INsite Atlanta January 2010 Issue by INsite Magazine

January 2010

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tainment Monthly r e t n E s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; a t n Atla

Vol. 18, No. 6 FREE

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MUSEUM OF ART ATLANTA

“IT’S IRRESISTIBLE!” MICHAEL RIEDEL, NEW YORK POST

Saturday, January 23, 2010 Things to see

©ÊLITTLESTAR

7 p.m.–12 midnight

Leonardo da Vinci: Hand of the Genius The Portrait Unbound: Photographs by Robert Weingarten John Portman: Art and Architecture Things to do

Drawing in the Galleries, 7:30–10:30 p.m. Craft Workshop, 8–11 p.m. Things to hear

DJ Tabone, 8–10:30 p.m. (With dance performance choreographed by Heather Harper)

Jaspects, 10:30–11:30 p.m. Tickets at High.org, $7 with valid college I.D. (Student members free) Become a fan! www.facebook.com/HighMuseumofArt

FEBRUARY 9 – 14 THE FOX THEATRE

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CONTENTS • JANUARY 2010 • VOLUME 18.6

Dining at Chin Chin is pure pleasure ��

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Atlanta’s

Entertainment Monthly

INTERVIEWS

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12 DWAYNE JOHNSON 18 SUGARLAND 22 JASON REITMAN 23 DUST TO DIGITAL 27 JOURNEY 31 CHRIS PAUL

�� Buckhead/Brookhaven

�� East Cobb ��

FEATURES

06 WORST POLITICIANS 06 BEST BOOKS 08 HIGH COLLEGE NIGHT 09 SALON DEALS 2010 10 SCIFI / WORLD FILMS 11 NOODLE BOWLS 15 TOP FILMS 19 SURVIVING MUSICAL ACTS 21 BEST TV SHOWS 24 EDUCATION GUIDE 26 BEST WEBSITES 28 HIPHOP / PUNK MUSIC 30 BEST ATHLETES / TEAMS

COLUMNS

THANK YOU ATLANTA!

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04 AROUND TOWN 05 ON TAP 05 ON A DIME EVENTS 07 UNDER THE LIGHTS 13 MOVIE REVIEWS 14 VIDEO GAMES 14 VIDIOTS 16 CONCERT CALENDAR 18 ROAD WARRIORS 19 WE GOT NEXT 20 ALBUMS

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www.insiteatlanta.com STAFF LISTING Publisher Stephen Miller steve@insiteatlanta.com National Managing Editor Bret Love bret@insiteatlanta.com Art Director / Web Design 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 marci@insiteatlanta.com

Contributing Writers / Interns: John Moore, Jon Latham, Ryan Loftis, Matt Goldberg, Rodney Hill, Alex S. Morrison, Sacha Dzuba, Roger Presswood, Dave Cohen, Russ Marshalek and Jennifer Sefa-Boakye 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 misleading 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.

Check out Winter Education Guide on page 24!

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Around Town Museums & Exhibits

The High Museum of Art will host its first ever Collectors’ Evening on Jan. 30. The event, created to build and improve the Museum’s permanent collection, invites guests to take an active role in choosing the next work of art to the join the collection. For more information, visit high.org/ collectorsevening. The High is located at 1280 Peachtree Street. The Center for Puppetry Arts will present a Jon Ludwig original production of “Rainforest Adventures” from Jan. 12-March 7. The show will offer kids the chance to experience a day in the life of more than 30 exotic plants and animals from the Amazon rainforest. So it’s like “Avatar” but with puppets instead of 3D. Go to puppet.org for additional showtimes and ticket information. The Atlanta History Center will offer “Let Your Motto Be Resistance: Opening Day Celebration” on Jan. 30 from 10am-5pm. In celebration of the opening of Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits, some of the influential African Americans featured in the exhibition will be brought to life through living history performances designed to share the subject’s stories of personal struggle and triumph. Other family friendly activities include hands-on crafts that explore the artists, musicians, and writers of the Harlem Renaissance, a tap dance clinic, and an engaging family guide. This program is included in the price of Atlanta History Center general admission. For more info, call 404-814-4000 or visit atlantahistorycenter.com.

Sporting Events

The Atlanta Hawks feature seven solid home games this month with the Boston Celtics coming

to town on Jan. 8 and Jan. 29. The Washington Wizards visit on Jan. 13 with Phoenix (Jan. 15), Oklahoma City (Jan. 18), Sacramento (Jan. 20) and Charlotte (Jan. 22) also coming to Philips Arena. Go to nba.com/hawks for schedule and ticket infor.

WWE brings professional wrestling to Philips Arena on Jan. 31 at 7:45pm. All of your favor WWE stars will hit the ATL for the Royal Rumble. Tickets start at $29 and go as high as $304. Visit philipsarena.com for scheduling details. The Atlanta Thrashers are slowly working their way back into playoﬀ contention in the NHL. Don’t miss Ilya Kovalchuk hit the ice for seven home matches this month. The highlights include Carolina in town on Jan. 21 and Anaheim on Jan. 26. Visit atlantathrashers.com for more info.

Theatre, Film & Performing Arts The Alliance Theatre will host the a cappella musical, Avenue X this month. The theater will oﬀer Industry Nights during two of its preview performances on Jan. 15 at 8pm and Jan. 17 at 7:30pm. Simply use promo code INDUSTRY online or when you call the box oﬃce at 404-7335000 and you’ll get $10 tickets. The musical is set in Brooklyn in 1963. Visit alliancetheatre.org for more details. Don’t miss another great event at the Alliance Theatre. The Hertz Stage will host the world premiere of Ismail Khalidi’s “Tennis in Nablus,” a story about Khalidi’s own life and accounts from his family. It is a genre bending play that is both funny and thoughtful to historical context. The play begins on Jan. 29 and runs through Feb. 21.

Actor’s Express presents the Southeastern premiere production of “Good Boys & True” on Jan. 14. The play, written by Robert Aguirre-Sacasa, is directed by Melissa Foulger. The story is set in the 1980s in a private Catholic school where the boys are clean cut, well bred, Ivy-League bound and having a lot of sex. How can you beat that combo? Visit actors-express.com for additional info. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will perform the 18th annual musical tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “A King Celebration” on Jan. 14 at 8pm at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel of Morehouse College. The program will feature Wynton Marsalis’s Blues Symphony; Part I of Slavery Documents by Donald Sur; Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3, and the traditional “We Shall Overcome.” Visit atlantasymphony.org for details.

Hands On Atlanta is celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. will the 17th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Summit on Jan. 18. There will be a Freedom Rally at Morehouse School of Medicine Auditorium at 8:30am with local leaders in service and civil rights. Hands On Atlanta will then host more than 2,000 volunteers on service projects around Atlanta schools. For more info, visit mlkhandsonatlanta.org.

Here’s a good show for the whole family. Gustafer Yellowgold’s Show returns to Eddie’s Attic in Decatur on Jan. 24 for a pair of shows. Morgan Taylor illustrated, wrote and created the multimedia musical moving storybook and has been named “Best Kids’ Performer” by New York Magazine. Eddie’s Attic is located at 515 N. McDonough Street. Show times are noon and 3pm. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for children.

Special Events Looking to have a baby? There will be a free fertility seminar on Jan. 13 at 7pm produced by Georgia Reproductive Specialists. Their oﬃce is located at 5445 Meridian Mark Road, Suite 270. Dr. Mark Perloe will explore issues related to the diagnosis and treatment of infertility with ovulation induction, insemination and surgery as well as vitro fertilization. Go to ivf.com for additional info.

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LOCAL EVENTS

On Tap this Month EMAIL EVENTS TO ONTAP@INSITEATLANTA.COM

January 9: Georgia Dome

MONSTER JAM

What’s better than monster trucks smashing cars and other monster trucks? Nothing, absolutely nothing. Monster Jam comes to the Georgia Dome with all the mayhem you’d expect from such an event. Ticket packages range from as low as $10 to $200, which includes a DVD, souvenier hat and a U.S. Hot Rod yearbook. It’s the perfect event for the whole family. That is if your family likes destructive awesomeness.

January 13-24: Atlantic Station

ATLANTA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the annual homage to the best in Jewish film. More than 50 narrative and documentary films will be available for the event held at the Regal theater in Atlantic Station, Lefont Sandy Springs Theater and the Regal Medlock Crossing Stadium 18. Highlights include the animated film “Mary & Max,” which opened the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and “Berlin ‘36,” the story of Jewish high jumper Gretel Bergmann. Find tickets at ajff.org.

February 5: Wild Bill’s

FIGHT NIGHT

Try a dose of MMA that you don’t have to watch on television. Wild Bill’s hosts Fight Night 25 with Junie Browning as the featured ﬁghter of the night. Tickets range from $25 to $100 for advanced sales. For more information on the lineup, check out fullthrottlemma.com or undisputedproductions.com. Fighting is much better in person, but don’t take our word for it. See it yourself.

January 30: Georgia Dome

HONDA BATTLE OF THE BANDS

The Honda Battle of the Bands Celebration tour spotlights the excellence of 41 Historically Black College and University Marching Bands. The excitement culminates at the Dome for the Invitational Showcase, when 65,000 fans will be on their feet, dancing in the aisles and cheering for the top HBCU Bands. Participating schools include Clark Atlanta, Florida A&M, North Carolina Central, Southern University and Tuskegee State. Tickets are $10-$12.

February 4: Philips Arena

THE BLACK EYED PEAS

One of the country’s most popular bands rolls into Philips Arena as part of its world tour. Let’s just hope Fergie doesn’t hold anything against Atlanta after the whole husband-stripper ﬁasco. Tickets range from $49.50-$93.50 and are likely to sell quickly. Don’t pass on a chance to hear your favorite songs like “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling.”

January 29: Philips Arena

BOSTON CELTICS AT ATLANTA HAWKS

Somehow this is one of the better rivalries in the NBA. The Boston Celtics are one of the leagues top-two teams, but that doesn’t stop Joe Johnson & Co. rising to the occasion. The playoﬀ series from two seasons ago was an instant classic. Tickets range as low as $10. Tipoﬀ is set for 7:30pm, but don’t wait for seats. This is likely the single best home game all season for the Hawks. PG 5 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

BOOKS I SHOULD HAVE WORST TOPPOLITICIANS TOP READ THIS DECADE GOV.

BOOKS

0 1 0 1 OF THE DECADE

BY JOHN DAVIDSON CONGRESS

They lie, they cheat, they steal, and then they break their elbows patting themselves on the back. This group of power hungry despots hasn’t done anything efficient except rigging up a vote buying system, all while refusing to accept responsibility for the banana republic they are obsessed with perpetuating.

2. GEORGE W. BUSH

Unbelievably, he accomplished something no one thought possible: an even worse presidency than his predecessor. Over the course of 8 years, W amassed a list of transgressions so long that it would take an entire issue of this magazine just to list them all.

3. HILLARY CLINTON

As politically inexperienced as Sarah Palin, the junior Senator’s invalid presidential campaign was among the most puzzling ever: completely uninspiring and borderline cynical. The patronage evidenced by her current position would be an outrage if it wasn’t so unintentionally hilarious.

5. SARAH PALIN

Dan Quayle dressed up like a MILF.

6. JOHN KERRY

A legend in his own mind, and architect of the worst presidential campaign in 25 years.

7. DICK CHENEY

By unintentionally shooting a hunting buddy in the face with a shotgun, Vice President Cheney created a perfect metaphor for the Bush legacy.

8. JOHN EDWARDS

Everything you suspected about this ambulance-chaser was right. A phony populist of the highest order, this bastard was busy fathering a love-child while his wife was battling cancer.

9. THE REPUBLICANS IN YOUR BEDROOM Why do so many Republicans cheat on their wives? Why do they hate gay people?

10. THE DEMOCRATS IN YOUR WALLET

Why are Democrats obsessed with raising taxes on everyone except for those who don’t pay any taxes? Why do they spend our money like drunken sailors?

4. ELLIOT SPITZER

Look up Shadenfreude in the dictionary and you’ll see this guy’s picture..

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BY JOHN B. MOORE

LAME IT ON WORK, OR THE KIDS, or the fact that something good was on TV (lest you forget this decade gave us Arrested Development and Lost)… regardless, I was just too tired at the end of the day to get through many of the books on my nightstand. In my defense, I realize that most of the following tomes probably would’ve been worth the eﬀort, given the glowing reviews and amount of stars accumulated by each on Amazon. But for whatever reason, I just never got around to reading them. There’s always next decade, right?

5. THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini

I was spooked by all the talk about the young kid getting raped scene.

6. LIFE OF PI

by Yann Martel

A kid ﬂoating on a life raft in the Paciﬁc with animals as his only companions. Yawn.

7. THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY: MURDER, MAGIC AND MADNESS AT THE FAIR THAT CHANGED AMERICA by Erik Larson

1. THE TIPPING POINT by Malcolm Gladwell

Probably the coolest business book of the decade, that wasn’t really a business book… or so I’ve been told.

For a year straight I felt guilty whenever I went into Borders and saw it sitting with the other recommended paperbacks on the front tables. Then I started buying books online and never stepped foot into a bookstore again. Guilt gone.

2. FAST FOOD NATION

8. EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED

I know I should read this one (saw the movie for what it’s worth), but I just like burgers too much to hear arguments about why I should give them up.

I was this close to reading it, but then the pretentious twits at work started yammering on about it, so I decided to pass.

by Jonathan Safran Foer

By Eric Schlosser

3. ANY OF THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS

9. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE by Audrey Niffenegger

by J.K. Rowling

The movie looked dreadful, so I’m just assuming this was another case of “the book is WAY better than the movie.”

4. MIDDLESEX

10. THE AUDACITY OF HOPE: THOUGHTS ON RECLAIMING THE AMERICAN DREAM by Barack Obama

Something about a 30-something dude reading about teenage wizards just seemed a little pervy to me.

by Jeffrey Eugenides

This one is still sitting on my bookshelf. Once it got the Oprah book club nod I decided to pass.

I voted for the guy, so that should count for something, right?

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Under The Lights New Theatrical Performances AVENUE X

MAMMA MIA!

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Photo by Carol Rosegg

AVENUE X is a compelling production that takes musical theatre to the extreme with voices as instruments and powerful cutting edge harmonies. Showcasing the amazing talents of a cast of highly charged actor-singers, the show transforms the Alliance Stage into a hot summer street corner in 1960's Brooklyn. Avenue X is filled with stunning tight harmonies that celebrate the human singing voice and the ability of a capella music to hold captive anyone who comes within listening distance. Cultures collide as Doo Wop, R&B and their aspiring singers meet head to head on Avenue X. The Italian Americans stay on one side of the street and the African Americans stay on the other. Two young men from opposite sides of Avenue X dare to bridge the divide and search for harmony in more than just their music-only to see that change threatened by a culture clash of violent potential.

MAMMA MIA!, the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA has been seen by over 40 million people around the world. The story centers on Donna, an independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island. She is planning the wedding for her spirited daughter Sophie whom she has raised alone. On a quest to find the identity of her father, Sophie brings back three men from Donna's past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love blooms and old romances are rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities.

BROWNIE POINTS

Feb. 3 - 28 Balzer Theatre Box Office 678.528.1500 www.theatricaloutfit.org

ANNIE

Jan. 13 - 17 Fox Theatre Box Office 404.881-2000 www.foxtheatre.org

Photo by Peter Coombs

“America’s most beloved family musical ANNIE is back in an exciting 30th anniversary tour,” states Christopher B. Manos, Producer of Theater of the Stars. As is tradition, Annie will feature 25 local girls in the Atlanta production. With music by Charles Strouse and book by Thomas Meehan, the Atlanta production is again directed by its lyricist, Martin Charnin, who brought the original production of Annie to Broadway in 1977.

BROWNIE POINTS asks the question, “What is more powerful: the shared experience of motherhood or the divisiveness of race?” This new play by Janece Shaffer (Managing Maxine) mirrors modern families and society through multicultural mayhem of a girls’ club camp-out in the North Georgia Mountains. Five mothers, each coming from different backgrounds and social circles, take a good look at each other and themselves whe they join their daughters in the great outdoors. Jasmine Guy (A Different World) directs this dramatic and poignent work infused with moments of comedy and confession. This play is suitable for audiences 12 years and older.

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LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT

High Winter College Night T

HE HIGH MUSEUM OF ART WILL host a winter College Night on Saturday, January 23, from 7 p.m. to 12 midnight. In addition to live musical performances, craft workshops and drawing in the galleries, the event coordinates with the opening weekend of “The Portrait Unbound: Photographs by Robert Weingarten,” an exhibition of new work by California-based photographer Robert Weingarten consisting of twenty-one largescale digitally created portraits of American icons as well as the ongoing exhibitions “Leonardo Da Vinci: The Hand of the Genius” and “John Portman: Art and Architecture.” The largest exhibition of Leonardo’s work currently on view, “Leonardo da Vinci: Hand of the Genius” features approximately 50 works, including more than 20 sketches and studies by Leonardo, some of which will be on view in the United States for the first time. The exhibition also features a 26 foot tall recreation of Leonardo’s Sforza

Horse currently placed on the High’s Sifly Piazza. The exhibition sheds a new light on Leonardo’s role in the development of Renaissance sculpture and the work of artists who followed him, through an examination of the sculpture that Leonardo studied, the sketches and studies he created for his own sculptural projects (the majority of which were never realized), and his interactions with other Renaissance sculptors. The exhibition will also feature work by Donatello, Rubens, Verrocchio, and Rustici— including Rustici’s three monumental bronzes from the façade of the Baptistery in Florence that comprise “John the Baptist Preaching to

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a Levite and a Pharisee,” which was recently restored and has never left Florence. Also included are works from world-renowned collections, including those of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Vatican Museums, the Musée du Louvre, the British Museum, and the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence. Also on view during College Night, “John Portman: Art and Architecture,” which features architectural projects, furniture, paintings, and sculpture by Atlanta-based architect and artist John Portman. The fifteen completed and current architectural projects that will be featured in the galleries of the High span five decades of national

and international developments, including the Hyatt Regency Atlanta (1967) that is globally renowned as the first modern atrium hotel. The projects will be presented with large-scale photographs, design plans, elevations, text, articles, and in some cases, architectural models. The exhibition will also feature furniture, paintings and sculpture by Portman—most never before publicly exhibited. There is also a walking guide available in the gallery for those who would like to explore Portman’s work in person in downtown Atlanta. Live musical performances by DJ Tabone will include a dance performance choreographed by Heather Harper of Harper Continuum Dance Theatre. Dancer Stacey Perkinson will move between two canvasses where she and artists Vickie Martin and Lance Carlson will interact with the music, the dance and the canvas. Following DJ Tabone and Heather Harper is the jazz fusion group The Jaspects, all formally trained musicians from Morehouse College’s music department. Students and visitors will enjoy a night of gallery viewing, do-it-yourself craft workshops and drawing in the galleries. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. Student admission will be $7 with a valid student I.D., $5 per student (with valid student I.D.) when booking a group of 10 or more and $18 for general admission. Students with High Museum Student memberships get in FREE. Tickets and membership information are available online at www.high.org.

