ScreenCrave.com » michael jackson

Glee: Season 3 Episode 11: Michael – TV Review

Laura Aguirre — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:04:14 +0000

Last night, “Glee” hit us with a smooth Michael Jackson tribute episode. Previously the New Directions paid tribute to both Britney and Madonna in ways that didn’t resonate well with the series, mostly because there was too much show and not enough story. But “Michael” wasn’t just about honoring the King of Pop with song and dance, it was also about the ongoing storylines and characters. Rachel finally gives Finn an answer to his marriage proposal, and a few of the seniors find out where they’ll be next fall. Let’s see what set this tribute episode apart from the rest…

The Players:

Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Writer: Ryan Murphy
Cast: Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Heather Morris, Amber Riley, Naya Rivera, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Matthew Morrison, Ashley Fink, Chord Overstreet, Harry Shum, Jr., Cheyenne, Darren Criss, Jayma Mays, Jane Lynch, and Mike O’Malley

Episode Title: “Michael”

The New Directions-Warblers rivalry heats up (with Michael Jackson music on the soundtrack) as Regionals near; Kurt and Rachel hear about their applications to the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts; and things between Sam and Mercedes get hotter.

The Good:

There’s A New Villain In Town: Who would have expected the next villain to be dressed in a Warblers suit? Didn’t see that one coming. We got to give it to Sebastian, he’s one slick and handsome devil – definitely the best villain since Jesse St. James. Can’t wait to see more of him.
Dance off: The Warblers and the New Directions meet in a lonely parking lot and dance off to Michael Jackson’s “Bad.” It’s an overall good performance, but what made it really good was the grand finale. Sebastian, attempts to hurt Kurt by throwing a slushie with pop rocks on his face, only to miss and hit Blaine instead. All we see is Blaine covered in bright red chunks of ice, rolling on the floor because he’s in so much pain.
Kurt And Rachel Get Good News (SPOILERS!): After all Kurt has been through, it’s only right that he get into NYATA. Sure, his dad didn’t have to travel all the way to school to give Kurt the envelope, but we’ll let that slide. Sadly, at the time Kurt got his ‘finalist’ letter, Rachel still hadn’t gotten hers, so she couldn’t share the enthusiasm, but once she got her letter, it was all joyful tears. These are two kids that definitely deserve to get into the school of their dreams.
Rachel’s Answer (SPOILERS!): And her answer is, one shocking ‘yes.’ In Rachel’s defense, this was a desperate moment. It wasn’t so much a ‘yes’ more of an ‘okay, i guess.’ These kids are going through tough times. They don’t know what lies outside of McKinley and they are scared. Like the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures, and these seniors are desperate for answers.

The Bad:

Quinn Hears From Yale (SPOILERS!): As someone who knows someone who got into Yale, I say, Quinn doesn’t qualify! It takes a lot more than a high GPA. Yale is one of the top universities in the whole world, and Quinn just happened to get in? Nope. This doesn’t make sense.

The Music:

“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” Michael Jackson – Blaine takes on the King of Pop. By now, Blaine has replaced Finn as out favorite new male vocalist. Sure Finn can sing, but Blaine has the smooth moves.
“Bad,” Michael Jackson – The Warblers and New Directions take their competition to the streets in a dance-off.
“Scream,” Michael Jackson – Arty’s dream sequence in black and white. The one performance that doesn’t make any sense.
“Never Can Say Goodbye,” The Jackson 5 – Quinn sings about never being able to say goodbye.
“Human Nature,” Michael Jackson – Wait, here’s another number that doesn’t make much sense – Mercedes and Sam performing a duet that ends in a kiss…?
“Ben,” Michael Jackson – Rachel, Finn and Kurt bring Michael to a sick Blaine.
“Smooth Criminal,” Michael Jackson – Santana seeks revenge, and gets tangled in a messy sing-off with Sebastian.
“I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” Michael Jackson – Instead of telling Rachel how he feels, Finn sings to her, which is more adequate since this is a show based on singing.
“Black or White,” Michael Jackson – The New Directions take the high road and instead of getting even with The Warblers, they teach them a lesson a la Michael.

Overall:

“Michael” wasn’t just about paying tribute to another pop icon. The writers were able to do an episode where they paid tribute, yes, but also incorporated the MJ covers into the storylines, and that’s why this episode worked. There were a few misses, like Arty’s dream sequence where he gets up off his chair and starts dancing, but overall, all the covers coincided with the plot of the story.

