when it came time to build a roster. So far, I can say that they’ve done fairly well in balancing youth and quality on the roster. As an expansion team, they definitely want to come out the gates strong once the season rolls around (Spring 2017). I’m most excited about Kenwyne Jones, the Trinidadian giant who poses a threat with his sheer size and scoring ability (plus he does back flips to celebrate goals). Tito Villalba was a good ‘under the radar’ signing. He comes from San Lorenzo which is a football club in Argentina’s Primera Divisón. You can see HERE why he’s nicknamed “The Goal Machine.”
Atlanta United Announce Training Ground Construction Here are the new project renderings of the club’s new $60 million training ground. Currently under construction in Marietta, GA., the Atlanta United training ground will be a best-in-class facility and will rival top international training facilities. Located on Franklin Gateway, the 33-acre site will include a 30,000 square foot headquarter building and six fields. The training ground will hold open training sessions and tournaments, as well as host visiting national and international clubs. Designed by Atlantabased architecture firm TVS Design, it will be home to the club’s youth academy, first team players and club staff. The design of the site and club headquarters allows for future growth and will foster an aspirational environment, giving the academy players the opportunity to observe and interact with the first team. The project will bring $60 million in private investment and more than 80 highpaying jobs to the Marietta site. Construction began in February of 2016 and is set for completion in April, 2017. TRAINING GROUND PHOTOS
On a beautiful Friday evening at Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion, the Atlanta Dream (12-12) hosted the Dallas Wings (9-15). The game started off rough for the Dream as Wings star Skylar Diggins took the reins nailing 5 of her 6 field goal attempts and making 100% of her free throws. For the Dream, Reshanda Gray was leading the way with 15 points in the 1st Half. Her support came from Bria Holmes (15 points) and Layshia Clarendon (10 points). In the 2nd Half, the intensity rose and the game was getting more physical. Players were flying all over the floor and you could see a few subtle hip checks. One was so obvious it sent Atlanta’s Angel McCoughtry flying to the floor which caused a ‘blank stare’ reaction towards the referee. After the Dream took the lead, the Diggins-effect kicked in and after trailing by 14, the Wings found down by 5. As the Wings took a timeout Odyssey Sims took a shot from a Dream player (huddled together) and slid a good a three feet across the arena floor (with no call). It was good to see such an intense game in front of an energetic McCamish Pavilion crowd. The physicality continued with 4:13 left in the game when a shooting foul was called and three players hit the deck, with one clutching her wrist. At this point, Diggins had completely taken over the game and willed her team to a score of 85-85 until Angel McCoughtry came back on a counter and broke the brief tie with a clutch lay-up. The game went down to the wire but thanks to successful free throw shooting, the Dream were able to hold off the Wings 93-88. Even though Reshanda Gray lead the team in points, the most impressive player was rookie Bria Holmes. The newbie from West Virginia had a 13 point game, but it was her tenacity and will to win along with Clarendon (third year player) that will push the Dream into the future. The Atlanta Dream’s next home game is Sunday, August 28 at Philips Arena at 3:30pm. For tickets and the schedule for the remainder of the season, click HERE.
Mexico Paraguay
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It was the moment that Atlanta football (soccer) fans had been waiting for: A major friendly (exhibition match) in Atlanta to kickoff the summer. Taking place just days before the 100 year celebration of the Copa America, Mexico kicked off their U.S. Tour against a familiar South American foe in Paraguay. If you remember about a month ago, we attended a press conference with new MLS club Atlanta United and Mexico Manager Juan Carlos Osorio to get the city excited about the match.
The match began fairly slow as neither team was able to create many chances. It wasn’t until Mexico’s newly promoted Jurgen Damm hit a low cross to Andres Guardado who calmly nailed it in the bottom left corner for goal. Guardado’s brace opened up the match for El Tri and the crowd exploded. Paraguay’s first real chance came when Robert Piris tested the Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa with a rocket right outside the 17-yd box. Mexico returned the aggression when Carlos Peña curled a mid-range rocket at Paraguay’s Justo Villar, which he tipped over the net.
