Like so many others around the world, I have always been a fan of Michael Jackson. Despite the controversy surrounding him for more than a decade prior to his untimely death, I have always enjoyed his music, and will continue to do so for many years to come. I suppose you would say that my adoration of the "King of Pop" led to my curiosity regarding This is It. I am not one who particularly enjoys watching music documentaries, if you could actually label this film as such - there's hardly any "documentary" worth noting within it. Rather, it is an intimate portrait of an entertainer preparing his final (and possibly his greatest) show.
Essentially, the film consists of behind-the-scenes footage recorded during rehearsals for Michael's sold-out final tour. The viewer witnesses each number in the performance during rehearsals, allowing for a rough glimpse at what this final show might have been like. However, being that it is a rehearsal, there are moments in which the music stops due to some minor problem or another and we see Michael interacting with the men and women he is working with. While some might find this tedious or annoying, it actually gives the viewer a glimpse of Michael's gentle nature; that he is truly a compassionate individual devoted to his art, those working with him, and his fans.
Worth noting, too, is the music. Almost every song is redone is some imaginative way, adding a unique flare to it visually, audibly, or both. Several moments stick out in my mind, including the incredible video that all of the back-up dancers helped create for Thriller, which involved all of them being subjected to severe latex, make-up, and intricate costumes (of the Halloween-variety). Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal, Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', The Way You Make Me Feel, and They Don't Care About Us stand out as being awe-inspiring to some degree; to simply see Michael pouring everything he had into his music is truly a spectacle worth witnessing. Especially during I Can't Stop Loving You, the passion he dedicates to the song is almost enough to bring one to tears (which actually did happen to me late in the film, during a speech Michael gives to his crew before the final number is shown - which is Man in the Mirror). Beat It is another song worth paying extra attention to, as one of the guitarists who was set to perform alongside Michael, Orianthi, delivers an astounding solo that sent my jaw to the floor. Upon doing a little research, I discovered that she actually has a solo album, which is quite impressive in its own right.
If you are a fan of Michael, do yourself a favor and see this film while it is still in theaters. The DVD will be out in time for Christmas, but I do not believe the experience will be quite the same, as the theatrical setting allows the viewer to truly see the incredible amount of work that everyone involved poured into this performance. Far more than a mere cash-in on the legendary performer's death, this film shows Michael at his best. While the world will forever be without that final curtain call, This is It is more than an admirable effort at demonstrating the magic Michael had in store for all of his fans.
Alas, I do not believe I have truly done this film enough justice with my brief review. Therefore, I suggest you take the time to check out Roger Ebert's review HERE.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Road to Perdition (Sam Mendes, 2002)
Road to Perdition is a film that I viewed with a certain set of expectations. You have a main cast comprised of four wonderful, well-known and well-respected actors: Tom Hanks, Daniel Craig, Jude Law, and Paul Newman (in his last major role; after this film he merely made a few appearances on television and played the voice of Doc Hudson in Cars). Jennifer Jason Leigh, Dylan Baker, and Stanley Tucci maintain minor supporting roles, while the relatively unknown Tyler Hoechlin stars as the elder of Tom Hanks’ two sons. You have Sam Mendes directing his second major film – still hot off the resounding success that was American Beauty – and returning with him is cinematographer Conrad L. Hall (who won the only Oscar for this film - Best Cinematography, of course - though it was posthumous as he passed away eleven weeks prior to the event).
Set around 1931, the film is about a man named Mike Sullivan (Hanks) who works for John Rooney (Newman) as an enforcer in the Rock Island branch of the Chicago mob. After Sullivan’s elder son (Hoechlin) witnesses a killing that he is a part of, a chain of events initiated by Rooney’s malicious son, Connor (Craig), leads to him being on the run – predominately from the seemingly psychotic hit man Harlen Maguire (Law) – in an effort to both save his son and seek revenge on the men who have taken so much away from him. With all of the aforementioned elements in play combined with this premise, I expected to thoroughly enjoy this film, and I was not let down in the slightest. Hall’s cinematography is incessantly beautiful throughout the film, as one would expect. One shot in particular I find notable is near the end of the film, when Sullivan is returning to his son after leaving him in a hotel room. It is set up to so that the viewer can simultaneously see Sullivan’s son sitting on a bed in the hotel room and Sullivan as he walks down the hall leading to the room – both of which take up a fairly equal half of the frame. The suspense seems to build with every step Sullivan takes in anticipation of something and/or someone to hinder the reunion with his son.
The script is wonderfully written, so as characters do not speak too often (in fact, much of the story information comes from scenes where there is little-to-no dialogue whatsoever), but when they do it is at the same time clever and wholly believable. Even Ciarán Hinds – whom you may recognize from Munich, his bit role in There Will Be Blood or, perhaps more notably, the HBO series Rome (in which he played Julius Caesar) – delivers a fantastic and emotionally-charged speech in one of the opening scenes. All around, the rest of the performances live up to what one would expect from Oscar-winning talent – especially Paul Newman (who received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor). Throughout the film, I found myself sympathizing not only with Sullivan, but with Rooney as well – who is torn between his love for Sullivan (whom he views as a son) and his actual son, Connor. He wants as few people to suffer as humanly possible, but realizes – as the viewer does – that the fates of all the characters are unalterable and will end ultimately in tragedy. As he tells Sullivan in a gripping scene near the end of the film: "This is the life we chose, the life we lead. And there is only one guarantee: none of us will see heaven."
Set around 1931, the film is about a man named Mike Sullivan (Hanks) who works for John Rooney (Newman) as an enforcer in the Rock Island branch of the Chicago mob. After Sullivan’s elder son (Hoechlin) witnesses a killing that he is a part of, a chain of events initiated by Rooney’s malicious son, Connor (Craig), leads to him being on the run – predominately from the seemingly psychotic hit man Harlen Maguire (Law) – in an effort to both save his son and seek revenge on the men who have taken so much away from him. With all of the aforementioned elements in play combined with this premise, I expected to thoroughly enjoy this film, and I was not let down in the slightest. Hall’s cinematography is incessantly beautiful throughout the film, as one would expect. One shot in particular I find notable is near the end of the film, when Sullivan is returning to his son after leaving him in a hotel room. It is set up to so that the viewer can simultaneously see Sullivan’s son sitting on a bed in the hotel room and Sullivan as he walks down the hall leading to the room – both of which take up a fairly equal half of the frame. The suspense seems to build with every step Sullivan takes in anticipation of something and/or someone to hinder the reunion with his son.
The script is wonderfully written, so as characters do not speak too often (in fact, much of the story information comes from scenes where there is little-to-no dialogue whatsoever), but when they do it is at the same time clever and wholly believable. Even Ciarán Hinds – whom you may recognize from Munich, his bit role in There Will Be Blood or, perhaps more notably, the HBO series Rome (in which he played Julius Caesar) – delivers a fantastic and emotionally-charged speech in one of the opening scenes. All around, the rest of the performances live up to what one would expect from Oscar-winning talent – especially Paul Newman (who received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor). Throughout the film, I found myself sympathizing not only with Sullivan, but with Rooney as well – who is torn between his love for Sullivan (whom he views as a son) and his actual son, Connor. He wants as few people to suffer as humanly possible, but realizes – as the viewer does – that the fates of all the characters are unalterable and will end ultimately in tragedy. As he tells Sullivan in a gripping scene near the end of the film: "This is the life we chose, the life we lead. And there is only one guarantee: none of us will see heaven."
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