Movie Review: This Is It
I usually don’t go to the movies, nevermind on a movie’s opening day, but I knew I had to see This Is It. I have always been a fan of Michael Jackson’s - not just for his music, but also because of his kind personality. Despite FALSE charges being brought up against him (I mean, come on people, this is a man who had professional hospital beds installed in his home movie theater so that terminally ill children could still be able to watch the movies and plays shown there) he was always an idealist. However, yes, we all know that Michael abused his body with all of the plastic surgery, and he appears very, very thin in the movie.
Part of me wanted to see this movie to see if Michael Jackson still had the “it” that had made him a star. The other part wanted to see if this would be the circus that his funeral was. I really wanted to see if this could possibly be “the” film that shows Michael as the brilliant entertainer and truly inspirational man he was. Folks, this movie is the perfect tribute to Michael Jackson.
“This Is It” would have clearly been the most innovative concert of all time. The movie shows some of the backdrop films that would have been used in the actual concert, as well as some of the songs (all of the classics are there), choreography, and special effects. I was watching the rehearsals in awe I could only imagine how amazing the concert itself would have been.
Something that really annoys me about entertainers who both sing and dance is that many of them lip sync. Not all of them do, of course, but still, if you can’t sing and dance at the same time, I think you should choose one of the other. Michael definitely wasn’t lip syncing in any of his rehearsals, and I’m sure he wouldn’t have during the actual concerts - a mark of a true professional. In fact, he was in excellent form, singing and dancing, in my opinion, better than ever. That all adds to the tragedy of his untimely death. I loved watching him correct little foibles in the sound and presentation along the way - he did it gently, but sternly getting his point across, in a way that wouldn’t offend anyone. This was a man who knew what it was to craft musical perfection.
This movie isn’t maudlin, but it’s heart-wrenching. From the opening sequence of the movie, right to the ending, I was really emotional. In fact, it was all I could do to stop myself from full out crying during the ending - it was so poignant. This movie isn’t at all rooted in sensationalism. This movie is about the man - a man who loved the world and the people in it more than anyone ever knew. Director Kenny Ortega made this film with the one thing that Michael valued above all else: Love.
