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Archive for February, 2009
The Jonas Brothers were in Grapevine TX Saturday night to meet their fans and promote the theater release of Jonas Brothers 3D Concert Experience.
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Posted by Matt Mungle on Mar 2, 2009 11:23 AM

The big Premier party was last night and HP's Miller famliy was there! We arrived late, due to our unfamilairity with the Grapevine area and had no problem getting our credentials validated in the VIP tent, and presented with a bag full of goodies before being escorted to the cinema.

We loaded up with our complimentary popcorn and sodas and took our VIP seats, donned our 3D glasses and voila! We were at the concert! With technology like this, the old fashioned concerts where you are rockin to the sweaty band and being crushed by even sweatier adoring fans may become obsloete! Everyone had the best seats in the house, feeling like you were center stage front row with throngs of adoring fams with their hands up in the air.  It was a concert experience without shoving and pushing, and all that comes with the old fashioned rock show. Bands actually showing up to the gig and strapping on guitars, putting in an hour and a half "on the clock" could become a thing of the past, if this catches on!

After the show, sponsor Verizon gave away some new Blackberry Storms and then asked the wristbandless movie goers to exit now, please. Then, wrist banded were allowed to exit and enter big coach buses, those of us that were doubly blessed with bands AND the coveted pass hanging around your neck were taken to smaller buses (like airport shuttles) and taken to the after party at The Main Event. The kids faces lit up upon entering, food stations with every kind of food imaginable, including an ice cream sundae bar, were placed all over the room, they were given open play cards for the games and they were off! My boys disappeared into the Laser Tag room for a couple of hours and my 5 year old daughter and I went off to play games. A Verizon sponsor came up to us when we arrived and showed us a  video clip on her Verizon Blackberry Storm, of course,telling us the Jonas Brothers had just sent us this message. there they were, standing in front of an American Airlines jet procaliming that they were on their way to Dallas to see us right now! As word spread, kids were anxiously looking around the room for them, hoping to be first to spot them.

The fun continued until the constant teasing from a guy on a microphone about them maybe being in the house, got old. The kids would line up in front of the stage they'd set up, only to stand there until bored, give up and go back to games, to be enticed back to the stage, repeatedly, where they would promote Verizon and leave them w/o the Brothers. By midnight kids were tired but hanging in there, but by 1:00 kids were looking for corners on the floor to pass out, crying, feet hurt from standing, could barely keep their eyes open and begging to go home. And I would have lvoed to have done just that, but we were stranded with our cars at Tinseltown. Then my husband began to call and ask why we weren't home yet and offering to drive all the way over from Highland Park and get me to my car if they didn't get me out of there asap! Just as I was going to call a cab, the Jonas's actually did show up, but two out of 3 of my kids were so over them at this point and didn't bother to go back to the stage.

When they were rounding us VIP's up for the red carpet meet n greet I was just about to freak out on that girl and told her to forget it and get me back to my car. We got home after 2:00 a.m. with all 3 fast asleep in the car.

Too bad the event promoters hadn't kept it short and sweet like the Hansons did when they did there Mall tour 8 or 9 years ago. The only reason I remember when it was is that I was pregnant with my 8 year old son and pushing the 9 year old son in a stroller while my then 13 year old daughter and friends were screaming as the Hansons did about 3 songs (not the few words the Jonas's gave us that I was too tired to even remember after) and signed autographs at the Melbourne Florida mall. I don't remember having aching feet or back after the Mmbop, experience and I was carrying a lot of extra poundage and pushing a stroller that afternoon. but my feet throbbed as I lay in bed and my back aches this morning!

Word of advice to artists who market to kids- their bedtimes are usually 9:00, 11:00 would have been a perfect "special occassion VIP "party ending time! 

Posted by Dena Miller on Mar 1, 2009 1:23 PM

I thought when Hanson faded away that we might be done with the boy band craze. It isn't the silliest notion I have ever had, but it might be close. In this world of pop music all you need are three good looking brothers, a small amount of talent, and the right marketing firm to create a sensation. All us "only children" are left to sit at home and blog about them.

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Posted by Matt Mungle on Feb 26, 2009 10:57 AM
It is subtle and as a guy I tend to miss it. But when my wife brought it to my attention years ago I started seeing it more and more. The tendency of film makers to create scripts and dialogues that shed a negative light on how young women should be talked to and about. And worse how the "perfect girl" is portrayed. Sure you find it in TV ads, print ads, billboard ads, etc etc but never is it more of an issue than when played out on the big screen in story fashion. (more)
Posted by Matt Mungle on Feb 20, 2009 8:54 AM
Gimme an F! Ok you get the idea. The stigma and stereotypes of cheerleading are rampant in this new teen comedy from first time writer, Freedom Jones. I think it would have served its audience better had it focused more on those cheerleading moments and less on the sexual direction of the two main characters but the end result is still plenty of laughs. Surprisingly more than expected. (more)
Posted by Matt Mungle on Feb 20, 2009 8:24 AM

For the first time in years, I haven't seen all the movies nominated for Best Picture this year. In fact, I've only seen one.

But when has that ever stopped anyone from providing an opinion on who's going to win in the major categories?

So, in the spirit of Bill Murray's ancient SNL Weekend Update inexpert movie-critic routine, here goes:

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Posted by Oscar Martinez on Feb 19, 2009 11:00 PM
That is a question that the answer to often seems obvious. But The Academy has a way of surprising us all. As I comprise my list of Oscar predictions I always make a mental list of who SHOULD win as well as who WILL win. Depending on how that fickle Hollywood wind blows, we could be in store for some major upsets. (more)
Posted by Matt Mungle on Feb 13, 2009 12:26 PM
It is hard to believe it has been 29 years since, as a wide eyed 13 year old, I first watched the councilors at CampCrystal Lake run naked and screaming from Jason’s wacked out mother. (more)
Posted by Matt Mungle on Feb 13, 2009 9:30 AM

You can like bad movies for good reasons. It's better than liking good movies for bad reasons. We all have guilty pleasures.

Having said that, I am asking you to share. Tell me what bad movie you like that you'd never admit to anyone else. Trust me, I won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe here. Simply put it in the comment box below.

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Posted by Tommy on Feb 11, 2009 10:18 AM

Slumdog Millionaire (Rated R, 2 hours)

There’s been a lot of grumbling lately from fans of The Dark Knight who seem to believe The Reader cost Christopher Nolan’s movie a slot in Oscar’s Best-Picture roundtable.

They’re wrong. If any movie is to blame, point the finger at Slumdog Millionaire, a vastly over-praised film that’s a weird mixture of every feel-good, Disney-fied sports movie ever made along with bits and pieces of Oliver! True Romance, Say Anything, Flashdance, Schindler’s List and Apocalypto.

It’s also the heavy favorite to win Best Picture.

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Posted by Loyd Brumfield on Feb 10, 2009 3:58 PM

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