Rating: 8.5/10

“Glee” airs Tuesday nights at 8pm on FOX.

Photo Gallery:

What did you think of last night’s episode?

Post Super Bowl Glee Episode to Feature Michael Jackson Mash-Up

Krystal Clark — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:39:55 +0000

“Glee” will continue its assault on pop culture’s most history defining music with its super-sized Super Bowl episode. How do you top Britney Spears? How do top Madonna? How do you top The Rocky Horror Picture Show? The answer is two words: Michael Jackson. The King of Pop will be featured on the hit Fox series after television’s biggest event.

A “Glee” source has exclusively confirmed to EW, that Jackson’s “Thriller” will be the song of choice for the show’s Super Bowl episode. Before you get too excited (or angry) there will be a twist to their rendition. The song will be included in a mash-up with another yet to be named tune. What in the world could be worthy enough to be mixed in with “Thriller?” Maybe something from The Beatles or The Rolling Stones? Perhaps, they’ll pick a present day hit to balance it out?

Even though MJ’s music will be in the episode, the entire show won’t be dedicated to him. In all honesty the only superstar who was mentioned as a possible contender to get that treatment is Sir Elton John, which they claim will happen at some point later in the season.

What do you think of Glee’s decision to use Thriller? Who should they mash it up with?

National Film Registry Adds Thriller, Muppets

Krystal Clark — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:17:58 +0000

The National Film Registry is an organization that actively seeks out and preserves projects that have a historical significance in the mediums of film, television, and sound recording. The Library of Congress will induct 25 new titles into its catalog including the 1983 music video by John Landis and Michael Jackson, “Thriller.” It has been considered for years, but following Jackson’s death there was no question of how important the video’s significance is to our culture.

There will be plenty of other important titles joining “Thriller” including a well known children’s film, and one of Al Pacino‘s greatest works. Dog Day Afternoon was one of the most interesting bank heist films to ever be produced and it showed Pacino in a different light as compared to his Godfather character Michael Corleone. It highlighted homosexuality when it was uncomfortable for most people to talk about, and used one of the most masculine actors of the day to do so.

The inclusion of The Muppets Movie was also an interesting choice considering the fact that it mixed puppetry, and legendary actors to create a franchise of films that could be entertaining for both children and adults. There’s also the classic film Jezebel that starred Bette Davis, in one of her most memorable roles. This year the registry got it right with the majority of their picks. We can all sleep a little better knowing that these favorites will be taken care of for the foreseeable future.

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
The Exiles (1961)
Heroes All (1920)
Hot Dogs for Gauguin (1972)
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
Jezebel (1938)
The Jungle (1967)
The Lead Shoes (1949)
Little Nemo (1911)
Mabel’s Blunder (1914)
The Mark of Zorro (1940)
Mrs. Miniver (1942)
The Muppet Movie (1979)
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Pillow Talk (1959)
Precious Images (1986)
Quasi at the Quackadero (1975)
The Red Book (1994)
The Revenge of the Pancho Villa (1930-36)
Scratch and Crow (1995)
Stark Love (1927)
The Story of G.I. Joe (1945)
A Study in Reds (1932)
Thriller (1983)
Under Western Stars (1938)

What do you think of this year’s National Film Registry Selection? Who should have been included on the list?

Source: Yahoo

Michael Jackson’s This is It Headed to DVD

Krystal Clark — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:45:39 +0000

Michael Jackson‘s This is It has proven to be a formidable foe at the box office so lets see how it does when it hits DVD shelves in a month. That’s right, the documentary film that was supposed to play for only 2 weeks in theaters this fall has been given a DVD release date.

According to the Associated Press, Michael Jackson’s This is It will be released on January 26, 2010 thanks to an announcement made by Sony Pictures Monday morning. Since it’s theatrical debut back in October, the film has grossed over 70 million dollars domestically and 240 million world wide. Are we really surprised that Sony wants to get this thing into your hands ASAP? This is It is a virtual gold mine for Jackson fans everywhere.

According to Home Media Magazine, the DVD and Blu-ray discs will be packed full of goodies including 60 minutes of never before seen footage for the DVD and 90 minutes for the Blu-ray, which includes “two documentaries, “Staging the Return: Beyond the Show” and “Staging the Return: The Adventure Begins;” a costume featurette called “The Gloved One”; a cast and crew tribute dubbed “Memories of Michael”; and “Auditions: Searching for the World’s Best Dancers”.

