INsite Atlanta October 2008 Issue by INsite Magazine

8 O c to b e r 2 0FR0EE 2 Vo l. 17, N o.

Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Entertainment Monthly

insiteatlanta.com

Robin Thicke Seth Rogen Viggo Mortensen & our FALL MOVIE PREVIEW

The AnnuAl

Halloween Guide

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06 GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL 10 ROBIN THICKE 10 13 RICKY GERVAIS 20 VIGGO MORTENSEN 21 MEIKO 22 PAUL DOUCETTE 30 SETH ROGEN

FEATURES

05 ATLANTA ON THE CHEAP 13 08 OUTDOOR DINING 11 SUBS 19 STATE OF AMERICANA 24 HALLOWEEN 27 FALL MOVIE PREVIEW

COLUMNS 05 ON TAP 06 AROUND TOWN 06 BOOKS 09 UNDER THE LIGHTS 14 MOVIE REVIEWS 16 CONCERT CALENDAR 22 ROAD WARRIORS 23 ALBUM REVIEWS 29 FANATIC

www.insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING Publisher Stephen Miller steve@insiteatlanta.com National Managing Editor Bret Love bret@insiteatlanta.com Art Director Michael T. graphics@insiteatlanta.com Music / Sports Editor DeMarco Williams demarco@insiteatlanta.com Events Listing Editor Glenn LaFollette glenn@insiteatlanta.com Special Features Editor Marci Miller mmiller@insiteatlanta.com Entertainment Editor Matt Goldberg matt@insiteatlanta.com Web Design Kalico Productions info@kalicopro.com PG 4 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

Contributing Writers / Interns: John Moore, John Davidson, Jon Latham, John C. Snider Benjamin Carr, Ryan Loftis, Mike Brune, Matt Goldberg Mitchell Hughes, Alexis Gray, Rodney Hill, Rebecca Crosby, Zena Scott, Alex S. Morrison, Blue Sullivan Michele Fontanelli Arnett, Roger Presswood Dave Cohen and Russ Marshalek CONTACT US 2250 North Druid Hills Rd. #234 Atlanta, GA 30329-3118 phone 404-315-8485 website insiteatlanta.com ADVERTISING INFORMATION �� Editorial content of INsite is the opinion of each writer and is not necessarily the opinion of INsite, its staff, or its advertisers. INsite does not knowingly accept false or mi leading advertising or editorial content, nor do the publisher or editors of INsite assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. No content, i.e., articles, graphics, designs and information (any and all) in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from publisher.

LOCAL EVENTS

OnTap for October EMAIL EVENTS TO ONTAP@INSITEATLANTA.COM

October 11-12: Atlantic Station

7TH ANNUAL TASTE

OF ATLANTA

Atlanta's favorite autumn food festival returns to the open air excitement of Atlantic Station to celebrate its 7th anniversary with more than 70 of the city's best restaurants serving their finest fare. From tapas to Thai, grilled to Greek, saucy to sweet - whatever you crave you'll find it at Taste of Atlanta. The event will feature more than 70 of the city's best restaurants, entertainment and live cooking demonstrations from national and local celebrity chefs like Trisha Yearwood, Ted Allen, Richard Blais, and more. For more information, head to www.tasteofatlanta.com

October 19: Piedmont Park

18TH ANNUAL AIDS WALK ATLANTA This month thousands of individuals, organizations and corporations will unite in the spirit of caring and giving by participating in the largest and most visible fundraising event for AIDS in the southeast. The Atlanta metropolitan area has the 6th highest number of AIDS cases nationwide. AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run makes up 10% of AID Atlanta's annual budget. AID Atlanta is a non-profit community based AIDS service organization. The event will take place on Sunday, October 19 at Piedmont Park. For more information, head to www.aidatlanta.org.

October 18: Decatur Square

DECATUR BEER TASTING FESTIVAL

Come and enjoy an afternoon of beer tasting! More than 100 of the finest local, American and international beers will be showcased at the event by area distributors and Decatur's restaurants and pubs. There will be music on the bandstand and food from local restaurants available for sale. Admission is $35 per person and includes a commemorative tasting glass. All tickets will be sold online and limited to the first 4,000 attendees. You must be 21 or older to attend. For more information and tickets, head to: www.decaturbeerfestival.com.

Oct. 22-26: Philips Arena Disney on Ice WORLDS OF FANTASY Audiences at Philips Arena will enter the wondrous world of Disney and relive classic Disney favorites such as The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. From pride lands to pixie dust, Worlds of Fantasy offers excitement for everyone. Families arriving early for the Princess Pre-Show will be treated to dazzling display of gorgeous gowns and mementos from the Disney Princess stories. The exhibit features beautiful settings for photo opportunities. For more information, please call the Philips Arena Box Office (404) 878-3000 or visit www.philipsarena.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Oct. 22: The Arena at Gwinnett

AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD SHOW Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Pink Floyd’s seminal 1979 classic rock opera THE WALL, the live phenomenon that is The Australian Pink Floyd Show comes to Atlanta this month. A brand new sound and light show will bring The Wall to life, with new animations, new lasers, new character inflatables, new stunning special effects but most importantly, the awesome soundscape that has blown the mind of millions of Pink Floyd fans across the world for the past 15 years. For more information, please head to www.gwinnettcenter.com.

Oct. 24-26: Atlanta Motor Speedway

PEP BOYS AUTO 500 NASCAR

Billed as a "weekend built for speed", The Hot Shot NASCAR sprint cup series will kick off the race weekend on Friday and the Atlanta 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck series will take place on Saturday. Both races lead up to the main event, the Pep Boys Auto 500 on Sunday. Avid race fans can also purchase a pre-race pit pass, which allows them to stroll the same pit area used by NASCAR teams during the Pep Boys Auto 500. Pit passes start at $75. For more information, call (770) 946-4211 or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.

ATLANTA ON THE

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TOP EVENTS EVENTS FOR ININ SEPTEMBER TOP FOR SMALL SMALLCHANGE CHANGE OCTOBER Know about a low cost event or happening in Atlanta? Email atlcheap@insiteatlanta.com

CANDLER PARK FALL FEST

Candler Park, McClendon Avenue www.candlerparkfallfest.com Oct. 11-12 11am - 7pm Free Event The Candler Park Fall Festival celebrates the Candler Park community with over 100 vendors, great local musicians, food, a road race, children's entertainment and a tour of some of Atlanta's most beautiful homes.

more goin's on in greater Atlanta & all of Georgia. Thousands of discount and free admissions are available for over 100 arts and entertainment events.

ZOO ATLANTA FREE FAMILY PASS

Zoo Atlanta, 800 Cherokee Ave. 404-624-WILD www.zooatlanta.com Free for Fulton County residents

TARGET FREE DAY

Woodruff Arts Center 404-733-HIGH www.high.org Sunday, Oct. 19 11am - 5 pm Free Event Discover all that the Woodruff Arts Center has to offer. Visit an instrument "petting zoo" and sit in on an open rehearsal with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Catch an improv workshop or take a backstage tour of the set design and costume shop at the Alliance Theatre. Enjoy a variety of performances by Young Audiences on the piazza. Experience the High's latest special exhibitions and create your own mini masterpiece to take home.

GO ARTS

Various Venues throughout the city www.goartsmonth.org 404.588.9890 October 1-31 Many events are free; some have a small fee Check website for complete schedule of events GO ARTS (Georgia Open Arts Month) is your October-long chance to GO see theater, music, dance, exhibits, festivals &

Zoo Atlanta has partnered with AtlantaFulton Public Libraries to offer a new Zoo Atlanta Family Pass at 33 library branches. Adults with valid library cards may check out the Family Pass for free admission to Zoo Atlanta. Passes are valid for a family of four and may be checked out once per year, per card, per household.

BROOKHAVEN ARTS FESTIVAL

Apple Valley Rd. (Behind MARTA Station) www.brookhavenartsalliance.com 404.266-3426 Oct. 11-12 Free Event Now in its 5th year, the Brookhaven Arts Festival has grown into a two-day event featuring over 100 artists displaying and marketing their fine arts. The festival will also feature great food, music and a children's market.

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Book Review THE SILVER LINING PLAYBOOK

Author: Greg Mitchell BY JOHN B. MOORE There are a slew of debuts out there that propelled their unknown authors to greatness: think Bright Lights Big City, Fight Club, Mysteries of Pittsburgh. The Silver Ling Playbook, the first effort from former Philadelphia teacher Matthew Quick, may do the same for this author. At times heartbreaking and funny, the book opens with the narrator, Pat People, leaving a mental health facility in Baltimore with little recollection of how he got there. Taking up residency in his parents’ house, he lives in the basement, spending most of the day working out to get into top physical shape for what he hopes will be a reunion with his wife. Pat slowly starts to allow other activities to seep into his life, like following the Philadelphia Eagles and establishing upon a friendship with a fellow survivor of emotional breakdown, the widow down the street. Quick has a true talent for storytelling. Not since One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest has an author managed to tackle mental illness with as much humor and humanity. Though it’s tough to color the topic of life-changing emotional breakdowns with laughter, he pulls it off e f f o r t l e s s l y. Though we’re only nine months into 2008, it seems pretty obvious that Quick has turned in one of the year’s best debut novels. Grade: A PG 6 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

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FILM INTERVIEW

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL ON FAME, FATHERHOOD & BLINDNESS BY B. LOVE

ATIN AMERICAN CINEMA HAS experienced an impressive renaissance in recent years, thanks in large part to directors such as Alejandro González Iñárritu (Amores Perros, Babel), Alfonso Cuarón (Y tu mamá también, Children of Men) and Fernando Mereilles (City of God, The Constant Gardener). Aside from their ethnic heritage, another thing these three directors have in common is a profound respect for 29-year-old actor Gael García Bernal, who has worked with each of them on at least one occasion. In fact, the Guadalajaraborn Bernal could be seen as a central figure in the Latin film boom, acting, directing and producing (alongside childhood friend and fellow actor Diego Luna and Pablo Cruz, with whom he formed Canana Films) films that deal with themes of social justice. We recently sat down with Bernal to discuss his role in Mereilles’ latest film, Blindness, in which he co-stars opposite Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo as a bartender driven mad with power after much of the human race goes blind. Some people say that fame makes people blind to the world regular people live in. Do you agree? I think that’s a blind prejudice to begin with, to assume that there’s only one definition of reality and that someone isn’t experiencing it just because they’re famous. It’s not like fame is a world that sets you into something completely unreal. People don’t expect you to go where regular people go, but you end up going anyway. If someone looks at you, you can look back at them and there’s no problem. Also, there are different degrees of fame, because fame is a consequence

of something. So it all depends on what you did to become famous. If you kill someone, you can become famous, but it’s a different type of fame. But I don’t think you lose contact at all: You still wake up with yourself every day as a human being who lives and breathes. What was the experience like of training to act blind? There’s something about the power of eyesight that keeps you a bit more conscious about what’s going on. Or at least you think you are. You elaborate stories, you come up with excuses for certain things you do or explanations for why things happen the way they do. For acting, to eliminate the eyesight is actually quite liberating because it becomes more difficult to lie to yourself. When you’re able to see, time and space are two different things: Space is where things happen, and time is what happens to you. When you’re blind, those two things become one, and time and space is only about what happens to you and what you feel. The world becomes bigger in a way, but your hemisphere becomes smaller. As an acting exercise and a life exercise, it was an intriguing, beautiful experience. What are the challenges for an actor in taking on a role like this, where you’re playing a character the audience may not identify with, or even like? It’s all about telling the story, in a sense. It’s not a political career, where you feel that you have to be liked, so I don’t really even consider whether the audience will like my character. But don’t you have to find something in him that you can relate to as a human being?

Which is the reality of being alive to begin with! The most I can do is to understand his emotional journey. Even the worst of characters go through an emotional journey, so you just have to interpret that. I find it hard to relate to people who say, “I identify with this character,” because if you’re playing a psychopath it’s pretty hard to know what that’s like. You don’t know people like that, so all you can do is interpret that emotional journey and try to empathize with it. There’s been an amazing Latin film renaissance in recent years, with a lot of great actors and directors emerging. How do you feel about being a part of that, and what are you trying to do with your production company to feed into that energy? You try to do as much as you can to help each other out, not only in Mexico but also in Latin America in general. We have a very strong bond in our community, which is part of what’s great about filmmaking. You get to meet amazing people and make great friends. There are a lot of great stories to tell in these countries, so everything has been geared towards the future and there are debates going on in every country in Latin America. How do we build a society? That sense of curiosity makes it an interesting region in which to make films, so I’m hoping this growth continues and opens Latin America up to the rest of the world.

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Outdoor Dining!

Osteria 832 Pizza & Pasta

832 N. Highland Ave. 404.897.1414 www.Osteria832.com

Some of the Best Patio Scenes in Atlanta this Fall!

Agave

Named for the blue agave plant that is the heart and soul of the finest tequila, Agave offers a unique blend of eclectic southwestern cuisine. Their extensive tequila bar and wine list coupled with exceptional service makes this one of Atlanta's top restaurants. The tables on their romantic patio with fireplace and southwestern design are prime seating in autumn.

garitas, Coyote’s has built up a loyal following in the Avondale Estates area of Decatur. Coyote’s is family owned and operated and has a great relationship with the community. Their patio is the place to be Friday nights as a live Mariachi band plays to the crowd. Coyote’s menu offers fine Mexican cuisine with emphasis on the grilled fair. Check out their new menu items for the fall. Sample one of their wide selection of tequilas on the rocks or try one of their 7 giant flavored margaritas, all made with real fruit and Sauza Gold.

Athens Pizza House

Flying Biscuit Cafe’

242 Boulevard S.E. 404.588.0006 www.agaverestaurant.com

1341 Clairmont Rd. Decatur 404.636.1100 athenspizzaatlanta.com

For over 25 years, the Papadopoulos family has been serving up great Greek and Italian cuisine to the Emory area. Some of the favorite recipes on their Greek dishes go back 25 years and more! As the weather cools in the fall, their patio seating is in high demand. If you are looking to plan an event, Athens Pizza House can be reserved to accommodate large parties and their outside patio and private room inside are available for smaller ones.

