"Michael Jackson's This Is It" grading & review thread

[The Borgified Corpse]

A friend & I just saw it this afternoon. I kinda had to go with someone else because Michael Jackson scares me.

Seriously though, it was a very interesting movie experience. It was a bit long for my tastes but really hardcore Michael Jackson fans will love it. I've never been a huge fan of his. (Seriously, where the hell is his nose?!) But I can't deny the man's incredible talent for performance. Even though he's clearly in very poor health, he's got a lot of spirit & internal energy. Even without whatever medical mismanagement may have ended his life prematurely, I can't imagine this man surviving 50 shows. However, I think he could have at least delivered one show so spectacular that it all would have been worth it.

Some of his music can run together a bit for me. But there are a few really catchy tunes in here, like "Thriller," "Beat It," "Smooth Criminal," & "They Don't Really Care About Us." I'd say "Smooth Criminal" is the real highlight of the show, complete with digitally inserting Michael Jackson into scenes from The Big Sleep. The low point is when he gets to his Jackson 5 material. Since he's an adult now, he simply cannot capture the sound or the energy of those original recordings and he seems to just be going through the motions here.

Has anyone else here seen this movie?

 

[darkshadow0001]

I saw it. I've never been to a music concert, and this is sort of like the closest thing to it

It's too bad Michael Jackson died, I think this tour would of really hit off. I really liked the new segments of Billy Jean, Smooth Criminal, and Thriller. One thing Jackson never lost was his singing talent... he still sings just as good as when he started.

 

[T'Baio]

Even though he's clearly in very poor health...

How do you figure?

Since he's an adult now, he simply cannot capture the sound or the energy of those original recordings and he seems to just be going through the motions here.

You do realize that, except for only one or two moments, he's only through the motions for the whole movie? They were rehearsals, and he even said repeatedly in the film that he wasn't singing as hard as he could or dancing as hard as he could because he was saving his stamina for the actual shows? Many entertainers rehearse this way.

Besides, he also wasn't in top form during the Jackson 5 rehearsals because his ear piece was causing him pain. You did watch the movie, right?

 

[OmahaStar]

wtf? People paid money to go see a "movie" with a singing pedophile?

 

[Star Wolf]

wtf? People paid money to go see a "movie" with a singing pedophile?

So you just happen to miss what went on in the world after he died with the crowds the media circuses? I grant maybe you don't follow reported sales of the music industry. iTunes immediately raised the price of every recording with Jackson in it to their premium price and the entire top seller list was still Michael Jackson for weeks.

 

[T'Baio]

wtf? People paid money to go see a "movie" with a singing pedophile?

We all watch a show starring a guy who murdered his wife.

 

[Roshi]

There's an OJ show?

 

[darkshadow0001]

wtf? People paid money to go see a "movie" with a singing pedophile?

You got proof that this happened? Seriously I think the only reason people accused him of this is because they wanted his money. I don't believe anything like this happened for one bit... granted, yeah, he was a bit weird, but are all entertainers that way?

 

[Nerdius Maximus]

(Seriously, where the hell is his nose?!)

Probably in a jar somewhere. Check E-bay. Really, though, I love Michael Jackson's early solo stuff. Thriller's position as the best-selling album of all time is fairly justified. BAD is almost as good. He was a tortured man, and though I wish he'd found a way to deal with his demons, I wonder if he'd have been as talented if not for his eccentricites. Take away the weirdness and you've got Lionel Richie, basically.

 

[nx1701g]

wtf? People paid money to go see a "movie" with a singing pedophile?

You got proof that this happened? Seriously I think the only reason people accused him of this is because they wanted his money. I don't believe anything like this happened for one bit... granted, yeah, he was a bit weird, but are all entertainers that way?

I recently read a book about Michael Jackson (i've since read three others) and they all have pretty much the same thing about the first case. Michael was given a script for a film by the boy's father and Michael never read it. The man confronted Jackson about not reading the script and told him that he'd ruin him (or so the entry went). A week later he was accused of being a child molester.

Am I saying he didn't or did do it? No I'm not because I have no idea, but it's just a part of the story that not many people have been informed on. If I recall correctly the second child had astronomical medical bills that his family couldn't afford to pay and Michael had been asked to help and said he couldn't.

 

[Neeka Keet]

wtf? People paid money to go see a "movie" with a singing pedophile?

You mean the man that was under the scope of the Santa Barbara DA's office for more than a decade and they couldn't convict him. A pedophile with so many kids near him and only two ever came forward. Not even Michael Jackson was rich enough to buy that much silence.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Even though he's clearly in very poor health...

How do you figure?

Two things primarily. First, he's just way too thin. Secondly, the numerous times that he's wearing sun glasses indoors, which absolutely screams "celebrity in pain showing up for work anyway." There's something very sickly about his entire demeanor. He's very energetic in spite of it but still, considering the movie was edited to present him in the best possible light, it's kinda sad that some of this is the best they could come up with.

Since he's an adult now, he simply cannot capture the sound or the energy of those original recordings and he seems to just be going through the motions here.

You do realize that, except for only one or two moments, he's only through the motions for the whole movie? They were rehearsals, and he even said repeatedly in the film that he wasn't singing as hard as he could or dancing as hard as he could because he was saving his stamina for the actual shows? Many entertainers rehearse this way.

I realize that the entire movie is rehearsal footage. However, because it's Michael Jackson, most of the songs still contain a residual energy in his performances that is very entertaining to watch. But the Jackson 5 stuff is so dull & listless, I really don't know why they've included it here at all.

 

[Neeka Keet]

^Actually if you compare this footage and him during the Thriller video he actually looks the same, and in the autopsy it was revealed that he was a healthy weight for his height. Jackson's always been really thin and gaunt looking.

About his voice. He was actually not giving his best because he was saving his voice. It was his intention to actually sing every song live unlike his last couple of tours where he lip synched due to bad cases of laryngitis. You have to understand that he was a 50 year old man so he needed to pace himself.