Sony isn’t holding back with their attempts at making Blu-ray the way to go for home entertainment.

The blu-ray will also include the “Making of ‘Smooth Criminal’” featurette, as well as uncut, all-new vignettes of “Smooth Criminal” and “Thriller,” which are seen briefly in the film itself. The Blu-ray is also outfitted with Sony’s BD Live movieIQ feature that can create a This Is It playlist and offer trivia and cast and crew background.

It’s kind of sad that their pinning those of us without Blu-ray players against a wall by putting all the good stuff on those discs. It’s such a huge marketing ploy, because they know MJ fans will do whatever they have to, to have a piece of his legacy.

What do you think of the differences between the This is It DVD verses the Blu-ray disc?

Michael Jackson’s This is It Grosses 20 Million

Krystal Clark — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:45:12 +0000

Michael Jackson fans literally came out in droves to see the singer’s final farewell in the film This is It. The documentary is directed by Kenny Ortega, that allows audiences to watch Jackson’s final days while preparing for his This is It comeback tour. According to the Associated Press, the film has brought in a whopping 20 million dollars at the worldwide box office in one day.

This is It has accumulated 7.4 million dollars domestically, and another 12.7 million overseas. The film easily dominated Wednesday’s box office, and had a record breaking debut according to a Sony distributor. The film had the largest opening of any other movie on a Wednesday in October.

For a single day release, This Is It climbed into the ranks of top-grossing music documentaries, just behind the $8.6 million domestic haul of U2: Rattle and Hum. The film is expected to surpass Madonna‘s Truth or Dare, which earned 15 million, and Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience ($19.2 million) to come in at number two, behind Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, on the all-time music-documentary chart.

I’m sorry but we need to pull together for MJ. There is no way I can sleep at night knowing a man of his stature is unable to overthrow a tween. The film will only be in theaters for two weeks so if you’re interested in seeing it, I suggest you hop to it. The Halloween slump on Saturday might be your best bet, people will be too busy getting drunk to hit the theaters that night.

Have you seen This is It? What do you think of the film?

This Is It: Movie Review

Justine JC — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:30:24 +0000

The moment we’ve all been waiting for: This Is It features the beloved sovereign of sound who sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released thirteen no. 1 singles, and scored a double induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. The film’s earnings are aimed to generate proceeds that will benefit The Michael Jackson Family Trust (for his family and children in need).

Check out the film’s review below…

The Players:

Director: Kenny Ortega
Cast: Michael Jackson, Kenny Ortega, Mr. Jackson’s dancers, band, etc

The Plot:

Kenny Ortega presents an anthology of backstage footage, rehearsals, and interviews featuring Mr. Jackson’s preparation for his sold-out London tour. In short, one last look at the legendary King of Pop shredding the stage with his unparalleled vivacity and musical genius.

The Good:

NOT a biopic: I applaud Kenny Ortega for concentrating his film around a very specific period of time and not every shred of Jackson knowledge ever documented. This Is It acutely exhibits Mr. Jackson as what the world deemed him: the greatest entertainer on the planet. While the film obviously isn’t a full career retrospective, it features Mr. Jackson at his most endowed. Every particle of the massive organism that is a Michael Jackson production received it’s due diligence from the King himself. This small six week window captures Mr. Jackson in such creative involvement (staging, choreography, production design, lighting, story-concepts) while still demonstrating grace, patience, and the essential ability to collaborate. It’s effortless to accept Mr. Jackson as the phenomenon he became when the audience can witness what he demanded from his creative collaborators/environment.
Concert-feel: We really receive the gift of Mr. Jackson’s final performances in the film and the audience is entranced from start to finish. There’s footage of every hit song with impeccable image and sound – it’s easy to forget that you are not, in fact, front row at one of his concerts.
Intimacy: Regardless of the fact that Mr. Jackson is not always communicating with the camera, there’s a very immediate intimacy established with the audience. Perhaps because we’re not JUST seeing him in an interview or performing – but in the wings as well. The audience begins to understand Michael Jackson as a complete portrait of success, yes, but also as a human being with subtle quirks and idiosyncrasies.

