Running home to catch "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" after school as a kid, I never would've thought that 15 years later I'd be standing on the deck of the USS Intrepid watching Will Smith lead the crowd in singing the famous theme song. But that's exactly what I experienced last night.
Columbia Pictures treated the guests of the "Men in Black 3" premiere to a special after party on the ship docked at New York's Pier 86. As I walked on board I was greeted—or rather eyed—by men in black lining the balcony around the colorfully lit stage, letting us know not even the aliens in "Battleship" could get past these guys.
After guests had their fill of Asian noodles, hot dogs, donuts, mini ice cream cones and special "MIB3" cocktails—I opted for the Andy Warhol, a mix of Bombay Sapphire and orange juice—they began a special fireworks tribute to the many troops in attendance for Fleet Week. During the elaborate display of American pride, I noticed a group gathering to my right snapping pictures. In the middle of the circle was professional snowboarder and skateboarder Shaun White, happily greeting the many sailors and children heading his way.
Not 10 minutes after sighting the athlete, I spied a flock of young girls walking towards me as they followed One Direction to the bathroom. Don't you know you can't separate a girl and her beloved boy band? But as much as my inner tween loves British boys who can sing and dance, the best part of the night came in the form of performances.
Pitbull hit the stage first singing the film's theme song "Back in Time" and his hit "Give Me Everything," followed by Jaden Smith who brought out Big Willie himself to sing "Men in Black" and "Summertime"—along with that iconic theme song that was a staple of my childhood.
Despite all the media surrounding his recent bout with a reporter, Smith was a bundle of positive energy. Earlier that night he couldn't stop talking while director Barry Sonnenfeld gave his opening speech before the film's Ziegfeld premiere. Finally, with mock anger, Sonnenfeld yelled his name and threatened to separate him and Tommy Lee Jones—his partner in the movie and in crime, apparently. As Smith then headed to his seat, he shouted, "All right, where're my wife and kids?" making the audience erupt in laughter.
That audience laughter was apparent throughout the whole film as Smith's charisma shines—not only in his one-liners, but in his chemistry with Josh Brolin as well. The movie is sure to entertain families and fans of the "Men in Black" franchise, and with an unexpected ending, ties the three films together.
Will you see "Men in Black 3" this weekend? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!