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TO0PINTERNATIONAL FILMS 1 of the Decade FILM

BY RODNEY HILL CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON

(Taiwan/Hong Kong, 2000) Thanks in part to the popularity of its stars (Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh) and the masterful direction of Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), this martial-arts/period-piece/fantasy-epic eﬀectively introduced subtitles to the multiplex. Kudos to Sony Pictures Classics for having the courage to do a wide release of a foreignlanguage ﬁlm, arguably helping to usher in a new era of appreciation for the international art cinema.

YI YI

(Taiwan/Japan, 2000) The first of Edward Yang’s films to receive American distribution turned out, sadly, to be his last. Yang, who passed away in 2007 from colon cancer, has become regarded as one of the most talented international filmmakers of his generation. Here, he gives us a sprawling saga that deftly mixes comedy, tragedy, and romance in covering three generations of a middle-class Tapei family. Yang’s emotionally riveting film is equally compelling for its subtly brilliant visual style.

THE GLEANERS AND I

(France, 2000) Director Agnés Varda (Vagabond, Cléo from 5 to 7) is one of the few remaining luminaries of the French New Wave, and her recent films are as vibrantly inventive as any she has made. Throughout her career, Varda has ventured repeatedly into the documentary genre, and in this film she examines the phenomenon of gleaning: reclaiming discarded materials (whether they be potatoes left on the ground after a harvest, or human beings marginalized by mainstream society) and finding their intrinsic value. Only an artistic soul like Varda

would view an abandoned potato as an object of beauty; but after watching this film, perhaps you will, too. As a side note: another of Varda’s important contributions to world cinema of late has been her restorations and re-releases of films by her late husband, Jacques Demy. In this decade, she has revived some of his best-loved films, including Lola (1961), Bay of Angels (1963), and Donkey Skin (1970), all of which received theatrical re-releases in the U.S.

Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN

(Mexico, 2001) Alfonso Cuarón’s smart, erotic comedy-drama not only thrust the New Mexican Cinema into the world spotlight but also launched the international careers of its brilliant stars: Maribel Verdú (Pan’s Labyrinth, Tetro), Gael García Bernal (The Science of Sleep, The Motorcycle Diaries) and Diego Luna (The Terminal, Milk). This sexed-up road/buddy movie, co-scripted by Cuarón and his brother, Carlos, could be seen as a proto-“bromance” and was also ahead of its time in breaking the male-nudity taboo, long before Judd Apatow.

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE

(Hong Kong, 2001) One of the most stylish ﬁlmmakers in the world, Wong Kar-Wai (Chungking Express) wrote and directed this gorgeous, hypnotic and seductive tale of dual deception. International stars Maggie Cheung (Irma Vep, Clean) and Tony Leung (Hero, Lust Caution) portray neighbors in a Hong Kong apartment house who begin to suspect that their spouses are having an aﬀair. In the course of trying to deal with this possible betrayal, the two of them fall in love and embark on a turbulent romance of their own.

SPIRITED AWAY

(Japan, 2001) This enchanting animated ﬁlm, written and

directed by Hayao Miyazaki, is sometimes overlooked in favor of his more recent Howl’s Moving Castle (2004). However, Spirited Away is a more uniﬁed piece of work that still manages to create an alternate, fantasy world that exists just beyond the perceptions of everyday life. On their way to a new home in the suburbs, Chihiro and her parents take a shortcut on a desolate road which leads them to an abandoned open-air restaurant. Her parents begin eating with no hesitation, but the girl senses that something is wrong as she continues to explore. As night falls, the area transforms into a spirit world where her parents have been transformed into pigs that will eventually be slaughtered; and it is up to Chihiro to save the family and escape back into their normal world. Spirited Away often delves into disturbing subject matter, and like most Japanese animated ﬁlms it is intended as much for adults as children.

OLDBOY

(South Korea, 2003) Within the last decade or so, the South Korean cinema has garnered a critical reputation as one of the most vibrant in the world, and Oldboy is one of its most outstanding offerings. The story wastes no time in plunging us into its twisted web of betrayal and revenge, and rapid-fire action scenes abound. Its gripping plot combined with an artful visual style make Oldboy appealing to a fairly wide range of audiences; and like some other films on this list, it would make a fine introduction for young adults to the international art cinema.

CACHÉ

(France/Austria/Germany, 2005) Probably one of the most accessible ﬁlms by Austrian director Michael Haneke, this French-language thriller is also one of his best. Georges Laurent (Daniel Auteuil) is a prosperous TV producer who learns – in a plot device borrowed from David Lynch’s Lost Highway (1997) – that the home he shares with his wife

(Juliette Binoche) and teenaged son is under video surveillance by person or persons unknown. Also tangled up in the mystery is a suppressed ﬁgure from his (and France’s) troubled past: an Algerian immigrant who had been adopted as a child – and subsequently abandoned – by Georges’s parents. Plot twists abound, and Haneke makes the daring move of leaving us entirely baﬄed in the end.

PARIS, JE T’AIME

(France, 2006) This truly international film brings together directors from five continents who give us twenty short films (one for each of Paris’s distinct neighborhoods) of roughly five minutes each. Of course, not all twenty segments are equally brilliant, and some do fall flat; but some highlights include Tom Tykwer’s “Faubourg Saint-Denis,” in which a blind German man falls in love with an American actress (Natalie Portman); Elijah Wood as a vampire in “Quartier de la Madeleine;” and Gus Van Sant’s charming gay love story, “Le Marais.” If you have spent much time in Paris, you will find yourself fondly recalling the magical powers that the City of Light wields over its lovers.

WALTZ WITH BASHIR

(Israel/Germany/France, 2008) In this haunting animated documentary – yes, animated documentary – writer-director Ari Folman attempts to reconstruct the blocked memories of his experiences as an Israeli soldier in the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. During a series of interviews with fellow soldiers and friends, Folman’s memories gradually take form; and the medium of animation allows him the creative flexibility to convey the disturbing, often surreal nature of these recollections. The film is an important addition to a growing tradition of progressive Israeli films that deal critically with various Arab-Israeli conflicts. Waltz with Bashir won the Golden Globe Award for Best ForeignLanguage Film of 2008 and also received an Oscar nomination in the foreign-language category.

TO0P SCI-FI FILMS OF THE DECADE 1 BY JOHN C. SNIDER

X-MEN (2000)

The movie that made Hugh Jackman a star is also the first big film to capture the tone of the modern comic book: dark and socially relevant, with flawed characters and over-the-top action. It spawned three sequels and paved the way for other Marvel-ous blockbusters like Spider-man and Iron Man.

2. DONNIE DARKO (2001)

This melancholy rumination on fate, free will and the nature of time failed to get much traction at the box office. But the ensuing years have been kind to writer/director Richard Kelly’s masterpiece. It now enjoys the esteem of critics and fans alike. PG 10 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

3. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)

Director Michel Gondry paired Jim Carrey with Kate Winslet in this story of a dysfunctional couple trying-literally--to forget one another. This intense, painfully personal fable doesn’t shrink from its central message: that love conquers all.

4. THE INCREDIBLES (2004)

Its Randian glorification of individualism drew fire from some critics, but Brad Bird’s retro-cool super-family soared while Tim Story’s Fantastic Four fizzled.

5. A SCANNER DARKLY (2006)

Over a dozen films based on the works of the late Philip K. Dick have been made, but this is the only one that’s both a great film and a faithful adaptation. Director Richard Linklater’s hypnotic “interpolative rotoscoping” animation is a perfect comple-

ment to PKD’s signature surrealism.

6. CHILDREN OF MEN (2006)

It looks like the world will end with a whimper when humanity suddenly becomes sterile and a depopulating society goes insane. Alfonso Cuarón adapts P.D. James’ only SF novel and creates a devastating dystopian masterpiece.

7. THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)

Batman is best when he’s bad, and here he’s a One-Man War on Terror in one of the most complex comic book films ever. Heath Ledger redefines the iconic Joker and delivers the performance of an alltoo-short lifetime.

8. DISTRICT 9 (2009)

When a bureaucrat becomes infected with alien biotechnology he finds himself on the wrong side of his 21st century Apartheid

regime. This surprising blockbuster from South African writer/ director Neill Blomkamp turns the alien invasion subgenre on its head with state-of-the-art FX and a startling performance from freshman actor Sharlto Copley.

9. STAR TREK (2009)

Trek wouldn’t be Trek without a hokey plot and pseudo-scientific technobabble, but J.J. Abrams’ much-anticipated reinvention of Gene Roddenberry’s universe has breathed new life into one of the most revered franchises in sci-fi history.

10. AVATAR (2009)

James Cameron’s first feature film in eleven years is destined to be a watershed moment in movie technology. Although the story is embarrassingly clichéd, with cartoonish characters and plot elements lifted from previous Cameron hits, this eye-popping depiction of an alien world will make you believe a 12-foot-tall feline humanoid can fly. On a dragon.

Taste of the Month . . .

Noodle Bowls Doc Chey’s Noodle House

Emory Village 1556 N. Decatur Rd. 404.378.8188 Morningside 1424 N. Highland Ave. 404.888.0777 OPENING FEB: Grant Park 563 Memorial Dr. 404.688.4238 www.doccheys.com Doc Chey's is the original pan-Asian noodle house in Atlanta . They opened their first restaurant 12 years ago in the Virginia Highland neighborhood of the city. They followed that with a second restaurant in Emory Village and plan to open a third Atlanta location in Grant Park in February. Doc Chey's menu is truly pan-Asian; it encompasses the cuisines of China , Japan , Thailand , Korea and Vietnam . Menu categories include dim sum (starters), noodles, stir fries, soups and salads. Best sellers include the Spicy Thai Basil noodles consisting of wok seared vegetables and rice noodles tossed in a spicy Thai sauce, and the Szechuan stir fry, which includes a wide variety of vegetables stir-fried in a traditional Chinese Szechuan sauce and served with white or brown rice. All noodles and stir fries are freshly wok'd to order and served with your choice of chicken, tofu, beef, and shrimp or veggies-only. Doc Chey's also offers a wide variety of handmade dim sum items under five bucks that are perfect for starters, such as Shanghai Dumplings, Fresh Vietnamese Basil Rolls, Thai Shrimp Rolls and Crispy Veggie Spring Rolls. The majority of menu items are under $8 and each meal is served with a smile. Doc Chey's was voted Best Noodle Bowl for the past five years by INsite Magazine, and they also won Best Carryout the past three years. Other recent awards include Best Cheap Eats, Best Lunch Spot and Best Pan-Asian by Citysearch.com. Visit a Doc Chey's near you for a healthy serving of peace, love and noodles. For more info, visit doccheys.com.

Noodle Midtown 903 Peachtree St. 404.685.3010 Decatur 205 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. 404.378.8622 College Park 3693 Main St. 404.767.5155 www.noodlehouse.net Noodle’s Pan-Asian cuisine is inspired by tastes of Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand. Their blend of homemade noodle and rice bowl dishes have made this unique restaurant a favorite in metro Atlanta since 2001. Noodle continues its proven approach to Asian cuisine by offering fresh, made to order dishes, house made curries, and an upscale Pan Asian array of choices at low prices. The dishes are studded with farm fresh vegetables and playful textures. There are various noodle bowls on their menu. These include: Thai Peanut Noodles, Lo Mein, Spicy Basil Noodles, Curry Noodles, Noodles with Tomato Sauce and Lenny’s Noodles which are tossed with a variety of vegetables. A wide array of appetizers are also available. Among them are Curry Beef Rolls, Lettuce Wraps and Satay Chicken. Salad choices include Thai Beef Salad, Masaman Chicken Salad and Vietnamese Cold Noodle. The three siblings of the Shou family; Lili Lina and Lenny deliver promises made by the three different locations of this popular noodle house. The College Park location is funky with an outdoor garden, while Decatur’s décor is sleek and streamlined with blond woods and a bright green color palette. But it’s the Midtown location that has the sexiest and most modern look, with fiber optic chandeliers and a bold red and black color scheme. The one thing however that’s consistent at all three Noodle locations is the superb cuisine and friendly service. It’s a familyrun restaurant, and when you’re dining here you’re treated like part of the family. This month Noodle has added new Korean inspired dishes to their menu exclusively at their Decatur location. Also in January, take advantage of Noodle’s Winter Lunch Specials for just $6. The special includes various entrees along with a bowl of soup. Parking and take-out is available at all three locations.

Chin Chin 3887 Peachtree Rd. 404.816.2229 Multiple other locations at www.chinchinonline.com Chin Chin is consistently voted Atlanta’s Best Chinese restaurant. Their menu not only offers the standard favorites but also many exotic dishes in Chinese cuisine at affordable prices. The Buckhead / Brookhaven location featured provides a relaxing atmosphere for an enjoyable dining experience. Chin Chin offers a variety of superb noodle dishes. Their Pan Fried Noodles come with your choice of vegetables, chicken, pork, beef, and shrimp. You can also get the same ingredients with Lo Mein or try their house recipe. Another favorite house specialty is the Singapore Rice Noodle, which is served with curry chicken and shrimp and served very hot!

Tin Drum Technology Square 404.881.1368; Perimeter Place 770.393.3006; Lindbergh Plaza 404.846.8689; Atlanta Flatiron 404.688.3182; Atlantic Station 404.745.3068; Forsyth Avenues 678.965.5915 www.tindrumcafe.net

Since 2003, Tin Drum Asia Cafe has delivered on its promise to fill the much needed gap for fresh, fun and affordable Asain cuisine to the casual diner. Tin Drum started with the Georgia Tech location and focused on pleasing cash strapped college students, business savvy lunch goers and even hungry families. Tin Drum took this approach to each new restaurant they opened. From rich Thai inspired curry to crispy homemade spring rolls, their kitchen is the gateway into a world of delicious and exotic cuisine. Several unique noodle bowls are offered including, Pad Thai, Lo Mein, Sing Chow Mein, Pad Woon Sen, and Cantonese Noodle. They offer three noodle soups: Miso Ramen, Chili Ramen and Vietnamese Pho. Fresh is the word, as every dish is prepared to order ensuring a tasty experience every time. Whether you’re looking for a hot fresh noodle bowl, a plate of creamy curry, or a unique Asianwrap, Tin Drum will not disappoint. Their entire menu is offered in vegetarian format and offers optional brown rice as well as the ability to modify any fried dish into a steamed or stir-fry version. Everything on their menu is under $8.

TECHNOLOGY SQUARE 88 5TH Street Atlanta, GA 30308 404.881.1368

the heartbeat

PERIMETER PLACE 4530 Olde Perimeter Way Atlanta, GA 30346 770.393.3006

asian cuisine of

LINDBERGH PLAZA 2561 Piedmont Rd. Atlanta, GA 30324 404.846.8689 ATLANTA FLATIRON 84 Peachtree St. Atlanta, GA 30303 404.688.3182 ATLANTIC STATION 265 18th Street Atlanta, GA 30363 404.745.3068 AVENUES FORSYTH 410 Peachtree Pkwy. Cumming, GA 30041 678.965.5915 www.tindrumcafe.net

PG 11 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

Family Film Star of the Decade FILM INTERVIEW

How Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Made the Transition From Tough Guy to “Tooth Fairy” H BY ALEX S. MORRISON

10,000 to 50,000 people. That was really invaluable.

aving made the gradual transition from athlete to action hero (see: The Scorpion King, Walking Tall) to comedian (Be Cool, Get Smart), the super-suave Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has emerged as a bona-fide Hollywood superstar. He also seems to have cornered the market on blockbuster family films after a hot streak that includes The Game Plan (which brought in $144 at the global box office), Race To Witch Mountain, Planet 51 and this month’s Tooth Fairy. It’s been a stunning transition to watch, establishing Johnson as the most successful athlete-to-actor crossover since Arnold Schwarzenegger became The Terminator. We recently spoke with the 6’3”, mixed-race (half African-American, half Samoan) son of a pro wrestler about where his career is going, and just how far he’s come from where he’s been.

Was there anyone in particular who helped guide you through the transition into acting? There was one particular guy I’ve talked about in the past. His name is Pat Patterson, and I actually modeled my character in Be Cool after him. He’s a very proud gay man– very funny guy– and he’s been like a father ﬁgure to me. We spent a lot of time together, and creatively he was the guy who made sure I understand the value of simply wanting to entertain and taking your ego out of it. I think it’s best when you approach things in that way– ego is the great inhibitor of success a lot of times– and do what’s best for the audience so you can take them through a myriad of emotions. Between him and this great [WWE] writer named Brian Gwartz who consistently challenged me, we found a lot of humor in this world of heightened, over-the-top conﬂict, and that was a great place to be.

