He’s the king: Jafaar Jackson in ‘Michael’.
MICHAEL ***1/2 (122 minutes) PG
Given the out-sized life Michael Jackson lived, it’s a notable achievement the makers of this fine, very entertaining, long-awaited biopic managed to cram in so much without making it feel rushed or too episodic.
Covering MJ’s early rise as a child star fronting the Jackson 5 and his astonishing ascent to global fame before he moved to his Neverland estate, Michael shapes up as a top-drawer biopic – and it’s intended for fans, not cynics.
It’s quite a dizzying ride, chronicling how MJ’s talent as a youngster saw him outgrow the restrictions of singing with his brothers as he sought to go solo and establish his own brand, much to the annoyance of his abusive, oppressive, money-grubbing father Joseph (Colman Domingo, very good).
Thankfully, the film is dutifully grounded by a surprisingly convincing lead performance by MJ’s nephew Jafaar Jackson, who has never acted before and who replicates his uncle’s iconic dance moves and speech perfectly.
The film brandishes a hefty roster of solid supporting players including Nia Long (as Katherine, the mother), Miles Teller and Mike Myers.
Illuminating MJ’s solitary creative process that conjured his catalogue of monster hits, the film spends a decent amount of time detailing the making of his classic music videos such as Beat It and, naturally, Thriller.
We also get a pretty unflinching segment about the infamous Pepsi ad shoot where MJ’s head caught on fire. It’s full-on and something the good people at Pepsi might not be too crazy about.
And there’s Bubbles, of course, nicely rendered by digital artists.
With so much story to tell, the film inevitably gets a bit choppy, jumping from one chapter to another.
Unsurprisingly, the first draft ran three-and-a-half hours and the producers, who include many family members, plan a sequel if this first part hits.
The film has been widely criticised on two fronts; for not including sister Janet Jackson and for not mentioning the scandals and personal issues that dogged MJ once he moved to Neverland.
The absence of Janet Jackson in Michael reminds us that biographical feature films have to abide by legal restrictions that don’t apply to documentaries.
She stated how she wanted no part in the film and the producers were bound by that. A documentarian wouldn’t need consent, just to stick to the laws of libel.
As for all the scandal stuff, it’s not covered in Michael simply because the events depicted occur before he moved into Neverland, which is when most of the trouble began.
So, if there is another film, we’ll most likely see all the allegation stuff there along with the fact MJ faced criminal charges in 2005 and was found innocent of any wrongdoing – a tiny fact that still isn’t enough to keep some people from hating him.
CALLE MALAGA **** (116 minutes; subtitled) M
From writer/director Maryam Touzani, who gave us The Blue Caftan, comes this strong, moving, beautifully contoured drama about Maria (Carmen Maura in a gorgeous performance) who is living happily in Morocco when her loving, financially strapped daughter Clara (Marta Etura) is forced to sell the place in order to survive a particularly ugly divorce.
Brandishing a fully developed narrative and delicate direction, the film chimes in as one of the finest movies in a long time about the elderly.
What makes this film stand out is that it’s neither cute nor patronising, with no stereotyping or cliches.
Clara is acting under extreme pressure and tries hard to be reasonable with her obstinate mother, who has been snugly ensconced in her own world of routine and contentment for so long she might have forgotten her obligations to others.
Insightful, full of colourful characters and some pleasant scenery, Touzani delivers many tender moments that say a few important things about senior life – including a daring point that delivers a sound backhander to those who believe people of a certain vintage are supposed to lose interest in sex.
ALPHABET LANE ***1/2 (80 minutes) M
Out of nowhere lands this quietly bizarre Australian psycho-drama about a seemingly normal young couple (Tilda Cobham-Hervey; Nicholas Denton) who spice up their new life in the country by dreaming up two imaginary neighbours.
Rather than keeping it as a private folly, they act as though these figments of their oddball imaginations are real, speaking to friends snd townsfolk as if they really exist.
Why they are doing all this is the evolving mystery that drives a marvellous, beguiling squib of a film (written and directed by James Litchfield) that keeps you guessing until its final reel where a character gives voice to what the audience is thinking.
Unfortunately, and as it too often the case, Alphabet Lane is the latest example of a fine Australian film getting a minuscule release before it inevitably hits the stream where, one prays, it will find the audience it deserves rather than vanish without trace – a fate that befalls so many local films.
And while the stream does offer films a second life after their theatrical run, it’s salient to note that streaming culture and cinema culture are very different beasts.
While the former can thrive – and there’s loads on top Aussie content to order – that doesn’t compensate for the dire state of Australian cinema that, regrettably, is falling back into punchline territory.
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