Coyote’s Mexican Grill

2730 East College Ave. 404.373.9383 With great food, friendly staff and strong mar-

�� PG 8 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

Candler Park; Midtown, Buckhead Terminus Bldg.; East Cobb www.flyingbiscuit.com One of Atlanta’s favorite homegrown gems has five metro locations with more on the way. The original in the heart of historic Candler Park packs them in each morning. The Candler Park restaurant has tripled in size over the years.. Many stop in to pick up some of their famous biscuits to go from their bakery. Their Midtown location near Piedmont Park allows for dining inside or on their corner patio. The patio is surrounded by windows which come off when the weather cools in fall, offering great views of the bustling midtown scene.

10 bucks. Kick back on Stella's patio with a "Marshburn Mash", Stella's signature cocktail. Enjoy this refreshing concoction for only $5 in October (regularly $8). Dine at Stella the Monday before Halloween and 15 percent of your dinner purchase will be donated to repairing the cemetery's tornado damage.

The Tavern at Phipps

3500 Peachtree Rd. 404.814.9640 www.TheTavernatPhipps.com Osteria's charming patio wins "Best of Atlanta" awards year after year, and is a favorite hangout spot in Virginia-Highlands. The affordable menu features true Italian-style pizzas, madefrom-scratch pasta sauces, fresh salads and an irresistible weekend brunch menu. Make Stella's Monday Night Trivia a weekly ritual with your friends for a chance to win free food. Osteria is open for dinner nightly starting at 5 p.m. and weekend brunch starting at 10 a.m.

The Red Door Tavern

3180 Roswell Rd. 404.846.6525

Consistently voted Atlanta’s “Best Happy Hour” and "Best Patio," The Tavern at Phipps is the place to be this fall. Their patio is ground zero for nightlife at Phipps Plaza. Check out all the football action and the Tavern Girls serving nightly on the patio. It's also the hottest place in town for Friday happy hour.

Willys Mexicana Grill

16 Atlanta Locations / Athens 404.422.7107 Catering willys.com

This favorite watering hole in North Buckhead one block north of the Roxy Theatre has a huge UGA fan base. The Red Door Tavern features a large outdoor deck in the front. Weekends are packed as they have “Bucket Specials” and a “Draft Tower” glass featuring 120 ounces of beer. Check out their new expanded room now available for private parties.

Stella Neighborhood Trattoria

563 Memorial Dr. 404.688-4238 www.StellaAtlanta.com October is the perfect time to enjoy the to-diefor view of historic Oakland Cemetery from Stella's open-air patio. Their rustic Italian menu includes hand-tossed pizzas, made-fromscratch pasta sauces, freshly-baked focaccia sandwiches and lots of affordable options under

Willy's Mexicana Grill offers a host of FreshMex menu items made from the freshest ingredients. Take in the autumn scene with a margarita and a burrito on the patio at Piedmont Park (featured) or at their Howell Mill location. Howell Mill offers live Music every other Friday at 7pm and Sunday at 5pm plus Trivia nights on Wed and Thurs at 8pm. Willy's Kennesaw has Trivia every Wednesday at 8pm. When planning your football party event this fall, remember Willy's caters and delivers to a crowd! Taco Bars, Fajita Bars, Nacho Bars, Platters and more are perfect for tailgating.

THEATER

Under The Lights

100 Tequilas Lime Optional.

Theatrical Performances this Month Managing Maxine

A World Premiere by Janece Shaffer Oct. 8 - Nov. 2 Alliance Stage Box Office 404.733.5000 www.alliancetheatre.org

Managing Maxine is a funny, heartfelt romantic comedy about the power of a second chance at love through the eyes of Maxine. In the play, 70-yearold Maxine Levine truly falls in love for the first time— an act that creates ripple effects throughout three generations of her family. Feelings of Photo: Alliance Theatre euphoria and insecurity mix as Maxine tries to embrace the possible future this late love brings. It’s wonderful, it’s terrible and it’s the last thing Maxine expects to interrupt her perfectly happy life at 70. All great love feels like young love, whatever your age – the giddy discovery, the unexpected rush, the surprising insecurity and the soaring euphoria. If you've ever planned on falling in love or growing old, this play by Atlanta favorite Janece Shaffer (Bluish) is for you. Managing Maxine reminds anyone who has ever loved that all great love feels like young love, whatever your age.

Wicked

Oct. 8 - Nov. 2 The Fox Theatre Box Office 404.817.8700 www.ticketmaster.com

After breaking box office records and selling out in 2006, Wicked the smash-hit musical will return to Atlanta's Fox Theatre this month. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One born with emerald-green skin is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. The national tour of Wicked has "cast quite a spell" (Washington Post) throughout North America. It opened at Toronto's Canon Theatre on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 and sold out a sevenweek run. Wicked has continued to break box office records and sell out multiple-week engagements in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, , D C Philadelphia and Boston to name a few. Carmen Cusack as Elphaba. Joan Marcus

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MUSIC INTERVIEW

Robin Thicke Shows Why Soul Music, Much Like Love, Is Often Color Blind. BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

HEN YOU ASK ROBIN CHARLES Thicke to name his dream performance duo, it doesn’t go as melodically as you’d probably expect. He doesn’t mention Marvin and Aretha or Stevie and Anita. The hip hop fanatic doesn’t even say Common and Jay-Z, or Wayne and Dre. Instead, the Cali native strays from music altogether and offers, “I’m a Lakers man, so I’m still hoping that Shaq and Kobe get back together. I’m like a child who’ll never understand that his parents are divorced.” Soul music fans probably thought they were fantasizing last week when they heard that Thicke and Mary J. Blige had teamed up on the remix for “Magic,” the jazzy lead single from Robin’s just-released third album, Something Else. His CD before that, The Evolution of Robin Thicke, which featured the hit “Lost Without U,” was a monster that catapulted the 31-year-old to the top of the U.S. R&B album charts, the first time that’s happened for a white guy since George Michael in ’88. Here, the blue-eyed soul man touches on race, but he goes into depth about gaining self-confidence, touring with MJB and beating you in basketball. Is R&B in good shape? I think music is in good shape because there are so many opportunities. If you have something hot,

you’ll be able to get it to people. I think that’s a great thing. If you’re better than everybody else and you put your stuﬀ on the internet and you spread your tape around, it’s going to happen for you, know what I mean? I think that’s a good thing. As far as R&B,

see myself more as a soul artist than an R&B singer. The Lil Wayne song “Shooter” wasn’t your ﬁrst time working with a hip hop artist, was it? Actually, around the same time, I had worked

EVERYTHING IS GOING GREAT NOW. I THINK I JUST NEEDED TO HAVE A HIT RECORD AND THEN I COULD GET THE CONFIDENCE FROM THE LABELS AND THE RADIO STATIONS AND MY SELFCONFIDENCE. NOW THINGS ARE MOVING AT THE PACE THAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO. I think it’s hard to call it R&B ‘cuz there’s not much blues in it. Everybody got the car they want, the girl they want, the champagne bottle they want. There’s not so much blues in it anymore. So, what would you call it? I’d just call it soul music and just let it cover the whole thing. If you’re coming from the soul and you’re making soulful music, we know what that is. I

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Your Turn to Choose Atlanta’s Gold.

with Pharrell. We had done “Wanna Love U Girl” together. And when I did my first album and had long hair, I did a remix with Jadakiss. Busta Rhymes hopped on a remix I did. So, the Lil Wayne song wasn’t the very first [hip hop mesh]. But what he did was take a song from my first album. He ended up being the first ‘cuz he went backwards. He took the first song. Can you explain this chemistry that you seem to have with hip hop? Well, I think that the reality is just that I love hip hop. I grew up on hip hop. I’ve listening to it and singing hip hop [for a long time]. I remember running across some guy that knew me when I was, like, 14. He was like, “I’m happy to see you do well. I remember when I saw you when you were 14 and I said, ‘You can be a pop singer.’” I said, “Man, I’m a hip hop singer.” When I was a kid, I thought I was a hip hop singer. It’s funny how I grew up. That’s just the music that’s all up in my soul, ya know? Growing up, was it the typical Motown stuff being played in the house or was it something else? Well, my mom (vocalist Gloria Loring) was listening to Aretha [Franklin], Stevie [Wonder] and Luther [Vandross]. My dad (Growing Pains’ Alan Thicke) was listening to Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. And I was listening to N.W.A. So, somewhere in between is where I came out. That’s an interesting mix there. Yeah, but that’s music for you. Why haven’t more non-blacks thrived in the soul music genre? I don’t really know. That’s not for me to decide. I think it really just comes down to the individual, you know? It’s not really about a group of people or a generation. Some times it’s 10 people doing things. Some times it’s just one. Who knows how those times will turn, you know?

Vote Online Today www.insiteatlanta.com Please vote by October 19.

*For eligibility of prizes, voter must vote in at least 15 categories. Qualiﬁed ballots will be entered in a pool. Prizes will be drawn at random and winners will receive awards via mail by November 15,2007.

PG 10 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

Something Else is your third album. Are things progressing at the speed you originally expected them to? Everything is going great now. I think I just needed to have a hit record and then I could get the conﬁdence from the labels and the radio stations and my self-conﬁdence. Now things are moving at the pace that they’re supposed to. Obviously before that, the biggest reason things didn’t move for me was because I was afraid. I would sit at home, waiting for something to happen or waiting for someone to say something to me opposed to me going

out and taking it for myself. Then, once I started taking it for myself, other doors started to open. What helped you to start taking charge of things? Well, what I think happened was I was writing songs for other people for a long time because I was afraid to go out there for myself and be judged. Then I saw that the people I was writing songs for were all over the charts. I was like, “If the only reason I’m not out there is because I’m afraid, that’s not a good enough reason.” So, I started devoting all of my time to my own music when I was about 23. I met Andre Harrell around the same time. He took me back up to Interscope Records, where I was signed when I was 16 with Jimmy Iovine. From there, things started to happen for me. It slowed down for a little bit and I had to write some more great songs and try to pick myself out of it. Luckily, I did. What are you most proud of with this new project? Really, pride is not something I have for my music. I just enjoy listening back to it. I feel that there’s something on the CD that you can’t get anywhere else. Who challenges you right now in terms of soul music? Really, Lil’ Wayne is the only one challenging me. He just keeps trying to do new things. He’s so versatile and unpredictable. A lot of us get caught in doing things one way, but he’s so unpredictable. It’s inspiring. I’m really watching Lil’ Wayne… oh, and Heath Ledger’s performance in The Dark Knight. You didn’t want him to ever leave the screen. I could’ve just watched two hours of The Joker. They could’ve just called that movie The Joker. I would’ve been equally happy. I’ve read that were collaborations on Something Else but I also read that there weren’t. Can you confirm either way? No, there are no collaborations as of now, but we can’t give away all of our secrets these days. What’s the secret you and your wife, actress Paula Patton, have for staying out of those rumor-filled glossy magazines? We’ve just been lucky so far. But who knows? They could throw you in there anytime about anything. We can’t live our lives around that. Besides harmonizing to the ladies, what’s one other thing that you do better than most people? I play basketball pretty good. I can ball pretty good. I can definitely ball. What else? I guess I’m a good writer. I wrote a screenplay. I love to always challenge myself to always create something new. I wrote a screenplay and a poetry book. I’m always trying to write. Do you plan to pursue getting this screenplay into somebody’s hands? Oh, definitely. I’m working on it with the William Morris Agency. They’re excited. It’s like a spy/thriller kind of thing. It’s cool. It’s exciting. I don’t think that’s going to happen. But hey, if you could look to the future and play out the next year or so, what things do you hope to achieve? Luckily, I have this Mary J. Blige remix on “Magic” that we just finished a few nights ago. She and I are going on tour together. [The duo is stopping by Philips Arena on October 12.] The album’s coming out September 30, so we can set it up right. After that, I’m blessed to go overseas. Out there, the record is doing pretty good. Then I’ll come back and do my own tour, so I can have my own night with the fans. It’s really just about doing the work and enjoying it.

Taste of the Month... Sub Sandwiches

Voted Best Greek Cuisine

Where to grab a Sub before the big game

–2007

Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs

Marietta 770.321.1177 80 Powers Ferry Rd. (at Hwy. 120) Doraville 770.455.8570 5697 Buford Hwy. (Just north of 285) www.baldinos.us

Since 1975, Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs has been recognized as the only true New Jersey sub sandwich in the South. Their in-store bakery assures the freshest rolls baked daily. Whether you are ordering Boar’s Head Golden Roasted Turkey Breast or one of Baldinos famous Italian Subs, the meat is always sliced when you order to insure the freshest sub possible. If you like it hot, Baldinos Cheesesteak is the “Best in town”. In fact, all their grilled subs, including Sausage Italiano and a variety of chicken subs are great because they are hot off the grill; not out of the microwave. Stuffed subs like Tuna, Marinated Chicken, Meatball and Vegetarian Stir-Fry top off a variety of more than 30 subs and salads. When you walk into a Baldinos sub shop, you will feel the difference. When you eat a Baldinos sub, you’ll know the difference. Like they say, “Yea we’re fresh, but in a good kind of way." If you're looking for the perfect tailgate experience; bring Baldinos and make it a party!

Johnny’s NY Style Pizza

Mutliple Locations www.JohnnysPizza.com

Johnny’s Pizza has come to be synonymous with Great Pizza and Subs. The first metro area location opened in East Point in 1977. That location was an instant success and their second Atlanta location opened on Cheshire Bridge Rd. one year later. There are now 65 Johnny’s Pizza restaurants. The secret to their success is in the preparation. They always use the finest ingredients. Hot Oven-Toasted Subs are served with your choice of: Mayo, Mustard, Provolone Cheese, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions and Johnny's Own Great Italian Oil & Vinegar Dressing. Try their Johnny’s Special which is an Italian sub made with ham, salami and capicolli meats. The Johnny’s Turkey sub is made with the highest quality Hormel breast meat. They offer several hot Parmesana style subs toasted with tomato sauce and melted mozzerella. These include: chicken, eggplant, Italian sausage and meatball. Johnny’s restaurants offer dine-in, take-out and delivery.