The Bad:

No Real Arc: While Ortega’s objective was ultimately to create a tribute rather than to tell a story, the film could have used a little more shape. There was no solid arc to the movie other than the progression of rehearsals leading up to the concert dates. Also, the finale was lacking – It would’ve been nice to see the film close with something particularly sentimental to send the audience home with.

Overall:

Even if you aren’t a die-hard fan, you will appreciate this pulsating portrayal of Michael Jackson’s epic presence and artistic mastermind. If you’re expecting a record of his life, or a tear-jerking series of sob-stories, don’t waste your time. This movie is seeping with vitality, excitement, and obviously, great music – much like Mr. Jackson himself. Expect nothing more and you’ve got a lovely night out!

Rating: 9/10

Michael Jackson Remade His Thriller Video

Krystal Clark — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:22:40 +0000

One of the many surprises viewers can expect to see when attending a screening of Michael Jackson’s This is It are never before shown music videos. According to Cinemablend, prior to his death the singer-songwriter made several updated versions of some of his most famous videos including the 1983 history maker Thriller.

The director of This is It Kenny Ortega, revealed that the film will include new versions of “Thriller,” “Man in the Mirror,” and “Earth Song.” All three of these re-imaginings were shot in 3-D with the intention of being shown during Jackson’s comeback tour. Even though the footage will be screened in 2-D when it’s released, Ortega does suspect that a 3-D version of the film may surface somewhere down the line.

I was already amped to see this movie after watching the trailer, and now I have another reason to buy a ticket. Who would turn down Thriller? A new video with new moves, and scarier costumes? It’s going to me awesome to see that in the theater so close to Halloween. What do you think?

This is It will hit theaters for a limited two week run starting on October 28th.

Are you interested in seeing a Thriller remake?

Michael Jackson’s This is It Human Nature Clip

Krystal Clark — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:15:34 +0000

One of my favorite Michael Jackson songs is “Human Nature.” The smooth melodic tune is one of the many hits on the iconic R&B/Pop album, Thriller. A new clip has been released from the upcoming documentary Michael Jackson’s This Is It, and it features the late singer rehearsing the song. It’s a good look at M.J. still in his element after many years away from the stage.

Take a look at the King of Pop asking, why, why (tell’em that it’s human nature..)…

Jackson still had good vocals down to his last days. Something tells me this would have been an jaw dropping performance as well as tour if he was able to follow through with it. The entire stage looks like it’s setting the mood for something amazing to go down. Unfortunately, we’ll never know what it would have been like to experience one last dose of M.J. All we have left is the documentary footage that’s covered in This Is It, which will hit theaters for a limited two week run starting October 28th.

What do you think of Michael Jackson’s performance in this clip the film?

Michael Jackson’s This is It Trailer

Krystal Clark — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:17:14 +0000

The official trailer for the upcoming Michael Jackson documentary This is It has debuted on the web. The film will feature rehearsal footage from what was supposed to be Jackson’s future comeback tour. The trailer aired during tonight’s MTV Video Music Awards, and was given a fitting introduction. I’ve already watched it several times, and it makes me realize how gifted an individual he really was.

Get your first look at the official trailer for Michael Jackson’s This is It…

I can’t believe he’s gone. This looks as if it will show the human side of Michael more than anything. He really loved music, and knew how it could change people’s lives for the better. His kind of dedication and talent isn’t so easy to come by these days. If he was still with us, I’m sure his comeback tour would have been a commercial and critical success.

Michael Jackson’s This is It debuts in theaters on October 28th for a two week limited engagement.

Will you go see This is It is theaters?

Michael Jackson’s This is It Poster

Krystal Clark — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:50:11 +0000

A poster has already been printed for the upcoming concert documentary, Michael Jackson’s This is it. The film is a compilation of footage covering the singer’s last days, while rehearsing for his 2009 comeback tour. The film will hit theaters on October 28th, and will give fans the ultimate behind the scenes experience from one of the greatest performers of all time.

The following poster isn’t as over the top as I thought it would be, but it gets the message across…

I love how his silhouette is filled with images of him performing. That’s a beautiful way to remember Jackson as an artist. Now that September is here, the studio has some serious promoting to do before This is it comes out. But then again, as much coverage as the Jackson family has received in the past few months I’m sure the word is out there.

One side of me thinks this is a great way to see Michael in action one last time, while the other part wishes they weren’t capitalizing so quickly off of his death. I’m at a crossroads.

