[Note to TheMovieKit readers: I am pleased to introduce to you my guest reviewer, Tommy Owen, a radio show producer, DJ and aspiring screenwriter, who has been a Michael Jackson fan since, well, he was born. Since I'm only a casual Michael Jackson fan, I thought his take on This Is It would be more fun to read. Enjoy!]
I love Michael Jackson. I have the records, CDs, books, magazines, the Thriller jacket, the glove, the doll, the glittery socks, and my prized ticket stub from a 1972 Jackson Five concert at the Greensboro Coliseum (given to me by a friend). The week I was born, “ABC” was number one on the charts, which I’m convinced started my love for MJ. I say all this to let you know that there is no way I would ever give Michael Jackson’s This Is It no less than the glowing review it deserves. So I settled into my seat at the Arclight Cinerama Dome in Hollywood to get one last glimpse of my favorite music artist of all time.
STEP 1: This is for the fans
I’ve been waiting for years to see Michael Jackson back on the big screen. Sure, I’ve seen The Wiz and his cameo in Men In Black, but I’ve never seen a 20-foot tall Michael Jackson moon walking across the silver screen. There was once talk of a concert film shot by the guys from NFL Films making its way to theaters, but it never came to be. It’s a shame it took the death of Michael Jackson to finally see Michael doing his stuff on celluloid. Right out of the gate, a written message tugs at your heartstrings to let you know This Is It is for the FANS.
STEP 2: You’ve got to feel for the tour performers and what would have been
After the penned open, the movie starts with Michael’s dancers. You can hear the excitement in their voices and see tears welling up as those closest to Michael in his final days describe what it’s like to work with their hero. You can feel the love they have for him. I imagine it’s the same type of reaction I’d have. The closest I ever got to Michael was meeting his sister Janet when she visited Rick Dees in the Morning, the morning radio show I produced. I thought one day I’d get to maybe, just maybe, meet Michael or at least see him in concert. I always told people if I did go to one of his concerts, I’d be like one of those teenage girls from Beatles and Elvis videos that pass out and get carried off on a stretcher. Luckily, I made it through This Is It without losing consciousness.
My heart does go out to Michael’s dancers, band and all the behind-the-scenes folks that worked with MJ on what was to be the most amazing concert experience the world would have ever seen. No disrespect to U2’s 360 tour and the claw, but Michael’s past concerts were event spectacles. It’s hard to expect that at age 50, MJ could deliver a live show that would even come close to his younger self, but the show that never was at the O2 in London would have hands down been the greatest concert experience of all time.
STEP 3: Yes, Michael Jackson was ready to reclaim his throne
There has been much speculation as to whether MJ was in the physical shape to pull off 50 demanding concerts. The King of Pop’s singing, and especially his dancing, was still as sharp as ever. There are times during rehearsal when Michael holds back, conserving his energy, but Michael at half speed is better than most at a full-out sprint. When Michael lets it loose, he lets it LOOSE, breaking it down with moves sharper than guys half his age (watch the “drill cadence” circle after “Jam.”) When Michael’s alone on the stage, his dancers become his audience, cheering him on as they bask in a master class of dance. Partner Michael’s performance with some pretty amazing synchronized film clips (check out the “Smooth Criminal” section with Rita Hayworth and Humphrey Bogart and the newly filmed “Thriller” clips), aerial dancers, sizzling “fire chase” pyrotechnics, and you have what would have been the greatest show on Earth.
STEP 4: The “Thriller” segment is worth the price of admission alone
My favorite song of all time is “Billie Jean,” but my favorite piece in This Is It is “Thriller.” New film of dancing zombies was shot for an intended 3D presentation to accompany MJ’s live performance, and it would’ve made original “Thriller” director John Landis proud. At the outset, there’s a tip of the fedora to Disney’s Haunted Mansion. The new arrangement is particularly inventive, using the first verse of Vincent Price’s “Darkness falls across the land…” rap starting, rather than ending the song, as the camera sweeps into a musky graveyard. [A small SPOILER alert: Further in MJ’s “Thriller” performance, listen for Vincent Price’s “lost” rap verse. Vincent Price originally recorded three rap verses, but only two verses were used. Audiophiles can find the Price/Jackson recording session as a bonus track on the “Thriller” Special Edition CD or on Thriller 25.] Watching this new take on the most popular video of all time made me feel the way I felt when I first saw the “Thriller” video — goose bumps galore! Plus, watch out for the black widow spider!
STEP 5: Michael Jackson was a man on a mission
Michael said his main purpose of performing again was so that his kids could see him on stage. He was intent on giving his fans something they had never seen before, and it would have been monumental. If just one of these 50 concerts had happened, Michael would’ve revolutionized concerts like he did for music videos. Michael has long been the standard, and he had upped the bar with This Is It. Not only was Michael on a mission to return to the stage, but he was ready to use that platform to promote his message of love, change for the better (“Man in the Mirror”), and protecting the environment (“Earth Song”). When was the last time you saw a bulldozer on stage at a concert?
