Movie #176 ......................."Michael Jackson's This Is It"

Movie #176 "Michael Jackson's This Is It" was a nice tribute to the man, the musical genius, singer, songwriter, choreographer, supreme dancer who died too young, but this film shows what an amazing catalogue of music he has left behind. Most of his hits are here in all their glory. I am especially thankful that Kenny Ortega filmed the rehearsal process so that the many fans of MJ (that's what everyone called him in the film) could see some of his last concert. This is one concert I would have wanted to see, and because of Ortega's efforts, I did finally get to see MJ have fun making his music. There were several other observations I made while viewing this movie: the amount of rehearsal it took for this, and MJ was there in the trenches, making many of the decisions from the dance steps, orchestrations, the lighting, etc.; the risktaker he was -- there's a cute scene when he's traveling in a cherry picker where Ortega says, "this is the lowest it goes." and MJ tells Ortega, "Oh, Kenny, you shouldn't have said that, you know me" (suggesting he wanted to be taken up as high as it went); the many times he told the people he worked with that he loved them; the professionalism he showed on and off stage; the giving nature with the singers, and one particular scene with the guitarist when he tells her, "this is your time to shine" and then proceeds to help her do just that; the stalking across the stage so he's involved every moment; the dancing, dancing, dancing. Most singers play an instrument (or just barely), but Michael's body was his instrument and he's constantly moving it to the beat of the music --- he can't stop; at one point, all his fellow dancers and singers are cheering him off to the sides and he tells then very gently, "god bless you all!" I enjoyed all those things, but the most pervading emotion I had throughout the movie was.............how sad. How sad this never became anything more than rehearsals. How sad for all these young kids who idolized MJ and now were performing in his "family" on stage and then never got to an opening of the show. How sad that such a talented guy died and only people who see this movie can see his last efforts, and esp. understand his last message ---- that the planet has a fever right now and we must do everything we can to make it better. We need to heal the world (says MJ) , and like the man in the mirror, we need to take the first step ourselves. If you are interested at all in the rehearsal process, the joy of dancing, the unmasking just a little bit the mystery of the man whom everyone called MJ, see this movie. You won't be disappointed. A little sad,maybe, but not disappointed.




Average rating: 3.858
I rated it 4 stars
Michael Jackson's This Is It
This Is It
(2009) PG
Rehearsal footage, backstage action and interviews comprise this moving Michael Jackson experience. He is shown here preparing for a series of 50 sold-out London shows, which were scheduled to kick off in late summer 2009. Singing his numerous hits at the Staples Center in Los Angeles during the days leading up to his untimely death, Jackson is also seen refining cues, delving into dance details and working with director Kenny Ortega.