I just watched this movie yesterday, so this is more recent...hehe! I think one word can describe the feeling after you've watched this movie: Wow. Seriously!

This movie is actually a very well-edited, condensed and intimate look at the preparations of the 'This Is It' tour that was supposed to be in July / August in the UK. Originally (as the movie says), the footage was meant to be only for MJ's private viewing, but since his demise Kenny Ortega (the editor of this movie as well as the director for the tour) combined some of the best moments during the rehearsals for fans to see what went behind the tour that was supposed to have been...

And what a tour it might have been! Footage from the dancers' audition (OMG...it's super cool, but I'm quite surprised why the ladies had to wear bikinis to audition *rolls eyes*), to rehearsals of songs, lighting, stage effects, filming of the backdrop footage (can you imagine that they actually film footage SPECIFICALLY for the songs??! And they made it almost like a full scale movie thing...whoa!), and what was envisioned for the shows...the tireless work that went into it was astounding! The movie showed some scenes of what was filmed for the backdrop against the rehearsals and wow. Just wow. You have to watch it to believe it....it's really going to be mind-blowing if the concerts did go as planned. What a 'waste' (kind of) of all the incredible stuff that was planned.

MJ was also cool...I can't say that I'm a huge fan of his, but I do like a lot of his songs! For the movie, most of the songs were well-known songs like Beat It, Billie Jean, Thriller, Man In The Mirror, etc. and it was very VERY cool watching him do his thing on stage...even for just rehearsals. Like everyone said, he was very energetic during rehearsals...and even though he wasn't fully singing (apparently to keep his voice for the tour), he doesn't look at all his age when he's on stage. He definitely still has it! People keep referring to him as a genius, and we get a glimpse of that during his rehearsals...he knows exactly what he wants, and is even able to pin point which chords should or should not go in any of his songs. The incredible thing is, he doesn't do it with a 'diva' attitude for a man of his fame and status!

We witnessed also his willingness to let the people he worked with have their moments too, from the lead guitarist (who's super amazing, and a GIRL at that!!) to the back up singer who sang "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" with him. There were also a lot of quirky moments like MJ's funny hand gestures at times, and his selection of clothes for rehearsal...LOL! We'd also watched him showing his fun sides too...one can't help the feeling that he's still quite a child at heart: innocent and loving.

Although it's just rehearsals, it is almost like watching a full show....I keep thinking how lucky the crew and technicians who were there during rehearsals! To be able to witness all this day in and day out, watch how everything gets perfected every way or another...that's superb. Makes me want to go work backstage (which I think I will definitely jump at the chance if I got one! hehe!). I wanted to clap and applaud but nobody clapped when one song was done...*sigh* People in America applauded like they were at his concert in the cinemas, man! It's a good thing that people applauded at the end though, because it was a really poignant and sad moment (LOVED Man In The Mirror)...what would have been such a splendid thing did not come to be. I almost had tears when it ended...really touching and sad that MJ is gone, even though I am not a big fan.

I'm quite surprised though that the cinema was not a full house when we watched it (I went with my sister and some friends). Back when MJ just passed, his CDs and memorabilia went off the shelves like crazy...you'd think the same thing might happen after the movie was released, but no. Weird. Hey, even I as a non-fan (sort of) went to watch this...what more for the self-professed huge fans? I think everyone should go watch it to see not only MJ, but what goes behind a production (especially of this scale) - the work, sweat, tears, creativity - and to see MJ really at his element instead of the 'weird dude' that we always perceive him to be in the public eye. What a tragic loss he was to the music industry, and I think this movie was a beautiful tribute to him, his music and the change he tries to bring to the world. RIP MJ.

Way long overdue post! I got to watch this musical last Saturday (31st October), and was quite stoked that I managed to get a ticket 3 rows from the stage, middle seat...*grins* I think when I go for other shows like these, I want to get similar seats...it has quite the view!