STEP 6: This Is It is a peek behind the curtain
In 1993, Janet Jackson presented her brother Michael with a special Grammy Legend Award. It was the first time in a long time that I had seen Michael let his guard down. He was personable and funny, joking that he and Janet were indeed two different people. Shortly after that, the allegations started flying and Michael retreated back into his shell. This Is It offers a behind-the-scenes look at Michael like we as fans have never seen before. It is truly a peek at the magic behind the curtain.
At that same Grammy Awards ceremony, Michael said, “It’s good to be thought of as a person and not as a personality.” A prominent theme of Michael Jackson’s memorial service at the Staples Center was that Michael was a human being. He was a man. This Is It further paints Michael as a loving, caring, supremely talented human being. At work, Michael is both forceful and tender, careful to preface any critiques with love. For years, all we’ve ever seen are the highly polished performances. Here we get to see Michael in all his rawness. Even MJ makes mistakes during rehearsal singing a dropped verse saying, “That’s why we have rehearsal.”
But make no mistake, Michael Jackson is a perfectionist. His most famous performance was of “Billie Jean” on the Motown 25 special. Afterward, Michael was disappointed because when he spun around and lifted up onto his tip-toes in his signature move, he felt he didn’t stay up on his toes long enough. That’s the kind of perfectionist MJ was. To him, it was an imperfection; to me, that performance changed my life.
In This Is It, Michael Jackson always seems to know exactly what he wants as his crew tries to keep up with him. “You’ve got to let it simmer!” He directs his band, dancers, the lighting, special effects, everything. His timing and instincts as an artist and showman are remarkable. He’s in full control, backed by the incomparable Kenny Ortega, the choreographer/director/producer who has worked with Michael for years and is more recently known for the popular High School Musical movies. Their relationship is special and it shows.
STEP 7: You’ll laugh…You’ll cry
With Michael’s passing, this film is no doubt a bittersweet experience for Michael Jackson fans. I knew going into this movie that I would at the very least tear up at some point. I was just hoping it wouldn’t turn into uncontrollable sobbing. I still can’t watch the end of Field of Dreams without the floodgates opening. As I mentioned before, the written opening of This Is It is poignant, as are the words of Michael’s crew. Your heart aches for them, and there are several moving moments throughout the movie, but it doesn’t take long for Michael to make you smile. The first leg kick and body pop, and I was lost inside the magic of Michael Jackson all over again. At one point, Michael himself smiles at the end of a set, completely satisfied and immersed in his love of performing. (I did make it through without sobbing, but I’ll admit there was eye dabbing and a lot of tongue biting to stop the water works.)
STEP 8: Stay until the end of the credits
The end of This Is It is exactly what I expected and I loved it. Get those STEP 7 tissues ready. I could hear sniffles throughout the theater, even from the 6’2 250 lb. guy sitting a couple seats down from me. Also, I like to generally stay through the credits of movies anyway, but make sure you don’t leave if you want just one more glimpse of Michael.
STEP 9: Thank Sony, Kenny Ortega and AEG for making This possible
To these three, and anyone who had a hand in the making of This Is It, thank you for making this film. Thank goodness someone had the foresight to have cameras rolling during the preparation for Michael’s big comeback. To be able to comb through hours and hours of footage and put together a film in such a short amount of time is nothing short of incredible. (And make sure you see This Is It at a theater with top notch sound. MJ’s music thumps!)
STEP 10: Is this it?
Not by a long shot. Any Elvis or Beatles fan will tell you that. This Is It is just the tip of the MJ merchandising iceberg. I’ll be surprised if Ortega and AEG don’t extend the two-week theatrical run. Anyone who has bought the 2-CD This Is It set will find a promo ad for the DVD and Blu-Ray coming soon and loaded with extras. Unfortunately, Sony says it won’t be released before Christmas thanks to theater owners, who complained that it’s too soon after the movie’s theatrical premiere.
As someone who has delved into Blu-ray, I would love to see a ton of Michael’s work released in Hi-Def. There’s Dangerous: The Short Films, The HIStory DVDs, and who wouldn’t love to see Moonwalker, The Making of Thriller, and Captain EO released on Blu-ray?!! For that matter, I’d love to see old Jackson Five performance footage, the Jacksons TV variety show and the Jackson Five cartoon on Blu-Ray. One can only hope.
For now, MJ fans can keep themselves entertained for hours with a lot of these clips on You Tube. My favorite is on the Dangerous: The Short Films DVD. It’s a Pepsi commercial that never aired in the U.S. of Michael singing “I’ll Be There” with his younger J5 self. It’s awesome, check it out!
I imagine Sony and AEG won’t have any problem making the $60 million they paid for This Is It. I’ve already plucked down my cash for two tickets, and I’m already planning to moonwalk back to the box office to see it again.