El Tri had quite the scare in the 70’ minute when Javier Aquino went down hard after a challenge. A lot of fans including myself, knew the risk of Mexico touring just days before the biggest tournament in our hemisphere. Too many games in a short amount of time increases the risk of injury and player fatigue (which we questioned their manager about last month). In the 87’ Carlos Peña mishandled a throughball and wasted a quality chance to notch Mexico’s second goal of the match. The game ended 1-0 in favor of El Tri and it was about right. They didn’t overpower Paraguay and weren’t overly impressive. They were about even in shots (MEX 7, PAR 8), saves (MEX 7, PAR 7), and fouls (MEX 13, PAR 17). Paraguay was a good warmup for Mexico since they’re a good team but, more importantly, they have more players with international experience on the club level. This makes a difference because playing other CONCACAF countries outside of USA, Costa Rica, or Jamaica wouldn’t pose as a test. Paraguay has players who play not just in Paraguay, but for big clubs like Udinese (Italy), Cruz Azul (Mexico), Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) and many others. The 63,049 is the attendance were loud and proud during the 90’ match. And for those of you who are hardcore football fans, Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid in penalty kicks (with Ronaldo scoring the winning penalty of course) right as today’s friendly kicked off. What a time for football!
-Jon J. Photo: X
Julian Green Steals The Show As Bayern Munich Roll On Inter Milan 4-1 This very humid Saturday afternoon saw fit for a monster clash of football royalty. As part of the International Champions Cup, two of the biggest names in Europe, Bayern Munich and Internazionale Milano took the pitch. Bayern started the game in full attack mode getting the first shot on goal in the 2’. Franck Ribéry took on two Inter defensemen and slotted a low cross in front of goal. Through a cheeky move, Julian Green (pictured right) stepped in front of the keeper Handanovic and almost nutmegged the first goal for the German giants. Munich finally hit pay dirt when David Alaba launched a cross a few yards from the corner flag and found Julian Green with a diving one-time strike. Bayern took the lead 1-0 in the 7’.
Inter returned on the offensive when Rodrigo Palacio sent a cross in to Stevan Jovetic (pictured below) who tried to back flick keeper Tom Starke but wasn’t successful. That offensive response by Inter was met with a massive counter attack that led to an easy tap-in for Franck Ribéry. This Internazionale looks nothing like the Inter of old. Once led by Jose Mourinho, Inter was a force in Italy and Europe. Once having players such as Samuel Eto’o, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Javier Zanetti, and Esteban Cambiasso, they have nowhere near the star power they once had. The game had been physical from the start but in the 23’ Inter’s Felipe Melo came up hard behind Ribéry forcing him to collapse. The Frenchman stood up quickly and approached Melo but the two were separated quickly. At the restart, a beautiful lead pass beat the Bayern backline but Inter’s Yuto Nagatomo came a few steps short. To continue the horrendous start for Inter, Danilo D’Ambrosio made a fatal error in missing a header which allowed Ribéry and Green to penetrate Milan’s defense. Even while outnumbered in a 2 v 4, Ribéry calmly passed the ball off to the confident American who put just enough english on the ball to glide it across the pitch and find the corner netting. With Green’s second goal, the German Giants found themselves up 3-0 in the 32’. It was beginning to look like a long game. With a few of their starters on the bench, Milan’s horrific defense made me wonder if they would abandon ship and put in star defenseman Davide Santon. If things weren’t already bad enough, just as I was typing that last sentence, Arturo Vidal laid a ball off to Rafinha who served an absolutely wicked cross in to the star of the day, Julian Green. Julian Green netted his hat-trick in a mere 35 minutes. Just as Cristian Ansaldi was making headway on a breakaway he was fouled just outside the corner of the 17-yd box. The free kick would prove to be a waste and Bayern was fast on the counter. Perhaps Milan was in deep prayer during the free kick because Bayern had a 5 v 1 on the counter and the final pass was misplaced, sending the ball out of bounds and ending the half.
The 2nd Half saw a few substitutions but Bayern pretty much pulled back after that onslaught in the 1st Half. The numbers told the true and familiar story of woe for Inter fans. They had a total of 2 Shots on Target and a disappointing 26.9% possession that tells the real story of distress for the club. If it was any consolation, it was a fantastic outing for up-and-comer Senna Miangue (pictured right) and Mauro Icardi found the scoresheet in the 90’ to end the clean sheet opportunity for Munich. The gang from Milano will be looking forward from this horrific match, trying to forget that massive drubbing they suffered at the hands of what could be considered Bayern’s B-Team. After the match, newly appointed Carlo Ancelotti commented on his Munich squad saying, “I’m happy with the way they played… I wish every match was like this.” He was implying the prowess of Julian Green (pictured left) and how he dominated the pitch. I caught up with him to ask him what I’m sure all Americans were wondering after this match: So Julian, after a display like this, are you hoping to make a return to the U.S. National Team? “I hope I hope, it’s my goal to be back on the national team. But yea, gotta trust Jurgen Klinsmann, but yes my goal is to be back on the national team and I’m very proud to represent for the U.S.” “The Beautiful Game”
-Jon J. Photo: Hakim Wright
It was a great day for fans, a great day for Green, a good show for Ribéry, and sadly one to forget for Milan. But at the end of the day, the fans win because the players stayed afterwards for photos and autographs which had adults and children alike smiling from ear to ear. Isn’t that what this is all about?