Cuci The Musical is based on the movie 'Cuci' directed by Hans Isaac (who also stars in it). Other cast members include Afdlin Shauki, AC Mizal, Awie, Harith Iskandar, Adibah Noor, and Vanida Imran. The story is basically about 4 adopted brothers - Khai (Hans Isaac), Fairil (Afdlin Shauki), Jojo (Awie) and C'Tan (AC Mizal) - who try to make it at the window washing industry (They have their own company called Cuci Cuci Services...hehe!) and their ultimate goal was to win the Window Washing Olympics (WWO) where the winner will get a contract to clean the ultimate building's windows - the Petronas Twin Towers! All sorts of trials and tribulations await them as they embark on that journey, as well as love, betrayal and loyalty issues. Will they win against all odds? You'd probably know the answer if you had watched the movie or the musical...*wink*

Did I like the musical? No, I didn't...I LOVED it! *grins* It was really funny (until I had stitches at one point), and not all the funny lines come from one person...everyone had their funny moment(s) on stage. I also love that they did quite a bit of improv at certain scenes of the show...somehow it makes it all real, and very cool! At some points, it got so funny even the actors had a hard time keeping a straight face, and burst into giggles...LOL! The chemistry between the cast is also quite apparent...especially the 4 brothers! The camaraderie and banter between the four are really cool to watch: Jojo as the sweet, sensitive brother; Fairil as the bumbling leader; C'Tan as the comedian; and Khai as the clever but blunt and naive brother. Vanida Imran as CJ, the organizer of the WWO and Khai's love interest is gorgeous and very elegant. Harith Iskandar was very cool as the 'villain' of the story too. And it's a cool thing to watch AC Mizal do another character which is so care-free and funny, compared to the last musical I saw him at (PGLM) where he played the angry king of Majapahit. Not to forget is Adibah Noor's character of Farah...super funny and OTT at times, but that's the character I think...without that OTT-ness, it's not that funny! *grins*

The songs and music were great too, although at times I can't really hear the actors' voice...probably some technical thing. My favourite song would be the one where the 4 brothers sang about their adopted mother. That was a poignant and sweet song...loved it! Harith Iskandar's jazzy, swing-y number at his character's office was very infectious too. Awie and AC Mizal were great as usual, but nobody expects less from them seeing that they ARE singers! *wink* But my favorite singers for that night would be Adibah Noor and Afdlin Shauki. Adibah's soaring voice with the big belting numbers are simply astounding, and it's such a surprise to hear Afdlin Shauki belting out some big notes in his songs. Who'd have thought a very good comedian sang so well too right? Vanida Imran's voice was sweet, although I think you could tell that this is the first time she sings in a musical..sometimes it's like she's too nervous to project her voice and all, but I like her!

Choreography for the dances were done by Stephen Rahman-Hughes (a favourite of mine! hee!), and I think I like the movements and somewhat interpretive dance, but sometimes it feels like there wasn't much energy in the dancers' moves...*shrugs* I'm no dancer myself, but it's quite jarring at times to watch the un-synchronization between the dancers, and sometimes it feels very crowded (probably coz of the stage and too many people squeezed onto it). And at times, the dancers were distracting instead of complementing the story...sad.

I think the other thing I didn't like was that the songs and the dialogues are not so interwoven as I'd like...at times, the dialogue goes too long without any accompaniment (isn't this supposed to be a musical anyway?) and at some parts, the song felt put in at the last minute because it's supposed to be a musical and not a play =( Plus, I am surprised that there are not more people from other races coming to see the show (case in point: the row where I was sitting, plus the rows in front and back of me consists of all Malays). True, the show is in BM, and they use a lot of Malay slang, but I think the premise of the story is quite universal. People, go and watch the show!!

Overall though, I really enjoyed the show...yes, I didn't quite like some bits and pieces of it, but I don't think there is a perfect show just yet. The good far outweighs the bad, and it's really refreshing to see that Malaysian theater has come such a long way from last time! Here's to hoping that there are more of these good quality shows in the future! Go watch the shows...it's awesome! *grins*