There was a time in your life when you weren’t on such a positive path. Can you talk about that? That was a time in my life when I was making the wrong decisions, hanging around with the wrong people, and running the streets doing a lot of things that I should not have been doing. I was very fortunate that I had someone who cared about me and invested time in me. It was my arresting officer, when I was 14 years old, who said, “I want you to stop screwing up and go out and play football for your freshman team.” I didn’t learn overnight. I was a work in progress, and I continued to get in trouble because I thought he was full of it and that I had all the answers. But I didn’t know anything, and I continued to get arrested until I was 17, when my high school football coach in Pennsylvania invested even more time in me. What kind of stuff were you doing? Fighting and theft... It was bad, and I know what sports did for me. I didn’t realize it as a freshman. For me it was just a way to make my arresting officer happy so that, in the event I did get arrested again, maybe he’d let me go. It wasn’t until I got older that I understood the value of not only having someone who cared, but the value of sports and what that can do for you; the value of commitment and hard work and sacrificing your time after school to go to practice and do all those things that you carry with you for the rest of your life. In what ways did your football and wrestling careers prepare you for your acting career? Well, I played football for 10 years and I wrestled for an additional six years. Being in an athletic environment at a high level can teach people a lot. It taught me about commitment and sacrifice. I also learned the importance of being coachable and the importance of winning gracefully, as well as losing gracefully. Those are all traits I can take with me for life. What did professional wrestling teach you? The wrestling gave me a wonderful platform to entertain, which is something I had wanted to do for years. That type of environment, which involves four hours of live television every week, prepared me for the acting environment I now work in. It was like doing Saturday Night Live for four hours every week. It was a frenetic environment with multiple cameras where I played in front of anywhere from

PG 12 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

What was the key to successfully crossing over? Making the transition was primarily about surrounding myself with great actors. In my ﬁrst role in The Scorpion King, we had Michael Clarke Duncan and Grant Heslov, who’s also a great writer/director (Good Night And Good Luck, The Men Who Stare At Goats) now as well– and a studio and director who supported me. I had to be as fully prepared as I could possibly be. Not that I was gonna deliver an Oscar-winning performance, but as long as I was prepared and gave the best performance I could give, I knew I had a shot at being decent. A lot of people from other entertainment mediums come to Hollywood and dive right into

leading roles. But you’ve always seemed pretty deliberate in picking and choosing your roles. I think it’s important to choose carefully. The thing you don’t wanna do is work from a place of money, and I was fortunate to come into it with a pretty penny, so the money wasn’t motivating me as much as the work and the material. A lot of people who wanna crossover into acting come into it saying, “I’m gonna try the acting thing.” If you go into it with that attitude, you’re not gonna get much out of it. But if I see an athlete or musician who’s been really driven to succeed, I’m gonna put my money on that person, because you can apply that same mentality to acting. It’s tough to be a good actor, and it’s really hard to make a good movie. What’s more important to you: Delivering a good performance or breaking box office records? What’s important to me is being true to the character. Of course box office records are great, and you keep your fingers crossed and hope people will come out, watch the movie, spread word-of-mouth and do all the things that a good solid movie that delivers people’s money’s worth is supposed to do. Is it fair to say that athletes who become actors seem to be typecast as action heroes, and historically don’t seem to be given much of a chance to act? Sure. Hollywood’s an interesting machine, and once you realize that you begin to understand the ebbs and flows of it. The Scorpion King was all action, but I knew even then that I wanted to become a versatile actor. I just wasn’t getting the material that allowed me to do that. Be Cool was a really defining moment, because after that Hollywood was like, “Who knew?!” and everything I was getting was comedy. From dressing in drag to kissing Steve Carell, you seem to be willing to do just about anything to get a laugh. I love self-deprecating humor. It’s my favorite type of comedy, so if there are ways to inject it into my projects I’m all for it. I like to strike a balance between that and finding some sort of arrogance in the character, even when it’s an unsuccessful one. That combination of endearing and arrogant can be very funny. One of my favorite characters you’ve placed recently is The Rock Obama, which comes off like an insane cross between you, the President and the Incredible Hulk. Are you an Obama supporter? I’m proud to say that I’m a great fan of Barack Obama. I had the opportunity to speak with him after he won the presidency and he has always had my support. What a wonderful time we live in! He shared with me that I’m the favorite actor of his wife, which is something I’m very proud of.

please see Johnson on page 29

FILM

Movie Reviews THE BLIND SIDE (PG-13)

��Release Date: Nov. 20

I’m of two minds about this film based on the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless black teen traumatized by abuse who was taken in by a well-to-do white family and eventually became an All-American college football player drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. On the positive side, there’s the unbelievably uplifting storyline; a surprisingly strong performance from Sandra Bullock as conservative interior designer Leigh Anne Touhy, a ballsy go-getter who ensures Oher gets into private school, gets on the football team, and gets good enough grades to qualify for a scholarship; and John Lee Hancock’s refreshingly subtle direction, which largely avoids the sports clichés that plagued his Remember The Titans. On the downside, the story ignores deeper issues about race, poverty and privilege; Leigh Anne’s brassiness makes the quiet, withdrawn Oher (newcomer Quinton Aaron) seem like a bland blank slate by comparison; and Hancock largely sticks with feel-good generalities rather than digging down for the heart of what makes these characters tick. It’s not a bad movie by any means, but in trading dynamic drama for cuddly crowdpleasing, it’s the equivalent of settling for a field goal instead of fighting for the touchdown. –B. Love

CRAZY HEART (R) ��Release Date: Dec. 16

Down-on-his-luck outlaw country maverick Bad Blake is a self-destructive drunk– a tortured train wreck who leaves nothing but misery in his wake. As portrayed by Jeff Bridges, he plays like an ornery cross between Kris Kristofferson and The Dude, armed with whiskey and a guitar instead of White Russians and a bowling ball. But there’s no Donny or Walter to provide comic relief in writer-director Scott Cooper’s self-assured debut; only a mopey Maggie Gyllenhaal as a reporter/groupie who falls for the charming ol’ cuss, Robert Duvall as the friend who tries to help him stay on the wagon, and Colin Farrell as the former sidekick who’s emerged as a true country star, eager to give his old boss a hand up into the spotlight. Truth be told, Blake is a killer songwriter but his own worst enemy– a Behind The Music cliché we’ve seen a thousand times before. It would all be terribly maudlin were it not for Bridges’ terrific turn, which elevates the material substantially and recalls Mickey Rourke’s work in The Wrestler. The movie itself isn’t great, but it features some of the best work of the fourtime Oscar nominee’s career. Don’t be surprised if Crazy Heart brings Bridges his fifth. –B. Love

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS (PG-13) ��Release Date: Dec. 25

The death of Heath Ledger combined with his Oscar for The Dark Knight would seem to overshadow his final film, an indie from a director whose last two films flopped. But, in an unexpected triumph, Terry Gilliam shows that his limitless imagination can keep the outside world at bay and invite audiences inside the world he depicts onscreen. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a traveling vaudeville show no one wants in the modern day of digital entertainment. With audiences uninterested in his antiquated entertainment, the immortal Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) has grown weary of his unending life. Unable to stop gambling with Mr. Nick, a.k.a. the Devil (Tom Waits), Parnassus is about to lose his most valued treasure– his daughter, Valentina– on her fastapproaching 16th birthday. So Parnassus makes a

final bet: a race to five souls. Using a magic mirror to transport an audience member into a fantastical realm, Parnassus wins the soul if the participant chooses purity over temptation and indulgence. After inviting the mysterious yet charming Tony (Ledger) into his troupe, Parnassus may have the help he needs to win the most important wager of his life. Despite its modern-day setting, this is a fairy tale in the vein of the Brothers Grimm (the real ones, not Gilliam’s unfortunate flop) wrapped in beautiful colors, spellbinding designs, and fresh ideas. His method of working around Ledger’s death is ingenious: Tony physically transforms into a different body every time he enters the mirror (with Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell playing his different forms), but reverts to his original form when he exits. The result is a strong ensemble piece, rather than merely “Heath Ledger’s Final Picture,” with Tom Waits the cast’s true standout. After the misfires of The Brothers Grimm and Tideland, Terry Gilliam has returned in full force with the dark fairy tale style we’ve come to love. Imaginarium is the next stage of his development as an artist, honoring the legacy of Heath Ledger and celebrating the future of Terry Gilliam. –Matt Goldberg

INVICTUS (PG-13) ��Release Date: Dec. 11

There’s technically nothing wrong with Invictus. Clint Eastwood’s direction is smart, Morgan Freeman is fantastic as Nelson Mandela, the script is well written, and it has a straightforward moral about the power of forgiveness. But it never crosses that line where you have to think about it or consider its themes. Incarcerated for 27 years, Mandela was elected President of South Africa in 1994, but the end of apartheid caused a major sociopolitical shift wherein the black population came into power after years of oppression by the white minority. Mandela seeks to break the cycle of conflict through forgiveness, even if it means upsetting his supporters in his efforts to ease the enmity between whites and blacks. Mandela’s plan is simple, but quite ingenious: He wants South African rugby team the Springboks to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup, even though they’re an awful team. Led by Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), a good man and a committed captain, Mandela believes the Springboks’s success can provide a cultural connection between the races. Thankfully, while Eastwood shows Mandela’s commitment to encouraging the team, he also shows the leader working on matters of state so the audience doesn’t think that Mandela dropped everything to watch sports. His direction is more restrained than in previous films as he turns his focus to conveying the racial conflict and explaining a sport that’s foreign to most Americans without getting bogged down in a history lesson or the intricacies of rugby. It’s an impressive feat of editing and visual storytelling. Freeman will get the most attention (as actors do when portraying an icon) for the warmth and kindness of his performance, but Anthony Peckham’s script makes Mandela seem too saintly. I wish Matt Damon’s story had a point, but Pienaar has no character arc and the role is a waste of Damon’s considerable talent. Ultimately, Invictus comes out to less than the sum of its parts. It promotes important values like unity, humility and compassion, but it doesn’t make for an interesting movie. Unlike Mandela, Invictus fails to inspire. –Matt Goldberg

The Na’Vi (above) are like Smurfs, Smurfs who can kick your ass oﬀ their planet. In 3D. Check out James Cameron’s latest billion dollar movie with “Avatar.”

AVATAR

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Signourney Weaver, Stephen Lang Director: James Cameron. Release Date: Dec. 18. Rating: PG-13 ��

It feels redundant to write about James Cameron’s latest game-changer now, when it’s already been dissected by every critic in the world, raked in over $1 billion at the global box office, and stands poised to rival Cameron’s “Titanic” as the top-grossing film of all-time. If you’re even remotely interested, you already know the film centers on wheelchair-bound ex-Marine Jake Sully, (Sam Worthington) enlisted to infiltrate an alien race known as the Na’vi (which look like Amazonian Smurfs crossbred with lions) in hopes of convincing them to concede their land, which sits atop a fortune’s worth of “Unobtainium” just waiting to be mined by greedy, Earthbound corporate interests. You’ve probably marveled at the brilliant visuals of Cameron’s gloriously rendered 3D world as seen through the eyes of Sully’s blue-skinned avatar, which include an encyclopedia’s worth of wondrous alien flora and fauna. Pretty much everyone agrees that Cameron has inexorably raised the bar with regards to the potential of CGI and 3D technology, and few would argue that “Avatar” is one of the most visually spectacular films of the past decade. Some critics have carped that Cameron’s story is unoriginal, as it adapts the history of Colonial Imperialism into a futuristic context in order to point out the flaws in America’s recent political and environmental policy, making a white man the savior of a race of “noble savages.” But in using the tenets of classic hero mythology to address the historical wrongs perpetrated against tribal societies in the U.S. and abroad, Cameron taps into the current zeitgeist of white guilt, recognizing the errors of America’s distant and recent past by portraying a military man who ultimately realizes he’s fighting for the wrong side. It’s a masterful, original work unlike anything cinema has seen since “Star Wars” debuted over 200 years ago; one that I believe will stand the test of time. –B. Love

COMING SOON Jan. 8: DAYBREAKERS

Ethan Hawke stars in this look at what a future made up entirely of vampires would look like. Humans only serve as food in blood farms are nearly extinct. Fortunately, a few treehugging vampires help save the day in the action ﬂick.

Jan. 22: LEGION

The latest from Paul Bettany mixes just the right about of Christian mythology and the horror genre. Bettany starts in the supernatural thriller about a fallen angel doing his best to save humanity’s arse.

Jan. 29: EDGE OF DARKNESS

Finally, Mel Gibson is back in an acting role. (Sorry, Jews of America.) This is the IT’S COMPLICATED (R) �� ﬁrst time Gibson is back in a major starring role since 2002. This thriller places Gibson as a veteran homicide detective searching for the people responsible for the Release Date: Dec. 25 While Meryl Streep is unsurprisingly fantastic death of his daughter. It’s “Taken” meets “The Departed.” PG 13 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

GAMES PEOPLE PLAY UPCOMING VIDEO GAME RELEASES AND REVIEWS BY B. LOVE JAMES CAMERON’S AVATAR: THE GAME (Ubisoft) Systems: DS, PC, PSP, PS3, Wii, X360 With Avatar on its way to becoming the second biggest film of all time, fans eager to immerse themselves in the lush alien world of Pandora can enjoy this solid (if pedestrian) adaptation. The experience is either a third-person shooter or a straight action game, depending on whether you choose to become an RDA mercenary or Na’vi avatar. It’s all good, mindless fun, but nowhere near as inventive as Cameron’s film. DIVINITY II: EGO DRACONIS (DTP) Systems: PC, X360 This story-based RPG is the first to allow players to adventure as human warrior or dragon, exploring dungeons and fighting villains of Rivellon or taking to the air to explore majestic mountains and delivering fiery vengeance from above. Building and customizing your characters from the ground up is good fun, but getting to explore such a wonderfully constructed world as a dragon is what sets this game apart.

exploring the labyrinths of the Spirit Tower offers challenging, diverse gameplay to please fans and newbies alike. SCENE IT? BRIGHT LIGHTS! BIG SCREEN! (Warner Bros) Systems: PS3, Wii, X360 With recent DVD games aimed at fans of The Simpsons and Twilight, the Scene It series has established itself as the hottest name in useless knowledge since Trivial Pursuit. This title offers over 2,800 questions in 23 categories, challenging your knowledge of recent film favorites and classic Hollywood hits. With its snarky host, modes for 1-4 players and a variety of challenges, it’s a perfect dinner party ice-breaker.

SILENT HILL: SHATTERED MEMORIES (Konami) Systems: PS2, PSP, Wii This re-imagining tells the story of Harry Mason, who awakens after a car accident to ﬁnd his daughter missing. As he wanders the streets of Silent Hill searching for answers, he must escape the lumbering demons in his path. The choices players make shape Mason’s character as enemies evolve to take the form of their deepest fears. Intense and beautifully rendered, this is a truly spooky survival horror experience.

AVATAR

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SPIRIT TRACKS (Nintendo) System: DS An outstanding entry in the Zelda series, Spirit Tracks surpasses Phantom Hourglass, giving DS owners two excellent Link sagas in a row. With a train now our hero’s mode of transport, the game’s controls and setting remain virtually unchanged. But with a ghostly Zelda to help Link along the way,

VIDIOTS

UPCOMING DVD RELEASES AND REVIEWS

BY B. LOVE, JOHN MOORE & DEMARCO WILLIAMS BIG LOVE: SEASON 3 – Some critics predicted HBO’s downfall after The Sopranos, Sex & the City and Six Feet Under ended their runs, but now they’re praising the cable network’s resurgence, with Big Love leading the charge. ExMormon polygamist Bill Henrickson, his three wives and their numerous kids continue battling their nosy neighbors, the Church, the evil Roman Grant and themselves with a distinctive mix of high drama and black humor. IN THE LOOP – Despite a blink-andyou’ll-miss-it theatrical release, this razor-sharp political satire was one of 2009’s best films, with rat-a-tat dialogue that’d make Mamet proud. James Gandolfini (as a hard-nosed General) is the biggest name, but Peter Capaldi steals every scene as a foul-mouth British spokesman who leaps into action after a meek government minister suggests war in the Middle East is imminent. Shot in documentary style, the film falls between The Office and Dr. Strangelove, brilliantly skewering the ridiculousness of international politics. KATHY GRIFFIN: SHE’LL CUT A BITCH – One of the most polarizing comics since Steven Wright, Kathy Griffin has made a career out of her up-to-the-minute riffing on pop culture. Her latest DVD is just as funny as any of her other recent standup specials, but with references to everyone from Levi Johnston to Tracy Morgan, the routine will start to sound dated if viewed too long into 2010. Get it while it’s hot… MOTOWN: THE DVD- DEFINITIVE PEFORMANCES – In the ‘60s-‘70s, Berry Gordy’s collection of heavenly pop/ soul singers dominated the charts like few imprints ever could. After experiencing this glorious DVD of PG 14 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

OTHER JANUARY VIDEOGAME RELEASES: Bayonetta (PS3/X360-1/5), Darksiders: Wrath of War (PS3/X360-1/8), Army Of Two: The 40th Day (PS3/PSP/X360-1/12), Astro Boy (DS/PSP/Wii1/15), Glory of Heracles (DS-1/18), Might & Magic Clash of Heroes (DS-1/22), Dark Void (PC-1/22), Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (Wii1/26), Cyberbike (Wii-1/31), Mass Eﬀect 2 (PC/ X360-1/31) vintage interviews and live performances, two things are apparent: 1) If you were alive during Motown’s heyday, you’re blessed; 2) Most of today’s scantily-clad artists wouldn’t have a chance in hell of making it back then.