–reviewed by Tommy Owen
I celebrate the man whose stories have been thrilling me since I was 15-years-old. Of course, you already know 
Reiner’s Misery is a minor work of genius, considering the source material. Don’t get me wrong, the book is a doozy (There are no sledgehammers in the book, oh no. Think surgical knives), but much of the dialogue takes place in Paul Sheldon’s head, so I couldn’t see how they could make that work onscreen. What I didn’t know then, however, was how absolutely remarkable Oscar-winning Kathy Bates would be as Annie Wilkes. Well done.
I know I don’t usually talk TV, but I still watch it religiously, in between screenings. And we’ve got to convince Jemaine Clement (and his comedy partner Bret McKenzie) to BRING CONCHORDS BACK! When I was recently interviewing Clement for Gentlemen Broncos [see below], the fate of The Conchords inevitably came up. Unfortunately, according to Clement, a third season doesn’t sound promising:
As in director Jared Hess, his wife/writing partner Jerusha – the masterminds behind the indie gem Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre – and actor Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords fame, who collaborated on 
who was a sci-fi writer, a professor. He was an author and he would talk about his ideas. I even kind of changed one of his short story ideas a little bit when my character is talking on the phone about his other ideas. I used one of his ideas. It was about a time-traveling bakery. Was it in there? It’ll be on the DVD, probably.” 
Jerusha Hess: “But we have some secrets up our sleeves. When we’re writing, it seems like we’ll write something funny and then instead of responding to that, we’ll write a pause. To read it and to see it is a little awkward so I think we understand this awkward teen thing pretty well. Sorry, that’s our whole purpose. We want to make you guys feel weird.”
Step 6: Ad-lib, ad-lib, ad-lib!
Jared: “Yeah, my grandma was talking to my brother the other day and she was like, [doing his grandmother] ‘I sure hope Jared has other things in line because this comedy thing sure isn’t gonna last much longer.’ I don’t think she’s gotten any one of our films, but that’s OK. I still love my grandmother very much.”
Gotta love those creepy Japanese ghost story remakes. I remember watching The Ring with a quiet foreboding, like I was going to leave the theater, get into my car and and receive a call on my cellphone that I was going to die in seven days. I mean, I watched the forbidden video that kills, didn’t I? We ALL did. It was ultra creepy: the women brushing her hair, the fly, the horse. They totally had me – especially when the long-haired little girl climbs out of the TV in a rush of water to off whoever was next on the video list. The movie left me shivering.
And then The Grudge. Something about those stark, minimalist Japanese buildings creep me out, with the fluorescent lighting and the long hallways, inviting those dark, menacing shadows. And that haunted house! With the white-faced little cat boy and the horrible ghost woman coming down the stairs all disjointed, making that awful guttural sound. Yikes. I worked with a colleague who felt the same way I did about the movie, and she and I would freak each other out by sneaking up and making that sound when the other wasn’t paying attention. Good times. Here are clips from both:
Or how about Leonardo DiCaprio? George Clooney? Apparently, all three are eying Martin Scorsese’s biopic about the crooner. Hmmm, I might have to agree with 
And finally, Mad Men‘s January Jones and Inglourious Basterds‘ Diane Kruger have joined Liam Neeson in the thriller Unknown White Male. Neeson plays a man who wakes from a coma to realize his identity have been taken by someone else – and no one BELIEVES him. Jones will play Neeson’s wife, who gets caught up in a conspiracy regarding her husband. Kruger will play a Berlin taxi driver and Neeson’s unexpected ally. Oh man, I don’t think you want to piss Neeson off. Have you seen Taken? That guy kicks major ass.
Oh, she’s quite easy to talk to – has lots of insightful things to say and is genuinely pleasant. Of course, she’s also really the ONLY choice to play Amelia Earhart, if you ask me. I’ve mentioned before my childhood crush on the Amelia Earhart, having done about five or six book reports on her. Her life – but mostly, her death – endlessly fascinated me. So, when I heard who was starring as Amelia in the latest biopic, and then saw the trailer, I knew they’d hit the nail right on the head.
“I know exactly to the minute how footage is out there on Amelia – about 16 minutes of newsreel, mostly of her waving. So a lot of her speaking was limited and what we had was her public persona. I found about 45 seconds of when she didn’t know the camera was on, so I got a little bit of insight into the other Amelia. I didn’t want to parody her, but the accent was very specific, the cadence, the way she carried herself. As it is for all of us. If I was playing YOU, for example, I’d want to break down your exact mannerisms. There were big shoes to fill and I really couldn’t take a lot of fictional licenses that I could probably take if I were playing you. It was daunting.”
Step 5: Is Amelia stuck on the Lost island?
OK, so you already know how I feel about Paranormal Activity; now apparently everyone else is feeling it, too. The little “scare-fest that could” shot to the top of the heap over the weekend with $21.1 million, soundly beating the veteran Saw franchise.