What do you think of the poster for Michael Jackson’s This is it?

Image courtesy of RopeofSilicon

Michael Jackson Film Finalized

Krystal Clark — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:58:40 +0000

As we previously reported, a film centering on the late Micheal Jackson is happening. There was already a preliminary deal established last week between Jackson’s estate, Sony, and AEG Live. The next step would involve Katherine Jackson, the executor of Michael’s remaining assets to put in her two cents. According to Deadline Hollywood, everything is a go, and Sony Pictures already has a press release for the film circulating online.

Here’s a snippet of the ridiculously long press release the studio has sent out.

MICHAEL JACKSON’S “THIS IS IT” TO BE PRESENTED IN THEATERS AROUND THE WORLD BY SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT AND SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Film Drawn From Entertainer’s Last Rehearsals and Behind-The-Scenes Footage
Will Be Released October 30th in High Definition with Digital Sound

This Is It is being produced with the full support of The Estate of Michael Jackson and will be drawn from hundreds of hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage, captured in high definition with state-of-the-art digital sound as the late singer was preparing for his concert series in London. The film, which will also offer select sequences in 3-D, will provide a unique career retrospective and feature interviews with some of Jackson’s closest friends and creative collaborators.

Did I just read the phrase, “select sequences in 3-D?” Oh, no! The 3-D technology is getting everybody, not even Jackson’s tour footage is safe. It seems like Sony already had this project in the bag, before they even went to trial. If you read the entire press release, you can easily tell they had it on stand by for when they were given the official go ahead. They own Jackson’s music and the distribution rights for it so I think that gave them had the upper hand on everyone involved.

As you can see This is it will hit theaters the day before Halloween, and will include the last footage shot of the “King of Pop” in action. I’m still not a fan of that release date, but you have to capitalize, when you can capitalize.

Will you go see the Michael Jackson movie?

The Michael Jackson Movie is Happening

Krystal Clark — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:20:00 +0000

We knew this was coming. Ever since the unfortunate and unexpected death of Michael Jackson there have been rumors that a feature film was in the works. According to MTV, this speculation has been confirmed as fact. Columbia Pictures has agreed to pay 60 million dollars for the rights to produce and distribute the film, which will include rehearsal footage from the artist’s comeback tour.

The deal was finalized on Friday, between Columbia (which is owned by Sony), concert promoter AEG Live, and several of Jackson’s representatives. The last and final step of this deal making process lies on the shoulders of a judge and Jackson’s mother Katherine. Monday a hearing will take place, where she will be given the opportunity to voice any concerns she may have about the project. Here are some of the stipulations of the agreement so far:

The deal includes the rights to more than 100 hours of rehearsal footage, clips that were intended to be used during Jackson’s comeback concerts at London’s O2 arena, as well as merchandising, special DVD editions and product tie-ins. Jackson’s company would receive 90 percent of the movie’s profits, and AEG would receive the rest.

The film must also be rated no harsher than PG, with an allotted run time of under 150 minutes. Obviously, the most important condition of all is that it can’t show Jackson in a negative light. The film will be screened by Jackson’s people no later than October 2, so it can have a theatrical release around Halloween.

Why does it have to hit theaters around that time? That rubs me the wrong way, but to each his own. I know that there’s hours of footage of him lying around, but I feel as if this movie is more about making money than honoring a performer.

Will you go see the Michael Jackson Movie?

ScreenCrave.com » michael jackson

Glee: Season 3 Episode 11: Michael – TV Review

The Players:

Episode Title: “Michael”

The Good:

The Bad:

The Music:

Overall:

Rating: 8.5/10

Photo Gallery:

Related Posts

Post Super Bowl Glee Episode to Feature Michael Jackson Mash-Up

Related Posts

National Film Registry Adds Thriller, Muppets

Related Posts

Michael Jackson’s This is It Headed to DVD

Related Posts

Michael Jackson’s This is It Grosses 20 Million

Related Posts

This Is It: Movie Review

The Players:

The Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 9/10

Related Posts

Michael Jackson Remade His Thriller Video

Related Posts

Michael Jackson’s This is It Human Nature Clip

Related Posts

Michael Jackson’s This is It Trailer

Related Posts

Michael Jackson’s This is It Poster

Related Posts

Michael Jackson Film Finalized

Related Posts

The Michael Jackson Movie is Happening

Related Posts