If there is a genre of films I have not viewed enough, it would definitely be documentary. I have seen enough to know which are good and which are bad, and it helps to have a film class with a music documentary filmmaker this semester. All of the back story aside, I viewed "Michael Jackson's This is It" this past weekend and was blown away.
In the past I brought up themes of nostalgia, especially with the rereleases of "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2," but the Michael Jackson concert/rehearsal/documentary film brings back the glory of his greatest hits. I was thrown into the past, remembering the time I first saw the music video to "Thriller" or singing "Heal the World" as a preschooler. The film delivers both these hits and many more, leaving out only a few chart toppers.
Essentially, "This is It" is a glorified concert film, but it expands much further into the development, grit and endurance necessary to put a production on stage. The feature charts the entire planning and production of the concert until Jackson's death. The beauty of the film is that it doesn't glorify his death. That fact seems to be a side note viewers should already know while watching it. The film jumps right into Jackson's announcement for a 50-performance engagement at London's O2 Arena, and immediately charts several rehearsals to put together the tour's catalogue. It is intriguing to show the progression of each song, with some regular practices and other cuts of dress rehearsals full of special effects. Spliced between songs are snippets of special features content, ranging from green screen filming to dance try-outs to costume design. I found these to be the more interesting parts of the film, with the massive scale of the production and all of the elements being created.
Certain things wowed me with the film, starting with some amazing editing and shooting through the opening sequences. The press conference announcement segment is cut rapidly and has the same pacing that "District 9" had earlier this year. The frantic chaos set the pace for the high energy of the performances to come. As a performer, Jackson definitely still has all the talent of old. His dancing was clean and articulate, with some new style thrown in. His voice sounded crisp, and not feeble, as his appearance sometimes would project. The man, personal affairs aside, still had the charisma and power to sell out arenas and bring crowds to their feet.
Other intriguing parts are certain behind-the-scenes looks. The best for me was an innovative feature. Behind the stage there was a giant screen, which would have 3D projections. The concert creators and the director Kenny Ortega filmed in front of monstrous green screens to create new footage for "Thriller," "Smooth Criminal" and "Beat It." I loved the "Smooth Criminal" content, not only because it's my favorite tune of Jackson's, but also because of the brilliant film noir short film that Ortega made to play on the screen. All of the footage was shot with 3D cameras for the audience to experience in 3D. Watching a movie with 3D glasses is somewhat annoying, so maybe it wouldn't transfer to a concert very well, but it shows how much Jackson still pushed the boundaries.
Grade: A
Coming out this week is a trio of films that all look interesting for one reason or another. First there is Richard Kelly's "The Box." It stars Cameron Diaz as a woman given the choice to push a button to gain $1 million but also kill someone in the world. It's by the director of "Donnie Darko" so I'm in. Next there is "A Christmas Carol", this time with Jim Carrey and in 3D. I think the Muppet's version still is the best, but I will not bash the Academy Award-winning Robert Zemeckis for his career choices. Lastly, there is "The Men Who Stare at Goats" about special psychological warfare troops in the U.S. military. It looks hysterical with George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey and Ewan McGregor. Find something that interests you, and until next time, get busy livin' or get busy dyin'.
Read More
Cardinals elect a new pope, the first American pope in history
By Staff Reports / 21 hours agoCardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, according to the Associated Press (AP).
'A blue-collar team:' Ball State run rules Akron in opening game of MAC Softball Championship
By Zach Carter / YesterdayNo. 4 Ball State topped No. 5 Akron 9-1 in the Cardinals' first game of the Mid-American Conference Softball Championship Wednesday afternoon.
9-1-1 What's Your Hot Take E8: Season 4 Recap
By Willow Emig and Sam Jasionowski / YesterdayIn this episode of 9-1-1 What’s Your Hot Take, Sam and Willow discuss the events of season 4 of 9-1-1.