ZAGAT RATED

Locos Grill & Pub

3167 Peachtree Rd. 404.233.1989 www.locosgrillandpub.com

Locos is famous for their wings, subs and great pitchers of beer. When looking for a place to watch the game, stop in at their Buckhead location. They offer plenty of seating and multiple TV’s. Try their French Dip, grilled lean roast beef with melted provolone served with a side of au jus. The Gobbler offers smoked turkey grilled with Locos® barbeque sauce and served with melted cheddarjack, bacon and mayo. they also have a Chicken Parmesan Sandwich that comes with golden fried chicken strips smothered with marinara sauce, mozzarella and aged Parmesan. In the mood for Italian? This sub offers sliced ham, salami, pepperoni and provolone served cold with lettuce, tomatoes and oil & vinegar. Each sub sandwich is served with your choice of: chips, fries, pasta salad, Spanish rice, mixed vegetables, cole slaw or black beans.

Family Owned and Operated For Over 25 Years! 1341 Clairmont Road Decatur, GA 30033 404.636.1100 athenspizzaatlanta.com

Dining at Chin Chin is pure pleasure 2 NEW LOCATIONS!

MuLan Chin Chin Chinese and Sushi (Suwanee) ��

Mo’s Pizza

Chin Chin

3109 Briarcliff Rd. @ Clairmont Rd. 404.320.1258 www.mospizza.com

�� (Alpharetta)

You may know about the burrito chain with the same name, but the original Mo’s resides on the corner of Briarcliff and Clairmont Roads just off the I-85 exit. They have been serving up great pizza and subs for over 25 years. Here you will find a great Italian sub made with ham, pepperoni, genoa salami, mozzarella, chesse, lettuce, tomato, onions and italian dressing. Their Italian sausage comes from a special recipe and is sliced and grilled with onions, topped with Marinara sauce and mozzerella cheese. Their Philly Cheese Steak is real sirlion steak that is trimmed and sliced on premise and grilled with onions and topped with american cheese. Come to Mo’s this fall to watch all your college and pro football games. They have a great deck to hang out on, and plenty of new plasma TVs offering great views from any table. Mo’s offers a special on Monday nights where you get a Large Cheese Pizza for just $7! They are one of the longest running neighborhood restaurants in Atlanta, come in and see why they are one of the best.

�� Buckhead/Brookhaven �� Cobb �� 2008 Best Chinese – Sunday Paper 2001-2002 Best Chinese by Atlanta Jewish Times Readers

1998-2007 Best Chinese by Creative Loafing "Mouthwatering Chin Chin spices things up." – AJC "Chin Chin...a window into Hong Kong." – Buckhead Weekly 2 1/2 Stars – Knife & Fork

www.baldinos.us

VOTED BEST SUBS IN ATLANTA

�� & OTHER LOCATIONS DELIVERY (LIMITED AREA; MIN $10)

�� FULL BAR SERVICE

WWW.CHINCHINONLINE.COM Watch our Open kitchen & experience the Art of Chinese Cooking! PG 11 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

Do You Have Trouble Sleeping at Night? If you usually fall asleep easily, but have trouble staying asleep, you might be interested in learning more about this insomnia clinical study. If you are 18 years or older you may qualify to participate in this insomnia research study evaluating whether an investigational medication improves quality sleep. Study participants will receive at no cost, investigational medication, study-related physical exams, study-related care, and may also receive compensation for time and travel.

For more information, call:

COMPREHENSIVE NEUROSCIENCE

6065 Roswell Road, Suite 820 | Atlanta, GA 30328

(404)- 459-6699

FILM INTERVIEW

THE ART OF DISCOMFORT

Ricky Gervais Takes Hollywood BY BRET LOVE

ICKY GERVAIS HAS BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING, “I hate lateness. There is no excuse for turning up late for anything. I was actually born a week premature, because I wanted to be early for my own birth.” So it’s both ironic and hilariously awkward when he turns up over 10 minutes late for our interview at the Toronto Film Festival, where he’s promoting his latest film, Ghost Town. Then again, as creator of the BBC hit The Office and HBO’s critically acclaimed series Extras, one could argue that Gervais has made hilariously awkward his trademark. Truth be told, the Reading native proves more than worth the wait, going off on gregarious, caffeine-fueled conversational tangents like a British Robin Williams, covering topics ranging from the Marx Brothers and social embarrassment to his burgeoning film career and forthcoming self-generated project. Who were some of your early comedic influences? I love the Marx Brothers. In their early work, they’re just running around being funny. That’s great, but it doesn’t resonate. One of their producers said, “I can make you twice as good. I’m gonna cut half the jokes and put in a musical number and a romantic thread.” So now these guys are doing crazy things, but they’re doing it to get two people together. So now they’ve got a point, and it’s beautiful. Those moments where you’re suddenly seeing someone needing something, or someone doing something for the good of someone else, are heartwarming.

You’re brilliant at creating these characters who are uncomfortable, and who make everyone around them uncomfortable. What appeals to you about that? When we’re in a safe environment where we’re not starving and our children aren’t being shot at, what’s the worst thing that happens to us? The most mortifying thing for everyone is being embarrassed socially. I think that for many people, public speaking is a bigger fear than death. I’ve decided that the most important thing in comedy or drama is empathy, and everyone can empathize with getting embarrassed. There’s a little bit of David Brent in everyone, because we all want to be loved, and it’s fun playing with that and turning the knife of social embarrassment. What sorts of things embarrass you? I don’t get embarrassed for me, but I do for other people. If someone makes a bad joke, I just want to take it back for them. People always said The Oﬃce was embarrassing, but then I saw this show called

Are you done with TV for good? I haven’t left TV behind. I love TV. There are things about TV I like more than film. The thing about TV is that it still has that common consciousness because people watch it at the same time, and you can turn it around quicker. What I like about film is that you can make it timeless, and I’ve always had one eye on the legacy. When we were making The Office, we’d come up with some jokes that made us laugh, but we decided they wouldn’t be funny in a year’s time because there was a certain cultural reference. Films take a bit more care, but there’s no reason you can’t apply that approach to TV, and it’s really worth the effort to put everything into it. The American version of The Office is entering its fifth season. How do you feel about the way they’ve carried on the concept you created? I love it! What they’ve done is a huge dive, because we got in and out with 12 episodes and a special that we put everything we had into, and couldn’t do that. They’ve got so much pressure– they’re the jewel in NBC’s crown, have over 10 million viewers and won all these Emmys– and they’re not allowed to stop like we did. And I don’t want them to stop. I want Steve Carell to work his fingers to the bone, because I get half his wages! (Laughs) Coming from a background in standup comedy, is it more comfortable getting to do a film like This Side Of The Truth, where you’re the writer, director and star and have creative control? Of course! Being in charge is where I’m most comfortable, but I don’t think of it as control as much as artistic freedom. If I’m gonna be there on the set from 7AM to 7PM every day, I might as well do it all and get paid three times, you know what I mean? Being hired as one of the leads is very nice and flattering, but it’s not like I’m pursuing it. I never thought of myself as an actor and, let’s face it; I’m not a great actor. The creative process is what excites me. Seeing a film you’re in is fun. Awards are fun. Money is nice. But nothing is more fun than me and Steve Merchant sitting in a room, laughing about what we just said. Nothing else comes close.

What attracted you to Ghost Town? What I found interesting about it is that Dr. Pincus is a flawed character. You feel a bit sorry for him. He’s a rich, successful, curmudgeonly, misanthropic, rude man. But when he has to woo a woman, he’s a buffoon. The important thing about comedy and drama is empathy, and I love themes of redemption. You’ve got to start off wrong in order to get yourself right, and I think the film is sweet because he’s a putz and an idiot and he’s missing out on life. It takes these dead guys to point that out.

ON OCTOBER 10TH SEE THE FIRST TRULY TERRIFYING FILM OF THE FALL!

Curb Your Enthusiasm, and I’m just like “Oh god! Shut up! Shut up!” I like that feeling, but eventually it can get wearing, so you’ve got to be able to drop the irony and come back to genuine emotion. The heart of The Oﬃce was Tim and Dawn, not David Brent. The heart of Extras wasn’t the A-list actors, it was the friendship between Andy and Maggie. I think sooner or later you’ve got to stand up and unapologetically say, “This [sweetness] is what I believe in.”

��!...HILARIOUS...

“

An all out fun experience that will make you fall in love with the magic of movies.” -- Shawn Shawn Edwards, Edwards, FOX-TV FOX-TV

“A WILD, COMING OF AGE COMEDY REMINISCENT OF THE EARLY JOHN HUGHES FILMS.” -- Jim Jim Ferguson, Ferguson, KGUN KGUN TV TV

SCREEN GEMS PRESENTS A VERTIGO ENTERTAINMENT/ANDALE PICTURES AND FILMAX ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION “QUARANTINE” JENNIFER CARPENTER JAY HERNANDEZ COLUMBUS SHORT GREG GERMANN STEVE HARRIS DANIA RAMIREZ EXECUTIVE WITH RADE SHERBEDGIA AND JOHNATHON SCHAECH PRODUCERS GLENN S. GAINOR DREW DOWDLE JULIO FERNÁNDEZ CARLOS FERNÁNDEZ PRODUCED BASED ON THE MOTION BY DOUG DAVISON ROY LEE SERGIO AGÜERO PICTURE “REC” WRITTEN BY JAUME BALAGUERÓ & LUIS A. BERDEJO & PACO PLAZA DIRECTED SCREENPLAY BY JOHN ERICK DOWDLE & DREW DOWDLE BY JOHN ERICK DOWDLE

STARTS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES SORRY, NO PASSES ACCEPTED FOR THIS ENGAGEMENT

COLUMBIA PICTURES AND MANDATE PICTURES PRESENT A DEPTH OF FIELD PRODUCTION MICHAEL CERA “NICK & NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST” KAT DENNINGS MUSIC ALEXIS DZIENA ARI GRAYNOR AARON YOO AND JAY BARUCHEL SUPERVISOR LINDA COHEN MUSICBY MARK MOTHERSBAUGH PRODUCERSCO- NICOLE BROWN KELLI KONOP PRODUCED EXECUTIVE BY KERRY KOHANSKY CHRIS WEITZ PAUL WEITZ ANDREW MIANO PRODUCERS JOE DRAKE NATHAN KAHANE ADAM BRIGHTMAN SCREENPLAY DIRECTED BASED ON BY LORENE SCAFARIA BY PETER SOLLETT THE NOVEL BY RACHEL COHN & DAVID LEVITHAN

STARTS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES SORRY, NO PASSES ACCEPTED FOR THIS ENGAGEMENT

PG 13 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

FILM

�� APPALOOSA (R)

THE DUCHESS (PG-13)

��

�� –B. Love

BLINDNESS (R) �� –John C. Snider

�� –Ryan Loftis

HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE (R) ��

CHOKE (R) �� –Matt Goldberg PG 14 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

RELIGULOUS (R) �� –John C. Snider

Ah, young love. We feel like at some point Michael Cera (right) is going to have to ﬁnd a role that doesn’t involve a cool nerd who can’t get the girl. We vote porn star. Gay porn star.

NICK & NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST �� –Brett Love

coming this month Oct 3: An American Carol (PG-13) ��

Oct. 10: Body of Lies (R) ��

Oct. 17 Max Payne (PG-13) ��

Oct. 31 Zack and Miri Make A Porno (R) �� –Compiled by Glenn LaFollette

If you are interested in ﬁnding out more about this anxiety study, please contact:

Comprehensive Neuroscience 6065 Roswell Road, Suite 820 Atlanta GA 30328 404-459-6699

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25 Tickets available at all locations, online at ticketmaster.com or by phone at (404) 249-6400

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

COMPLIMENTARY PASSES

& invite you and a guest to a special advance screening of Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7:30pm To receive a complimentary pass, simply visit

ARE YOU

ANXIOUS?

19 million Americans experience symptoms of anxiety. If you are 18 years or older, you may qualify for a clinical research trial currently being conducted by Comprehensive Neuroscience. Study participants may receive compensation for their time and travel. Investigational study drug and study-related doctor’s visits are at no charge.

��

IN THEATERS OCTOBER 17

BUY - SELL TRADE & RENT

VIDEOS DVD’S MAGAZINES

Sandy Springs: 6125 Roswell Rd. Suite 101A, 101B • 404-256-1116 Roswell: 710 Holcomb Br. Rd. • 770-992-4485 10am – 2am Every Day • www.shopsmoke911.com

No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Limit one pass per person. Tickets are available on a first come first serve basis. Each pass admits two people. This film is rated R for strong crude and sexual content, nudity, language, some drug and alcohol use - all involving teens.

• Finding it hard to focus or concentrate? • Tense, Tired or On Edge? • Having diﬃculty sleeping?

