As View Askew web architect Ming Chen said to me last week, at heart, he's still just a fanboy. And so am I. Ming and I were probably the first to confirm our invitations to the Jersey Girl premiere, as we both agreed we couldn't RSVP quickly enough to Miramax Films upon receiving that magical envelope in the mail.

Being a fan of movies for as long as I can remember in my 30 years, I would never have imagined that one day, I'd actually be lucky enough to attend a movie premiere. And yet on Tuesday, March 9th, I found myself getting ready to attend my third. After covering the film's production for almost two years, the day was finally here. "Jersey Girl" was celebrating its world premiere in New York City.

Chris was stuck in Pennsylvania and couldn't make the trip, so I headed up to the big apple early Tuesday afternoon with my lovely date for the evening, Christine. It's normally about a 3 hour journey from central PA to NYC, so I'd figured that would give us a couple of hours of down time in the city before heading out for the evening's festivities.

Boy, did I underestimate that one.

Unfortunately, the Lincoln Tunnel held us up for over an hour, as only 2 lanes were open heading into the city (imagine around twelve mile-long lanes of traffic converging into two and you'll get the picture). In the end, we found ourselves at the hotel around 7:00, with a 7:30 start time set for the film itself. Considering we hadn't even dressed for the evening yet, we sure were cutting it close. So much for that down time.

Even that was manageable, of course, until we hit another bump in the road. You see, I can probably count on one hand (at least definitely on two hands) the number of times I've been to New York City. I've got a basic idea of where things are and how to get around, but that's about it. So, I basically put my trust in the guy driving that cab...That when I tell him to take me to 54th and Broadway, he's actually going to go there, instead of letting me off at 44th and Broadway.

Unfortunately, by the time I looked up at the street sign, he was gone, and we knew it was too late. You wouldn't think that it would have been tough to grab another cab, but there wasn't an available one in sight. And sure, I realize it's only 10 small blocks to the show, but factor in that we're all spiffed up, Christine's in a dress and heels, it's cold, windy, raining a bit...Not to mention the fact we're already late...Walking the 10 blocks as opposed to getting another cab didn't seem like the best option. Yet Christine, the trooper that she is, took it in stride and we briskly make our way up through 10 blocks of Broadway sidewalk. On the way up, I swear, I didn't see one taxi with the service sign on. Either there's a major cab shortage in the city or the taxi biz is booming.

I could only bank on the fact that these events normally don't start right on time, and hope that our unintentional, fashionable lateness wasn't going to make things difficult. Lucky for us, one we walked inside, I noticed that tons of folks were still milling about the lobby, a good sign that we hadn't missed a thing.

The Ziegfeld theater is one of those grand houses that survived the multiplex boon of the 90's. A single massive screen that concentrates on the atmosphere and providing the best sound, picture, and comfort for the one film it's got playing. You hear a lot about folks in Sin City that are trying to bring back "old Vegas" (watch "The Cooler"); this is "Old Hollywood". When movies were becoming popular in this country, this was the kind of theater that our parents and grandparents went to when catching a flick.

The place has it all -- A huge auditorium that holds 1200 people (including a second story balcony that seats over 300 folks alone), red velvet walls, and plush, comfy seats that allow plenty of room to stretch out. I can see why the Ziegfeld is often the choice for a premiere in New York City. There's an aura of importance in the air. The joint is just different than the typical multiplex with 20 screens the size of postage stamps and an audience packed in like sardines. This is what going to the movies is all about. Big theater, big screen, big sound.

I've had the honor of being invited to a few movie sets and premieres over the past 7 years of working on News Askew, yet that feeling of crossing the barrier into the Hollywood realm remains a very strange, yet exciting experience. The best comparison I can make would be going to an aquarium, walking around looking at the fish all day, then diving into one of the tanks. So many of us are fans of television and film, yet we've always got that barrier between us, whether it be that glass pane on the TV set, the big silver screen at the front of the theater, or those velvet ropes for fans that arrive at events like this one to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars. Showing up and having the ability to cross that boundary is such a privilege. Having been such a big film fan all of my life, it's exciting to be there, and it never gets old, regardless of how many times that I've been fortunate enough to experience it.