PASSING STRANGE: THE MOVIE – Spike Lee’s adaptation of the smash Broadway musical tells the story of a black man who abandons his middle-class upbringing in mid-1970s Los Angeles and heads to Europe in search of his true artistic and personal identity. Narrated by Stew, on whose life the play is based, the show’s music, costumes and staging create an electric energy, delivering an emotionallycharged paean to sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. OTHER JANUARY DVD RELEASES: January 5� �� Super Friends! Season 1 Volume 1 January 12� �� By the People: The Election of Barack �� By Myself January 19�� January 26 �� Whitest Kids U’know: The Complete Second Season

here, the best reason to see It’s Complicated is to watch Alec Baldwin give a performance that will leave you lamenting his planned retirement from acting in 2012. Throw in Steve Martin playing a real character rather a cringe-worthy one, and you have a movie you’ll find yourself enjoying even if you’re not the intended audience. Jane (Streep) lost her husband Jake (Baldwin) to a younger woman. But while in NYC for her son’s graduation, she ends up sleeping with Jake after a night of drinking and discovers that, with animosity in the past, they can reconnect. Of course, middleaged Jane isn’t looking to be “the other woman,” but to refill her empty nest with a lasting, mature relationship. That possibility opens up with timid divorcée Adam (Martin), an architect who’s designing her dream kitchen. The film is clearly designed for women of a certain age, but it shouldn’t be dismissed by those outside of that demographic. In fact, It’s Complicated is kind of great. Nancy Meyers’ direction may be mundane, but she excels at writing confident middle-aged characters: Streep and Baldwin are perfect in their roles, and the chemistry between the two actors is so strong that you can’t help but cheer for them. I always find it refreshing to see Steve Martin as something other than the pandering buffoons he plays in lowest-common-denominator family films. Jake and Adam represent polar opposite paths for Jane and, while it’s clear that Adam offers stability and serious relationship potential, it’s tough to begrudge her the freedom and liberating sexuality that Jake offers. Lighthearted and mature, It’s Complicated is a rarity in mainstream movies. Performances from the three talented leads, combined with some surprisingly raunchy humor and an enjoyable turn from John Krasinski in a supporting role, make It’s Complicated a film that any adult can enjoy… provided they’re willing to step outside their comfort zone. –Matt Goldberg

SHERLOCK HOLMES (PG-13) ��Release Date: Dec. 25

On the surface, directors Tim Burton and Guy Ritchie may not have much in common. The former has iconic films like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands to his credit while the latter did Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and… well, that’s about it. But in Ritchie’s bold revisit with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s favorite sleuth, the Brit aligns himself nicely with Burton. Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr., looking as comfy in a dingy wool ensemble as his Iron Man suit) is a darker, grittier version of the famed detective— much in the way Burton’s Batman was back in ’89. Sherlock’s early trailers even sold Holmes as a superhero, what with the hand-to-hand combat and explosions. While that plays across an engaging storyline of dark magic and bringing political corruptness to light, bigbudget theatrics prove sideshow to the movie’s real attraction—gaining a better understanding of how Holmes’ mind works. Like a peculiar blend of The Mentalist, a martial artist and Mr. Renfroe (my 11th grade science teacher), the meticulous detective can tell you’re having relationship issues from the way you blink. And it’s almost as if the man has Spidey Senses the way he brilliantly scripts fight scenes in his head. But speaking of comics, it would be remiss not to mention Sherlock’s relationship with his partner-in-crime-fighting, Dr. Watson (Jude Law). Though there’s an underlying story here of Watson branching off and starting his own family, we don’t recall a moment while reading The Hound of the Baskervilles where the longtime friends were any closer. Guy Ritchie has found his Batman and Robin. Only they’re in grubby London. In 1887. With much lamer gadgets. –DeMarco Williams

A SINGLE MAN (R) ��Release Date: Dec. 11

This is an art house ﬁlm in the best sense of the term: It’s intimate, outside the mainstream, and highlights actors (or, in this case, an actor) who can completely embody a character and keep you mesmerized with a small, subtle performance. Set in 1962 L.A., fashion designer-turned-director Tom Ford’s striking debut centers on a day in the life of

George Falconer (Colin Firth), a gay man working as an English professor whose world is cold and empty since boyfriend Joe (Matthew Goode) died in a car accident. He inhabits a world drained of color, yet, in simple moments and memories, the world becomes lush and vivid. He sees beauty when he looks into the eyes of Kenny (Nicholas Hoult), a closeted gay student who has a crush on the professor; and in his neighbor’s daughter, a young girl in a pretty dress and a picture of innocence. Eduard Grau’s cinematography is gorgeous and, when combined with Abel Korzeniowski’s beautiful score and Joan Sobel’s masterful editing, A Single Man hardly needs words. But it is Ford’s good fortune that Colin Firth gives the best performance of his career, so sad and restrained that he can convey the pain of Falconer’s grief with the faintest facial expression. But when Falconer looks into the eyes of another person and ﬁnds the vivacity that escapes his own life, Firth uplifts the character’s soul in a single breath. Due to its meticulous balance of performance, lighting, score, and pacing, A Single Man never loses its way, even when it does. There’s a scene towards the end of the ﬁlm where George enjoys dinner with Charley (Julianne Moore), a lifelong friend who loves him even though she knows he can never reciprocate that love in the way she wants. Their scene together exists in this odd middle ground where the movie begins to drag, but the mood perfectly match George’s emotional state. Ford brings every element together to weave an emotionally stirring tale that will enrapture you whether you’re in the art house, hen house, outhouse or doghouse. A Single Man is many things, and they’re all fantastic. –Matt Goldberg

UP IN THE AIR (R)

��Release Date: Dec. 25

“To know me is to fly with me,” says Ryan Bingham as he packs his bags and moves through the airport with rapier-like precision. “Everything you hate about travel… are warm reminders that I’m home.” It’s the perfect introduction to a man George Clooney was born to play. Bingham is a 21st century gunslinger, hired to travel around the country firing employees their bosses are too timid to terminate. Bingham spends over 300 days a year on the road, and loathes every minute of the few days he’s home in Omaha. He finds comfort in first class upgrades, Admiral’s Club admission and frequent flyer miles (his dream is to become the 7th person to reach 10 million). “Moving is living,” he says in his “What’s In Your Backpack” motivational speeches, avoiding emotional intimacy at all costs and considering commitment a fate worse than death. When he meets a fellow road warrior (Vera Farmiga) in a hotel bar, comparing reward program cards and discussing mile-high club experiences, it’s a match made in heaven. “Think of me as yourself,” she quips, “only with a vagina.” After a quick romp through the Kama Sutra, they’re coordinating schedules to arrange another rendezvous. That is, until Bingham’s upwardly mobile associate (Anna Kendrick) suggests the company fire people via teleconference, saving themselves thousands on travel costs. Bingham’s job may not be in jeopardy, but his nomadic lifestyle is, and there’s an undeniable air of comedic tension as he takes the young gun on the road to show her the ropes. Co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, Up In The Air is easily one of the year’s best films– an adult comedy that evenly balances humor and heart while tapping into our cultural zeitgeist by putting human faces on the economic downturn. Jason Bateman delivers another fine supporting turn as Bingham’s smarmy boss, while Kendrick proves one of the year’s best new talents as a recent college grad struggling to get ahead in her career while pursuing the traditional American family dream. The film wisely makes no character judgments, leaving it up to the audience to decide whether Bingham’s existence is a valid lifestyle choice or merely a self-protective emotional cocoon. It also offers no pat Hollywood resolutions, letting you figure out for yourself whether our dashing cowboy hangs up his hat for good or simply rides off into the sunset. –B. Love

TO0P 2

BY MATT GOLDBERG

20.

CHICAGO

The movie musical wasn’t dead, merely waiting for the auditorium to ﬁll before raising the curtain. Satirical, sharp and sexy, Rob Marshall’s direction paired with Bill Condon’s to make every number pop. John C. Reilly singing “Mr. Cellophane” is still heartbreaking, but “They Both Reached for the Gun” remains exhilarating.

19. I’M NOT THERE

Biopics are an attempt to boil an entire life down to a message, but lives worth celebrating are usually too complex to boil down into the same tired pattern of trauma-rise-fallredemption. Focusing on Bob Dylan, Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There used covers of Dylan’s songs, multiple actors to play the role, and broke the convention to provide the most honest biopic of the decade.

18. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS

If you must provide exposition in your ﬁlm’s opening, I recommend having it narrated by Alec Baldwin and set to “Hey Jude.” It worked beautifully for Wes Anderson, hooking you into this story of a deadbeat dad lying about having cancer so he can reconnect with his estranged family. The ﬁlm manages quirk brilliantly by using it as the setting rather than the source of the humor.

17. SUPER TROOPERS / ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY Yep, I’m cheating. Aside from being delightfully absurd, these two films are the ones I find myself quoting most. Both films hit with a lot of big jokes on the first viewing, but it’s the one-liners that last. It’s why when anyone mentions the words “Shenanigans” or “Burrito,” they conjure up quotes like, “I’m gonna pistol whip the next guy who says, ‘Shenanigans!’” or “This burrito is good, but it is filling.”

16. THE MIST

I’m not a big fan of horror movies, but The Mist still gets me upset every time. It has none of the uplift of Frank Daranbont’s previous ﬁlms, yet it centers on the same theme of hope. But while The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile focused on the redemptive power of hope, The Mist shows that the world is truly terrifying when all hope is lost.

15. OLDBOY

It’s tough to redeﬁne a genre, but Chan-wook Park’s Oldboy made it look easy by asking who is the avenger and who is the avenged. The blunt force of Oh Dae-su’s revenge may be appealing, but while he embraces what was done to him, he never pauses to ask “Why?” The motivation of one

FILM

without understanding the motive of the other is an ageless tragedy, but Wook-Park transformed it into something new.

14. BIG FISH

I was terrified of putting this on my list because I knew I’d catch shit, but why shouldn’t I include films that touch me on a personal level? It’s the father-son throughline that gets me, but the film hits its themes, characters and presentation so well that I find the experience rewarding every time. I like that it criticizes complacency and embraces the notion of true love rather than hiding behind cynicism, cheering for an outsized life.

13. MEMENTO

If you think the reverse editing is a gimmick, you missed the point. The only way to understand Leonard Shelby is to live his life in reverse; always knowing the eﬀect, but unable to comprehend the cause. Memento’s solution is surprising because the entire ﬁlm packs a neo-noir punch that leaves you hopeful at the end/beginning, but struggling to remember how it all ends/begins.

12. THE DEPARTED

The king of gangster ﬁlms, Martin Scorsese migrated from New York to the mean streets of Boston, creating a living hell of uncertain identity where characters clash in constant struggle to uncover traitors in their midst. Despite heavy themes, the ﬁlm crackles with captivating performances, a killer script and technical mastery. Easily one of the greatest works of Scorsese’s brilliant career.

11. SPIDER-MAN 2

This was the decade of the superhero. Some argue that the genre reached a new level with The Dark Knight, but I’ve chosen Spider-Man 2 as the turning point because it isn’t ashamed to be based on a comic book. Perfectly melding the fun and fantastic nature of the character while never losing sight of the humanity of his daily personal drama, the ﬁlm showed us that part of a hero’s “great responsibility” is the willingness to sacriﬁce in order to do what is right.

10. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

The Coen Brothers wrote a new chapter in their legacy with a ﬁlm that recalls their ﬁrst feature, Blood Simple. Adapting Pulitzer Prize-winner Cormac McCarthy’s novel, No Country for Old Men took risks in storytelling, perspective and tone while twisting their dark humor, memorable characterization, and thrilling direction to concoct a mixture that was both commercial and strikingly original. A bold, daring evolution of the Coen Brothers’ work.

9. THE 40-YEAROLD VIRGIN

Battered and beaten by TV, Judd Apatow turned to feature ﬁlms and created a new genre. Apatow’s gift is in ﬁnding the comedy of stagnation, never losing

the humor as he brings his characters out of arrested development and into maturity. The 40-Year-Old Virgin was a launching point for his sly storytelling style of personal growth wrapped in sophomoric male camaraderie, not to mention a big step forward in the careers of Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen.

conﬁdent enough to be weird, and while Downey showcased what we’d been missing during his absence, it’s Kilmer who steals the ﬁlm. There weren’t a lot of comedy noirs this decade but, even if there were, Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang would blow them all away.

4. SHAUN OF THE DEAD

8. CHILDREN OF MEN

For a filmmaker, there’s no quicker way to a film fan’s heart than by wearing your love of film on your sleeve. Audiences ripped a giant chunk out of writer/director Edgar Wright’s arm and chewed the flesh as they watched a movie that went beyond mere homage to the great zombie films and became… one… of… them. Moving from the “Don’t Stop Me Now” scene to Shaun’s heart-wrenching goodbye to his mom without missing a beat is sheer magic. Quotable and funny, with a lot of heart, this film is magical in its storytelling and performances. But what makes it special is that it’s so damn fun.

7. PAN’S LABYRINTH

3. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron, Children Of Men tells the story of a world where humanity is dying out because there is no new life. When the potential for new life comes along, we begin to understand that the future can’t be controlled because, even in the most unrelenting circumstances, we each still have a choice. This film never got the respect it deserved in theaters, but it did get a reputation thanks to the fact that every time someone sees it, they’ll turn it over in their heads and arrive at an entirely new conclusion. A classic that will be taught, discussed and revered for generations to come. Guillermo Del Toro has a singular imagination. His work brims with creativity, and Pan’s Labyrinth distinguished him as a filmmaker unlike any other working today. The film is a dark fairy tale that puts its young protagonist’s life in danger, both in the real world of the Spanish Civil War and in a fantastical otherworld that understands the terror and fearlessness of myth. Del Toro’s cinematic genius is that he can conjure creatures and worlds the likes of which we’ve never seen, but he has the restraint to make sure they contribute to the story rather than serving as a distraction.

6. THE FOUNTAIN

“Death is the road to awe” is a line repeated throughout Darren Aronofsky’s classic. If that’s true, then The Fountain shows us why the power of accepting death is awesome. The film is a painting in motion, every shot filled with beauty and meaning. The challenge facing Tom Creo (Hugh Jackman) isn’t just in accepting his wife’s death, but in learning to accept death in order to understand the eternity of love. It’s a complicated point, but rather than beat his audience over the head with a message, Aronofsky lets the film stand on its own. That’s why when Tom (in a moment of sublime happiness) says, “I’m going to die,” we feel elation instead of confusion.

5. KISS KISS, BANG BANG

Having left the filmmaking scene for various reasons, writer/director Shane Black and Robert Downey Jr. made a thrilling comeback with this sharp, funny film noir. It’s not a parody of noir but rather a modern play on it, in which witty dialogue and pitch-perfect timing keep the film humming along. It’s

There aren’t many original ways left to tell a love story, but that’s when you get creative and find a more powerful message through an indirect route. Featuring Jim Carrey in the best performance of his career, Eternal Sunshine shows love at its most uplifting and heartbreaking and explores why those opposites make love both unbearable and inescapable. Director Michel Gindry’s visual inventiveness and Charlie Kaufman’s amazing script come together to show that love isn’t love without pain. That’s what makes love– and this film– so beautiful.

2. PIXAR

Yep, I’m cheating again. But how do you choose between Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, WALL-E, and Up? It’s simply not possible. For all their technological advancements and prestige, Pixar never loses sight of the story. This devotion to narrative, character, detail, art, comedy, drama and everything else that makes a great movie also makes Pixar unlike any creative entity in moviemaking history.

1. THE LORD OF THE RINGS

What separates The Lord of the Rings from Pixar is that it’s one gigantic story that exceeded all realistic expectations. Tolkien fans treated the books as Holy Scripture, and non-Tolkien fans hadn’t seen a quality fantasy ﬁlm in years. It’s been six years now since The Return of the King, and I still can’t entirely comprehend the sheer magnitude od Peter Jackson’s creation. These three movies shouldn’t exist, and yet they do: Together, they comprise the best ﬁlm of the decade. PG 15 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

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FRIDAY JANUARY 8 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Tron Jackson APACHE CAFE From the Grain BLIND WILLIE’S Willie “Big Eyes” Smith THE EARL Dead Confederate EDDIES ATTIC Bernadette Seacrest FAT MATT’S Atlanta Boogie FIVE SPOT A Reggae Tribute MASQUERADE (Hell) 2010 Metal Bash MASQUERADE (Purgatory) The King’s B-Day Bash PEACHTREE TAVERN Poptart Monkeys SMITH’S Betty Rebel STAR BAR The Hot Rods VARIETY Kingsized VINYL Uberstout WILD BILL’S Colt Ford SATURDAY JANUARY 9 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Behind the Sun APACHE CAFE Showtime at the Apache BLIND WILLIE’S Sandra Hall & The Shadows THE EARL Blair Crimmins & the Hookers EDDIES ATTIC Kim Richey, Will Kimbrough FAT MATT’S The Bluescrew FIVE SPOT Spytek, Owl+Khan MASQUERADE (Heaven) Between The Buried and Me MASQUERADE (Hell) NeeDeep PEACHTREE TAVERN Girlz Girlz Girlz SMITH’S The Revivalists VARIETY Kingsized VINYL Rova Zetella SUNDAY JANUARY 10 BLIND WILLIE’S SuperKats Fundraiser THE EARL Chickens and Pigs EDDIES ATTIC Trey Rosenkampff & Friends FAT MATT’S Fat Back Deluxe FIVE SPOT Sue Wilkinson MASQUERADE (Heaven) Behemoth

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MONDAY JANUARY 11 APACHE CAFE Matt Raney BLIND WILLIE’S Joe McGuinness THE EARL Adam Franklin EDDIES ATTIC Songwriter’s Open Mic FAT MATT’S Uncle Sugar FIVE SPOT Bill Shefﬁeld SMITH’S Chris Jackson VARIETY Dweezil, Zappa Plays Zappa TUESDAY JANUARY 12 APACHE CAFE Dillion, Methuzulah BLIND WILLIE’S Atlanta Boogie EDDIES ATTIC Ryan Montbleau Band FAT MATT’S Crosstown Allstars FIVE SPOT Open Mic WEDNESDAY JANUARY 13 APACHE CAFE Al Smith’s Midtown Jam BLIND WILLIE’S Stooge Brothers THE EARL 40 Hells EDDIES ATTIC Catie Curtis FAT MATT’S Frankie’s Blues Mission FIVE SPOT Jason Allbright MASQUERADE (Hell) Otium SMITH’S East Ponce Soul Faction STAR BAR The Cogburns THURSDAY JANUARY 14 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Green Eyed Stare BLIND WILLIE’S Sweet Betty & The Shadows THE EARL Little Tybee EDDIES ATTIC The Imfamous Stringdusters FAT MATT’S Chickenshack FIVE SPOT The Malah MASQUERADE (Heaven) Smile Empty Soul PEACHTREE TAVERN Oldstar SMITH’S Groove Stain STAR BAR The Long Shadows VINYL Sean McConnell

PG 16 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

FRIDAY JANUARY 15 APACHE CAFE N’Dambi BLIND WILLIE’S Sandra Hall & The Shadows CENTER STAGE Holy HipHop Showcase THE EARL Those Darlins EDDIES ATTIC Garrett Moore FAT MATT’S Reverbo Rockets FIVE SPOT Wayside Riders THE LOFT Avenue X MASQUERADE (Heaven) Sid Vicious Punk Fest MASQUERADE (Hell) Hellzapoppin MASQUERADE (Purgatory) FUZE PEACHTREE TAVERN 17th Floor SMITH’S Gypsy Sol STAR BAR The Subsonics SATURDAY JANUARY 16 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS The Breakfast Club APACHE CAFE The Snack Pack BLIND WILLIE’S Houserocker Johnson & The Shadows THE EARL Lloyd’s Rocksteady Revue EDDIES ATTIC Roxie Watson FAT MATT’S Blues Cat FIVE SPOT 3 Foot Swagger MASQUERADE (Heaven) The Constellations MASQUERADE (Hell) The Roly-Bots PEACHTREE TAVERN Zoso SMITH’S The Lee Boys STAR BAR Billy Goats VARIETY Jonathan Coulton WILD BILL’S Jason Michael Carroll SUNDAY JANUARY 17 THE EARL Movits! EDDIES ATTIC Cliff Eberhardt FAT MATT’S Fat Back Deluxe FIVE SPOT Sunday Night on the Farm GWINNETT ARENA Winter Jam 2010 SMITH’S WRFG Beneﬁt VARIETY Gaelic Storm, Carbon Leaf MONDAY JANUARY 18 APACHE CAFE Matt Raney BLIND WILLIE’S Boo Hoo Ramblers EDDIES ATTIC Songwriter’s Open Mic FAT MATT’S Uncle Sugar FIVE SPOT Mudcat MASQUERADE (Hell) Korpiklaani SMITH’S Chris Jackson TUESDAY JANUARY 19 BLIND WILLIE’S Blues Station FAT MATT’S Crosstown Allstars FIVE SPOT Open Mic FOX THEATRE Mariah Carey SMITH’S Her & Kings County VINYL The Producers Beat Auction WEDNESDAY JANUARY 20 APACHE CAFE Al Smith’s Midtown Jam THE EARL The Cribs EDDIES ATTIC Garrison Starr FAT MATT’S Frankie’s Blues Mission FIVE SPOT ILL & Sharrif Simmons MASQUERADE (Hell) Four Year Strong SMITH’S The Internationals STAR BAR The Dust Up VARIETY The Anvil Experience THURSDAY JANUARY 21 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS The Shadowboxers BLIND WILLIE’S Tommy Brown & The Shadows EDDIES ATTIC Matt Hires & Jason Castro FAT MATT’S Chickenshack FIVE SPOT Waterseed PEACHTREE TAVERN Wes Loper Band SMITH’S Charlie Mars VARIETY Steven Wright