3432 Clairmont Rd.

404-320-7418

��

FAX 404-320-7337

www.usedmagazines.com PG 15 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

CONCERT

CALENDER

�� Girlz, Girlz, Girlz �� My Brother’s Keeper �� Houserocker Johnson �� Mad Margritt �� The Walkmen �� Lucy Kaplansky �� Fat Back Deluxe �� Hand Job �� Vicente Fernandez �� Fusion!: Anarchy� �� Kataklysm �� Eye Alaska �� Zydefunk �� Poolstick �� Connor Christian & Southern Gothic �� Gringo Star �� Sliptripman �� Evan McHugh �� Luke Bryan �� Moby Dick �� Reggae Concert �� Sandra Hall �� Delerium �� Aclarion �� Lee Harvey Oswald �� Pierce Pettis �� Kerry Hill Band �� Deep Blue Sun �� Harvest 08 �� Geoff Achison �� Ocean Street �� Modern Skirts �� Gringo Star �� Brian Wiltsey & Friends �� Nanci Grifﬁth �� Alan Jackson �� BluesFest 08 �� Incorrigible String Band �� Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart �� Fat Back Deluxe �� Chroma �� Anthony Gomes �� Francisco & Friends �� Joan Osborne �� Black Crowes �� Kevin Gordon Duo �� Songwriter’s Open Mic �� Patrick Vining Band �� Trevor Turville �� Atmosphere �� PictureMeFree �� The Roots �� Summer Hostage �� Hanson �� Tru Skool Tuesdays �� Roots Night �� Hipnotic Unplugged �� The Rumble Strips �� JT Speed �� Open Mic Jam �� New Found Glory �� The Rocket Summer �� Kofﬁn Kats �� Dressy Bessy �� SafetySuit w/ Eleven Standing Still �� Stereotype �� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �� The Breeze Kings �� Sunburned Hand of the Man �� Bernadette Seacrest �� Chicago Joe Jones �� Georgia State Jazz Night �� Series Overkill �� Craig Campbell �� Emmitt-Nershi Band �� The Hiss �� Common, NERD �� Mike Veal Band �� Donavon Frankenreiter �� Time 2 Shine �� Haz Mat �� Cordeero �� Gretchen Peters �� Chickenshack �� Jeff Sipe Trio �� The Funky Fiasco

PG 16 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

�� Aclarion �� Tommy Talton w/ Scott Boyer �� FREAKOUT!!! �� Buckcherry �� Hellbound Orchestra �� Hot Chip �� Hightide Blues �� Money Shot �� Fusion Friday �� Sweet Betty �� Moby Dick �� Howlies �� Will Porter �� Swagger �� The Yonrico Scott Band �� The Falcon Lords �� Soul Shakers �� Appetite for Destruction �� The Lee Boys �� All Night Drug Prowling Wolves �� Bow Wow �� Swami Gone Bananas �� Dave Mason �� ATL’s Hottest Rocker Showcase �� Slippery When Wet �� Unzipt �� Bachaco �� Houserocker Johnson �� Joe Bonamassa �� Brian Wilson & Friends �� The Dynamites �� Pat McGee �� The Casanovas �� Cadillac Jones �� Kamelot �� Bill Shefﬁeld �� Reckless �� Gary Pfaff & The Heartwells �� Gasoline Heart �� Danzig �� Brian Wiltsey & Friends �� JJ Grey & Mofro �� Charlie Wooten Project �� Led Zeppelin Tribute �� Cletus & His City Cousins �� Roy Book Binder �� Fat Back Deluxe �� Stomp & Stammer Film Night �� Orange Sky �� Francisco & Friends �� Wire �� Nathan Morgan Band �� Citizen Cope �� Arabia �� Mike Relm �� Songwriter’s Open Mic �� Patrick Vining Band �� Mudcat �� SkabDriver �� Summer Hostage �� Tru Skool Tuesdays �� Roots Night �� The Wedding Present �� Chris Trapper �� JT Speed �� Open Mic Night �� Jack’s Mannequin� �� Freezepop �� The Rodney Crowell �� Tyler Reeve Band �� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �� Electromatics �� Jaguares �� Talkdemonic �� Edie Carey �� Chicago Joe Jones �� The Heartless Bastards �� Shiny Toy Guns� �� Nonpoint �� DJ Tubbystyle �� Matt Stillwell �� The Hiss �� Mike Veal Band �� Three on Third Street �� Studebaker John �� Ian Schumacher �� The Renegades �� Jay Clifford �� Chickenshack �� Broke & Boulje �� Underoath �� Splendid Chaos �� The Afromotive �� Manchester Orchestra �� Los Lonely Boys �� Brian P. & Friends �� Girl Talk

�� Slippery When Wet �� Friday Flow �� Houserocker Johnson �� Matt Nathanson �� Boston Spaceships �� Ruthie Foster �� The Soulshakers �� EP3 �� Nikka Costa� �� Joe McGuiness Trio �� Fly By Radio �� Doomsayer �� The Go-Go Get Down �� Rehab �� Stereotype �� Martin Sexton �� Ryan Adams & The Cardinals �� Elevation �� Billy Currington �� The Breakfast Club �� Donnie �� Sandra Hall �� Wiley & The Checkmates �� Danielle Sansone �� Work in Progress �� Golden & Newberry Jam �� HipHop in High Definition �� MSTRKRFT �� Ike Stubblefield �� Patrick Smith �� Micah Dalton �� Ray Lamontagne �� Brian Wiltsey & Friends �� Grace Potter & The Nocturnals �� Rock the Vote �� The Octopus Project �� Billy Joe Shaver �� Fat Back Deluxe �� Peter Tosh Tribute �� Staind �� Thousand Watt Halo �� Wide Spread Panic �� Francisco & Friends �� Slaughterhouse Two �� Black Joe Lewis �� Songwriter’s Open Mic �� Patrick Vining Band �� Hand Belle �� All Time Low �� The Duhks �� Rise Against �� Summer Hostage �� Tru Skool Tuesday �� Roger Wilson �� Pierced Arrows �� Jamie McLean �� JT Speed �� Open Mic Jam �� Scion Live Metro: M.O.P. �� Hawthorne Heights �� The Higher �� Blue Mountain �� Ty Reynolds Band �� Imperative Reaction �� Al Smith’s Midtown Jam �� Fatback Deluxe �� Opeth �� Born Ruffians �� Red Molly �� Chicago Joe Jones �� Pendulum �� DJ Tubbystyle �� The Fountnhead �� The Hiss �� Mike Veal Band �� Hotel Café Tour �� Steel Train �� Blizzard of Ozzy �� SpaceOutPrjct �� Maria Muldaur �� The Explorer’s Club �� Chickenshack �� Heather Luttrell �� Thomas Tillman Band �� Bain Mattox & Shot From Guns �� Pink Police �� Mr. Fernando �� The Ting Tings

�� Yacht Rock �� Houserocker Johnson �� Ben Kweller �� Carrie Newcomer �� Nites Mostley �� Under the Porch �� Eddie Tigner �� Brantley Gilbert �� Sean McConnell �� Johnny Cash Tribute Night �� Educators �� Cowboy Mouth �� David Ford �� Tracy Lawrence �� Who’s Bad �� Sweety Betty �� Bang Camaro �� Vance Gilbert �� Blues Highway �� Snake Oil Medicine Show �� Weezer �� Lola �� Delicious �� Wilx �� Autovaughn �� TV on the Radio �� Brian Wiltsey & Friends �� Galactic �� B-Jay’s Blowout �� Neva Dinova �� Johnny Clash �� Fat Back Deluxe �� Sean Moran’s Family Affair �� Tokio Hotel �� Francisco & Friends �� Joe Satriani �� Vancougar �� Songwriter’s Open Mic �� Patrick Vining Band �� Smokey’s Farmland Band �� The Smart Brothers �� Jackson Browne �� Summer Hostage �� Tru Skool Tuesdays �� Roots Night �� Polysics �� JT Speed �� Open Mic Jam �� Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band �� Brain P. & Friends �� Great Big Sea �� Burnt Bacon �� Sole Skyrider Band �� South First Band �� Chicago Joe Jones �� New Kids On The Block �� DJ Tubbystyle �� Jason Ricci & New Blood �� The Hiss �� Mike Veal Band �� Squirrel Nut Zippers �� Locksley �� Producers Swap Meet �� Tommy Brown �� Southern Culture on the Skids �� Mike Willis �� Chickenshack �� Cheetah Girls �� Cory Morrow �� Porter Batiste Stoltz �� Johnny Buffalo �� Stereotype �� Matthew Sweet �� The Breakfast Club �� Sandra Hall �� Southern Culture on the Skids �� William Fitzsimmons �� Totally Savage �� Laura Reed �� Mudcat �� Girlz Girlz Girlz �� Collective Efforts �� The Spooks �� Deerhunter

Weezer @ ��(10-25)

Tues & Thurs: Trivia 8pm Wednesdays: Texas Hold ‘em

LIVE MUSIC EVERY NIGHT Every Sunday FRANCISCO & FRIENDS Every Monday SUMMER HOSTAGE Every Wednesday MIKE VEAL BAND Every Saturday BRIAN WILTSEY & FRIENDS Friday, October 10 SWAMI GONE BANANAS Thur, Oct. 16 & Tue, Oct. 28 BRIAN P. & FRIENDS Fri, Oct. 17 & Thr, Oct. 30 STEREOTYPE Thursday, October 23 MR FERNANDO Friday, October 24 EDUCATORS Friday, October 31

“THAT 70S PARTY”

W DJ ROMEO COLOGNE, YOU’RE A BAD MOTHER “SHUT YOUR MOUTH!”

��

PG 17 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

Are you depressed? You may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study of depression if you meet the following criteria:

• Between the ages of 18 and 65 years old • Have a history of depression • Currently depressed for at least one month • Current episode of depression not lasting more than two years • Are sexually active Eligible participants will receive investigational medication or placebo (an inactive substance), study related care, and diagnostic exams at no cost.

Please Call:

COMPREHENSIVE NEUROSCIENCE

404.459.6699

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Viva Americana!

Legendary Greats, Unsung Heroes, and New Talent Converge on Music City for the Americana Music Association Conference that was going on was this Vegas country thing,” Warner explained. “It wasn’t Merle Haggard or George Jones, but [it was the country music that was] being played on the radio.” Forming in 1981, the Scorchers burst out onto the scene playing what Hodges called “rock music from a country standpoint”. Their performance at the awards marked the first time in over a decade that the original line-up of the Scorchers, rounded out by Perry Baggs on drums and Jeff Johnson on bass, have shared the stage. Baggs left the drum throne due to his fight with diabetes, which keeps him on dialysis on a weekly basis. Johnson, who left the band in 1997, moved out to the west coast, where he is in the movie business. In recent years, Scorcher activity was sporadic at best. The fire sparked good and strong in 2007,

locked at the hip, but the funny thing is they just cannot keep still. Hodges’ guitar HAT IS AMERICANA? THAT acrobatics send him twirling like a torquestion plagued my head nado and, at times, whipping his guitar in throughout the days leading a 180-loop, all of this without missing a up to this year’s conference held by the single note, of which there are a lot. Jason Americana Music Association. Many folks, ropes the wind with his microphone, flailincluding myself, tend to equate the bulk of ing with a possession of the spirit of Rock this vague sub-genre to notable names such and Roll. Tearing through Hank Williams’ as Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, and Ryan “Lost Highway”, the Scorchers did exactly Adams. All of these artists fit somewhere what presenter Anthony DeCurtis said they in the cracks where folk music, country, would do, “burn the fucking place down”. and rock, but it seemed like such a cheap, The Friday night showcases were kicked off uneducated description. As the conference with star power at the Cannery Ballroom, weekend in Nashville approached, I made it as Billy Bob Thorton brought his new act, my mission to define the Americana movethe Boxmasters out. Thorton and company ment, as best that I could. proved themselves a force to be reckoned I posed the same question to Mark with, as they worked out some of their Kemp, an acclaimed music writer whose new songs like “The Poor House” and “I’ll book, ‘Dixie Lullaby’, is one of the most Give You A Ring (When You Give Me Back engaging, in-depth accounts My Balls)” as well as of the southern rock movetwanged-up covers ment ever published. “I never AT THE TIME THE TERM AMERICANA STARTED like “House at Pooh much cared for the term Corner”. POPPING UP AS A ‘GENRE’, [AROUND] THE ‘A mericana’,” Kemp promptly A good chunk of responded. “For one thing, LATE 80S [OR] EARLY 90S, GARTH BROOKS Saturday was dediwhat does it mean? Is Hank cated to Glen CampWAS COUNTRY MUSIC. SO WRITERS AND MUSIC Williams ‘A mericana’? Is bell. The Rhinestone George Jones? And if so, what INDUSTRY FOLKS STARTED USING AMERICANA Cowboy is riding a are BB King and Otis Redwave of interest TO DESCRIBE LUCINDA WILLIAMS, STEVE EARLE, new ding? Or Wynton Marsalis? It generated by the rejust doesn’t mean anything.” [AND] DWIGHT YOAKAM. TO ME, THOUGH, IT’S lease of his all-covers If that is the case, and release ‘Meet Glen ALL COUNTRY MUSIC; IT’S ALL FOLK MUSIC. Americana is an empty shell Campbell’. At the of a defined sound, why even Ford Theater inside try to classify it at all? the Country Music Hall of Fame, Campbell following a marathon performance at Kemp continued, “At the time the term Nashville’s Exit/In to benefit Perry’s ongosits through a public screening of a docuAmericana started popping up as a ‘genre’, ing medical expenses. In that time, Jason mentary focusing on the recording of the [around] the late 80s [or] early 90s, Garth and the Scorchers, now with Al Collins on album, followed by an in-depth interview Brooks was country music. So writers bass and Fenner Castner on drums, have with the man himself. For a man with very and music industry folks started using headlined festivals in Europe and the U.S., real struggles in and out of the limelight, Americana to describe Lucinda Williams, and Ringenberg sees a promising look into Glen showed himself to be a man of good Steve Earle, [and] Dwight Yoakam. To me, what the future holds for the band. humor and a real heart for the music he though, it’s all country music; it’s all folk “There’s a lot in our favor, the most makes. Such an open fountain of talent and music.” important thing in our favor being that enthusiasm was infectious, and it showed Indeed, the infusion of pop sensibilities Warner and I are in really good health. The as the audience paid due respect with nuand Mutt Lange production standards into Scorchers is a very physical band, so we merous standing ovations. modern country music has left a bad taste Showcases continued on through the have to be in physical top condition.” in some folk’s mouth about Nashville. For night on Saturday, including jam-packed “Something struck me really cool at me, it seemed like quite the juxtaposition; the Ryman this morning,” Hodges adds. performances by Buddy Miller, AMA you are holding a conference in the city “Everything was running behind; we had to Instrumentalist of the Year, and the muchthat gave birth to Americana’s country be there early. [7 AM] ins not really rock anticipated performance from Mark Olson leanings, but these artists struggle to get and Gary Louris of the Jayhawks. The conand roll time. When we started playing, I any radio play or recognition from the realized that everybody [involved with] the ference was wrapped with an all-nighter Nashville music mainstream. show were in the wings watching us. They hootenanny from the Sin City All-Stars, This year’s AMA Honors and Awards, knew it was the first time we’d hit a lick capped off by a hearty serving of Chicken held at the historic Ryman Auditorium, and Waffles. Sitting there I realized somewith Jeff in eleven years [and they know] kicked off with one of Nashville’s finest Perry’s sick. They were all just watching us. thing grand. Americana is anything and acts and highly underrated live band, Jason [I realized] we’re doing this at the Ryman, everything. It’s a format for music that is and the Scorchers. That night they were and these are people that we admire. Sam just too good for a corporate-run radio stathe recipients of the AMA lifetime achieve- Bush is standing there watching us do what tion, regardless of the influence or genre. ment award. For twenty-seven years, the These artists put the music first, and the we do. That’s an amazingly cool thing, the Scorchers have neither been imitated nor [level of respect] the band is getting now, pay-off is the relative fame that they claim duplicated; their blend of country and because there haven’t been many other by building these committed, sturdy bases punk, dubbed by some as cowpunk, has people who have come along who do what of fan support. Each show, each perforallowed them to claim a unique sound all mance, is another chance to widen that we do.” their own. At the heart of this dynamic The camaraderie between Jason and his base. It’s a lesson that Nashville may never mixture is vocalist Jason Ringenberg and right-hand man has never diminished, as have to learn. However it is the memory guitarist Warner Hodges. I met up with of where this music’s roots are sewn that Warner explains, “If he’s walking through both of them at the Scorchers sound check stand as a permanent reminder to the fire, I’ll go.” On stage that night at the Ryfor their showcase later that night at the Nashville establishment of how powerful man, in front of contemporaries like Steve Mercy Lounge. Earle, John Hiatt, Robert Earl Keen, and music is. Americana is music with integrity “There was a burgeoning, little bitty punk legends like Robert Plant & Joan Baez, and heart, a heart so big that it couldn’t be rock scene here, and the country music Jason and Warner remained emotionally confined to a single genre.