There's always that moment where you realize that you're no longer on that side of the glass anymore. This time, that moment came as I reached through a small group of people to grab a soda off the concession counter, only to realize that the person I was reaching around was none other than Ben Affleck. Wow. Glad I didn't spill the thing. So there's the man, Mr. Affleck himself, graciously chatting it up with the folks around him, posing for photos, not more than 2 feet away.

Regardless of the fact I'm an employee of View Askew Productions, I still feel compelled to leave the Afflecks and the Livs of the place alone. Maybe one day I'll feel right about just introducing myself to these folks when I see them, though I continue to prefer a go-between in those type of situations. Too polite? Perhaps. Not to mention, when I'm at an event like this, I've got to remember that I'm not the only person in attendance who's spotting celebs. There's hundreds of others all vying for attention, handshakes, autographs, and photos. Some of these folks might only get one chance at the meet and greet, too. For me, there may be other opportunities.

That being said, upon entering the theater, I was pleasantly surprised to see the one guy I'd definitely hoped to chat with for a few minutes that night: The man of the moment, Kevin Smith himself, standing just inside the entrance. Kevin's always so gracious and quick to offer up a hug and a handshake, as it's a rare day that we actually meet up in person, due to busy schedules and, even more so, completely different geographic locations these days. We spend a couple of minutes thanking Kevin for the invites, congratulating him on the premiere, and then decide it's best we track down our seats, figuring that the show's got to be starting up any moment. Kevin wishes us a good time, and we're on our way.

After saying some hellos to Ming and his crew, including the long lost Brian Quinn who I haven't seen in YEARS, we settled into our seats, which are absolutely perfect. Center of the theater, towards the center of the row, just one row behind from Kevin and his family, and only a couple rows off from the other VIPs in attendance: Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, and Jason Biggs to name a few. We couldn't have asked for better seats and I'm highly appreciative to Kevin, Gail, and Miramax for continually taking such good care of us.

There's no doubt about it -- Miramax is putting all of their support behind Jersey Girl. We've got a great release date (up against that absolutely awful-looking Scooby Doo sequel), tons of television support, press all over the place, and now, some of the biggest talent and power players with Miramax about to take the mic and say a few words to the crowd.

First up, Jon Gordon, senior VP at Miramax, steps up to the plate to welcome us to the show. Jon says his thanks to all of the evening's generous sponsors, and proceeds to introduce who's gotta be the most powerful dude in the house, Harvey Weinstein himself.

Harvey speaks very highly of Kevin and View Askew, and references the fact that View Askew Productions has now been proudly working under the Miramax banner for 10 years now. He tells the audience how pleased that he and Miramax are to have the powerful team of Kevin Smith and Ben Affleck working together again to present this new film. He considers View Askew part of the family, and is genuinely pleased to have both Smith and Affleck working together again. With that, Harvey calls Kevin and Ben up to present the film.

The director and star take the stage to thunderous applause. Kevin breaks the ice up with the obligatory J-Lo joke (apologizing for the slightly late start and attributing it to their waiting for her to arrive). Kev also can't resist making a couple Passion of the Christ and Scooby Doo references, referring to the upcoming competition for "Jersey Girl" at the box office. He also takes a few moments to thank the principle cast and crew, including the likes of Ben, Liv, Harvey, longtime producer Scott Mosier, his wife Jennifer, daughter Harley (both very much the inspiration for the film). In a funny moment, after going through a long list of thanks, Kevin suddenly remembers that he neglected to mention Jason Biggs, who then leaps to his feet just rows away from us and begins to take bows, appealing to the crowd, to a great deal of laughter and applause. Really funny stuff, the kind of unexpected antics that you can only witness at a movie premiere.

Kevin closes by mentioning that the film is dedicated to this father, who passed away last year, also a very important inspiration to the film's fatherhood theme. Kevin tells us that we should expect to see very strong fatherhood themes in future projects, as his father remains an influential presence in his life. With that, it's time for the main event.