FRIDAY JANUARY 22 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Echovalve APACHE CAFE The Mighty Experience BLIND WILLIE’S Houserocker Johnson CENTER STAGE Who’s Bad? THE EARL United States EDDIES ATTIC Missy Raines FAT MATT’S Blues Highway FIVE SPOT School of Rock MASQUERADE (Heaven) Vertically Challenged PEACHTREE TAVERN Az Izz SMITH’S Dirty Dozen Brass Band STAR BAR The 808 Experiment VINYL Joshua Fletcher WILD BILL’S David Nail SATURDAY JANUARY 23 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Gary Pfaff APACHE CAFE EP3 BLIND WILLIE’S Delta Moon CENTER STAGE Cowboy Mouth THE EARL Travel By Train EDDIES ATTIC Lucy Kaplansky FAT MATT’S Nathan Morgan FIVE SPOT Dread Clampitt MASQUERADE (Heaven) Pentagram MASQUERADE (Hell) Wednesday 13’s Gunﬁre 76 PEACHTREE TAVERN The Design SMITH’S Dirty Dozen Brass Band STAR BAR The Booze VARIETY Steep Canyon Rangers WILD BILL’S Moby Dick SUNDAY JANUARY 24 EDDIES ATTIC Gustafer Yellowgold FAT MATT’S Fat Back Deluxe FIVE SPOT Sunni Patters MONDAY JANUARY 25 APACHE CAFE Hedonism IX BLIND WILLIE’S Soul Shakers THE EARL Death Match EDDIES ATTIC Songwriter’s Open Mic FAT MATT’S Uncle Sugar FIVE SPOT Joe McGuinness MASQUERADE (Heaven) Take Action Tour MASQUERADE (Hell) The Audition SMITH’S Chris Jackson TUESDAY JANUARY 26 BLIND WILLIE’S Joe McGuinness THE EARL The Entrance Band EDDIES ATTIC Athens Boys Choir FAT MATT’S Crosstown Allstars FIVE SPOT Open Mic MASQUERADE (Hell) Zellis WENDESDAY JANUARY 27 APACHE CAFE Al Smith’s Midtown Jam BLIND WILLIE’S Burnt Bacon THE EARL Thomas Function EDDIES ATTIC Reed Waddle FAT MATT’S Frankie’s Blues Mission FIVE SPOT The Conditionals MASQUERADE (Heaven) The Supersuckers MASQUERADE (Hell) Between the Trees STAR BAR The Psychedelic Organ

THURSDAY JANUARY 28 BLIND WILLIE’S Sweet Betty THE EARL Mike LaSage & the Sumbling Troubadors EDDIES ATTIC The New Familiars FAT MATT’S Chickenshack FIVE SPOT Free Lunch PEACHTREE TAVERN Clayton Anderson Band SMITH’S The Dirty Guv’nahs STAR BAR Judi Chicago VINYL Simplified FRIDAY JANUARY 29 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Slippery When Wet BLIND WILLIE’S Big Bill Morganfield THE EARL The Preakness EDDIES ATTIC Scott Miller FAT MATT’S Westside Blues Band FIVE SPOT School of Rock SMITH’S The Revivalists STAR BAR Futureshock TABERNACLE Yonder Mountain String Band VINYL GWC WILD BILL’S Reality Check SATURDAY JANUARY 30 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Holdcell APACHE CAFE Writers Block BLIND WILLIE’S Big Bill Morganfield CENTER STAGE Willie & Lobo EDDIES ATTIC Darden Smith FAT MATT’S Kerry Hill FIVE SPOT John Hruby MASQUERADE (Hell) Almost Kings PEACHTREE TAVERN Monster Party SMITH’S The Hackensaw Boys VARIETY The McCoy Tyner Trio SUNDAY JANUARY 31 THE EARL Tag Team EDDIES ATTIC Justin Townes Earle FAT MATT’S Fat Back Deluxe MONDAY FEBRUARY 1 FAT MATT’S Uncle Sugar PHILIPS ARENA Slayer, Megadeth TUESDAY FEBRUARY 2 EDDIES ATTIC Villains WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 3 EDDIES ATTIC Scrapomatic THURSDAY FEBRUARY 4 THE EARL Soul Shakers PHILIPS ARENA The Black Eyed Peas

Mariah Carey at FOX THEATRE (Jan. 19)

Fri, Jan. 15

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Fri, Jan. 22

17TH FLOOR

ZOSO

Az Izz

(Hip-Hop Cover)

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(The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience)

Fri, Jan. 29

THE DESIGN FKA SUGAR LITTLE THE BAND SCOTT BAND (Party Rock Cover)

(CD Release Party)

NO COVER WEEKNIGHTS!

(Hip-Hop Cover)

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MONSTER PARTY (Party Rock Cover)

�� PG 17 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

MUSIC INTERVIEW

COUNTRY BAND OFTHE DECADE

Sugarland – The Gateway Drug to Country S BY B. LOVE

UGARLAND WAS BORN AND BRED on the Atlanta music scene, where Kristian Bush played in Billy Pilgrim (which released two critically-acclaimed albums on Atlantic Records in the early ‘90s) and Jennifer Nettles fronted Soul Miner’s Daughter. But the glossy, polished sheen of their sound isn’t all that far removed from any number of country acts to emerge from Nashville’s Music Row. Yet the dynamic duo has found a way to incorporate inﬂuences ranging from pop and rock to urban music, attracting hordes of fans who normally wouldn’t be caught dead at a country concert. The result is a string of #1 singles (including three from 2008’s Love On The Inside alone), a slew of awards (including two Grammys, an ACM and a CMT Award in 2009), and multi-platinum record sales in an industry struggling to survive a sagging economy. We recently spoke with Bush as he was promoting the band’s Christmas album, Gold & Green, to find out why Sugarland’s sound is so damn hard to resist. It’s been a pretty crazy ride for Sugarland these past 5 years. What have been the biggest rewards of watching all your hard work ﬁnally come to fruition?

The first is that slow dawning realization that hard work actually pays off. There’s also the wisdom that comes with experience. For many years I was the kid that wasn’t old enough, and everyone turned and headed the other way because it mattered that you had experience. So I feel the joy of it every day because I can really appreciate what’s happening now. I’m always in my skin, soaking it up. It makes for a very rich life. You’d obviously been active on the Atlanta scene long before you and Jennifer hooked up. Did you always aspire to this level of success? No, I’m pretty sure this is a dream. I remember the goals as they kept getting bigger and thinking, “Man, I would just love to get paid to make records!” Then I had the crazy idea that I needed to be on a major label, because the Indigo Girls and Michelle Malone had gotten a contract and these were people on the local scene that we could reach out and touch. Then when [Billy Pilgrim] did get a deal, it became about not getting flushed down the drain because Hootie got all the attention. I realized later that we were signed to that label primarily for critic cred, but I thought we were the next big thing! (Laughs) Did you know when you started playing with Jennifer that the chemistry you guys had was special? There are a lot of pieces to the combination lock that you need to have in order to have a shot at succeeding. We hadn’t really put them all together yet, but they were there. It was a learning lesson PG 18 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

because [Billy Pilgrim partner] Andrew Hyra had such a good voice, but he wasn’t very interested in success. After we stopped working together, I wasn’t willing to work with anyone unless they were willing to succeed. That’s what comes with being in your thirties.

I’m not much of a country fan myself, but I find your music impossible to resist. What do you think is it about Sugarland that makes the music resonate so strongly with people? I think country music is creating a lifestyle that goes with it. Our music doesn’t challenge that lifestyle, but it also doesn’t acknowledge it as a requirement in order to listen to the music. We’re moving away from requiring being part of a subculture in order to be to be associated with a music genre. Whether you’re 12 or 45, you can have Metallica, Jay-Z and Sugarland on your iPod and not be considered weird. I think you’re exactly right to say that we’re playing music that will appeal to a lot of folks. Country music is supporting us and, in this kind of market, that support is appreciated. In a lot of ways we’re championed as the doorman for country music. We’ll open the gateway! It’s interesting hat you’ve been embraced by the country music establishment, yet your roots clearly include a lot of rock, folk and even urban music influences. Can you talk about that? Sure. We actually really enjoy footnoting everything. We’re starting to really come to terms with who is influencing us, and not shying away from that. If I had to play my iPod right now, you would have a laugh a minute! I’m a gigantic U2 fan, I’m digging the new Pearl Jam single, and I really love They Might Be Giants, the way they combine clever lyrics with primarily pop melodies. No matter what you say about them you can’t get their songs out of your head, and they make me– even at the age of 37– want to dance. What can I learn from that? I think in Sugarland we’re consumers of music to such a huge degree, and this stuff matters to us. What

we try to do is to translate all that into country music, because this is the only genre of music nowadays where you can be openly sentimental.

Do you ever ﬁnd yourself having to reign in your more experimental inclinations to maintain a distinctive Sugarland sound? There’s a certain amount of politics that I don’t like to go into because it seems to be a ﬂash bed of controversy in country music.

So it’s more about the lyrical content than the musical direction? With our musical direction we’re in a very interesting place. No matter what we do, Jennifer sings it with a country flavor, so I can throw a very wide palette of influences in front of you. I also think that the songs that we write are very emotional. You have to be honest. The band’s sound seems to be getting bigger and more expansive as your fan base grows. Have there ever been any discussions about doing a more strippeddown album that returns to your folksy roots? I think we can do both, because we get a lot of creative leeway from our fans. There was a song called “Stay” that we did and that was literally just me on guitar and Jennifer singing. It became a big radio hit (not to mention their first platinum single), which was really improbable based on the fact that country music requires a 5-minute acoustic ballad to be within their comfort range. We’ve been invited to play at the Grand Ol’ Opry, and that’s something we’d really like to do. So we’ve basically been given permission to go in any direction we want, and that’s almost like a fairytale for an artist. But if you had to pick a couple of people with the highest respect for that kind of privilege, it would be the two of us. 2009’s Live On The Inside was one of the better live CD/DVDs I’ve heard or seen. What was the intent behind releasing that?

Thank you! We really liked our show and knew that we weren’t gonna get to all the cities we wanted to play, so we thought this would be a great idea to spread the word. The label didn’t help us out with it and we only had enough money to record one show, so we recorded it from as many camera angles as we could. We approached the major TV networks to see if they were interested and ABC said yes. We were shocked and excited, so then the label decided to put it out as a CD and it became a part of the release cycle. We added the DVD because we’re very conscientious of our fans spending their hard-earned money, and we want to give them some value-added content. Now you’re releasing a holiday album just two months later. Are there any concerns at this point of becoming overexposed? Well, we’ve had that planned all year. We’ve found that our art leads our commerce, rather than the other way around. The DVD thing kind of appeared as a result of us creating the art, which generated some challenges for our record company. (Laughs) But Christmas records have been a passion of mine for many years. During my early years in Atlanta, I’d record Christmas records for my friends as gifts, doing diﬀerent versions of the holiday songs and hymns I knew. When we got approached with this idea I wanted to challenge ourselves to write some Christmas classics. We’re really good songwriters, so we wrote ﬁve of the 10 songs ourselves. I’m fascinated to hear what people think of it. What’s coming up next for the band? Our tour ended in October and then we just came back to Atlanta and crawled in a hole. The next thing on the horizon will likely be recording a new album, and then we’ll go on tour next year, maybe in April or May, and then go back to Europe.

Road Warriors

This Month’s Hottest Shows BY SACHA DZUBA

JAN. 11 – DWEEZIL ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA

Variety Playhouse This tribute performance is about the closest you can get to a live performance by the late, great Frank Zappa without raising him from the dead and handing him a guitar. Zappa’s son, Dweezil, decided to create the tour in an effort to keep his father’s music alive within the pop culture consciousness. The band consists of a mix of relatively unknown young musicians and older musicians who previously played with Frank. At several shows, Frank Zappa himself has performed songs posthumously via synchronized audio/video technology. Dweezil has remarked that he had to completely relearn the guitar to be able to play in the style of his father, and often painstakingly and accurately recreates his father’s solos note for note. If you’ve never heard of Frank Zappa, this is a great way to discover the wacked-out, humorous, and complex music of this mad genius.

JAN. 15-17 – SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS

Cobb Energy Centre Celebrate Chinese New Year with style and panache with this swirling blend of dancers, dazzling costumes, drums and music. This premiere dance and music company has

performed in over 100 cities, bringing over 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture and history to audiences across the globe. Ancient legends and modern tales alike are brought to life accompanied by songs performed by masterful vocalists and musicians. Experience this unforgettable show and bring some culture into your bland little lives…

JAN. 16 – JONATHAN COULTON

Variety Playhouse Who would’ve guessed that a geeky former computer programmer could write such witty and quirky music? Coulton’s songs about science fiction, technology and other varied topics has hit America’s pop-culture button. I became aware of him through a video on YouTube for his song “Code Monkey” and his other great song “Re: Your Brains” (both of which are worth checking out). Though primarily an internetbased performance artist, Coulton is also a charming and humorous live performer. If you’re curious about his music, it’s all available online through his website, and many of it is even available for free download.

JAN. 17 – GAELIC STORM

Variety Playhouse Perhaps best known as that traditional band from the below-decks scene in the film Titanic, Gaelic Storm brings all the rowdy fun of traditional Celtic jigs, Irish drinking songs and the beauty of Gaelic ballads to the intimate setting of the Variety Playhouse. Their latest album, “What’s the Rumpus?,” reached #1 on the Billboard World Music Chart. Make sure

you get a beer and swing your fists in time to the music. The Variety Playhouse bar serves Guinness Stout, right?!

capture your hearts with their story. Make sure to raise your metal horns in salute when they attack your ears with their titanic tunes.

JAN. 19 – MARIAH CAREY

JAN. 31 – FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH/SHADOW’S FALL

The Fox Say what you want about her tabloid antics, but this beautiful diva has been on the musical scene since 1990, with numerous #1 singles, Grammy Awards and Platinum records in her career. Her biggest allure is her powerful voice, which has been an influence on nearly every female R&B or pop star of the past decade. Her vocal range is wide enough to cover all the octaves between alto and soprano, with her trademark ability being able to sing into the whistle register. Check out her latest album, Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel, and see her in a decidedly unglamorous role in the film Precious to see that Carey is still going strong 20 years into her career.

JAN. 20 – ANVIL

Variety Playhouse I was privileged to see the documentary film “Anvil: The Story of Anvil” when it premiered at the Midtown Arts cinema. These unfairly treated underdogs of the metal scene brought the behind-the-scenes story of their rise and fall to audiences across the U.S. and universally won them over. After the screening, the band delivered an intimate performance of several past hits as well as some new tunes. Whether you’re experiencing the band again or for the first time, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll bang your head as they

The Masquerade Five Finger Death Punch was formed in Los Angeles in 2005, named as a tribute to the movie Kill Bill: Vol. 2 and Kung-Fu cinema in general. You can hear shades of Tool’s influence in the band’s vocals, while musically they’re more in the style of Pantera and System of a Down. One of the progenitors of the “metalcore” sound, Shadow’s Fall helped bring the scene into a more mainstream consciousness. They’ve started experimenting with their style a bit on their latest album, Retribution, blending elements of thrash, hardcore and death metal. This is sure to be an evening filled with some great metal.

FEB. 1 – SLAYER & MEGADETH WITH TESTAMENT

Gwinnett Arena Slayer. Megadeth. Two names synonymous with fierce, crunching power. Two bands whose histories are inevitably intertwined in defining the thrash/ metal genre have joined forces to coheadline “American Carnage,” the most explosive metal-tour of the winter. Individually these bands are impressive; but together, they’re brutal and unstoppable. “American Carnage” is the first time that Slayer and Megadeth will have toured the U.S. together since 1991’s epic “Clash of the Titans” tour. To celebrate that and in recognition of the tough economic times that many of their fans are having, Megadeth and Slayer have decided to roll back the price of a chunk of tickets at every U.S. show to the “1991 price” of $10.00.

