Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009, Documentary)

King of Pop

What we see in this unmissable two-hour concert film, culled from 120 hours of digital-video footage of Jackson rehearsing for a promised comeback that ended with his death at age 50 on June 25th, is a world-class performer trying to make the MJ on stage match the MJ in his head.

During prep time from March to June last year, director Kenny Ortega caters to the every whim of his fragile, passive-aggressive star, knowing instinctively that yelling will only produce pouting not results. It’s patently obvious that Jackson had surrounded himself with a cadre of slathering yes-men, which helps you understand why he might have been trapped in a state of arrested development.

All the classics are here, and not only are we able to see intimate footage of Jackson rehearsing but we also get a preview of the bespoke films and stunts that were set to accompany each song.

But this is a concert film, and, as such, it’s utterly engaging from beginning to end. His soul is still dancing.