As a "company man", you're probably going to expect me to praise this film to no end. And guess what. I am. But not because I work here. Just as an aside, by the way, there's no strings being pulled here at News Askew. We're never told what opinions we should be conveying about products that come out of View Askew Productions, and enjoy quite a bit of freedom in what we report and how we choose to report it. Read on and you'll find out just why I enjoyed this movie so much. It really blew me away.

After the lights dim, the first thing we're greeted with is Chris Bailey's hilarious new animated logo, which celebrates 10 years of View Askew Productions. I'm not going to ruin this funny little sequence for you, as it's best experienced first-hand, in living, breathing color. Trust me though when I say, the laugh you'll get from it is worth the price of admission alone. It's a fun little nod to fans of Jay & Bob everywhere. Hopefully we'll get the chance to put that online for you somewhere down the road.

Now, on to Jersey Girl. I had the privilege of seeing the film at a test screening close to year ago, out in Los Angeles. I enjoyed the film very much at that time, and walked out feeling that Kevin made a fun film that had the potential to be the biggest hit for View Askew thus far, as well as transcend the age and gender barrier. A nice, universally appealing flick that should have audiences leaving the theater with a smile on their face, a very satisfying experience.

The second time around, the film I saw was basically the same cut, with some tighter editing here and there, and I can easily say, everything that's changed has made this an even better film. Not only that, but knowing the entire arc of the film going in, I enjoyed Jersey Girl even more for my second viewing. Kevin's story is carefully crafted, so looking back on the film a second time, knowing where things are leading, I appreciated it more. Here come some few spoilers, so if you came this far, and still refuse to turn away, you've been warned. Otherwise, skip to the post-review section.

Jersey Girl, is the story of Ollie Trinke (Affleck), a big-time music publicist based in New York City, who's at the top of his game both professionally (big clients, great reputation) and personally (a beautiful new wife, Gertrude (Lopez) and a new baby on the way). Sadly, along with Ollie, we experience an unexpected tragedy very early in the film: Gertrude dies due to complications during childbirth, leaving Ollie alone with his healthy, newborn daughter. Ollie's great at being a publicist, but it's quickly revealed that he knows nothing about being a father. The pain of losing his wife so suddenly, along with this newfound responsibility of caring for his daughter, Gertie, proves to be too much of a burden, so Ollie turns to his father, Bart (George Carlin) for assistance. Ollie's priorities are all out of whack, it seems, as he continues to place his New York City publicist job over everything else, treating Bart like a 24 hour day care center, focusing on himself and his work, not the most important thing: his family.

As the audience, we know Ollie's messing up, and we're supposed to see that. Thus, the train wreck of a press conference that ensues at the Hard Rock Cafe sets the bulk of the film's plot in motion, when he's forced out of the limelight and back into his Dad's place, and the relationship with his newborn daughter can truly begin.

Jersey Girl is Ben Affleck's movie. The guy is in practically every scene of the film, thus it's very important that he carry us along on this journey, and become a character that the audience can relate to, sympathize with, cheer for, and yes, even at times, dislike, but only to hope that he'll eventually redeem himself. The backbone of the story is Ollie's journey, thus without a strong and convincing performance from Affleck, the impact of many of the film's scenes would have been lost. Ben's been quoted as saying that this is his favorite film, and his favorite performance. You often hear a star say that just to help fill seats, but in this case, I truly believe that Ben means what he says. He has every right to be proud of his work here. He's done a fantastic job.

In "Chasing Amy", there's that unforgettable, heartfelt scene in the rain-drenched car where Holden pours his heart out to Alyssa. It's one of the best scenes in View Askew history, and quite possibly the reason that inspired the creation of this site to begin with. "Jersey Girl" has another one of those moments, and it's again the Smith/Affleck magic that drew me in and moved me more than any other scene in the film. The scene is the final one between Ollie and baby Gertie, and it's all Affleck, just a beautifully written and acted scene. It's in this moment that Ollie realizes that he's been putting his work above her, and that she is so much more important than anything else in his life. It's incredibly moving, and I must say, the best scene I've ever seen Affleck perform in. The formula is perfect: The tough, tear-inducing lines that Affleck chokes out just perfectly, followed by some light humor to let the audience relax a bit. From that point on, the film had me, and it had the crowd along with it. I was invested in Ollie and Gertie, and I wanted to see what came next. With that scene, I knew that "Jersey Girl" had created that "Chasing Amy" vibe again, a perfect balance of comedy and drama, taking the audience on an emotional ride and, most importantly, endearing us to these characters that we were going to spend the next couple of hours with.