PG 19 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

MUSIC

Album Reviews By B. Love, DeMarco Williams, John B. Moore, & Sacha Dzuba

NICK CAVE & WARREN ELLIS – THE ROAD (Mute) Soundtracks that bring films to life BL: If I were to make a list of the coolest film soundtracks of the past decade, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’ scores for The Proposition and The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford would be near the top of it. After working together for over 15 years in the Bad Seeds and Dirty Three, the dynamic duo has honed an emotionally evocative sound perfectly suited for the big screen, and The Road marks yet another brilliantly addition to their canon. A gut-wrenching film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Road follows a man (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee) as they make their way across a bleak, postapocalyptic landscape destroyed by an unnamed cataclysm. Director John Hillcoat balances touching scenes of father-son bonding with terrifying sequences involving roving gangs and human cannibals, and the music treads similarly disparate emotional ground. From the pastoral gentility of the opening “Home” and the haunting beauty of the title track to the discomforting dissonance of “The Cannibals,” Cave and Ellis adroitly tailor each song to suit the scene, yet never lose sight of a cohesive sound. Cave’s piano, Ellis’ violin and various woodwinds create moments of elegiac beauty, which only make the disturbing loops and frenetic percussion of the uptempo tracks all the more effective. As with their previous soundtracks, you don’t need to have seen the movie to enjoy this music. But if you have, the emotional impact of their compositions seems all the more impressive. VARIOUS ARTISTS – TAKE ME TO THE WATER (DustTo-Digital) That good ol’ gospel music BL: Growing up in Atlanta as a child of the ‘60s and ‘70s, it seemed like the soul of gospel permeated the culture of the South. But as the region’s cultural paradise was paved over with parking lots and high rises, gospel music became a slicker and more polished beast. But this excellent compilation from Atlanta’s premiere boutique label, DustTo-Digital, pasy tribute to the raw, traditional gospel that permeated the fabric of my childhood, accurately summarizing the music form’s past century of evolution in the process. You can read elsewhere in this issue about Dust-To-Digital’s impeccable reputation, and Take Me To the Water is yet another in the local label’s uninterrupted stream of exceptional releases. Already nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Historical Release category, the exquisite package offers 25 tracks of gospel music recorded between 1924 and 1940 as well as a gorgeous book featuring vintage photos and informative essays. Opening with “Baptize Me,” featuring Atlanta’s Rev. J.M. Gates backed by his congregation, Take Me To The Water captures the unbridled passion and power of songs sung purely in the spirit of praise. There’s a PG 20 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

The Dean’s List broad representation of the gospel sound here, from the bluesy influences of Washington Phillips’ “Denomination Blues Part I” and the Appalachian country of the Carter Family’s “On My Way To Canaan’s Land” to the barbershop approach of the Southern Wonders Quartet’s “Go Wash In The Beautiful Stream” and the Western sound of Bill Boyd & His Cowboy Ramblers’ “Sister Lucy Lee.” Partnered with the book’s vintage immersion baptism photographs and essays by Jim Linderman and Luc Sante, it’s easy to see why the set is up for a Grammy. SOULS OF MISCHIEF – MONTEZUMA’S REVENGE (Clear Label) Old school throwbacks you won’t want to throw back BL: It’s been nine years since this Hieroglyphics crew last released a new album (see: 2000’s Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, Resolution), and more than 15 years since their seminal underground classic, 93 ‘Til Infinity. That’s an eternity in the hip-hop world, where trends change faster than Lady Gaga’s wardrobe. Peers such as A Tribe Called Quest and The Pharcyde have gone the way of the dodo, and the sort of complex, battle-tested lyricism the Bay Area’s brightest bohemian MCs have to offer is no longer in fashion. No matter. A-Plus, Opio, Phesto and Tajai have returned with the best album since their debut– a lyrical tour-de-force with fantastic production courtesy of Domino and the legendary Prince Paul. The group has clearly matured a bit, but their sound is classic ‘90s backpacker hip-hop, with tag-team rhyme patterns and a cohesive sound that never grows old. “Won1” rides atop a typically creative Prince Paul beat, with distorted guitar, slamming syncopated beats and soulful singers supporting fierce lyrical flows that will leave you rewinding to catch every word. Elsewhere, the subject matter ranges from dealing with crazy women ( “Postal”) to leaving them ( “Lickity Split”), from crime-based storytelling (“Dead Man Walking”) to laid-back paeans to the joys of summer (“Home Game”). This sort of old school throwback may not have a place on commercial hip-hop radio, but it is a refreshing reminder of what made groups like Souls of Mischief great in the first place.

warming “Each Tear” come from the mouth of some 20-year-old upstart, we’d probably be fumbling to find words to describe their genius. But because the polished pick-me-ups sound like eight other MJB sisterhood anthems from the past five years, we pause with the accolades and, instead, remind ourselves that the great ones have higher standards to live up to. The stoic “Color,” echoic “Tonight” and metaphoric “Kitchen” are solid attempts at taking the Queen’s sound somewhere new, but the moment we hear “Leave my man alone” a 20th time, it all starts to sound the same. GRADE: B LYLE LOVETT – NATURAL FORCES (Lost Highway) A decent offering, but hardly his best JM: Lyle Lovett is one of those rare musicians that has earned a critic’s pass of sorts. Thanks to decade’s worth of brilliant songs, he’s allowed to put out a weaker album every now and then. Natural Forces, his latest, is not bad, but again not among his best. Though Lovett has managed to cast a pretty big net beyond the traditional country music fan with past albums, the dozen songs that make up Natural Forces are aimed more at the cowboy booted crowd this time around. Half of the songs on this one, including the addictively twangy “Pantry”, were written by Lovett; The rest by other Lone Star State greats like Eric Taylor, Don Sanders, Tommy Elskes, David Ball, Vince Bell, Robert Earl Keen, and Lovett favorite Townes Van Zandt. Natural Forces may not be his best effort, but even a mediocre Lovett is still a pretty good thing. GRADE: BJOHN MAYER – BATTLE STUDIES (Columbia) The adult-contemporary ladies man

BL: It’s no secret that John Mayer has emerged in recent years as pop music’s most formidable lothario, bedding a string of sexy sirens (Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jessica Simpson, Minka Kelly, Jennifer Aniston, etc.) that have made him a regular tabloid staple. So perhaps it’s no surprise that his fourth studio album, Battle Studies, boasts a strong seductive vibe squarely aimed at the fairer sex. As if his personal life wasn’t enough to convince you that the former Atlanta folkie has “gone Hollywood,” the album was recorded in a house near Topanga Canyon, with Mayer claiming he wanted to get a “hazy, rustic, California, Don Henley, Fleetwood Mac feel.” The resulting record fits squarely into the adultoriented rock tradition, channeling legends like Sting, Dire Straits and Eric Clapton. Its mood is perfectly suited for romantic evenings with a good wine and a warm fire, but from the U2-lite vibe of the opening “Heartbreak Warfare” to a tepid cover pf Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads,” it’s not terribly exciting. MARY J. BLIGE – STRONGER WITH EACH TEAR Still, from the teary-eyed balladry of “All We (Geffen) Ever Do Is Say Goodbye” to the soulful “Edge Of Hip-hop/soul queen keeps serving in the same court Desire,” this album is clearly aimed at the ladies. And if Mayer’s mandate was to hit the female of DW: The great ones make it look easy all the the species square in the heart, Battle Studies is time. They have a way of being so consistent, mission accomplished. GRADE: C+ so dependable that their stuff almost becomes ordinary. Mary J. Blige, one of the best-selling GUCCI MANE – THE STATE VS. RADRIC DAVIS solo R&B performers ever, is on the verge of (Asylum) boring her fans to cheers. The steady diva’s Second verse, same as the first ’05 offering The Breakthrough was about weathering emotional storms and coming out DW: Radric Davis is the name a judge used a better person. ‘07’s Growing Pains showed when he issued Gucci Mane his jail sentence for how a better person could have fun and even parole violation back in November. The state grow assertive. This latest keeps the good didn’t care about the MC’s ridiculous jewels or times rolling both in lyrics and mature, mellow the high-profile duets with Mariah Carey when sound. it dropped the gavel. Some artists would’ve But therein lies the problem with Stronger. used the scenario as a reality check to reflect Had the neck-jarring “Said and Done” or heart- through song, but Gucci fails to take advantage

Rest of the Class

of that opportunity on The State vs.. Radric Davis, instead adding to the silliness partially responsible for him getting into trouble in the first place. “Wasted,” the well-received first single from the ATL rapper’s second studio album, is essentially nothing more than an ode to wasting brain cells while partying. In a similar vein, energetic drum patterns decorate more nods to drugs (“Kush Is My Cologne” with Bun B), dollars (the Rick Ross-backed “All About the Money”) and dames (Nicki Minaj-featured “Sex in Crazy Places” and the Usher-accompanied “Spotlight”). But don’t take us for complete squares: The back and forth with OJ Da Juiceman (“Gingerbread Man”) and Keyshia Cole (“Bad, Bad, Bad”) are certified flames from a thick-tongued talker who’s actually starting to rap now. It’s just that there are only so many words that can rhyme with “ice.” One of those happens to be “advice,” and here’s some for Gucci: If more of your tracks dug a little deeper than a female’s skin tone, as you do on the somewhat engaging “Worst Enemy,” T.I. and Young Jeezy might actually have to worry about you stealing their A-town crown. But because 90% of Radric Davis’ rhymes offer nothing more than a bombastic ride through Excessville, we don’t think either rapper has much to worry about… even when Gucci is released from prison next fall. GRADE: C JACK JOHNSON – EN CONCERT (Brushfire) Singer/songwriters who are even better live JM: Laidback folk rocker Jack Johnson has been accused of writing the same song over and over again. If nothing else, En Concert, the Hawaiian singer’s live record, goes to show just how diverse he can be. Recorded on his 2008 world tour En Concert is everything a live record should be: expansive (the songs cover all five of his albums) and creative (the arrangements are far from predictable). Johnson also brings in some strong guests, like Eddie Vedder on “Constellations” and Paula Fuga on “Country Road”. There is even an infectious cover of Paul Simon’s “Mother and Child Reunion”. He does a great job of marrying crowd favorites with rework versions of album deep cuts. Not as great as being there but a pretty decent substitute. GRADE: B+ THEE AMERICAN REVOLUTION ELECTROSTORM (Garden Gate) The return of Elephant 6

–

BUDDHA

BL: Although you don’t hear their name referenced as often today as it was a decade ago, the Elephant 6 legacy remains a huge influence on the Athens music scene. When cofounder Robert Schneider dusted off their logo in 2007 for the Apples In Stereo album New Magnetic Wonder, it symbolized the collective’s second coming. Thee American Revolution– Schneider, brotherin-law Craig Morris and a rotating cast of friends including Bill Doss (Olivia Tremor Control) and John Ferguson (Apples In Stereo)– follows the E6 aesthetic to the tee, offering shambling psychedelic rock that references classics from Love & Rockets’ “No New Tale To Tell” (the opening “She’s Coming Down”) to Iron Butterfly’s “In A Gadda Da Vida” (“Grit Magazine”). The results are driven by a Beatle-esque interest in experimentation, placing a premium on garage-rock fun rather than any aspirations to perfection. Elephant 6 fans should be delighted. GRADE: B

TOP 10

TV SHOWS OF THE DECADE

BY B. LOVE HE SOPRANOS

The Godfather may have explored life inside La Cosa Nostra first, but David Chase’s complex character study of Mafioso Tony Soprano and his family (both professional and personal) did it with remarkable depth and insight, turning traditional crime dramas on their heads in the process. James Gandolfini’s masterful performance found a thousand shades of grey in the moral ground that divides good from evil, but every actor here seemed perfectly cast for a tragicomic tale that was perfectly told.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

Assembling the greatest cast of oddball characters ever– from Will Arnett’s narcissistic Gob and Michael Cera’s awkward George Michael to Tony Hale’s Oedipal Buster and David Cross’ brilliantly fucked-up Tobias– this groundbreaking sitcom about “a wealthy family who lost everything and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together” packed more creativity into 3 seasons than most networks achieve in a decade. If there is a God, let the long-rumored movie come soon!

LOST

As network TV’s most complexly layered show enters its sixth and final season, go back and take a look at the first episode: From the moment Oceanic Flight 815 crashes down on that mysterious island in the South Pacific, it’s clear the creators intended to take viewers on a wild, thought-provoking ride unlike anything they’d ever seen. With its hidden clues, intertwined storylines and surprising shifts (both time and plot), no show has ever challenged its audience’s intellect in such a bold, entertaining fashion.

THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART

Does the fact that a self-proclaimed “comedy monkey” earned the title of Most Trusted Newscaster in an online poll say more about the quality of The Daily Show or the pathetic state of other news sources? Regardless, Jon Stewart and his excellent correspondents (including Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Ed Helms, Rob Corddry and Lewis Black) have changed the face of news and comedy, lampooning the day’s events and making other news shows look tragically unhip in the process.

30 ROCK

One of those rare shows so brilliantly subversive, you can’t believe they get away with it every week. Whether tackling corporate ass-kissing, Hollywood egos, oﬃce politics, the career/family quandary of single womanhood, small town religion or the materialism of hip-hop culture, Tina Fey’s constantly inventive sitcom skewers sacred cows like a Greek chef skewers kabobs. Its shelf full of Emmys (14 and counting) and A-list guests like Oprah and Salma Hayek are testaments to the show’s consistent quality.

SIX FEET UNDER

Creator Alan Ball’s tragicomic look at a family that runs an independent funeral home dealing with grief in the wake of its patriarch’s untimely death was deep, dark and steeped in dysfunction. But most of all it was real, written and acted so brilliantly that to watch it was addictively voyeuristic. Whether confronting issues of life and death, loyalty and betrayal, joy and sadness or love and loss, the Fisher family’s metaphysical struggles proved endlessly compelling, right down to the ﬁnal episode.

SURVIVOR

The show that started the reality TV craze in 2000 remains one of television’s most intriguing sociological experiments 20 seasons later by placing its culturally disparate cast members in increasingly harsh environments and forcing them to undergo grueling challenges designed to test their minds, bodies and spirits. Coming oﬀ a season in which one of the greatest players ever (uber-aggressive oil magnate Russell Hantz) lost to a milquetoast who rode his coattails, the show has never been more compelling.

THE OFFICE

In its two-year run on the BBC, Ricky Gervais’ hit revolutionized TV comedy, killing the laugh track and mining humor from the awkwardness of everyday interactions among a bunch of paperpushing peons. Now in its sixth year, the American version has expanded on Gervais’s Britcom brilliance with a killer ensemble full of breakout stars (see: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Ed Helms, etc.), inﬂuencing a whole new generation of silly/smart adult comedies.

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AMERICAN IDOL

Say what you will about this reality TV behemoth, but there’s no denying its monolithic impact on a music industry in a constant state of decline. Simon Cowell is one of TV’s greatest villains and Paula Abdul one of its most colorful crazies. But the show also produced bona-ﬁde stars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson, who have a collective 27 million albums sold, 7 Grammys and an Oscar to show for their eﬀorts.

Though this dynamic thriller has had its ups and downs (don’t get me started on the logic of Palmer’s brother becoming President, or of Kim Bauer… well, doing anything), few shows have ever tapped into a nation’s zeitgeist so eﬀectively. It’s one thing to read stories about torturing prisoners at Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo Bay, and another thing entirely to watch Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer do it in prime time. Nine years into its run, 24 remains one of the most visceral, pulse-pounding hours on television.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Amazing Race, The Wire, Weeds, Dexter, Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights, Mad Men PG 21 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

Indie Auteur of the Decade FILM INTERVIEW

JASON REITMAN ON GEORGE CLOONEY, THE ECONOMY & UP IN THE AIR H BY B. LOVE

E WAS JUST 22 YEARS OLD AT THE TURN OF the century, but by the end of 2009 director Jason Reitman had established himself as one of the most assured storytellers in the business. With 2005’s vastly underrated Thank You For Smoking and 2007’s Juno, the Montreal native (son of Meatballs, Stripes and Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman) established his distinctive narrative tone. But his latest film, Up In The Air, finds him refining his mature, seriocomic style in fine fashion, delivering a timely classic that should earn numerous Oscar nods. At September’s Toronto Film Festival and on a recent promotional tour, Reitman sat down with us to discuss everything from working with mega-star George Clooney to working with people who are out of work and scared in the midst of a 21st century recession.

Were those people who did the short scenes about losing their jobs real people who really lost their jobs? Yes, they were real people. I started writing this movie seven years ago. When I started writing it, we were in an economic boom and, by the time I finished writing it, we were in one of the worst recessions on record. The biggest change I made, in approaching actually directing the movie, was that I realized the scenes I’d written were not adequate. They weren’t authentic. In location scouting in St. Louis and Detroit, I walked into empty building after empty building. I realized that I was surrounded by the realities of this recession, and that it was important to reach out and see if we could actually find some people who had lost their jobs to talk about their stories on camera. Were you worried about the film coming out at this time because of the economy, with so many people losing their

jobs or scared of losing them? No, it doesn’t, for a couple of reasons. This is not a movie about job loss. It never has been. The reason why this was just as an appropriate movie in 2002, when I started writing it, as it is now is that it’s a movie about human connections. It’s about a guy trying to figure out who and what he wants in his life, and who has a philosophy about living alone that is challenged by his family, by a woman, romantically, and by a young upstart girl, who is biting away at his ankles, the entire film. That’s what this movie is about. The location is in the world of corporate termination, which happens to be very relevant right now, and that adds weight to the movie, but it’s just not what it’s about. If you watch the trailer, that’s not what the trailer is about either. I would say less than 10% of the film takes place in the world of corporate termination. The people who are in the film, who lost their jobs and who have now seen the movie, they love it, are proud of it and found the experience of being on camera to be cathartic. Almost every single one of the people who came in to be on camera for us would say, “You know, I haven’t really had a chance to talk about this to anyone. This is not the kind of thing that we talk about here in the Midwest, and you can feel so alone because you’ve lost your community.” You’re not going into an office where you see the same 50 people that you see all the time. You’re at home alone a lot, looking on the internet, trying to find an opportunity. So, to come to a place where there were other people who had experienced something similar, realizing you’re not alone, it seemed to help, and hopefully the film will do the same thing. They act as a metaphor. You have a guy who’s searching for purpose in his life, and for a living he is cutting people off from what matters most -- their livelihood -- and pushing them into a world in which they are searching for a purpose themselves.

PEOPLE DON’T FUCK WITH YOU WHEN YOU’VE GOT GEORGE CLOONEY ON YOUR SIDE.

How did you strike up a bond with George Clooney? The first way we struck up a bond was him kicking my ass in basketball, after which he said to me, “I just read your script. It’s great. I’m in.” Those were the words he said. That’s how he came into the project. What’s wonderful about George is that, unlike a lot of actors who create barriers between you and them, to make sure there’s never intimacy, George breaks those barriers down. The second that you are in a working relationship with him and he trusts you, there are no barriers and he’s very trusting. I can’t think of a single thing that I asked him to do that he said no to. He creates a very lovely set environment. Do you think it’s true that you could not have made a movie with anybody else in that role except George? It’s hard to imagine the film having that kind of weight and poignancy without him. There’s something about his opening up in this film. There’s something about his show of vulnerability that I, at least, have been waiting for, watching him his entire career, that makes this film really work. When he becomes vulnerable to Vera Farmiga, it really means something. Vera is incredible in such a complicated part. Did you see her in something that helped you to know she was the right person for this role? I saw her in Down to the Bone and thought she was PG 22 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

fearless in that, and I saw her in The Departed and knew that she could really go toe-to-toe with some charismatic men. But, it was really in meeting her that I knew. I went, “Wow, this girl is really something.” It’s funny, she was pregnant through prep. She had a baby right before we started making the movie, and I remember going to her and saying “You can’t do this. I don’t see how this is humanly possible.” And, she came back so confident and was like, “No, no, no, don’t worry about it.” It wasn’t a conversation. It was just like, “No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. You’re not even going to know.” I was like, “Really, I don’t think you can do this. I just had a baby. I’m not trying to be sexist. I’m just aware of what goes on.” And, she refused to even entertain the conversation. It was one of those moments where I realized, “Wow, this woman really is Alex.” She’s so cocksure and so fearless, and such a gamer. It was just perfect. Having refused to get married again or settle down, is some of the real George Clooney in his character? Do you think you changed his point of view on his

life at all? Do I think I helped change his own point of view on his own life? Absolutely not! The first thing he said to me was, “I’m in.” The second thing he said was, “I know people are going to draw comparisons between this character and my persona, and I’m ready to stare them straight in the eyes.” I loved that. I just thought, “What a brave, self-aware thing to say and then to do.” It didn’t require further conversation. We both understood, and that was it. We went and made the movie. The ending is not nicely tied in, which was refreshing. Was that your original ending? Yes, that was always my ending. I did not want to make a movie that explored the importance of companionship through romance. There’s plenty of those films. I wanted a movie that explored the importance of companionship through loss. It’s not when you see them dancing together at the wedding that you realize that this man is in love. It’s right after he finds out the truth and he’s sitting alone in his hotel room. You go, “Oh, this guy wants something more, and maybe so do I.” Hopefully, the actual physical impact of feeling that makes the audience think perhaps they want something more. The movie is not about a man making a decision. It’s a man coming to an epiphany, and we leave him before his moment of decision, in the purpose of pushing the audience to think about it for themselves, rather than think about what the character’s decision is. Do you see parallels between the people who have lost their job and him losing his chance with that connection? Did the studios try to change that? Never. Not for a second. I attribute that to the success of Juno giving me a fair amount of power and to George Clooney. People don’t fuck with you when you’ve got George Clooney on your side. Do you know what your next projects are going to be? I’m adapting Joyce Maynard’s new book, Labor Day, and I’m working with Jenny Lumet, who wrote Rachel Getting Married, on a screenplay.

