This Is It
November 30, 2009
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This Is It was originally scheduled to come out in time for the holidays, but Sony announced today that they’re bumping the release back to January 26th.
The reason for the bump is because theater owners started worrying that releasing the DVD so soon would cut into their ticket sales. As you may recall, the film was originally only supposed to run for two weeks in theaters. However, due to an overwhelming response, the run time got extended. It’s grossed over $200 million worldwide.
Now This Is It will be released on January 26th, just days before the Grammy Awards on January 31st. The DVD and Blu-ray will feature several mini documentaries on the preparation for what would have been Jackson's comeback concerts, including the auditions for backup dancers, the costuming process and director Kenny Ortega's personal memories of working with Jackson. The Blu-ray will have two brand-new music videos for "Thriller" and "Smooth Criminal," culled from the rehearsal footage.
November 2, 2009
His movie may have only grossed $21 million in the states, but it has already grossed more than $101 million globally.
Rounding out the top three movies was Paranormal Activity with $16.5 million while Law Abiding Citizen came in with $7.3 million. Here are the top ten movies:
1. Michael Jackson's This Is It: $21.3 million
2. Paranormal Activity: $16.5 million
3. Law Abiding Citizen: $7.3 million
4. Couples Retreat: $6 million
5. Saw VI: $5.5 million
6. Where the Wild Things Are: $5 million
7. The Stepfather: $3.4 million
8. Astro Boy: $3 million
9. Amelia: $3 million
10. Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant: $2.8 million
November 2, 2009
In fact, This Is It has done so well in its first five days in theaters, that Sony has decided to extend its limited release through Thanksgiving.
"The numbers are incredible, and we got some of the highest exit polls we've ever seen," Sony worldwide prexy of distribution Rory Bruer said. "It goes far beyond being a concert movie. Kenny Ortega created a film that is compelling and exciting and an incredible tribute to the King of Pop."
The weekend numbers total to $32.5 million, even beating out Miley Cyrus’ Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour, which made $31.1 in its opening weekend.
Have you seen This Is It yet? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
October 29, 2009
The film is expected to win this weekend’s box office, and maybe even beat out the February 2008 concert film Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour, which grossed $31 million its opening weekend.
Experts think This Is It will make $40 million domestically in its first five days! That’s a lot of pressure! Will you be skipping trick-or-treating to see footage of Michael’s last days?
October 28, 2009
But we wanted to know what the critics thought of the film that features real footage of Michael Jackson rehearsing for what would have been his final tour. The movie comes out worldwide today, and here’s what some of the top critics are saying about the film.
Richard Corliss, Time: “So what is This Is It? A concert film without the concert. A backstage musical that takes place almost entirely onstage. A no-warts hagiography that still gets the audience closer to the real Michael Jackson — MJ the performer, that is — than anything in the man’s avidly documented history. Wisely and decently ignoring the circumstances of his death and the circus that followed it, Ortega focuses on the re-creation of about a dozen Jackson standards for the concert.”
Owen Gleiberman, EW: “This Is It is not in any way ghoulish. It has now been established that when Jackson died, he was, physically speaking, a relatively healthy man. And so we’re spared the macabre spectacle of combing the movie for any literal signs that he was knocking at death’s door. It should also be said, though, that in This Is It, Jackson shows no telltale signs of a broken spirit, either. From the moment he takes the stage, he’s loose, robust, and in control.”
Lou Loumenick, New York Post: “Neither a concert film nor a documentary but a ghoulish “event” offered just in time for Halloween, “This is It” is sadly — and reprehensively, if you ask me — the movie equivalent to the National Enquirer’s infamous post-mortem shot of Elvis Presley.”
Elysa Gardner, USA Today: “Let’s be honest, though: That’s not what most of us expected from This Is It , which opens wide today. The Jackson who shook off his mortal coil on June 25 wasn’t the vibrant young performer who regularly electrified stadiums, and hadn’t been for many years.”
Leah Rozen, People: “Ardent fans will be happy to gaze at their idol in action; moviegoers hoping to understand more fully who Jackson was and what made him tick, besides performing, won’t find answers here.”
Andrew Pulver, Guardian: “The big fear, though, was that fulsome homages to the man and his talent would smother This Is It in a coating of treacle; thankfully, Ortega limits it to the occasional sobbing outburst from the dancers or choreographers. We are instead offered genuinely interesting tidbits of Jackson’s stagecraft, in the shape of intense discussion of cues, cherry-pickers and trapdoors – presumably to demonstrate how hands-on he was.”
The Mirror: “Michael Jackson fans will be desperate to see this musical documentary, drawn from more than 100 hours of behind-the-scenes footage as Jackson prepared for his comeback shows. No advance screenings were sent to media - though the trailer does offer tantalising raw footage of dance routines, songs and spectacle. But love him or loathe him, there is no denying Jackson was a remarkable performer and this looks like it will be a fascinating and probably moving epitaph.”
Did you see This Is It yet? Weigh in with your own review in the comments!
October 27, 2009
The world premiere will take place at the brand new Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14. The theater is marking its grand opening with special showings of This Is It on all 14 screens beginning at 9:00 PM.
But fans who can’t attend will be able to view the red carpet affair from their own homes since the event will be streamed online. ThisIsIt-movie.com and Crackle.com will be streaming video live from the red carpet at L.A.'s Nokia Theatre starting at 4:30PM, with well-known radio personalities Big Boy and Luscious Liz hosting the webcast.
The webcast won't feature the actual screening of the film, but it will givefans the opportunity to see red-carpet interviews with Jackson's family and friends, as well as post comments, chat with other fans, and celebrate the life of the King of Pop.
The new Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 Theatres will be the new West Coast flagship of Regal Cinemas, the nation’s largest movie presenters. Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE will be the nation’s most state-of-the-art and technologically advanced theatres with all 14 auditoriums featuring digital projection and sound systems along with high gain screens, high-back reclining seats and retractable cup holders, guaranteeing the ultimate comfort for the best movie experience. The Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 will also feature an 800-seat premier house with a private entrance and lobby in addition to a grand spiral staircase leading to the premier theatre’s balcony level.
The grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony at the brand new Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 took place on Monday, October 26 with the ceremonially ribbon cutting by Tim Leiweke , AEG CEO and President was joined by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Amy Miles, CEO Regal Entertainment Group.
This Is It opens nationwide in theaters tomorrow.
October 15, 2009
Over 1,600 screenings have sold out around the world, two weeks ahead of its release, and experts predict it will bring in nearly $250,000 million dollars.
The film is set to open on October 28th for two weeks only in Los Angeles, London, New York and Berlin, Germany.
The movie has already sold out more than 1,000 showtimes on Fandango alone. It's currently the top-selling film on Fandango, representing 27% of weekly ticket sales on the site.
"Advance tickets for This Is It are selling at an extraordinary pace,” says Rick Butler, Chief Operating Officer for Fandango. “Theater owners are posting additional showtimes on multiple screens to meet the demand.
"At this point in the film’s sales cycle, This Is It is outpacing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Star Trek as one of our top pre-sellers of the year.”
Did you purchase advance tickets for the movie? Do you think it's going to live up to the buzz?
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