BY JON LATHAM

PG 19 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

FILM INTERVIEW

VIGGO MORTENSEN 21st CENTURY RENAISSANCE MAN

BY BRET LOVE

N THE VAST CONSTELLATION OF stars that have made Hollywood the world’s most obsessed-over pop culture galaxy, few shine brighter or more distinctively than 50-year-old Viggo Mortensen. It’s not just his talent that makes him singular, although his last five major films have earned a combined 33 Academy Award nominations (including Mortensen’s Best Actor nod for 2007’s Eastern Promises). It’s not just his ruggedly handsome looks, although he’s been named one of People’s “50 Most Beautiful People,” one of VH1’s “10 Hottest Hotties” and one Elle’s “15 Sexiest Men.” And it’s certainly not his private life, which, since his amiable divorce from punk-rock legend Exene Cervenka (lead singer for influential band X) back in 1998, has been refreshingly tabloid-free. No, what makes Viggo Mortensen remarkably compelling is the life he chooses to lead when he’s not in the harsh glare of fame’s spotlight. It’s the fact that he’s an accomplished author of several books of poetry, which he has published through his own company, Perceval Press. It’s the fact that he’s a respected painter (his mural work can be seen in his 1998 film, A Perfect Murder) and photographer whose work has been the subject of numerous gallery exhibits. It’s the fact that he’s a jazz musician with three CDs to his credit. And it’s the fact that he’s an impressively skilled horseman who ultimately purchased the horses he rode in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and 2004’s Hidalgo. But most people don’t know anything about these endeavors, because the quiet, unassuming, genuinely humble Mortensen refuses to use his celebrity as a platform through which to promote his art. “Life is short,” he says when asked about his creative passions, “and I like to pay attention while I’m going through it. Whatever I see, like anyone else, I’m going to filter it and create my own idea of what it is. Photography, painting and poetry are just extensions of me and how I perceive things. They are my way of communicating.” The average filmgoer didn’t seem to take much notice of the half-Danish actor until he was called in at the last minute to replace Stuart Townsend as Strider/Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s historic adaptations of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. But Mortensen’s 23-year film career began long before, with a small role opposite Harrison Ford as a young Amish farmer in Peter Weir’s Witness, and already included critically acclaimed turns in PG 20 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

Brian de Palma’s Carlito’s Way, Tony Scott’s Crimson Tide and Ridley Scott’s G.I. Jane before he was cast as the most fearsome swordsman in all of Middle Earth. Still, he insists that his initial reluctance to take the iconic role of Aragorn had more to do with not wanting to be away from son Henry (who ultimately convinced him to take the role) than any concerns over being typecast. “I’m not conscious of differentiating between genres or budget size or shooting locations or anything like that on a movie,” he insists. “The way I approach my work may be a bit short-sighted, and it’s certainly not the way some people do it, but I look as hard as I can to find something that would inspire me. Either I find it, or I run out of money and then take the best of whatever I’m lucky enough to get.” Lately, the best that he can get seems to be more than good enough. We met for our

Asked what it was about Mortensen that made him the perfect choice to play Sheriff Virgil Cole’s rifle-toting right-hand man, Everett Hitch, Harris praises his co-star for being not just a great actor, but also a great human being. “We were playing two guys who had to communicate a lot about who they were without really talking about their inner feelings. I wanted a guy who I could ride next to on a horse for 10 hours without saying a word and feel totally comfortable. He’s the only man I wanted to play the role, and if Viggo couldn’t have done it, I don’t know if I would have made the movie.” Appaloosa marks Mortensen’s second Western in the last four years (after Hidalgo), and many critics have pointed out the similarity in structure between A History of Violence and the classic Westerns of yesteryear. But the actor admits that he finds most Westerns to be pretty terrible in terms of

LIFE IS SHORT, AND I LIKE TO PAY ATTENTION WHILE I’M GOING THROUGH IT. WHATEVER I SEE, LIKE ANYONE ELSE, I’M GOING TO FILTER IT AND CREATE MY OWN IDEA OF WHAT IT IS. PHOTOGRAPHY, PAINTING AND POETRY ARE JUST EXTENSIONS OF ME AND HOW I PERCEIVE THINGS. THEY ARE MY WAY OF COMMUNICATING. interview at the Toronto Film Festival, where he has appeared regularly in recent years to premiere his two Oscar-caliber collaborations with director David Cronenberg, A History of Violence and Eastern Promises. This time around he was attracting more Academy Awards buzz with a stunning supporting turn opposite actor-turned-director Ed Harris in Appaloosa, in which they reunite as two friends hired to restore law and order to a small western town reduced to chaos by a violent rancher (Jeremy Irons). “I was given the book by Ed early on,” Mortensen recalls, “and I had really enjoyed working with him on A History Of Violence. I thought the script was really well written. I liked the sparseness of it, the language that they used, and the polite sensibility they had [at that time] that’s mostly gone now. It wasn’t just in the upper class, it was predominant. There was an almost Victorian sort of manners in the way they addressed each other, even when the circumstances were brutal.”

acting and artistic achievement. “I’ve watched a lot of Westerns over the years,” he says. “High Noon is an interesting one. Man of the West was an interesting movie, with Gary Cooper when he’s older, and then there are newer ones like Missouri Breaks and One-Eyed Jacks. One that has some really nice things about it is Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall in Open Range, which centers on the relationship between two men and handles the gun fighting scenes very messy, direct and quick. I like how Ed respected the genre, and you do see all these great landscapes and the beautiful design of the clothes and the town, but then he edits it together to give it dramatic tension so it wasn’t slow and ponderous. It harkens back to those great old Westerns.” Coincidentally, the same could be said of Mortensen, who speaks softly but eloquently and favors thoughtful introspection over extroverted expression. He comes across like a throwback to the movie stars of yesteryear, sipping on his favorite Argentinean Mate

tea, flipping over a reporter’s tape after it clicks to a stop and actually crossing the street to shake hands and sign autographs for fans outside of the Appaloosa premiere in Toronto. Perhaps that explains why his star seems to shine brightest in films set in simpler times. Of course, he also does gritty realism like nobody’s business. His latest film, The Road, is an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a father leading his young son across the ravaged wasteland of post-apocalyptic America on a desperate quest to reach the coast, fighting off lawless gangs while armed with a pistol with only two bullets. “It’s pretty faithful to the novel,” he says of director John Hillcoat’s (The Proposition) adaptation. “If anything, it’s grittier and more streamlined. I haven’t seen it yet, so I can’t tell you much other than the fact that the boy, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, is unbelievable. I’ve never seen such a young child actor do what he did, and very few adult actors, for that matter.” Given Mortensen’s pedigree and the fact that last year’s McCarthy adaptation, No Country For Old Men, was nominated for eight Oscars (ultimately winning four, including Best Picture), it stands to reason that we could be seeing Viggo at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre on February 22 for the 81st Academy Awards. Whether saving townsfolk in the Old West past or saving his son in the dystopian future, Mortensen seems like a man born in the wrong time, reminding us of the honorable, heroic archetype most men yearn to be and most women yearn to be with. And while the actor may deny preference for any specific sort of film, he acknowledges the great time to be had in films such as Appaloosa and The Road. “When I first started out in my career,” he recalls, “I could never play what people consider a bad guy. But once you do that once, if people go see that movie then they want to put you in more roles like that. As an actor, you have to find a way to get lucky and get the roles you want. But people have seen me in this kind of movie, and they’ve done well. I do enjoy period pieces, and I do think that– storytelling wise and as far as philosophy or morals– being in films set in another time or place allows you to learn something about yourself. And it is fun to make these kinds of movies. I love being outdoors, riding horses and dressing up in costumes. There’s a childlike element of fun about it that I still love.”

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Can you answer “Yes” to any of these questions? • Do I constantly suffer from pains in my lower back or abdomen? • Do I have irritable bowel syndrome? • Do I have constipation, diarrhea, or gassiness? • Do I constantly feel fatigued?

Get To Know MEIKO BY BRET LOVE

N THE PAST FEW YEARS, AS MTV AND pop radio have given way to the Internet and American Idol as the nation’s primary starmaking vehicles, film and TV soundtracks have begun to emerge as a grassroots means by which up ‘n’ coming artists can get their music to the masses. For an unknown talent, getting your tune on shows like Scrubs or Grey’s Anatomy is the modern equivalent of a spin on American Bandstand back in the day, with increased album sales and online downloads usually quick to follow. No music scene has benefited more from this phenomenon than the indie-folk enclave of the Hotel Café. Providing a launching pad for a tight-knit community of singer-songwriters such as Joshua Radin, Cary Brothers and Ingrid Michaelson, the Los Angeles club has emerged as a nationally-known brand thanks to annual package tours over the past four years. But the Hotel Café’s latest success– Meiko, a beautiful brunette whose debut recently hit #1 on the iTunes Folk chart– grew up far from the hipster haven of L.A. in the tiny little city of Roberta, GA. “It’s a town of 808 people according to the last census,” she notes in a sweet Southern drawl when asked about her childhood home. “I was raised by my dad, and started singing in little talent shows at the age of eight. I didn’t start playing guitar until I was 13, and I’d always practice playing guitar while looking in the mirror and acting like I could really play it. Finally he got tired of me ruining his guitar, so he bought me my own. I’d ask him to teach me a chord and practice it until I learned it, then I’d ask him to teach me another one.” Influenced by a diverse array of artists ranging from Edie Brickell and the Cocteau Twins to Sade and Patty Griffin, she began writing songs almost immediately. But her career aspirations were largely relegated to the intimate confines of her bedroom for nearly a decade, thanks in large part to what Meiko describes as a severe case of stage fright. “I got really nervous when I thought about being in front of people and playing,” she admits. “My music was something I kept private. I didn’t do it for anybody else; I did it for me, to get through those sorts of things I was going through as an awkward teenager.” Not long after graduating high school she moved to L.A. to follow her sister, who had moved there to be with her boyfriend. “It was three years before I played my first open mic night. I didn’t tell anybody I was doing it: I would just take my guitar, ride the bus to the club, play my songs and leave

without talking to anybody. I did that for about two years.” Eventually Meiko got a break in the form of an introduction to Will Golden, who ran the soundboards at Hotel Café. “I started hanging out there a lot and got to be part of the family there,” she recalls. “So when I got fired from this Indian restaurant I called the owners and begged them to give me a job. So I got in as a waitress, and eventually ended up playing a lot of shows there, filling in at the last minute whenever artists would cancel. I got to open for all these amazing people, like Patty Griffin, Macy Gray and Butch Walker, which was really cool.” Last year, Meiko’s self-released debut (which was co-produced by Golden) shot up the iTunes chart, logging more than 200,000 song downloads thanks in part to heavy support from L.A. tastemaker KCRW and a prime slot on the season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy. Now signed to MySpace and DGC Records, with her music earning favorable comparisons to folkies such as Feist, she seems poised to break out, with a scheduled September appearance on Late Night With Conan O’Brien and an all-girl Hotel Café tour in October and November. “It’s just a bunch of girls on a bus together,” she gushes about the jaunt, “so it’s gonna be like one big slumber party! It’ll be me, my really good friend Ingrid Michaelson, this girl named Emily Wells who’s just insanely awesome, Jenny Owens Young and Rachel Yamagata. I’m very excited about that, and about playing on Conan.” She’s also excited about returning to Georgia for only the second homestate concert of her career, performing at the Variety Playhouse on October 22. “The first thing I’m gonna do,” she insists with an infectious laugh, “is stop by Chick-Fil-A and get me a gigantic sweet tea and some chicken nuggets.” Spoken like a true Georgia peach.

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Available in Stores October 28th PG 21 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

Road Warriors

MUSIC INTERVIEW

OUT OF THE BOX This Month’s Hottest Shows Matchbox 20’s

Paul Doucette Goes Solo BY JOHN B. MOORE

S THE FORMER DRUMMER AND current guitar player for Matchbox Twenty, Paul Doucette has earned his record label millions of dollars over the past decade. It was a bit surprising then that he still had to fight to get his first solo record out there. Recording under the moniker The Break And Repair Method, Doucette saw two failed attempts at releasing Milk The Bee, a solid collection of beautifully crafted indie rock songs that sounds very far removed from Matchbox Twenty. Indie upstart Bluhammock ended up releasing the record this fall. Several years in the making, the album boasts an impressive guest list including Doucette’s wife, Moon Unit Zappa, Jellyfish’s Roger Manning and Veruca Salt’s Nina Gordon, as well as matchbox twenty’s current drummer. Doucette spoke with us recently about the unanticipated hassle of getting this record released, as well as the future of Matchbox Twenty. So at what point did you decide you wanted to do a solo record? I started writing songs around the time of Matchbox’s second record. After a while I started to get a grasp of what my style of writing was and it was something that I wanted to pursue. Not being the primary songwriter in Matchbox 20 meant I had to do that outside of the band. How old are the songs on Milk The Bee? I actually recorded this record a few years ago. It had quite a long journey to being released. It was stuck on two other labels before Bluhammock that didn’t pan out. So that took some time to flush out. Then I had a wonderful manager named Frank Callari who unfortunately passed away. Then I had to go back to work with Matchbox. But the songs were all written about three years ago. Except for “This City” which was written about a year ago. What can you tell me about the album? Is there a general theme to it? There is, but I don’t know that it was intentional. All the songs in some way deal with what happens in the course of life. “Now We Become Part of It” is about the birth of my daughter, “The Most Somebody Can Know” is about coming to the end of your life and feeling contentment. They kind of bookend the record for me.

