The movie "Michael" made the whole US... or rather, it made me cry (minimal spoilers)
Love is my message
so cute💕
Back in junior high, when I first discovered Western music by listening to The Beatles,in a Suzuki scooter commercialI was captivated by the high-pitched singing voice and the light, unique dance moves of the young man, Michael.
And no, it's not the comedian Michael.
I wonder if it's written in hiragana now...
Nobody would think that, right? lol
Back to the story.
At the time,Michael Jackson was gaining popularity with his album 'Off the Wall'.
Although he had already had a big hit after his solo debut following the Jackson 5, I recall that his fame in Japan wasn't that widespread yet.
Thinking about it now, I'm surprised that Suzuki even cast him in a commercial.
I bought theLP record 'Thriller'released three years later without hesitation.
The moment I first heard 'Billie Jean,' my heart raced, thinking, 'What a cool song!'
I never imagined at the time that he would eventually become a global superstar known as the 'King of Pop,' but...
Listening to Western music was one of the few joys I had during my student days, when I was introverted, had few friends, and lived a mostly indoor life.
Among them, Michael Jackson shone the brightest.
I decided that I would definitely go see his biographical film, 'Michael'.
I got a flyer at the theater in advance to get myself excited.
Chainsaw Man and Golden Kamuy
Well, off to the theater!
The age group was generally high lol.
It's interesting because it talks about
his visits to Japan and his relationship with Prince
My thoughts are----
I cried four times ( ；∀；)
I was moved!
I was surprised by the high level of reproduction.
The stage performance was at a level where I thought, 'How did they get this close to the quality of the real thing!'
The person who took on the major role, his nephew Jaafar Jackson, played Michael brilliantly.
He doesn't look like him, but even so, I thought, 'That is definitely Michael.'
▼Scenes where I cried 4 times▼
1. The Thriller music video filming scene
Although it's not usually a scene that makes you cry, perhaps it was because of the reproduction that felt like real behind-the-scenes footage and the fact that it brought back the shock I felt when I was a high school student...
2. Billie Jean
3. Human Nature live performance
The legendary Billie Jean stage, the Human Nature performance where he responds to the audience—I was tearing up again, haha.
4. The end credits
Perhaps it was because various thoughts welled up, such as being moved by the movie, praise for the performance, and Michael's subsequent fate.
It was truly the result of empathizing with a story that weaves together 'light and shadow'.
Behind the glamorous success, his private life consisted of friends who were animals and toys.
Foreshadowing that hints at his later fate is also scattered throughout.
That said, I felt that the story was kept to minimal episodes, and the fact that it was structured more towards entertainment was one of the good points of this movie. (This is my personal opinion.)
There are some painful scenes, but I felt it was a movie that inspires a positive mindset.
The supporting cast was also good, but I'll stop here as I feel like I'm about to start getting into spoilers.
Now, time for a repeat viewing!
I was a little tempted by the soundtrack, but
I decided to pass for now...
Michael was the one who shone a light into my heart during my rather plain youth.
However, as he became a bigger star, he was increasingly surrounded by scandalous topics, and as his appearance changed, my heart gradually drifted away from him.
(There were reasons for the changes in his appearance, though...)
And then he passed away at a young age...
Even so, for me, 'Thriller' is still his greatest masterpiece and a record that never fades.
Watching the movie, I thought about it again.
Even if superstars change with the times, the one record you listened to in the middle of your youth never changes.
The intro to 'Billie Jean' that made my heart race back then still brings me back to my high school self in an instant.
When I drop the needle, my 1983 self is always there, and Michael is dancing forever.
That is all.
On the way home after shedding tears, I went to Lindt as is customary to replenish my sugar levels.
Thank you for reading my movie review article to the end.
I usually only post articles about my K-POP fandom, but I am actually a fan of Western music as well.
▼My first Western music concert in 6 years - Doja Cat article▼
▼This article has also joined my fandom magazine▼