I was being facetious. But now, with the premiere of "Michael Jackson's This Is It," I almost feel like I was being prescient.
An old friend of mine, George Lang, assistant entertainment editor for The Oklahoman, reviewed the film today. He acknowledges that "it was assembled in less than four months and carries all the warning signs of both a cynical cash grab and a maudlin lionization of a dead superstar."
But he sees through much of it, even if it was hastily assembled.
"It is easy to forget that Jackson, when he was truly engaged in what mattered, was a notorious perfectionist during the recordings of 'Off the Wall' and 'Thriller.' 'This Is It' proves that while Jackson was plagued by issues too voluminous to chronicle here, he badly wanted this comeback. If Jackson had lived, he might have gotten it."
George Lang