Not to say that Jersey Girl is full of melodrama. The film is still very much a comedy above all else, and an extremely funny one at that. The film's centerpiece gag, which many of you have seen bits of in trailers, commercials, or in full form if you were fortunate enough to see Kevin in person last year, revolves around young Gertie and a male pal swapping glances at what Ollie can only call..."parts". But there's so much more of those great laugh out loud moments that really take you by surprise, where the scripted word comes to life in these fun, endearing characters that Kevin has created.

Another of my favorite scenes takes place between Ollie and Maya (Liv Tyler) in a diner. What starts out as an innocent discussion continues to get more and more graphic, I'd say just about as far as PG-13 can go, and it reminded me that yes, this WAS indeed a Kevin Smith movie. When sex is brought into the picture, Kev always has a way of making it a very colorful, funny, and memorable conversation. Ben & Liv's first big sequence together is no exception.

And let's talk about Tyler for a moment, too. Kevin has said that he wrote the Maya character with one picture in mind, but that Liv Tyler took her to a new level, adding a giddy, goofy, playful nature to her. It's tough to imagine Maya any other way than with those snorts and chuckles. It makes the chemistry between her and Affleck work even better. And after the one-two-three punch of the video store scene, arriving at Ollie's house, and finally that memorable diner moment (wait a sec, that's 4 classic diner scenes in a row with Amy, Dogma, Jay & Bob and Jersey Girl...I'm on to something here!), I defy you not to fall in love with Maya. Guys wait their whole lives for a girl like Maya to give them a proposition like the one she puts on the table for Ollie. I'll keep waiting.

Raquel Castro is the discovery of the film. Not only does she completely resemble the likely offspring of Affleck and Lopez, but her ability to hold her own in scenes with the likes of Affleck, Carlin, and Tyler, as well as her earnest delivery of Kevin's dialogue, which sometimes slightly transcends that of a 7 year old, but never so much as to put her too beyond her years, makes her the perfect addition to the growing Askewniverse. While Kevin has said that this is the one "kid movie" he needed to make right now, it'd be great, assuming Castro's still interested in the business further down the line, if Kevin went back in say, 10 or 15 years, and cast her in something else he's written. I wouldn't put it past the guy to do just that.

The film played extremely well with this crowd. It's always fun to watch a film with the premiere audience in attendance, as you catch both the general crowd reactions (big laughs, applause, gasps), and also the little in-jokes that only certain folks in the room react to. That's always been one of my favorite aspects of the Askewniverse...Whether it be a familiar voice on the telephone, an actor from the "Clerks" days, or even one character calling another "Reynolds", there's dozens of these "easter eggs" stuck into this film that long-time fans will appreciate on a completely different level. Yet, on the surface, for those in the audience watching a Kevin Smith film for the first time, not catching any of these veiled references or jokes doesn't deter in any way from the enjoyment and understanding of "Jersey Girl". This movie has something to appeal to all generations, young and old. When you go into the theater to see this one, you're going to laugh. And hey, maybe even gasp or tear up a little bit. This journalist has to admit, there's some very touching work by Affleck in a couple of scenes that just can't help but choke me up a bit. It's a testament to both Kevin's writing and Affleck's performance.

If you're reading this report, chances are you've been a View Askew fan for a while. And you also know that this film yet again represents a growth and a change for Kevin as a writer/director. I figured out why I'm enjoying and understanding these changes so well. I'm growing into these movies along with Kevin. When Kevin made Clerks, he was in his early 20's, as was I. As he matured in life, his experiences shaped what he felt compelled to write about and film. Going into his 30's now, Kevin has a wife, a daughter, and family plays an important role in his life. So, maybe the new fan, the 15-year-old kid who rents Clerks and Mallrats over and over at the video store, may be a little confused by the maturity in Kevin's filmmaking with "Jersey Girl". I get it. It's all part of growing up. I'm looking forward to seeing it again on the 26th, and even more so, looking forward to growing into the next projects that Kevin brings to the screen as well.

