This Is It (2009)

I grew up on Michael Jackson music -- watched the premier broadcast of his Thriller video, danced around to A-B-C when I was a toddler, and saw Captain EO at Epcot -- but I was never more than a casual fan. Like most, I thought he was weird and slightly grotesque and was more surprised than sad when I learned of his death.

But wow. This documentary footage really put his innate talent front and center. You see the hard, hard work he put into his music as well as the perfection he demanded of himself and others, all while staying impressively “nice.” I came away affected and can now see his death as the obvious tragedy it was.

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