TV Review: Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam - A Sweet Treat for All

Article first published as TV Review: Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam - A Sweet Treat for All on Blogcritics.

I have heard this being called the Summer of Sequels by various TV and radio entertainment people, and it is true that many films came out that fit into that category: Toy Story 3, Sex and the City 2, Iron Man 2, Predators, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, and Shrek Forever After. While these were all seen in movie theaters, the sequel that had the most buzz (at least in my family) was Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. After watching it on Disney Channel last night with my daughter, I can say it was worth the wait indeed!

The cast is led by the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato as it was last time, but this time there is a new romance, plenty of new tunes, and a challenge from another camp that spice up the story. It seems the Jo Bros and Demi are more than up for the challenge, with Demi as the once shy Mitchie Torres shining brightly again, and Joe Jonas as Shane Gray coming through with a strong performance.

In the first film the conflict was Mitchie hiding her true identity as daughter of Connie, the camp cook (Maria Canals-Barrera). This time a decidedly more confident and popular Mitchie returns to enthusiastic greetings from former friends. She also does not have to win Shane's affection; rather, he is trying to make this a special summer for them as a couple, but other conflicts await to throw a monkey wrench into the works.

This year there is a new rival for Mitchie and company: Camp Star. Since this camp has challenged Camp Rock to a musical smack down, Mitchie becomes so all consumed in preparing for the event that she doesn't make time for Shane. Meanwhile, Nate (Nick Jonas) falls for Dana (Chloe Bridges), a girl from the rival camp setting up a Romeo and Juliet type of scenario, with Nate even wooing her with guitar - but she forgoes the balcony scene and stands right in front of him.

I know my daughter liked this movie better than the first film, and probably more than any other reason it is because the Jo Bros are front and center in this one (in the first film Nick and Kevin were merely window dressing). Also, little brother Frankie even gets into the act here as a camper, so it is more Jonas Brothers all the way.

Camp Rock 2 does all things the right - and obviously the Disney - way, and that means that its got the target audience right where it wants them. Kids like my daughter and all the other tweens out there get to see Nate pine longingly for the girl, Shane and Mitchie disagree about things (and yet we know they're never going to break up) and even former bad girl Tess Tyler (Meaghan Martin) reverts to the dark side, but the kids know that all will be right again in the end by the final number.

The final showdown pits Camp Rock against Camp Star in a televised competition that allows audience members to text in their votes for the winners. There are two huge showstoppers that seem like the Opening Ceremony to the Olympic Games more than anything else, but that follows the tradition of High School Musical 2 where more - much, much more - seems like a compromise and even less than as good as in the original.

That small nit aside, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam is sure to be a hit with kids and their parents. I know my daughter plans to watch it again tonight - Disney inevitably broadcasts its original movies for three nights in a row on the premiere weekend - and no doubt many other kids will follow suit. Parents should also prepare to acquire the soundtrack - or wait for Christmas because I have been already warned that it will be on Santa's list this year. The songs are all energetic with easy to remember lyrics. By the end of the show, my daughter was singing along like she had heard them all before - and she had when she saw the Jonas Brothers live this summer. Is that shrewd marketing or what?

One thing to note is that the ending makes it clear that there is almost definitely going to be a Camp Rock 3, so the only question is will Disney take the same path it did with High School Musical 3 and release it in theaters first? Otherwise, we can rest assured that the Demi and the Jo Bros will be back for more camping and rocking and jamming. Who could ask for anything more?

 

Concert Review: Jonas Brothers at Jones Beach, NY - 8/22/10

Article first published as Concert Review: Jonas Brothers at Jones Beach, NY - 8/22/10 on Blogcritics.


Would you wait in the pouring rain for twenty minutes to see a musical group perform? Well, back in my time I probably would have done that to see the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, and my Mom told me about the extraordinary measures she and her friends took to see Frank Sinatra, so I am not surprised that my daughter was totally willing to weather the storm - and then some - to see her favorite group, the Jonas Brothers, perform live at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY.

Jones Beach Theater is an ideal location to see a concert, providing that the weather is cooperating. I've seen a number of shows there, and the sound is excellent and the backdrop of the ocean is truly lovely; however, it was anything but for my wife and daughter Lauren, my wife's sister, and Lauren's three cousins. On this dark and oh so stormy night they braved the elements to see the Jonas Brothers and they were not disappointed.

What follows is nine-year-old Lauren's review of the concert in her own words.

"Jo Bro Night" by Lauren

So my cousins Tanina, Marina, and John and me with our moms went to the Jo Bro concert. They're also known as the Jonas Brothers. Demi Lovato and the cast of Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam were also there. It was a really rainy night, of course on the concert day.

We all went to our seats about twenty minutes before show time. We were worried that lightning would come and we would have to go home, but none ever came, so the show went on.



When it started, nobody in my family knew who the girl was on the stage, but then after she said her name, it popped into my head: Alyson Stoner. I love her! She told us all about the new Disney movie Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam and her other new movie Step Up 3D. I didn't even know she was in that.

Then she sang a song she wrote, but after that and a BOOM of thunder, the Camp Rock cast came out and took the stage with Alyson. They sang some songs from the movie and then Demi Lovato came out and sang her songs "Here We Go Again," "Get Back," and "Don't Forget." She had some help from the Jonas Brothers with her first album you know.

Then we had a big break so they could clean the stage. It felt like 80,000 minutes. Then finally the Jo Bro's manager came out and said he was their manager. When he said, "Here are the Jonas Brothers" we started screaming, really screaming! I mean we were there in that rain only for them.

They sang some of their best songs like "SOS," "Love Bug," and "The Year 3000" and many, many more songs. At one point Joe gave Nick a chance to sing his Camp Rock song, but he gave him only two minutes and twenty seconds and timed him, but Nick played it so fast and he did it.

At the very end they said this was their favorite show on the tour. We all clapped and screamed for them, and it was over and we ran in the rain through the parking lot. My cousins and I saw Demi, Joe, and Kevin plus Nick going on their tour bus with the police cars blocking them.

When we got home we had to use a lot of towels to dry off, and we had to peel our clothes off because they were so wet. I put my PJs on and went to bed thinking that even with the rain that was the best day of my life, and it had to be the best Jonas Brothers concert ever!