After the credits start to roll, a mass exodus took place, which I always find kind of rude, especially with so many of the folks who worked so hard in attendance. So, for the record, if you're ever at one of these things, do the right thing, sit through the credits and give everyone their dues. Kevin always tosses some entertaining thanks and often a little coda at the end of the credits to make it worth your while. But even without that stuff, stay.

After the credits wrapped up, we made our way out of the beautiful Ziegfeld auditorium, again passing Kevin on the way out who was graciously chatting with passers-by as they left the theater. I noticed a lot of other familiar faces as well, Bryan Johnson, Kevin's amazing assistant Gail, and outside, Malcolm Ingram and his parents, who were very kind people. There were small groups of folks hanging around here and there, some just regrouping before heading home or to the post-party, others hoping for a celebrity glimpse or two. The Hard Rock was only 3 short blocks away, and the rain had stopped, so we decided, as compared to the 10 blocks we hiked before the film, this would be a cake-walk.

Thanks to the Hard Rock, Coors Light, and Marie Claire, and Miramax Films, the entire Manhattan Hard Rock Cafe on 57th was closed to the public, and became Jersey Girl post-party central for the next few hours. And what a party, too! The place filled up FAST with celebs, entourages, and the likes of us. In its opening hour, there was barely room to move as it seemed most everyone from the theater at least wandered up Broadway for the three short blocks on this chilly New York evening. We walked in just behind Kevin and Jennifer, who were greeted by a lots of press shouting their names and flash bulbs aplenty. We carefully stepped back towards the outer doors so as not to ruin the press' photos. But hey, I did check these images just to make sure. Looks like we did okay.

A small area inside the Hard Rock on the left hand side was filled with folks clutching cameras. Some were press, others just looked like premiere attendees who wanted to be in prime photo location to catch the big stars walking into the place. Now I see why so many people bolt out of their seats when these things end -- They want to stake their claim on the prime real estate at these parties.

Once inside, we get the chance to look around, and realize that there's booze and food galore at this shindig: Bars everywhere mixing and serving up pretty much anything you can dream up (we keep it simple and stick to the plentiful Coors Light). The servers are really on the ball. There's no waiting for a drink, service is immediate. Same thing with the food: There's a huge buffet upstairs along with folks walking around with shrimp, pigs in a blanket, mini hamburgers, and some other interesting looking finger foods. A big table full of dessert items in the back, as well. We're not feeling too peckish at the moment, though, so we opt to just stick with the beer. They've got a DJ upstairs with two turntables and a microphone spinning some great tunes, and, this being the Hard Rock, the music is BOOMING, though it's so loud that conversations with folks right in front of me need to be shouted into their ear to be heard.

A few familiar faces walk by: Bryan Johnson, Walt Flanagan, Bob Chapman from Graphitti Designs, and Gail Stanley (who's always so outgoing and gracious). After a few minutes, I run into Ming and his wife Debbie, who snaps a quick photo of us on the main floor of the club. As there's so much to see, food and drinks everywhere, familiar faces being whisked by, the night goes by like a blur. Entourages from 10 to 20 strong are ushered by us into the upstairs VIP area by very intimidating-looking bodyguards. All the big stars from the film, including Affleck, Tyler, Carlin, Castro, and Biggs, made their way to the party with their friends and family, sitting at protected tables up in the VIP area. A few other celebs were in attendance, including James Lipton, Mark Hamill, and Ali Larter, though I didn't spot any of them (could have been they just did the film portion). Apparently the girl who plays Marina on "The L-Word" for Showtime, a show I dig, was there as well, but unfortunately even if I did bump into her, I wouldn't have noticed. Everyone at these things looks like a star.

