Yes, it's that wonderful time of year when millions of people who don't care a thing about sports go out and buy a copy of Sports Illustrated. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2015 follows in the publication's annual traditions -- and, as always, they work damn well.
SISI 2015 features numerous famous and returning models, such as Chrissy Teigen, Hannah Davis (who landed this year's cover), Lily Aldridge, Emily Ratjakowski, Nina Agdal, and Irina Shayk. (Conspicuously absent is Kate Upton; perhaps she was busy playing Game of War?) The rookies include the likes of Erin Heatherton (going from Victoria's Secret lingerie to bikinis), Rose Betram, Ashley Smith, and others I'm sure we'll see more of as these issues keep coming out. There are also the literally-painted-on "swimsuits," plus athletes Ronda Rousey and Caroline Wozniacki adding the slightest bit of sports to this issue.
Possibly the biggest change in SISI 2015 is the locations. Previously, the Sports Illustrated folks traveled the world to shoot their models in exotic locations. This time around everything happens in the U.S.: All the shooting took place across 17 states. And while this may not be as exotic as faraway lands, the domestic beautiful beaches and natural backdrops still work just fine with the models.
The other big addition is: humor! DirecTV has a print variant of its "I'm Rob Lowe, and I have DirecTV. And I'm [silly] Rob Lowe and I have cable" campaign in the issue, as Chrissy Teigen, Hannah Davis, and Nina Adgal appear in swimsuits saying they have DirecTV, then on the next pages frumpier versions say they have cable. And Snickers continues its "You're not you when you're hungry" with an ad on the back cover that several stores set facing the front. I don't know how they thought this was the cover of the SISI 2015:
Overall, SISI 2015 is another great collection of hot women in bikinis in a magazine that mysteriously keeps the word "sports" in its title for this non-sports issue. The models are sexy and beautiful as ever, the swimsuits are barely there (always in shot, but not always worn; lots of arm-bras here), and SISI 2015 carries on the great Sports Illustrated once-a-year tradition.
Overall gradeL Woot! I mean, er, A
Reviewed by James Lynch
When Sports Illustrated released its Idyllic Shores magazine special, it was a taste of what was coming. Well, that day has arrived with the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Portfolio: Idyllic Shores -- and its very familiar to those who read the magazine special.
The Portfolio contains all the photographs of the models that were in the magazine special, plus the exact same introduction and comments that introduce each model's photographs. So why go with the Portfolio instead or or in addition to the magazine special? A couple of reasons, actually.
The Portfolio is a coffee table book, meaning the photos are larger -- and the beauty of the models and the locales are brought out more with the bigger area. Also, there are additional photos for many of the models, giving something with the Portfolio that's not available in the magazine special.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Portfolio: Idyllic Shores might have been more exciting if so much of it wasn't already shown in its magazine preview. But that's doesn't detract from the absolute beauty of these models and the locations -- or the extra photographs of this book.
For several years, Sports Illustrated followed its no-sports, all-swimwear Swimsuit Issues with hardcover portfolios collecting photos that didn't make it into that year's issue. These seemed to stop with the 2011 issue -- until now! And to tide sports, er, sexy women in bikini fans over until the October 28th release of the hardcover portfolio book, a preview hit the magazine stands with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2014 Extra: Idyllic Shores.
Idyllic Shores has photos that somehow didn't make it into the 2014 Swimsuit Issue, featuring nineteen models from that issue. Each model gets eight pages of photos (except Kate Upton, who got ten pages), along with the names of the photographer and location, plus a few comments about the model.
As always, the photos are absolutely beautiful.: not just the models, but also the stunning locations. This makes it easy to forgive them when the actual swimsuits are barely in the photos.
Loathe as I am to find fault with a collection of beauties wearing swimsuits or less, there are two slight problems with Idyllic Shores. The first is that Sports Illustrated could and should have given a lot more pages to each model. The second is that the first problem may be solved in the upcoming portfolio book (with about 50 more pages), but that book would effectively replace this magazine. But while this may not be as many pages as the original or the upcoming, it's still quite lovely to look at. To quote Troy McClure from The Simpsons, "If that's what they cut out, what they leave in must be pure gold!" And these cut-outs are pretty close to gold themselves.
Summer is a time for pools and beaches, barbecues and heat waves, and lots and lots of beautiful celebrities wearing next to nothing. Yes, the Maxim Hot 100 2014 has come out, and while there are a few changes from last year, it's the same basic, beautiful format as last year.
The Maxim Hot 100 is voted on by Maxim readers, then published in the summer. Unlike past years, this time around the Hot 100 isn't a separate part of the magazine, but the first half of the month's issue. As with past years, each winner gets a photo (from a page shared with several others to a two-page spread), brief paragraph about them, and the occasional quote. ("Trying too hard to be sexy is the worst thing you can do. Sexiness should be effortless.") The list is full of singers, actors, models (from the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and Victoria's Secret), and other celebrities.
Of course, popularity waxes and wanes, and the Maxim Hot 100 reflects these changes. Last year four of the top 10 -- including the #1 winner, Miley Cyrus -- were former Disney stars; this year, none of them made the top 10 -- possibly because Spring Breakers isn't as fresh in people's minds -- and Miley drops down to #25. There are some of the nigh-perpetual selections -- Beyonce, Mila Kunis, Rihanna, Katy Perry -- and no joke entries this time around. (Sorry, Stephen Colbert.)
The Maxim Hot 100 is beautiful and exciting to its fans, and sexist and superficial to its detractors. I definitely fall into the former camp. It's a chance for Maxim fans to voice who they find hot, and to get all the results featured over half the magazine. Woot!
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