AFTER A WHILE I STARTED TO GET A GRASP OF WHAT MY STYLE OF WRITING WAS AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO PURSUE. NOT BEING THE PRIMARY SONGWRITER IN MATCHBOX 20 MEANT I HAD TO DO THAT OUTSIDE OF THE BAND.

This is a fantastic record, but really sounds nothing like your other band. Was that intentional? Thanks. It wasn’t really intentional, but kind of hard to avoid. Until recently I was not a primary songwriter in Matchbox. Although I like to think that we all added to what the sound of that band is, the primary source of that sound comes from Rob (Thomas).

You also have an amazing group of musicians that recorded this with you. Are they all officially part of the band? Will you tour with them or set up a different touring group? The Break and Repair Method has been a constantly changing thing since the start. Basically whoever was around and was nice enough to come play was in the band. But the record coming out means I have to solidify a lineup. My drummer Ryan (MacMillan) has been the constant though. He also took my place as the drummer in Matchbox when I moved over to guitar. You mentioned the label problems you had. Can you go into any detail about that? I did. I had a solo deal at Atlantic. There was a corporate buyout and most of the staff was replaced, including the president who gave me my deal. I was dropped before I recorded one note. Kind of a slap in the face really, seeing as the band I am in makes them millions of dollars. I mean, at least listen to my record before you deem it un-releasable. But the person they replaced the president with was someone that I didn’t get along with, so there you go. Ironically, he was the person who signed Matchbox. They still paid for the record and gave it to me, so I can’t complain about that. But that process took quite a while to work out. Then it sat on another label for a year. They were new and just figuring stuff out. I think they ended up folding. They were called Cement Shoes. Should have been a hint. They meant well, though. Do you plan to tour much behind this record? I hope to go out and play as much as I can. What’s next for Matchbox Twenty? We are taking a break so we can concentrate on other things. I have this record, Rob has another solo record at the beginning of the new year, Kyle (Cook) is writing and producing a lot down in Nashville. We plan on getting together sometime in the spring to start writing and then go in to the studio a bit after that. We find that allowing everyone to work outside of the band is vital to our continuing to be a band. It makes us more excited to play together when we do. This last tour might have been the most fun we’ve had together and I think that made us a much better band on stage. Do you plan on putting out additional records as The Break and Repair Method? Definitely. I like being able to do both.

BY JOHN DAVIDSON 10/12 WIRE

Variety Playhouse Punk music has a reputation for being loud, fast, and anarchistic. Wire led the post punk scene by adding an artistic ﬂair to the parade; by tossing out everything but the bare minimum, they changed the direction of punk music and essentially moved it forward. This year’s Object 47—a typically unpredictable Wire album, and the ﬁrst without guitarist Bruce Gilbert—is a testament to their lasting greatness.

10/15 ALANIS MORISSETTE

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre She’s famous for having the biggest selling female record of all time, a career tether and barometer that we’ve judged her ever since. But Jagged Little Pill still resonates, it still speaks for a lot of young adults who are looking for love in all the wrong places. Morrisette hasn’t really been on the radar screen for the past few years, yet her legacy status seems cemented.

10/17 WIDESPREAD PANIC

MORISSETTE

PANIC

10/19 STAIND W/ SEETHER, PAPA ROACH AND RED

Lakewood Amphitheatre Staind’s sixth studio album may be titled The Illusion Of Progress, but there’s no mistaking just how far the band has come since the release of their major label debut less than a decade ago. Look no further than the array of Staind “firsts” that earmark the new release: It’s the first album where guitarist Mike Mushok solos, as well as the first where he wrote and recorded on a standard guitar, rather than his customary baritone. Despite the band’s heralded run of ten Top 10 hits at radio – including four No. 1 singles – it’s the first time that they have recorded a song that they almost feel can be classified as a pop song, and it is also the first time that frontman Aaron Lewis has taken a political stance lyrically. Mushok jokingly points out that “consciously, I don’t think Aaron says the word ‘pain’ once throughout the record!” Look for a great show!

10/25 WEEZER W/ ANGEL & AIRWAVES

The Arena at Gwinnett Weezer is back on tour in support of their top ten album. Weezer (Red Album) is the band’s boldest album, sonically and lyrically, fearlessly reaching places never before heard in popular music. The Red Album’s ﬁrst single “Pork and PG 22 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

Beans” just spent 11 weeks at #1 at Modern Rock radio (the longest streak for a song in 2008) and it’s accompanying video has been viewed on Youtube over ten million times. San Diegobased Angels and Airwaves are the headliners of the Warped Tour 2008. Their sophomore release I-Empire, which debuted in the top ten and spawned the hit single “Everything’s Magic”. This show is just another great concert that The Arena at Gwinnett has put on in recent years.

STAIND

Lakewood Amphitheatre Like the Grateful Dead or Phish, ‘Spreadheads tend to be groovy dopers who welcome the opportunity to play hippie for a day or three, and somewhere in the midst of the purple haze there is some pretty good music to be had. They’re playing two nights outdoors, and the fall weather should be a perfect compliment to one of Athens’ greatest bands.

10/25 TV ON THE RADIO W/ THE DIRTBOMBS

The Tabernacle The most critically adored band (they rock! they groove! they’re ethnically diverse!) of the past several years returns to the ATL in support of their latest album, Dear Science. Luckily for you, TV On the Radio pretty much backs up all the hype with great playing and inventive ideas. As a bonus, the ﬁrebreathing blues rock of the Dirtbombs will open the show.

10/30 MATTHEW SWEET

SWEET

Variety Playhouse Matthew Sweet had one of the best songs of 1991 (“Girlfriend”) but was never able to live up to that high standard, sadly fading into obscurity by the end of the decade and basically an alt-rock legacy act these days. His latest album Sunshine Lies—like most of his albums—is being hailed as a return to form, and to a large degree it is. There’s just not a “Girlfriend” on it.

10/31 DEERHUNTER W/PYLON

Variety Playhouse One of the hotter Atlanta acts of the moment, Deerhunter probably doesn’t have the kind of legs to splash big nationally—they’re just a little to arty for their own sake, a little too extreme for the average PBR hipster to fall in love with. But on they go, hopefully to make it out of the alt-rock ghetto and into, maybe, the world of TV soundtracks or an iTunes commercial. One of R.E.M.’s early Athens contemporaries, Pylon, opens up the show.

WEEZER

MUSIC

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�� By B. Love, DeMarco Williams, John Davidson, John B. Moore, Matt Goldberg & Jon Latham �� METALLICA – DEATH MAGNETIC (Warner Bros.) �� An album so good, even Lars should get paid for it �� FAMILY FORCE 5 – DANCE OR DIE (Transparent Media �� Group) �� “Crunk-rock” for the Hot Topic set �� RISE AGAINST – APPEAL TO REASON (Geffen) �� Political punk-rockers with plenty to rail against �� BAYSIDE – SHUDDER (Victory) & ROGUE SET – SHAKE �� THOSE HANDS (Self-released) �� Experimental punk bands raise the bar �� LIZ DURRETT – OUTSIDE OUR GATES (Warm) �� THE SMITHEREENS – B-SIDES THE BEATLES Eerie Southern gothic folk �� (Koch) �� 90’s Power-Poppers Still Relevant? ��

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�� CORDERO – DE DONDE ERES (Bloodshot) Latin pop, hold the spice �� JANELLE MONAE – METROPOLIS: THE CHASE SUITE (SPECIAL EDITION) (Bad Boy/Wondaland) The sound of the future �� PG 23 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

photo courtesy of fearworld.com

INsite’s Guide to Halloween Haunted Houses, Events and Costume Suppliers Haunted Houses

Netherworld

6624 Dawson Blvd., Norcross 404.608.2484 fearworld.com Open Nightly 7 - 11pm This year Netherworld has reached a whole new level of terror with two powerful new haunts: Carnivore and Mangler! In Carnivore, a pack of savage werewolves face inhuman creatures in a battle to the death with shocking special effects and adrenaline Twisted Little Sister: Netherworld pumping action! In Mangler, the deep, dark world of a twisted and disfigured serial killer, is truly one of the most terrifying attractions the haunt has created yet. Also, new for 2008 is the 17-foot-tall Pumpkin King (just don’t get too close), the Bottomless Pit (look down, if you dare), The Twisted Dentist (try to keep your mouth closed) and much more. Netherworld offers nearly a hundred “monsters” (skilled actors in eerily realistic costumes and makeup) on any given night. Netherworld is widely considered to be one of the best Haunted Houses in the nation. And, for the last five years, Netherworld Haunted House has been considered one of the Top Haunted Houses in the World… last year being voted #1 and #2 in America respectively by Hauntworld Magazine (one of the most respected sources in the haunted attraction industry) and AOL CityGuide.

Creepers Haunted House

2478 Atlanta Rd. Smyrna 404.909.9000 CreepersHauntedHouse.com Ticket Office: Open Mon – Thu 7–11pm; Fri & Sat 7-Midnight; (Closed Sundays) Not recommended for small children

Atlanta’s Largest and Creepiest Haunted House is back for its 6th

and best season yet! This year both haunted houses have been combined into one MONSTER Haunted House for 30,000 square feet of Thrills and Chills! Enter into a world where the dead are restless and the living become the hunted! With over 57 rooms of terror your darkest fears explode to life! Cross over the swinging bridge into the swamp of the dead where the water releases the spirits into the night! Make your way through the crushing walls and falling floors and enjoy the ride as terror takes you into an unforgettable night of fright! Creepers has a haunted party bus that can rented and can accomodate groups of 10-12 and includes VIP passes to the haunted house. Call 404.909.9000 for details.

Events

Little Five Points Halloween Parade

Euclid Ave @ Highland , Little Five Pts. www.littlefivepoints.net October 17 - 18

This annual two-day free event features entertainment, parade, costume contest, children's activities and more.

Atlanta HorrorFest 3

The Masquerade 695 North Avenue atlantahorrorfest.com October 23 - 26

Experience the best in horror entertainment featuring over 30 undead bands, an underground horror film festival, tons of contests, art show, and the world famous Zombie Walk Atlanta.

Boo at the Zoo

Zoo Atlanta 800 Cherokee Avenue, Atlanta www.zooatlanta.org Fri & Sat Oct. 10 - 25

Great fun for the whole family. Enchanted Zoo Boo Town reappears with a cast of costumed characters, even a talking tree, plus there's trick-or-treating in Candy Forest, rides on the Boo train and carousel and of course visits with the animals.

Fright Fest at Six Flags Over Georgia Six Flags Over Georgia www.sixflags.com Weekends, Oct 3 - Nov 2

The park will be totally transformed into a Halloween playground. Have a ghoulish good time with hair-raising shows, electifying street entertainment and the return of the popular Dr. Fright's Frightorium haunted house. There will also be a trick-or-treat trail, fun crafts and a special area just for kids.

Halloween Tours at the Oakland Cemetery Oakland Cemetery 248 Oakland Avenue oaklandcemetery.com October 24 - 25

Join the Historic Oakland Foundation at the final resting place of Atlanta's rich and famous. View the interiors of beautiful mausoleums and bear witness as "residents" return to life and offer their insights into local history. Bring a flashlight and wear comfortable walking shoes for this one-of-a-kind, guided walking tour.

Scarecrow in the Gardens, Fest of Ale!

Atlanta Botanical Garden 1345 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org October 1 - 31

Local individuals, artists, designers, organizations and businesses are invited to create scarecrows which will be displayed in the garden. On Thursday evenings, visitors can check them out during Fest of Ale. Each week, the event, held from 6-10 p.m., features a different variety of fine specialty beers and lively musical entertainment.

Opening Night: Thursday, October 2

OPEN Rain or Shine

�� ATLANTA’S LARGEST AND CREEPIEST HAUNTED HOUSE IS BACK FOR ITS 6TH AND BEST SEASON YET! 30,000 SQUARE FEET OF THRILLS & CHILLS! THIS WILL BE ONE HAUNTED HOUSE EXPERIENCE YOU WON’T SOON FORGET! “Voted Best Haunted House 2007” by Star 94 Listeners TICKET PRICES Monday–Thursday: $20 Friday & Saturday: $25 Ask for Group Discounts

2478 Atlanta Rd. | Smyrna, GA 30080 | 404-909-9000 www.CreepersHauntedHouse.com

HOURS Ticket Windows Open at 7pm Haunted House Opens at Dark See Website for Dates of Operation

285 to 75 North - Go one exit to Windy Hill Rd. - Turn Left towards Smyrna - Go approximately 3 miles Turn Left on Atlanta Road - Take an immediate Right into Belmont Hills – Look for the Big Lights in the Sky! PG 24 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

Costumes & Accessories

Spirit Halloween Superstores

8 Metro Locations SpiritHalloween-Atlanta.com

Halloween is our Business, our Only Business!

