andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Eight seasons running. A cult in Canadian pop culture. Winners of the Gemini, Teen Choice and Directors Guild of Canada Awards.

And now Degrassi: The Next Generation finally boasts its first red-carpet TV movie.

But known as a “show of the people”, the season 8 finale Paradise City: Degrassi Goes Hollywood premiere last Wednesday night at Toronto’s Bloor Cinema, allowed tons of lucky special-bracelet-wearing fans bask in Degrassi glory. A free-for-all for snagging autographs and pictures from their favorite cast members, and what’s more- the opportunity to enjoy the movie side-by-side with them too.

And the word got out not only to lucky fans. Among a packed-to-the-brim theatre audience was Camp Rock 2 stars Jordan Francis and Matthew “Mdot” Finley, So You Think You Can Dance Canada winner Nico Archambault, MuchMusic VJ Devon Soltendieck and MTV Live’s Nicole Holness.

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Fans of “High School Musical” need to get ready for their newest love: MTV’s new movie musical “The American Mall.”

To help introduce their audience slowly, before mind-boggling obsession will inevitably set in, MTV will launch the official web site today, www.vmtv.com.

The virtual Mall site allows fans to get to know the cast, including “The O.C” star Autumn Reeser, “Degrassi: The Next Generation” cast member Nina Dobrev, and dreamy “So You Think You Can Dance” contestant Neil Haskell. The site includes virtual tours of the set, video diaries, and exclusive photos and footage.

Fans can then blog about the movie, and attend events, like the virtual karaoke party on August 22.

The movie, airing Monday, August 11, “is the story of Ally, a hardworking young woman whose mother has owned a music shop that’s been the soul of the mall ever since it opened when Ally was a kid. Ally’s singer/songwriter dreams seem to come closer to fruition when she meets Joey, a musician who’s moonlighting as a janitor at the mall in order to support his own rock star ambitions. While Joey understands her songs (and heart) like no one else, Ally’s happiness and the fate of the music store are threatened when the mall owner’s spoiled daughter Madison – who will stop at nothing to get what she wants – becomes involved.”

The soundtrack will be available in stores the day after it airs.