MUSIC INTERVIEW

RECORD LABEL OF THE DECADE Dust to Digital Moves Music Forward by Plumbing Its Past

BY B. LOVE

O SAY THAT COLLEGE RADIO DJ-turned-record label entrepreneur Lance Ledbetter is a throwback to a simpler time in music history would be a massive understatement. Though he may not venture out into the field and make his own recordings á la Alan Lomax, Ledbetter’s affinity for little known gospel, blues, bluegrass, country and folk music of the early 1900s has made him into the 21st century’s answer to Harry Smith. And his critically acclaimed, Atlanta-based boutique label, Dust To Digital, is now introducing old-time music to a whole new generation of fans. Ledbetter traces his intense connection to music back to his teen years, long before exposure to Smith’s extremely influential American Anthology of Folk Music sent him digging into dusty record collectors’ vast archives in search of undiscovered treasures. “I guess it goes back to 8th or 9th grade,” he recalls warmly, “when I started to realize that this great indie rock my peer group was into was largely coming from certain record labels. Each label had its own sound and recruited certain artists that shared that aesthetic, and there were certain labels I started to trust so much that I’d buy everything they put out.” Ledbetter, who grew up in a small Georgia town about 20 minutes outside Chattanooga, name-checks seminal indies such as SST, Dischord, Touch & Go, Homestead, Matador and Merge, remembering long pre-Internet afternoons spent at local record stores, scouring the bins and talking to knowledgeable clerks in an attempt to stay on top of the latest releases. But his first experience in the music industry came years later when he moved to Atlanta, where he ended up working as a DJ at Georgia State University’s student-run radio station, WRAS (a.k.a. Album 88), and interning at an indie label called Table The Elements. “At that point I’d become exposed to music magazines and heard the buzz about the Smithsonian Folkways reissue of Harry Smith’s American Anthology of Folk Music on CD. It sounded very intriguing, and I got a copy through a friend of mine at WREK who got a bunch of them at the DJ rate. I took it back to my apartment, read the accompanying book and listened to it all night. It was one of those life-changing moments,” he admits, “because I never knew much about that era of music. That anthology just opened this huge door for me.” Ledbetter’s newfound passion for this raw, rootsy sound made him fast friends with fellow DJ Brian Montero, host of WRAS’ Sun-

day morning show, 20th Century Archives. Initially united by their mutual love of John Fahey, Montero eventually invited Ledbetter to sit in on his show, which exposed him to a whole new world of old time music and convinced him to start expanding his library of music. “[Brian] eventually decided to leave the station and was looking for somebody to take over the show, so I asked him if I could take a crack at it. I started going to record stores and trying to expand the show, basically learning about music in front of everyone. I had an easy time finding country, blues and jazz reissues from that area, but had a hard time tracking down gospel,” which he says sparked the initial fire of inspiration that eventually led to the creation of Dust To Digital.

“One thing that jumped out for me was the passion that people sang with back then,” Ledbetter says, his laid-back Southern drawl suddenly rising with intensity. “They were singing for their souls, singing about sin and the rudiments of Christian religion, and I think the results were a lot more compelling and engaging than the music you hear on gospel radio stations today. The music people were making 80 years ago was much more salt-of-the-earth, dealing with everyday problems with a lot more feeling. And of course historically there was a lot more going on back then in America, such the Great Depression. Nowadays it’s very easy to have a convenient lifestyle, so people don’t seem to sing about the problems of their daily lives as much anymore.” It took Ledbetter more than four years to

REALLY THE GOAL IS JUST TO KEEP CREATING THESE CULTURAL ARTIFACTS AND MAINTAINING OUR AESTHETIC OF BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE MODERN DAY OF 2010 WITH THE OLD DAYS OF 1928 WITH RELEASES THAT MARRY THE TWO. THERE REALLY ISN’T A GRAND SCHEME FOR WHAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH...BECAUSE I THINK WE’RE ALREADY DOING IT. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO KEEP AT IT AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD. “I was listening to all of this gospel music for my radio show,” he continues, “and I realized it was something that not a lot of people had access to. I wanted to share this music with people, and I spent four and a half years trying to figure out how to go about doing that. I found so much great material that the idea ended up going from a single CD to a 6-CD boxed set, but I had the idea for this gospel release long before I had the idea for a record label.” His research for the project that would eventually come to be known as Goodbye, Babylon soon led Ledbetter to a Marylandbased record collector named Joe Bussard, who began sending him cassette recordings of his remarkably expansive 78rpm record library. It took Ledbetter 18 months to make his way through the massive gospel music collection, listening to two cassettes per week and intently scrutinizing the music and lyrics of each song with a well-honed critical ear. If the Harry Smith anthology had captured his curiosity, it was Bussard’s collection that quickly converted him into a true believer.

assemble the Goodbye, Babylon collection, whittling down a batch of over 300 songs to 160 spread over six CDs. He also singlehandedly oversaw virtually every step of the production process, from sequencing the tracks to hand-packing the Georgia cotton that came in each boxed set. “I had to figure out everything from how to set up a business, to how to license the material, to learning how to do graphic design for the boxed set and lay out a 200-page book, to getting the records mastered,” he recalls with an air of amazement, almost as if realizing the sheer scope of the project for the first time. “It was a huge ordeal and took so much time, but I just kept at it. I had a day job working on computers for the first three years before I got laid off, then I worked 80 hours a week doing Goodbye, Babylon for the last year and a half.” Clearly the results paid off exponentially, as Goodbye, Babylon earned universal critical acclaim, rave reviews from music legends like Bob Dylan and Neil Young, and Grammy nominations for Best Historical Album and Best Boxed Set. Ledbetter admits that his

pet project’s ultimate success was beyond his wildest dreams. “I could not have been more surprised! Nobody knew who we were,” he admits, ‘so I was thinking we’d make 1000 of them, sit on ‘em for two to three years, and maybe somewhere down the road it might get someone’s attention. I figured I’d have to get another day job and we’d get back to our daily lives. But we were extremely fortunate that a lot of people fell in love with it, got the message we were trying to convey and really enjoyed the music.” In a rapidly evolving marketplace hungry for authentic roots music, Goodbye, Babylon came down like manna from heaven, selling thousands of units at over $100 a pop. Subsequent critically acclaimed releases such as a Fonotone Records boxed set, I Belong to This Band (the soundtrack to Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp) and two 4-CD volumes of The Art of Field Recording have proven equally impressive, establishing Dust To Digital as the sort of prestigious record label Ledbetter might have sworn allegiance to in his youth. With the gospel collection Take Me To The Water recently earning the label yet another Grammy nomination for Best Historical album, I ask Ledbetter if there might be a Goodbye, Babylon sequel on the horizon. “Oh yeah, I think about it a lot,” he says emphatically. “We’re really fortunate because Goodbye, Babylon came out five years ago, and in that time we’ve had people like Art Rosenbaum and Dick Spotteswood come into our lives. These guys are highly intelligent and have great taste in music, and they’ve been bringing some great projects to us. Dust To Digital has now become a sort of collaborative effort, and in a year of time we can accomplish a great deal. Next year we’re doing a boxed set of Georgia music, and that’ll be more like Goodbye, Babylon is the sense that it’ll be more the product of my personal effort. I look forward to that, and then maybe down the road we’ll revisit gospel music.” In the meantime, Ledbetter believes that his homegrown company is on the right path business-wise, and seems content to maintain Dust To Digital’s impressive legacy via slow, steady growth. “Really the goal is just to keep creating these cultural artifacts and maintaining our aesthetic of bridging the gap between the modern day of 2010 with the old days of 1928 with releases that marry the two. There really isn’t a grand scheme for what we need to accomplish,” he insists, “because I think we’re already doing it. I think we just need to keep at it and keep moving forward.”

PG 23 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

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www.SouthAMBA.com PG 25 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

Employment

Job placement is excellent and has remained near 100-percent for over a decade - no other school is close. ISSN’s long experience and being known in the Industry insures the grad- How to land a Job in 2010 uate of a good job upon graduation. Over 320 active employers depend on ISSN BY ROGER PRESSWOOD for Esthetician and Nail Technician staffing. Programs start monthly for the convenience of Even with signals of an improving economy, today's student. They have morning, after- the job market continues to be tight as noon, or evening class in the Esthetician pro- employers remain cautious awaiting signs of a gram and day or evening classes in the Nail permanent economic recovery in 2010. Technician program. They also offer a fully Networking remains the number one method accredited Massage Therapy Division. to secure a position in the current job market. ISSN is conveniently located in the Prado, 5600 Roswell Road at I-295. 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If you are just starting with that you want to stay in contact with, goals that help you setting daily and weekly l as the where South all accredited Massage Therapy Division. blowing community heating up in Atlanta! and 25%so about the keyyou. is notAsk to getsend dis- a message. or make a phone call and maythem be ambitious, the resultsisandAtlanta's create small successes75% that about produce Janke Studios premier ah, Georgia. Call get ISSN is conveniently located in the Prado, careerand history, ask how could couraged adjusting youryou goal for themention folpeople your their build Studio upon one untilArt youGlass reach about something from your conversation Glassblowing andanother Functional outhAMBA.com 5600 Road at I-295. January It is an accreditlowing week, perhaps dropping itdotoin15. to How help them, or just ask what they like to Saturday, 16, 2010 trained that Roswell do it! ultimate goal. Here's your plan for how to reinitiate the connection. Remember, in Janke Studios offers both the beginGallery. ed school and approved by the Georgia State do time you know is too - ask,what listen, andmuch learn!vs. not enough work in Spas, the end successful networking is about buildand experienced artist the use of state of their spare A quick call toning their Starting at 9:00am BREAK IT DOWN: If the only goal you've set is in any given area of your search? You want S a l o nBoard s , of Cosmetology. ingtorelationships! the art equipment including a 300 pound furAdmission's office can answer allmanof your ques- to get a job, you're going to be searching aSTAY IN feel that you Consistency are pushing yourself beyond your THE GAME: is the key to Network Six TV, Doctors, Cruise Ships and holes in threePistol sizes, a color furnace nace, glory Flags Over Georgia Crystal tions. When you call ask for a tour of the comfort zone, but not so much that you feel so Presswood Many people become discouraged if Roger veryfor longalltime. 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Feb. 10. For the enthusiast, nurture your skills in an extensive five week class or host a Remote: hot glass on your site for demos, classes or educational purposes. Janke Studios is located at StudioPlex at 659 Auburn Avenue. For information on upcoming classes call 404-5840305, email jankeglass@aol.com or go to www.jankestudios.com your career plan with a master's degree can put you in the lead - faster than you ever thought possible. And with the Accelerated MBA, you can do it in as little as one year. The AMBA program features a concentrated, accelerated curriculum designed for the working professional. So you can keep your current job while you prepare for a better one. Turn yourself into the whole package. Perfect the skills you have, and add new ones you thought you'd never get. That's what we call a master plan. The AMBA is offered at the Art Institute of Atlanta campus as well as the South University campus in Savannah, Georgia. Call 800.952.4491 or go to www.SouthAMBA.com

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MOST UNDERRATED TO0PWEBSITES 1 OF THE DECADE WEB

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PG 26 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

MUSIC INTERVIEW

COMEBACK OF THE DECADE

Thanks to Filipino Singer Arnel Pineda, Journey Won’t Stop Believing BY B. LOVE

F YOU DIDN’T KNOW ARNEL PINEDA’S story was true, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was some sort of Slumdog Millionaire-style Hollywood fantasy. His mother died of heart disease when he was 13, her illness left the family impoverished, and young Arnel spent two years sleeping on the streets, taking odd jobs to survive. But music was Pineda’s first love and, after 25 years of playing in various bands in the Philippines, he was hired in 2007 to become the frontman for Journey. Now, on the heels of a platinum album (Revelation), Journey is topping the charts again with a DVD concert recorded Live In Manila. We recently caught up with the 42-year-old singer to discuss his tough childhood, how YouTube helped him get discovered, and what it’s like to perform for 30,000 Filipinos with one of the world’s most beloved bands.

he spent weeks uploading 64 songs because he was such a hardcore fan. He believed someone would see it and change my life forever. And Neal Schon saw them? Yeah, he sent an email to Noel and explained that Journey was looking for their next frontman and asked if I wanted to audition. I didn’t believe it at ﬁrst– it was too weird– but soon they were ﬂying me and my manager to San Francisco. What was the audition process like? It was very scary. I didn’t think I was doing very well and I had a bad case of jet lag. The pressure was really heavy the first three days– it seemed like they were looking for an invincible singer. Then on the fourth day they asked me to go into the studio and record a few of their greatest hits and two newly-written songs. To my surprise, they thought I had that magical voice they were looking for, and on the last day they gave me the good news.

I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE FOOD, CLOTHES OR SHELTER IN WHICH TO LIVE. SO WHEN I GOT THE CHANCE TO BECOME WELL KNOWN, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME TO HELP THE UNDERPRIVILEGED, WITH CHILDREN BEING THE FOCUS.

How do you think the adversity you endured as a child has impacted the man you are today? I think it helped me be more thankful for what I have. It made me realize that if you stick with your dreams, something will be waiting for you. My humble beginnings, with the poverty I’ve experienced and the hunger and pain and deprivation, were not a hindrance. If anything, they’ve given me a deeper well from which to draw.

Could you tell me the story of how you got discovered by Journey? It was my friend Noel Gomez’s fault, actually! (Laughs) He kept putting live videos of my band, The Zoo, up on YouTube. I was embarrassed and asked him to keep it to himself, but

crazy. My adrenaline was so high and I was really nervous, but I was able to overcome it and put on a good show. Your Arnel Pineda Foundation has been actively raising funds for victims of the typhoon. Could you talk about that mission and why it’s important to you? I know how hard it is when you don’t have food, clothes or shelter in which to live. So

when I got the chance to become well known, it was important to me to help the underprivileged, with children being the focus. We started the foundation right after the 2008 American tour and got tax-exempt charity status, so we’re taking in more donations now. We’ll be doing a children’s medical mission in January, with a big rocker-themed fundraising party on January 15 at the St. Francis ShangriLa Place. I’m very excited!

It seems like Journey is experiencing a great renaissance right now. In 2008 we started touring with me as the frontman, and I think we’ve broken down the generation gap. We get people from 8 years old on up to their 60s, with whole families coming together to see our show. It’s amazing to see such a huge resurgence, because I’m one of the band’s biggest fans. The recording of the Journey Live in Manila DVD must have been an amazing homecoming for you. It was so surreal! I was closing my eyes because I could hardly believe it was real, so I was trying to convince myself that I wasn’t

PG 27 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

TO0PBEST HIP HOP ALBUMS 1 of the Decade MUSIC

6. 50 CENT – Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003)

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS JAY-Z – The Blueprint (2001)

Rap geezers can have their Reasonable Doubt, Shawn Carter’s gritty ’96 debut. For our hard-earned downloading time, we’ll take The Blueprint, a gorgeous, personal LP that serves the streets (“U Don’t Know”) and soul (“Never Change”) with equal strength. Without a reasonable doubt, Hov’s Blueprint is one of the best CDs of any genre from the past 10 years.

2. COMMON – Be (2005)

This Chicago bull is one of the few artists, hip hop or not, who’s released at least five albums and all of them have been pretty special. Though Like Water for Chocolate and Finding Forever came out this decade, neither can touch the sonic gold spun by Com and producers Kanye West and Jay Dilla here. “The Corner” is hard. “Faithful” is heart. “Testify” is the hottest cut about scheming chicks ever recorded.

3. KANYE WEST – The College Dropout (2004), Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007) If we were really keeping it real, Donda West’s son would hold three of these top 10

slots. His poetic threesome is just that good. Intentional or not, the combined 55 tracks play out like a really cool indie flick, complete with tear-inducing narratives (“Family Business”), playful banter (“Gold Digger”) and dramatic pacing (“Can’t Tell Me Nothing”). And maaan, we won’t even get into Kanye’s brilliant musical score.

4. THE CLIPSE – Lord Willin’ (2002) and Hell Hath No Fury (2006)

Brothers Malice and Pusha T may have wrapped coal in glittery wrapping with last month’s Til the Casket Drops, but we’re gonna give’em a pass because their first two works were near identical bangers that introduced us to a drug-littered Virginia we never knew and a darker side of the Neptunes we wish we heard more from.

5. EMINEM The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)

Slim is like Peyton Manning. You may not like his antics and consider him goofy, but you’re one cashew short of Planters can if you don’t recognize his skills in a booth. Tossing violent lyrical spirals left (“The Way I Am”) and right (“Stan”) on this chart buster, Em staked his claim as the best rapper alive seemingly without really trying.

You could argue the placement of this album off the strength of the decade’s hottest rap song, “In Da Club,” alone. But Fif ultimately renders the debate moot by filling his debut smash with tracks like “Many Men” and “21 Questions” that turn whatever birthday party you had going into a certified, wake-the-neighbors jam that 50 and Dr. Dre never end.

7. LIL’ WAYNE – Tha Carter III (2008)

Before Tha Carter III dropped, many folks (yours truly included) discounted the album as an unfocused attempt at making a quick buck off the game’s hottest name. Ha! What we wound up with was the tireless New Orleans beast’s polished take on the rumor mill (“Mr. Carter”), rap’s demise (“Dr. Carter”) and reflections on Katrina (“Tie My Hands”).