Travel & Recreation
This go-round for Recreation & Travel we have a special feature for you foodies. Eating Europe has taken the food tours market by storm the past few years. Because of their success, they’re growing rapidly and have been able to expand to other locations across the continent. Eating Italy is expanding its portfolio further by launching a new food tour in Florence, Tuscany. Taking visitors through the neighborhood of Oltrano, the Florentine equivalent of Paris’ left bank, the tour commenced on April 18. Kenny Dunn, the Managing Director of Eating Europe Tours, had this to say: “We are really proud to be launching in our second Italian city after Rome, and our fifth city in Europe. Our company has seen tremendous growth in the past five years from a single tour in a single city to eight food tours in four cities across Europe today. Florence has such a strong culinary influence that we felt it was the next logical step in our expansion in Italy.” On the “Other side of Florence Food Tour,” guests will taste what makes the city’s cuisine so special and unique within Italy, and meet the families who have been serving up the foodie treasures locals love for generations.
Through numerous food and wine tastings at eight authentic stops, participants will learn how to make Italian cantucci (cookies), sample the local salami, and experience the neighborhood’s Bohemian vibe — full of students, artists and lively culture. A glass of Tuscany’s famous wine, Chianti, is also part of the tour as well as one of Italy’s most famous desserts, the gelato. As if that wasn’t exciting enough, Kenny Dunn made the announcement about expanding to a new country, Czech Republic. “When it comes to Czech beer there is nobody more knowledgeable than Evan Rail, which made developing this tour together with him such a thrill,”
“When it comes to Czech beer, there is nobody more knowledgeable than Evan Rail”
“Prague is one of the greatest cities in the world for beer lovers,” said Evan Rail, a long-term resident of Prague and regular contributor to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Beer Advocate magazine. “I had a blast working with Eating Prague to create a tour that shows off some of the best beer, food and pubs in the Czech capital today.” Eating Prague’s first beer tour, “Brews and Views”, will take guests from the greenery of Letná Park’s beer garden to Pípa, a stylish new pub and bottle shop which features some 160 beers in bottles. Beer lovers will sample everything from the country’s most common variety, Gambrinus to heavier dark lagers, the famous pilsner and craft beers while learning about the more than 1000-year old history of Czech beer. The samples will be paired with both local and international snacks that bring out the unique characteristics of each brew. The tour is a feast for all senses with stunning views across the city of 100 spires and plenty of cultural and culinary information about the neighborhoods the tour winds through. Eating Europe has already established operations in London, Rome, Amsterdam, and Prague. The company was founded in Rome in 2011 by American native, Kenny Dunn. The company’s mission is to leave travelers with an unparalleled, non-touristy, food-related experience in undiscovered areas across Europe.
With international travel deals galore, there’s no better time to visit the largest city in the Czech Republic. “Brews and Views” by Eating Prague will launch July 19, 2016. Find more information on Eating Prague HERE and Eating Italy HERE
-Jon J. *Photos courtesy of Eating Europe
TAKE A TRIP
James Washington, better known as “J International,” is back again, but this time, his focus is on the country of Kenya He does a great job of juxtaposing “the real” Africa with what westerners see and think. He kicks off showing us what life is like in one of the worst slums in the world, the Kibera Slums. After you get a taste of what life is like in Kibera, you’ll find yourself not taking small things like showers and toilets for granted. The second portion takes you to a more blissful part of Kenya in Nairobi. You’ll be greeted by his colleague Tiara Willis and get a chance to experience Kenyan culture up-close. So hold on tight and prepare yourself for the international experience with J International.
Editor-in-Chief Jon Jones Beauty Contributor Keisha Campbell Music Contributions Lauren Brumley YoAngie! Caquias KJ Sports Esli Lara Mike Brown Jon Jones Tony Stanford Jr.
Editor KJ Videography Malcolm “X” Lewis Art/Graphics Bob Jeffreys Fashion Team Joy Larkins Keisha Campbell
We hope you enjoyed issue 17 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 Doug Bryant Consultant Desmond Mclennon Video Games Titus “TBZ” Rowell Alana Clarke
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Red Bull Music Academy Presents Sleepy Brown
If/Then The Musical
Here’s a few things to look forward to in our next issue!
Dragon Con