Spirit has the largest Halloween stores in the nation and. Spirit Halloween has been bringing the Halloween Spirit to communities for 25 years. Spirit offers the widest and most unique selection anywhere. Their years of experience help bring you andNOT most complete selection of costumes, the best WE’RE JUST AN AISLE masks, wigs, accessories, IN A PARTY STORE, makeup, and decorations – with WE’RE many products you won’t find in any other PURE HALLOWEEN storeEXCITEMENT or on any other site. Everything you can imagWE ARE PROUD TO OFFER THE ine for Halloween isNEWEST at Spirit. AND MOST COMPLETE SELECTION OF: This year, dress to impress in one of their original, COSTUMES ACCESSORIES sexy, funny, hilarious adult Halloween costumes. MASKS WIGS Cheerleader, geisha, mermaid, nun, gladiator, zomMAKEUP PARTY GOODS bie, Viking, orangutan – name your fantasy costume AND DECORATIONS and find it at Spirit Halloween. Strut your stuff in We dare any other one of hundreds of sexy costumes by Playboy, Leg competitor to match Avenue Dreamgirls. Indulge your inner princess ourand selection! in one of their stunning theater quality costumes. Go for the jugular in a petrifying werewolf or vampire costume. Ham it up in an outrageously ridiculous joke costume. They have so many great adult Halloween costume ideas, you’ll wish every day was Halloween! Spirit has a wide range of accessories and props to add the finishing touch to any costume. From King’s scepters, wizards wands, soldiers guns and carpenters hammers, they have it. They sell limbs, lashes, whips and sashes, plastic swords, fake guns, even habits for nuns. Add some flair to your costume with a feather boa. There are badges, axes, bones and glasses: costume accessories for everyone. BUCKHEAD:

DUNWOODY:

GWINNETT:

DRUID HILLS:

ALPHARETTA:

CUMMING:

Buckhead Place (Next to Disco Kroger) 3232 Peachtree Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30305 (404) 842-9936

Toco Hills Shopping Center: 2975 N. Druid Hills Rd Atlanta, GA 30329 404-325-2582

Perimeter Village (Next to Wal-mart) 4715 Ashford Dunwoody Rd Atlanta, GA 30338 (678) 731-9938

North Point Mall 1030 North Point Circle Alpharetta, GA 30022 (678) 624-9061

Mall Corners (Next to HH Greg) 2131 Pleasant Hill Rd Duluth, GA 30096 (770) 495-3833

CONYERS:

Conyers Crossroad 1478-B Dogwood Dr SE Conyers, GA 30013 (770)860-9822

HIRAM:

Hiram Crossing 4272 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy Cumming Marketplace (Next to Wal-Mart) Hiram, GA 30141 1350 Market Place Blvd. (770) 943-4450 Cumming, GA 30041 WWW.SPIRITHALLOWEEN-ATLANTA.COM (678) 965-6691

Psycho Sisters Little 5 Points 404.523.0100 Sandy Springs 404.255.5578 Cartersville 770.607.0888 www.psycho-sisters.com

Psycho Sisters consignment shops are an Atlanta hotspot for over 15 years. Their Little 5 Points store is a tourest destination. Psycho Sisters has been voted #1 clothing store by CitySearch, Creative Loafing and INsite. They buy, trade and sell guys and girls current mall trends, club clothing, designer samples as well as 60’s hippie, 70’s disco, 80’s rocker and 90’s gothic clothing and accessories. Shoppers can find an 80’s prom dress with fishnet stockings and pink heels to match! Or perhaps go for a 70’s disco dress with white go-go boots and a Farah wig. Or, a fun flapper dress with matching hat. For men, you’ll find white platform shoes with a psycho-delic, sparkly disco shirts. Also find Afro wigs and Elvis shades. This Halloween Psycho Sisters is overstocked so come in and get close out cheap prices on costumes. Free bracelets or earrings come with any purchase of $10 or more at any of their stores.

Junkman’s Daughter

464 Moreland Ave. Little 5 Pts. 404.577.3188 One of the largest and most successful retailers in Little Five Points, Junkman's Daughter is ready this Halloween! This 26 year old alternative department store boasts 10,000 square feet of retail space. They stock cutting edge brands for guys and girls, fantastic footwear, awesome accessories, a unique gift department filled with unusual items and decor, posters and tees, and a fully stocked tobacco shop for your smoking needs. Here you will find 100's of wigs, costumes, accessories, and decorations. Some of the popular costumes to choose from are: Nurses, Schoolgirls, Devils, Pimps, Pirates, Jailbirds, Fetish, Fairy tale, 70's, and even a big foot costume. They also have masks like the Hillary Clinton and a wide range of your political favorites. Junkman’s has the craziest, most unique costumes in town, get shopping early for the best selection!

Halloween is our Business, our Only Business! WE’RE NOT JUST AN AISLE IN A PARTY STORE, WE’RE PURE HALLOWEEN EXCITEMENT WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER THE NEWEST AND MOST COMPLETE SELECTION OF: COSTUMES ACCESSORIES MASKS WIGS MAKEUP PARTY GOODS AND DECORATIONS

We dare any other competitor to match our selection! BUCKHEAD:

Buckhead Place (Next to Disco Kroger) 3232 Peachtree Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30305 (404) 842-9936

DUNWOODY:

Perimeter Village (Next to Wal-mart) 4715 Ashford Dunwoody Rd Atlanta, GA 30338 (678) 731-9938

GWINNETT:

DRUID HILLS:

ALPHARETTA:

CUMMING:

Toco Hills Shopping Center: 2975 N. Druid Hills Rd Atlanta, GA 30329 404-325-2582

North Point Mall 1030 North Point Circle Alpharetta, GA 30022 (678) 624-9061

Mall Corners (Next to HH Greg) 2131 Pleasant Hill Rd Duluth, GA 30096 (770) 495-3833

CONYERS:

Conyers Crossroad 1478-B Dogwood Dr SE Conyers, GA 30013 (770)860-9822

HIRAM:

Hiram Crossing Cumming Marketplace 4272 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy (Next to Wal-Mart) Hiram, GA 30141 1350 Market Place Blvd. (770) 943-4450 Cumming, GA 30041 WWW.SPIRITHALLOWEEN-ATLANTA.COM (678) 965-6691 PG 25 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

�� COSTUMES AND BLING

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FREE BRACELET OR EARRINGS W/ ANY PURCHASE OF $10 OR MORE

LITTLE FIVE POINTS 404-523-0100 PSYCHO-SISTERS.COM CARTERSVILLE: 770-607-0888 SANDY SPRINGS: 404-255-5578 PSYCHOSISTERSSHOPS.COM

CLOSEOUT COSTUMES OVERSTOCK SALE! GET COSTUMES CHEAP!

FILM

BY RYAN LOFTIS

SCAR BAIT: TWO WORDS THAT perfectly describe many of the entries on the fall movie lineup. Fall is always the time when studios roll out their most prestigious productions, featuring the most acclaimed actors, directors and writers in the business. This year is no different. Stars will be reunited, franchises will keep on trucking and books will come to life. Different films appealing to almost any demographic imaginable will be found at your local theater, all in an attempt to grab not only dollars, but statues. Fall is the best movie season of the year, so enjoy it while it lasts. Remember, good movies will be nothing but a memory come the Oscar ceremony.

talent and a reservoir of darkness, needs a hit after stumbling this summer with The Happening.

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

The Stars: Dakota Fanning, Paul Bettany, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo The Story: A 14-year-old girl (Fanning) and her nanny (Hudson) flee their South Caroline town in 1964 and find a safe haven at a farm owned by three sisters. The Scoop: Fox Searchlight has had a winning record with smaller films like Juno and Little Miss Sunshine finding big audiences. Being based on a bestseller and featuring a stellar cast should enable Bees to enter that category.

BODY OF LIES

The Stars: Leonardo BODY OF LIES DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Carice van Houten The Story: A CIA veteran (Crowe) sends operative Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) on the trail of an elusive terrorist. The Scoop: The formula of Crowe + director Ridley Scott + another big star worked wonders last year with American Gangster. Unfortunately, movies with plotlines reflecting the War on Terror have failed to catch on with audiences. Will the magic work twice and break this daunting record?

CITY OF EMBER

The Stars: Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, Martin Landau The Story: The lights in the City of Ember are about to go out forever, and two teenagers (Ronan and Treadaway) race to find clues that will save the city. The Scoop: The supporting cast is outstanding, and 14-year-old Ronan is already an Academy Award nominee. Director Gil Kenan has already demonstrated his talent for creating fantasy worlds with Monster House.

QUARANTINE

The Stars: Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris The Story: A Los Angeles TV reporter (Carpenter) and her cameraman (Harris) find themselves trapped in an apartment building quarantined by the Centers for Disease Control after a resident is infected with something unknown. The Scoop: Carpenter is certainly familiar with horror, with previous credits including The Exorcism of Emily Rose and the serial killer TV series Dexter. This should attract horror fans for a few weeks until Saw V comes out. OCTOBER 17th

MAX PAYNE

The Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Ludacris, Donal Logue, Chris O’Donnell The Story: A cop (Wahlberg) seeks revenge on those responsible for the murders of his family and partner. The Scoop: The video game series has sold more than 7 million copies, but using games as inspiration can backfire. Wahlberg, an action hero with

The Stars: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Thandie Newton, Richard Dreyfuss, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn The Story: Oliver Stone directs what he claims is a “fair, true” dramatization of the life and presidency of George W. Bush. The Scoop: Why Stone thought the life story of a man who had everything handed to him was worth telling is difficult to understand. Why anyone thought a biopic of a president with historically low approval ratings needed to be released is unfathomable. The stellar cast won’t be enough to save this from oblivion.

PRIDE AND GLORY

The Stars: Paul Sorvino, Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Anthony Head, Alexa Vega The Story: A rock musical about an epidemic that has devastated the planet in the near future, with the only hope coming from a biotech firm that provides life-saving transplants. The Scoop: Hot on the heels of Hamlet 2, here’s another musical about an unlikely subject. Nutty premise aside, the organ failure epidemic seems to be an unsubtle reminder of Amerca’s unhealthy habits.

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK

NOVEMBER 14th

The Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest The Story: A theatre director (Hoffman) struggles to keep his life together while trying to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse for his new play.

CHANGELING

The Stars: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Kelly The Story: A woman (Jolie) whose son disappears in 1928 L.A. becomes convinced that the boy returned to her is not hers. The Scoop: Glowing reviews at Cannes show that director Clint Eastwood is still at the top of his game at 78. Given the setting, suspenseful tale and outstanding cast, this could be the L.A. Confidential of this decade. The Stars: Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius, Laurent Grevill The Story: A former doctor (Scott Thomas) is released from prison and comes to live with her younger sister (Zylberstein), with whom she is barely acquainted. The Scoop: Buzz suggests this could be on a lot of Top 10 Lists.

PASSENGERS

The Stars: Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, Dianne Wiest, Andre Braugher The Story: A therapist (Hathaway) assigned to counsel the survivors of a plane crash develops a

REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA

The Stars: Colin Farrell, Edward Norton, Jon Voight, Noah Emmerich, Jennifer Ehle The Story: The strength of a multi-generational New York City police family is tested when one of the sons (Norton) is forced to investigate his brother (Emmerich) and brother-in-law (Farrell). The Scoop: The storyline isn’t original, but it’s great to see Norton back in heavy roles. Farrell and Voight are better known for things other than acting lately, but this film offers an opportunity to showcase their talents.

OCTOBER 24th

I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG

merous beautiful locations. The Scoop: Good or bad, the 007 series is an institution. Craig overcame doubters 2 years ago by earning terrific review, leading Casino Royale to the highest gross in Bond franchise history.

romance with one of them (Wilson) while the others begin disappearing. The Scoop: Hathaway continues her pattern of picking varied roles, which, combined with her talent, should ensure a long career.

AUSTRALIA

The Stars: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Bryan Brown The Story: A pre-WWII English aristocrat (Kidman) travels to Australia to sell her philandering husband’s cattle farm, only to fall in love with the land as well as a cowboy (Jackman). The Scoop: Filmed on location with a reported $130 million budget, this a labor of love for director Baz Luhrmann. The last time he and Kidman collaborated (Moulin Rogue), it earned the actress an Oscar nomination. After several painful flops, Kidman’s career could use another boost.

NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS

The Scoop: Having written Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Charlie Kaufman attempts to extend his attention to directing. Based on the glowing reviews, he was successful. NOVEMBER 7th

QUANTUM OF SOLACE

The Stars: Daniel Craig, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench, Gemma Arterton, Olga Kurylenko, Jeffrey Wright The Story: Picking up an only hour after Casino Royale left off, Bond discovers that Mr. White, whom he shot at the end of the previous film, is part of a global conspiracy that extends into nu-

The Stars: John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Freddy Rodriguez, Alfred Molina, Jay Hernandez The Story: A Puerto Rican family comes together to celebrate what may be their last Christmas together. The Scoop: There’s a battle between this and Four Christmases for the title of top holiday comedy of the season. This film features a talented cast, but the star-studded Four Christmases seems to have the edge.

THE ROAD

The Stars: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Robert Duvall The Story: A man (Mortensen) and his son (SmitMcPhee) try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. The Scoop: There is perhaps no more prestigious source material for a movie than Cormac McCarthy’s novel of the same name. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, it was also named the

PG 27 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

FILM The Scoop: With the brilliant Penn starring, Franco in a key role and Gus Van Sant behind the camera, this biopic has Oscar prestige written all over it. DECEMBER 5th

FROST/NIXON

single best book of the last 25 years by Entertainment Weekly. Director John Hillcoat and his cast have a lot to live up to.

ROLE MODELS

The Stars: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Elizabeth Banks, Jane Lynch The Story: Two salesman (Scott and Rudd) who’ve had too many energy drinks trash a company truck and must spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program to avoid jail. The Scoop: This is Rudd’s screenwriting debut, and if it’s half as funny as his work in Judd Apatow’s movies, we’re in for a treat.

SOUL MEN

The Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Issac Hayes, Jennifer Coolidge, Sean Hayes The Story: Two R & B backup singers (Jackson and Mac) reunite after 20 years to perform at their former lead singer’s memorial service. The Scoop: Mac was always underrated, and this bittersweet role allowed him to move into a new direction. The shocking deaths of Mac and Hayes adds a tremendous curiosity value. NOVEMBER 21st

THE SOLOIST

The Stars: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener The Story: A journalist (Downey) looking for a story meets a former music prodigy who is now a homeless schizophrenic (Foxx). THE SOLOIST The Scoop: Foxx (Ray) certainly knows how to portray troubled musical prodigies, and Downey is Hollywood’s new comeback kid with the successes of Iron Man and Tropic Thunder. They should make a dynamite team.

The Stars: Michael Sheen, Frank Langella, Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell The Story: The film adaptation of the Broadway play recreates events leading up to talk show host David Frost’s (Sheen) historic 1977 TV interview with disgraced former president Richard M. Nixon (Langella). The Scoop: Will the adaptation translate to the big screen? The fact that director Ron Howard has an excellent record with films based on real events (see Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind) certainly inspires confidence. This looks like the film W. wants to be.

The Stars: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco The Story: Based on the story of former San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk (Penn), the first openly gay man elected to a major political office when he was murdered by Dan White (Brolin) in 1978. PG 28 • insiteatlanta.com • October 2008

The Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Nikki Reed The Story: A teenage outsider (Stewart) falls in love with a vampire (Pattinson). The Scoop: The movie version of Stephanie Meyer’s book series is this year’s Harry Potter. With 30+ weeks on the NY Times bestseller list and

MARLEY & ME

The Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, Alan Arkin The Story: A mischievous dog impacts the life of the family who raises him. The Scoop: It’s a good idea for Wilson to change directions after the failure of Drillbit Taylor earlier this year, but dog stories would seem to appeal more to kids than the PG-13 audience this film is aiming for.

