Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

'This Is It' doesn't add much to MJ's legacy

This Is It is an adequate documentary. It's more event than movie, so a review doesn't really work. Michael Jackson wades through his biggest hits in a video shot of rehearsals for 50 concerts he was to do in London between July and March. Producers poured buckets of money into the project. The massive stage, techno tricks and state-of-the-art effects, especially the Humphrey Bogart chase sequence, are stunning.

It would have been a hell of a show.

Though Jackson is tough to look at for two hours, and despite the fact that his music doesn't always work for me and he does a way-too-long “ew”-inducing crotch grab, it's not a total time waster. The beauty of director Kenny Ortega’s (High School Musical) film is the focus on Jackson's incredible talent. It's all about the rehearsals, the music and the production. Outside of a few takes with the dancers and musicians, gratefully absent are gooshy ravings and reminiscences of family, celebrities and fans.

The only criticism: Jackson's dancing is so-so and he can't keep up with the other dancers. It's also so 1980 with one dance number looking much like the next.

This Is It really isn't it. We'll be inundated with new Michael Jackson music, videos, special holiday season DVDs, never-before-heard nuggets found in this long-forgotten music vault or that. What we never will see again is Jackson doing what he did best -- perform. While This Is It isn't exactly a Thriller, for a music documentary you can't Beat It.

Amelia

Hilary Swank stars in this biopic about the 1920s feminist flier Amelia Earhart. If you're into history, Amelia is semi-informative. Status hungry Earhart didn't just fly. She was a celebrity hustler hawking luggage, clothing and even cigarettes. Earhart hobnobbed with the rich and famous, was idolized by some, despised by others. Her views on relationships and monogamy were decades ahead her time.

Director Mira Nair (The Namesake) shoots a gorgeous film, but Ronald Bass' silly screenplay, atrocious dialogue and serious hunks of Earhart's awful poetry, give Amelia very little tailwind. Tack on Richard Gere as husband George and give them zip for chemistry and Amelia predictably crash lands.

The Boys are Back

On paper this is a great, three-hanky movie. A widower (Clive Owen) deals with the shocking loss of his wife, balances job and raising a young boy and reconnecting with an estranged son while negotiating his way through a relationship with the now ex-in-laws and a beautiful neighbor. Turned to reality, Scott Hick's (Shine) film drags. Owen isn't the least bit sympathetic, you don't like either kid and The Boys are Back ends up as an overly long, tiresome whinefest.

More than a Game

Basketball superstar LeBron James played on what is considered the best high school basketball team of all time. That's debatable, but the documentary that follows James and his teammates from grade school to high school graduation is one of the greatest basketball documentaries of all time. The film's emotional highs and lows end with a leap-out-of-your-seat to cheer ending. Even better, James' teammates get equal billing and equal attention.

w See Mr. Movie's blog at tricity herald.com/arts/mrmovie.