Accessing these VIP areas are always the holy grail at the post parties. Maybe it's just an inherent urge to want "all access" or something. Not that I want to bum-rush any celebs back there, but just perhaps that feeling that I can say "Hey, look, I'm in the VIP area!". At the Dogma party, if I recall, there was a list that I wasn't on, but a quick word with the guard of the area, letting them know I was a View Askew employee (which I believe they then verified) was enough to get me back there to thank Kevin for the night (always my #1 reason for wanting to be back there). At Jay & Bob, all the VIPs simply sat at tables right out in the open around the perimeter, a very friendly, accessible concept. This time, the VIP area was roped off in a portion of the upper level of the restaurant. Not one, but TWO very stern-looking hired goons ("Hired goons?" as Homer Simpson would say) ran the show. After noticing that basically the bulk of the party (and the other View Askew folk) had migrated back there, I figured I'd see if it would be possible to go back there. The goons had no list or anything to reference, thus when I asked to go back, letting them know I worked for View Askew Productions, I was just angrily mumbled to and shooed away. Bummer, but what's a guy to do? But hey, just being at one of these parties is good enough for me, that's for sure.

Luckily, during a break out front of the place, Christine and I ran into Kevin, and both had the chance to tell him how much we enjoyed the film, and he was happy to hear it. I let him know how great I thought the changes were since I'd last seen the movie, including the music choices, the score, and the scenes that were edited differently. I'm sure you'll see everything on the DVD, as Kevin doesn't keep anything under wraps, but trust me when I say, this cut of the film is perfect, it doesn't need anything else (though I still can't help but be curious about Affleck's big speech before the township around halfway through the film, which has obviously been reduced to a montage rather than the stirring monologue that Kevin wrote for this scene). My guess would be that it was meant to show how good that Ollie is at being a BS artist in front of a crowd, though I was able to get the picture just through dialogue after that scene, anyway. So, while it was certainly a justifiable time edit, that's the one scene I'm hoping to see on the eventual Jersey Girl DVD.

After another couple of handshakes, I thanked Kevin again for the evening as he lets me know that he and the family plan to be heading home for the evening shortly. It was a neat way to cap off the party, and I was really appreciative that I got a few moments with Kevin not once, but twice, throughout the night, as the guy was obviously in high demand. Thanks for taking the time, Kevin.

The Hard Rock had a roped off area outside of the place for guests to stand, and around the perimeter, a small crowd of autograph seekers patiently waited in the cold New York air for the celebs to leave the place. We saw Liv Tyler and her guests leave, and noticed that Liv very graciously stopped to sign things for everyone who asked. A real class act.

Back inside, things were winding down and the place cleared out relatively quickly after a massive crowd insurgence in the opening hour. Raquel Castro and a bunch of other females were having a ball on the dance floor, cutting a rug and doing the "Electric Slide". I learned that the electric slide is a universal dance, and can apparently be done to any dance tune in the known universe, as this went on for several songs (none of which, coincidentally, was the Electric Slide). Looked like Raquel had a great time, though.

As the night was winding down, we were back inside, finishing up our last drinks. You could tell that closing time was near, as the bartenders behind us had resorted to using the soda sprayers to drench one of their cohorts. And in our last celebrity spotting of the night, as we stood in that area right above the front door, Ben Affleck and his group walked briskly by and out the front door. So, sadly, we didn't get the chance to tell Ben in person just how much we enjoyed his performance, but I'm hopeful that Ben catches this piece and knows just how much I dug it. Great work, Ben.

Back at the hotel, one final surreal moment capped the evening. Turning on the TV, there was Liv Tyler on the Conan O'Brien show, plugging Jersey Girl and showing a clip we'd seen just hours before. She'd of course taped the appearance earlier in the day, but it was a neat way to wrap things up, having seen her in person less than an hour prior. Ah, Hollywood.

It's always tough to come back to work after taking one of these Los Angeles or New York trips, stepping across that invisible (or, sometimes, visible) line into the entertainment world. It's a part of society that not many get the chance to experience, and for me, it's a rare treat and an excellent benefit to having this wonderful job. I can't see how I'd ever turn down a chance to enter this world when I've got it, though I don't think I'll ever get used to that slight fish-out-of-water feeling every time I cross in. But I wouldn't trade that feeling for the world. I love it.

Am I still a fanboy at heart? You betcha. And damn proud of it, too.