THE SPIRIT

The Stars: Gabriel Macht, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Jaime King The Story: A cop (Macht) returns from the dead

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

The Stars: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates, John Cleese, Jaden Smith The Story: This remake of the 1951 classic again brings the alien Klaatu (Reeves) to Earth. His message this time around: Destroy the environment and you destroy mankind. The Scoop: There’s no denying the message on saving the planet is more important than ever before, but director Scott Derrickson better not let the movie get too preachy. Still, since this is a big-budget sci-fi flick, the message is likely to be surrounded by plenty of eye-popping effects.

DEFIANCE

The Stars: Daniel Craig, Live Schreiber, Jamie Bell, George MacKay The Story: The Bielski brothers (Craig, Schreiber, Bell) flee into the woods of Belarus after the Nazis invade in 1942 to recruit other Jews to join a campaign of resistance. The Scoop: Director Edward Zwick brings the true story of the Bielski partisans to life. The last time Zwick tackled a war story based on real events, the result was the magnificent Glory in 1989.

CHANGELING more than 5.5 million books in print, fans will storm the box office early and often.

YES MAN

The Stars: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Danny Masterson, Bradley Cooper The Story: A loan officer (Carrey) is inspired to say yes to every offer thrown at him after attending a motivational seminar. The Scoop: Carrey hasn’t had a hit since Bruce Almighty 5 years ago. A movie that lets him bungee jump and get high on Red Bull looks like the perfect comeback vehicle. DECEMBER 25th

BEDTIME STORIES

The Stars: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Courtney Cox The Story: The fantastical bedtime stories a handyman (Sandler) tells his niece and nephew magically begin coming to life. The Scoop: As the audience that made him a star grows up, it’s probably a good idea for Sandler to cater to a younger. Tim Herlihy, who penned seven previous Sandler flicks, wrote the screenplay.

FOUR CHRISTMASES

MILK

TWILIGHT

one more qualified than Tim Story (whose biggest credits are the Fantastic Four movies) to direct?

DECEMBER 12th

NOVEMBER 26th

The Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Robert Duvall, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam The Story: There’s little to be merry about for a young couple (Vaughn and Witherspoon) who must spend Christmas Day with each of their four divorced parents. The Scoop: Witherspoon and Vaughn reportedly got along badly on set. But whatever struggles occurred during filming, don’t bet against the big name cast with Witherspoon back in her most commercially successfully genre.

The Story: An IRS agent (Smith) contemplating suicide co-opts his brother’s identity and falls in love with a terminally ill woman (Dawson). The Scoop: No one can get people in seats the way Smith can. When he and director Gabriele Muccino collaborated on The Pursuit of Happyness, the result was huge box office and Smith’s second Oscar nod.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

DOUBT

The Stars: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis The Story: In 1964 the principal (Streep) of a Bronx Catholic school accuses a parish priest (Hoffman) of sexually abusing the school’s only black student. The Scoop: Writer-director John Patrick Shanley’s first feature since Joe Versus the Volcano 18 years ago should be a better experience, since he’s adapting his Tony Award-winning Broadway show. He has a terrific cast, and Streep seems a likely candidate for a record 15th Oscar nomination.

SEVEN POUNDS

The Stars: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson

The Stars: Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond The Story: Benjamin Button (Pitt) is a man born with a disorder that causes him to age in reverse. The Scoop: It’s an unusual story, but Pitt and director David Fincher have successfully challenged audiences with Fight Club and Se7en. Coming on the heels of Burn After Reading, could Pitt get an Oscar nod?

HURRICANE SEASON

The Stars: Forest Whitaker, Khelo Thomas, Isaiah Washington, Bow Wow The Story: A year after Hurricane Katrina, a Louisiana high school basketball coach (Whitaker) assembles a team of players from five different schools and leads them on a march to the state championship. The Scoop: The inspiring story fits well with the holiday spirit. But couldn’t they have gotten some-

as a crime fighter named the Spirit, who battles the evil octopus (Jackson) for control of Central City. The Scoop: Comic book fans have no doubt had this one marked on their calendars for a long time, but Macht, with his thin résumé’, is, to put it politely, a surprise choice for the lead. Remember the howls of protest from Batman fans when Michael Keaton was chosen to play the Caped Crusader? The reason there hasn’t been a similar protest against Macht is probably because most people don’t know who he is. DECEMBER 26th

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

The Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Ryan Simpkins, Ty Simpkins The Story: This adaptation of Richard Yates’ 1961 novel follows an unhappily married couple (DiCaprio and Winslet) as their lives disintegrate and they move to Paris in an attempt to escape their misery. The Scoop: A warning to those who waited 11 years for Leo and Kate to reunite: If you’re looking for another timeless love story, break out the Titanic DVD. The stars have made it clear this is a much darker tale. With eight Oscar nominations between them, don’t be surprised if both Winslet and DiCaprio find themselves on the short list for the little gold statues next February. Director Sam Mendes certainly knows how to tell stories of suburban discontent: He won an Oscar for American Beauty.

FANATIC BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS Fanatic happened to be in CHICAGO the week that both of the city’s baseball teams, the CUBBIES and WHITE SOX, began their playoff runs against the LA Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays respectively. Here are a few things we learned about them: 1) Lou Piniella, the Cubs manager, and the Dodgers’ Joe Torre have combined to manage 7,267 regularseason major-league games (4,005 for Torre and 3,262 for Piniella), the most combined games for two opposing skippers in a postseason series; 2) The Cubs (97-64 in the regular season) and Sox (89-74) had a better combined winning percentage (.574) than they’ve had since 1937; 3) Who says there’s bias in journalism? The Chicago Tribune asked nine staff members to predict the World Series winner. Only three selected the Cubs. Five picked the Anaheim Angels. Once chose the Boston Red Sox. “First of all, wow. I am overwhelmed by the response to my first blog entry. I think I read the first 402 comments. A lot of them were crazy. A thousand comments in the first day? That makes me happy. I’ve been telling people, “Man I got a blog on ESPN,” and they go, “Yeah, boy, but you’re latest song is crazy!” and I’m like, “I know, but did you see my blog?” I am so excited to have this opportunity. You don’t understand. I got ESPN tattooed on my arm. I’ve had it for at least three months now, so that should show you how seriously I’m gonna take this.” –RAPPER LIL WAYNE, on his second entry as an ESPN. com blogger The TENNESSEE TITANS and BUFFALO BILLS are two of the most improbable 4-0 teams anyone could have named. For one team, their beloved franchise QB, Titan Vince Young, isn’t even the starter any longer. For the other, some guy named Trent Edwards is. While Fanatic still isn’t yet a believer on either team being a playoff-caliber squad (Hell, the Bills’ opponents at press time were a combined 4-11), we can’t help but keep a closer eye on the two of them the rest of the way. “He will be in our biological passport program, the program with Astana. He cannot be any more transparent than that. If you need to show to the world that everything is in good order, this is the way to do it.’’ –PAT MC

SPORTS NEWS

A Monthly Sports Must-See TV Wrap-up Top 5 Games This Month

QUAID, PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CYCLING FED ERATION, on Lance Armstrong’s plan to prove he’s drug-free before he returns to next year’s Tour de France. Here are a few interesting tidbits from a NHL SEASON that dropped its first puck on October 4: October 26 is the only non-holiday or all-starrelated day where there will be no games played this season… Colorado, Ottawa and Pittsburgh are the only Lil Wayne three teams with eight-game homestands… The Boston got ESPN Bruins have 12 afternoon games, by far the most in the tattooed on NHL… Each team will play 18 inter-conference conhis arm. tests, up from 10 a year ago… 22 of the LA Kings’ first 31 games are at home… On October 25, all 30 teams will play on the same day for only the second time ever. According to TRAVEL & LEISURE GOLF MAGA ZINE, these are the 10 finest golf courses in America: 1. Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina; 2. Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina; 3. Pebble Beach Resorts, Monterey Peninsula, California ; 4. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Oregon; 5. Kapalua Golf Resort, West Maui, Hawaii; 6. Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, Scottsdale, Arizona; 7. The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa, Scottsdale, Arizona; 8. The American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin; 9. Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida; 10. Reynolds Plantation, on Lake Oconee, Georgia Five October 25th college football games that may decide what happens in January: Texas Tech at Kansas; LSU at UGA; Penn State at Ohio State; Alabama at Tennessee and Oklahoma State at Texas. And finally… On September 8, Detroit’s Gary Sheffield hit Major League Baseball’s 250,000th home run… The 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany will open in Berlin and conclude in Frankfurt… The White Sox’s AL Central tiebreaker victory over Minnesota in Game 163 was the team’s only 1-0 win of the year… Houston Rocket and part-time MC Ron Artest has a new Gangsta Grillz mixtape out with DJ Drama and it ain’t half bad… ESPN’s September 16 Eagles/Cowboys Monday Night Football contest drew 18.6 million viewers, the largest cable audience ever… TCU is only giving up 29.4 rushing yards per game.

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World Series

Cleveland at Boston; Portland at LA Lakers

Tampa Bay vs. New York Rangers; Ottawa vs. Pittsburgh

San Diego at Buffalo

(Starts Oct. 22, TBA, Fox)

Looking at the eight playoﬀ teams, almost any match-up works here. Still, there’s something magical about a Red Sox/Cubs battle.

Missouri at Texas; Kansas at Oklahoma (October 18, TBA, TBA)

The Big 12 has its biggest day of the year. The biggest winner might play for the big title in Jan.

(October 28, TNT, 8PM and 10:30PM)

King James. KG. Kobe. Can’t ask for a better NBA tip-oﬀ.

(October 4, 12 and 2:30; Versus)

The NHL starts its season in two of the only cities that appreciate the start to the hockey season— Prague and Stockholm.

(October 19, 1PM, CBS)

If the Bills are for real, they prove it here against LT, in front of a national audience of doubters on MNF.

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FILM INTERVIEW

�� Seth Rogan & Kevin Smith Make A Movie BY MATT GOLDBERG

n case you were wondering (or needed to be convinced), Seth Rogen is the real deal. The guy is frighteningly fast with jokes, as I discovered from interviewing him at this year’s San Diego Comic Con for his upcoming flick, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. I spoke him to him about the new Kevin Smith-directed film, as well as his upcoming work on The Green Hornet. Why do Zack and Miri make this porno? For the same reason most people make porno: money, I assume. Yeah, it’s strictly out of a financial situation. They get the idea that porn makes a lot of money in this world and quick money and that’s where it all comes from. As a writer yourself, how did you adapt to Kevin Smith’s writing? It was great. It wasn’t much of an adaptation. I like to improv and stay loose, and he was cool with that. At the same time, the script was really well written and easy to perform so it was a pleasure. Kevin Smith writes long passages of dialogue referring to all his favorite movies. What passages of dialogue are there in this film?

There’s a passage where I talk about Clerks for like three pages. [Laughter] Yeah, there are some chunks here and there, but I’m trying to think… We make a lot of fun of a lot of movie titles. There’s a nice little Sleeping With the Enemy moment that I enjoyed. Does it seem like he has more insight into this genre than he does another genre, like scienceﬁction for example? Of the porno genre, you mean? Kevin seems like he’s familiar with porn. He wrote the script with one hand. [Laughter] Well, you and Kevin are both big comic fans. Did you guys spend time after hours talking comics and how did the girls react to that? Yeah, there were also times when I’d talk with Jason Mewes about comics also. It was a pretty nerdy set. If there was a pot every time Jack Kirby’s name came up, we’d be rich. [Laughter]

You recently said you felt you were in too many ﬁlms. Are you slowing down for a little while? I’ve tried not to set up any more right now, which is such a total fuckin’ dick thing to say. I’m aware of that. You just want to try and keep doing good stuﬀ, and it’s tough to do that nonstop constantly for years and years on end. What are you doing in your down time? I’m just going to hang out, man. Watch some porn, relax. Haven’t you watched enough? No. Not until I’ve seen all of it. [Laughter] Are you watching any Blu-Ray porn? I don’t know if I’d want to watch porn in BluRay. There’s something that the pixilation adds to it. Some things you don’t want to see that clearly.

Did you and Kevin talk about Green Hornet? I didn’t even know he had worked on it when I ﬁrst started working on it. He told me his stories, I told him [mine and co-writer Evan Goldberg’s]. He gave me Green Hornet stickers from 1964. It was a good time.

How does getting into the adult industry change Zack and Miri? I become a werewolf three-quarters of the way through the ﬁlm. [Laughter] I think it helps them with their ambition issues in life. They ﬁnd a drive and emotions. And lycanism.

What’s your favorite Kevin Smith ﬁlm? I liked Clerks a lot. I ﬁrst saw that when I was pretty young, I guess, and I thought, Wow, you can make a movie where people talk about blowjobs for ten minutes straight? And that’s what I do now. [Laughter]

What’s it like going from a ﬁlm like this to doing voice work for animated ﬁlms? Well I do all my voice work naked anyway. [Laughter] Next time you watch The Spiderwick Chronicles, think of that.

What preparation did you do for the ﬁlm? Not much. I watch a lot of porn in general. I was set! I grew a beard. That was it.

Since we’re at Comic-Con, what’s the geekiest thing about you? My Sailor Moon costume I’m wearing underneath this. [Laughter]

Is there any genre of porn you prefer in particular? POV Gonzo. [Laughter] That’s a weird question.

Are you already busy training for Green Hornet? Yeah, I go beat up three guys every night, just in bars in shit. Just knock people’s hats oﬀ. Shit

I DON’T KNOW IF I’D WANT TO WATCH PORN IN BLU-RAY. THERE’S SOMETHING THAT THE PIXILATION ADDS TO IT. SOME THINGS YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THAT CLEARLY. like that. [Laughter] No, not yet. As you can see, I’ve worked out about four times. You can see it’s done wonders. A complete transformation has occurred. I actually used to do karate as a kid. Almost ten years. Me and Mewes fought earlier. He kicked my ass. Yeah, I need to get into some better shape than this. Just for life. Just to live. [Laughter]

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