8. LITTLE BROTHER – And Justus For All (2008)

Backpackers are gonna say, “Hold on, homie. This is a mixtape.” And to that, we offer an apologetic, “Yeah, you’re right.” But to our credits, this blemish-free mix is a collection of mostly-fresh material that showcases LB, the closest thing these kids today have to A Tribe Called Quest, flawlessly spitting on everyday topics over the tidiest of beats from DJ Mick Boogie.

9. GHOSTFACE KILLAH – Supreme Clientele (2000)

Consistently the Wu’s brightest member, Tony Starks dropped two stellar records this decade, Clientele and ‘06’s Fishscale. The former stands out by a hair because its tracks speak to the zany genius that is Ghost a little better. “We Made It” and “Cherchez LaGhost” are just two of the tantalizing head-scratchers that sound as good now as they did at the turn of the century.

10. NAS – Stillmatic (2001)

While Nas might forever be the Carmelo to Jay-Z’s LeBron, there’s something to be said for a dude who can drop five albums in the 00s and be proud of them all. With apologies to God’s Son and Untitled, this is the Queens rapper’s apex of the decade. Stillmatic aimed and fired hot track (“Got Ur Self a Gun”) after track (“One Mic”), even nailing one (“Ether”) square to Jigga’s dome.

HONORABLE MENTION: THE GAME – Documentary REFLECTION ETERNAL – Train of Thought T.I.. – Urban Legend JADAKISS – Kiss of Death SCARFACE – The Fix

ALBUMS THAT ALMOST KILLED PUNK ROCK…

TOPAnd the Top Albums That Saved It 5

BY JOHN B. MOORE BOYS LIKE GIRLS – Boys like Girls (2007)

Over the past decade, major record labels, not content to just screw up every other genre, decided that they could give a band instant credibility by tacking the suffix “punk” at the end of “pop” on any band’s bio. One of the most obvious examples is the Boston top 40 pop band Girls Like Boys. The name isn’t the only thing unoriginal about this glorified boy band, last seen lip-synching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade last month. This four piece was the Trojan horse that helped smuggle in equally pitiful acts like Cute is What We Aim For and Breathe Caroline – not one who ever owned a Clash or Ramones album.

2. GOOD CHARLOTTE – The Chronicles of Life & Death (2004)

I pity the real punk rockers with neck tattoos. Thanks to these light weight twins from Maryland who equate ink with street cred, the guys in Rancid and Dropkick Murphys now have to spend the next year getting their tattoos lasered off lest anyone equate them with Good Charlotte. These guys could almost be excused for their Hot Topic brand of bubble PG 28 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

gum punk if they had stopped at The Young and Hopeless, but then they had to try and become artists on their third album. The result was a dozen faux serious, whiny odes to being a teenager. Next stop double dates with Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. Long live punk rawk!

3. POWERSPACE – The Kicks of Passion (2007)

Powerspace came to represent just how low the once promising indie punk label Fueled By Ramen had fallen in the 00’s. Once the breeding ground for bands like The Pietasters and Jimmy Eat World, the label devolved into mindless drek like this keyboard-fused excuse for pop-punk. Equally mind boggling is the fact that FBR had to compete with other labels to sign this band.

4. A STATIC LULLABY – A Static Lullaby (2006)

OK, maybe it’s not fair to single out this band in particular, but the Chico Hills-based A Static Lullaby represent a crappy metal/hardcore/scream-o hybrid that had no business associating itself with punk rock. Cookie Monster vocals and mediocre metal riffs equals nothing more than noise from over-privileged suburban kids desperate for attention.

5. COBRA STARSHIP – While the

City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets (2006)

Labeled as pop-punk, this band wrote a song for the movie Snake on a Plane, which goes to show just how bottom of the barrel scrapping desperate this group was even at the beginning of their existence. Started by former Midtown bassist/singer Gabe Saporta, the group has a freakin’ keytar player for Christ sake, going to show that tweens have an extreme level of tolerance for obvious irony… as well as crappy pop-punk. AND THE TOP 5 ALBUMS THAT SAVED IT

1. BAD RELIGION – The Empire Strikes First (2004)

George W. Bush may have been the worst president in history, but he was great for punk rock. Exhibit A is The Empire Strikes First, a baker’s dozen of brilliant angry political punk anthems. Songs like “Los Angeles is Burning” and “Let Them Eat War” stand up against anything the band put out in the 80’s and 90’s.

2. GREEN DAY – American Idiot (2004)

And Exhibit B is American Idiot, Green Day’s best album in an already decent career. A raised middle finger to Bush and the status quo, this radio-friendly record also

showed that there was still a little life left in the rock opera.

3. FLOGGING MOLLY – Float (2008)

With Flogging Molly, The Pogues have finally found someone worthy enough to pick up their Celtic punk rock banner. The LA, by way of Dublin rockers have regularly turned out stellar albums, but Float raised the bar to its highest level with destined to be classic Celtic punk gems like “Requiem for a Dying Song” and “Between a Man and a Woman.”

4. GASLIGHT ANTHEM – The ’59 Sound (2008)

Punk rockers have always had a crush on Springsteen, but with New Jersey-based Gaslight Anthem’s second full length, the band finally came out and fess up to their devotion. The ’59 Sound, also drawing inspiration from influences as varied as Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, is as close as one can come to a flawless record.

5. BOUNCING SOULS – The Gold Record (2006)

Fifteen years into an already impressive career, Jersey punks The Bouncing Souls turned in their most evolved album to date with this fantastic record. Sweeping anthems, topped off with surprisingly personal lyrics, The Gold Record is the ultimate sonic promise that was hinted at with the band’s five previous releases. Pardon the pun, but pure gold.

Johnson from page 12 Have you ever been approached to work with the President on any health or sporting issues? It’s interesting you ask that because we’re in the process of working together on some really cool things, the details of which will be coming out soon. It’s a possibility that I could become part of the President Council on Physical Fitness, and there are other greater opportunities, too. We’re trying to see where I can have the most impact.

wings is beautiful and the other is a little messed up one that doesn’t quite grow correctly, making me fly into things. We’re going after heart and humor and a little touch of fantasy, so I’m very excited about it. It’s going to be really funny.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO ME IS BEING TRUE TO THE CHARACTER. OF COURSE BOX OFFICE RECORDS ARE GREAT, AND YOU KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED AND HOPE PEOPLE WILL COME OUT, WATCH THE MOVIE, SPREAD WORD-OF-MOUTH AND DO ALL THE THINGS THAT A GOOD SOLID MOVIE THAT DELIVERS PEOPLE’S MONEY’S WORTH IS SUPPOSED TO DO.

Back to your film career, you’ve gradually moved from adult-oriented action and drama into more family-friendly fare. What was the appeal for you of a doing a film like Race To Witch Mountain? Well, I loved that it was made with Disney, and I loved that I was able to combine some of the grittiness and intensity of the contemporary action movies I’ve done in the past with other elements I appreciate, such as heart, humor, family and a little bit of fantasy. We really treated the movie like a Disney ride, so the title is very fitting because there’s a very relentless drive to it. I really loved the idea of this guy who doesn’t have much now and has made a lot of mistakes along the way, but gets the opportunity to make a defining decision that allows him to save the world. And now, after voicing an astronaut in the animated Planet 51, you’re playing the Tooth Fairy in a movie of the same name? (Laughs) Yeah, yeah... I play a hockey player with a really bad shoulder injury in the movie, and one of the

It seems like you’ve become the “family guy” now in terms of the films you’re looking for. For me it was never a methodical choice, like “ I want to do three or four family movies in a row.” The material just happened to come in. I really enjoyed the material, but now I’ll go back to action. But I think there’s always something special and unique about making a family movie, especially if it’s entertaining and has a pretty good message.

To borrow the name of one of your films, are these career moves all part of the game plan? When I started acting in movies, I didn’t have a background in theatre and my parents weren’t movie executives, so I didn’t have that connection. But I thought I had pretty good instincts, and I loved the entertainment world and performing. That [wrestling] world that I came from benefited me greatly: That four hours on television every week was my theatre, performing in front of audiences of 20,00030,000 people. But growth was always the goal. I really admire actors like Tom Hanks, Will Smith and George Clooney, who’ve had the type of career I aspire to have and are able to go from genre to genre and do a broad variety of movies. I love having the ability to go from action to drama to comedy, and will hopefully find a little bit of success in all of them.

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Happy New Year!

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SPORTS

TO0PATHLETES 1

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

TIGER WOODS

We don’t know what’s more amazing, the number of women who’ve reportedly seen Woods’ club head or the dominance the dude has displayed with his other tools over the past 10 years. For the sake of this story, we’ll bask TIGER WOODS in the 74 wins (to his biggest rival Phil Mickelson’s 29) and 12 majors won this decade and leave the other stuff to TMZ.

2. ROGER FEDERER

Often when we speak of an athlete being the greatest of all-time at his sport, the words come off melodramatic. In the case of this stoic Swiss, it may not be accolade enough. A record 15 Grand Slam titles. A record 21 Grand Slam finals appearances. A record 237 weeks at No. 1. The list goes on and on… And so too will the times you hear “Roger Federer, the greatest tennis player ever.”

3. LANCE ARMSTRONG

Avoiding one pothole (cancer) after

LANCE ARMSTRONG

OF THE DECADE

another (doping scandal) after another (public breakup with Sheryl Crow), it’s astonishing Lance was able to even saddle up for six grueling Tour de France races at the beginning of the decade, let alone win all of them. The proud Texan got off his bike after ‘05’s triumph to concentrate on his non-profit endeavors, only to get back in shape for last summer’s Tour. The amazing Armstrong, 37, quietly finished third.

4. MICHAEL PHELPS

You and I were glued to the TV during the ’08 Olympics, yet we still can’t quite put words to what we witnessed Phelps do in the Beijing waters.. The human porpoise’s seven world records and eight gold medals not only eclipsed Mark Spitz’s fabled ’72 run, but it gave Michael 16 total medals since 2000, including a record 14 golds.. The 23-year-old with the whopping 79-inch wingspan will likely add to that bounty in London in two summers.

5. SERENA AND VENUS WILLIAMS

Okay, think about it like this: What if you were the best [enter profession here] in the world? And no, we’re not just talking about in your family. We’re talking it’s scientifically proven that you’re tops. And then, let’s say your sister comes along and becomes as good as you in your field. Can you imagine? No need. The Williams Sisters, who’ve combined to win 16 solo Grand Slam titles, eight doubles Slams (including three in ’09) and two Olympic golds in the 00s, actually live one of the greatest stories in sports history –yep, history!- every single day.

6. KOBE BRYANT

The other night ESPN anchor Scott Van

Pelt offered, “Kobe USAIN BOLT is so good that he might actually be underrated.” Think about that for a sec. Ten-time All-Star. Seventime All-Defensive first team. Fourtime NBA champ. One MVP and one special ’06 night when he gave Toronto 81 points. And mind you, all of that came amidst a Shaq beef, embarrassing sex scandal and tireless comparisons to MJ. At press time, the 31-year-old Laker was leading L.A. with a fractured index finger. Hell yeah, he’s underrated…

7. PEYTON MANNING

When it comes to football, a few names could have been argued for this slot—Tom Brady, LaDainian Tomlinson and even Ray Lewis. But none of those players have done it in pads this decade with the smoothness (three-time MVP), dependability (started every game in the ‘00s) and recordbreaking prowess (six straight years of 4,000 yards passing) that Manning has. Most NFL pundits already consider him one of the PEYTON MANNING five best QBs ever. If the Colts star guides Indianapolis to another Super Bowl victory this year, he might top the list.

8. DIANA TAURASI

If you can name a player who’s made the transition from college to the pro ranks as seamlessly as Taurasi, I’d love to meet the guy. A three-time NCAA champ and two-time National Player of the Year

at Connecticut, the fiery Taurasi took her well-rounded game to the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury in ’04 and didn’t miss a beat, earning five first-team All-WNBA honors and being named the WNBA regular season and Finals MVP in ’09.

9. ALBERT PUJOLS

Had the steroids controversy not muddied Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez’s names, either could have earned a spot here. But as it stands, the only thing cleaner than Albert Pujols’ image might be Albert Pujols’ swing. The thing is so pretty you’re inclined to ask for its phone number. Sadly, the only digits you’d get in return are eye-popping stats like nine (as in nine straight years of 30 home runs, 100 RBI and .310 average), eight (the times he’s finished in the top four in NL MVP voting) and 366 (the long ones he’s hit this decade).

10. USAIN BOLT

A World Junior champion back in ’02, the lightning Bolt was actually making a name for himself on tracks long before he started shattering records in China. It’s just that when the jolting Jamaican (Bolt’s going almost 30 MPH at top speed) got in front of Olympic cameras, he took things to levels once deemed unattainable by man. Here’s some context: Usain’s 100m mark of 9.58 seconds would have him at the finish line two feet ahead of the world’s second fastest man ever. That, my friends, is just ridiculous.

TO0PSPORTS TEAMS OF THE DECADE 1

BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS CONNECTICUT WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Honestly, this hoops program (five titles and seven Final Fours) could’ve earned No. 1 off the past two seasons alone (39-0 last year; ranked No. 1 and in the midst of a 49game winning streak, the third-longest in women’s history, at press time).

2. L.A. LAKERS

Seven seasons of 50 wins or more. Six Finals appearances. Four championships. Kobe. Shaq. Phil. Nothing. Else. To. Say.

3. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Though confronted with disgrace (Bill Belichick cheating scandal) and

PG 30 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

disappointment (undefeated run in ’07 ends in Super Bowl loss), the Pats have three Super Bowls and eight 10-win seasons this decade.

4. USC TROJANS

The ’03 and ’04 national titles are nice. A run of seven consecutive BCS bowls is impressive. Finishing in the top four seven straight years is just sick..

5. SAN ANTONIO SPURS

The Spurs are the Robert Duvall of the NBA. Yeah, you know they’re good (three titles, made the Playoffs every season in the 00s), but most folks act like they never really see their true greatness.

6. NORTH CAROLINA MEN’S BASKETBALL

While schools like Kansas and Michigan State can claim basketball team of the decade, these Tar Heels are slightly more special, what with four Final Four appearances, four No. 1 tourney seeds and two titles.

7. NEW YORK YANKEES

Though nine years stretched between the Yanks’ ’00 title and this past season’s, the Red Sox, Angels and Phillies can’t say 965 regular season wins and eight AL East crowns aren’t impressive.

8.UNC WOMEN’S SOCCER

There’s winning and then there’s what the Lady Tar Heels do on the field every year. UNC’s string of five national titles this decade is only trumped by the fact it has won 20 of the 28 total national championships.

9. DETROIT RED WINGS

Yes, the Red Wings have had their share of letdown over the past few years (the ’05-’06 ﬁrst-round ﬂounder comes to mind), but their two Stanley Cups and three Finals appearances still freeze out the competition.

10. DETROIT SHOCK

Finances may have precipitated the Shock’s move to Tulsa, but memories of three titles (’03, ’06, ’08) and four Finals appearances are priceless.

SPORTS NEWS

The Buzz Around the NBA

Humble New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul is one of the few NBA superstars who hasn’t been stung by stardom and become a pest BY DEMARCO WILLIAMS

ONESTLY, THE THREE GAMES Chris Paul played during Christmas week were far from holiday treats for New Orleans Hornets fans. The 15-point/sevenassist average in games against Toronto, Golden State and Chicago were pedestrian at best. At worst, they were polarizing opposites from the 20 points and 10 assists the North Carolina native has so far maintained across ﬁve brilliant NBA seasons. But like Paul’s dad, Charles, told us at a function honoring his 24-year-old son over the summer, “He ain’t perfect by no means. But he knows what’s right and what’s wrong and how far he should go.” Suﬃce it to say, when the two-time All Star’s leading a fast break, slicing through the paint for two or doing all he can to revive The Big Easy’s spirit, it only seems like he can do no wrong…

New Orleans has its hands full in the Western Conference. What are the Hornets’ realistic chances against the Lakers, Spurs and the like? Yeah, [those teams] did some different things [in the offseason]. We made some adjustments too. But everything in this league is all about training camps and how you start the season off. It’s about gelling at the right time. All of those teams made a lot of great moves on paper, but just like us, they’re gonna have to figure out what works for them. We’re gonna rock ‘n roll. We gotta pick up the pace. We gotta redeem ourselves from last season.

You recently became a father. In what ways has that responsibility changed the way you approach basketball? Yeah, I got a baby boy, four-months old. The best thing ever. Having a son pushes me to do more, go harder but it also gives me a greater sense of selflessness. It’s all about him and my What’s it like being the face of both New family. That comes from my parents. They were Orleans and your always so selfless with me hometown of Winstonand my brother. Me and MY LATE GRANDFATHER Salem, North Carolina? my brother are not in the It’s a blessing. It’s not USED TO SAY THAT situation that we’re in too much responsibility. today without our parents EVERYTHING HAPPENS It’s always about being making so many sacrifices genuine and knowing who FOR A REASON. I THINK and giving us the love that you are. [Winston-Salem] IT WAS JUST A PERFECT they do. made me the person that I am. New Orleans keeps MATCH FOR ME TO GO TO You’re universally seen as me the person that I am. of the best guards in NEW ORLEANS. THOUGH I one It’s two cities that I love. the League. Tell me some Two totally different cities. HAD NEVER BEEN THERE qualities that make a But I love them both. point guard special?

BEFORE [THE NBA], BEING What makes a point Your father said it was a DRAFTED BY THEM [IN guard special is knowing “God Send” for you to be the game. It’s not always in New Orleans during the 2005] WAS A PERFECT FIT. about the stats you put up. whole Katrina situation. At the end of the day, like You feel the same way? my late [Wake Forest] coach Skip Prosser used My late grandfather used to say that everything to say, a point guard is measured by wins and happens for a reason. I think it was just a perfect losses, not by points and assists. That’s what I try match for me to go to New Orleans. Though I to always think about. had never been there before [the NBA], being drafted by them [in 2005] was a perfect ﬁt. This summer you did a lot of community There are genuine people there and the love that service and stuﬀ like that. How much does that they show. It’s a way that you never feel like a mean to you, to give back? stranger. Oh, man, it means a lot, cause I’m not blind So, there were no “Why me?” moments after the disaster and subsequent fallout? Maybe initially, but it’s always been “accept the challenge.” It was meant to be. God doesn’t put more on you than you can bear. It’s just been a great situation.

to the fact that I didn’t get in the situation that I’m in by myself. There’s been so many different people that helped me to get here, and I’m extremely grateful for them. [With] my hometown and New Orleans, I feel the least I can do is give back to the community and help out.

PG 31 • insiteatlanta.com • January 2010

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