Moonwalker (1988)

Cast your mind back, if you can, to the late 1980s. Michael Jackson, as yet untainted by any serious allegations, was massive. I really don't think there was anyone more famous at that time. He was certainly the biggest pop star on the planet, and arguably the most famous person in the world. His appearance had changed considerably, he had a pet chimp named Bubbles, there were rumours of him sleeping in an oxygen tank, and his eccentricity peaked, without any dark clouds gathered overhead (to our knowledge). I was allowed to pick my two main presents when I turned thirteen. I was becoming a teenager, almost an adult by then (to my mind). I picked up the Star Wars RPG manual (a superb tome that I absolutely loved reading through, even if I never did play the thing). And I HAD to get "Bad", on cassette, with a notebook and pencil packaged alongside it. That birthday is one of the clearest memories I have from my childhood years, and was one of my best birthdays ever.

Then came Moonwalker, the movie that Michael Jackson made, based on a story by Michael Jackson, and starring Michael Jackson. Jerry Kramer and Colin Chilvers may be the directors, but this is a Michael Jackson movie. David Newman may be the writer, but this is a Michael Jackson movie. In fact, in 1988 it was THE Michael Jackson movie that any Michael Jackson fan could have wanted. Looking at it nowadays . . . it's a very different experience.

There's an extended opening montage sequence, mashing up a number of Jackson hits (both with the Jackson Five and on his own), and then you get a slim plot. Michael has to spend some time avoiding some very excited fans, and he then becomes the guardian figure to three children (played by Sean Lennon, Kelley Parker, and Brandon Adams), allowing them to see some of his major dance sequences, a la "Smooth Criminal", and protecting them from the evils of drug-dealing Mr. Big (Joe Pesci), who wants to get every kid in the world hooked on his product.

Fascinating for a number of reasons, Moonwalker may be one of the most interesting vanity projects of all time, not only because of the music and visuals, but also because of the way it shows Jackson and his worldview. He wants to be cute and innocent one minute, he wants to be raunchy and sexy the next. He can make anything possible through the power of his dance moves. He likes to transform into different forms. And, most interesting of all, he views a large section of his fanbase as voracious animals who want to tear various strips off him, feeding their hunger while Jackson gives and gives all he can.

Is this a great movie when compared to other proper movies? No. Is it a fascinating and entertaining movie that celebrates someone at the peak of their powers? Yes. Unfortunately, it has an earnestness and lack of self-awareness that helps other star vehicles to be more enjoyable (yes, I'm going to mention Spice World again). Whether or not you can watch it now without considering the accusations made against its star, to simply view it as the time capsule it is and to enjoy the soundtrack, that's up to you. I can. But I also have the strength of that thirteenth birthday memory to boost my opinion of the whole thing.

6/10

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Shudder Saturday: Deadtectives (2018)

Over the past few years, there have been a number of films that show paranormal investigators getting themselves in trouble when they investigate hauntings that turn out to be real. One of the best of these films is still The Frighteners, from back in 1996, but there have been a fair few decent ones to choose from in recent years (many of them, such as the Grave Encounters movies, making use of the found footage format).

Deadtectives is another one. It's a horror comedy about, yes, a team of paranormal investigators who are used to faking supernatural activity for better results on their show. They're facing cancellation, which is why the season finale needs to be a big deal, and that's how they end up in what is allegedly the most haunted house in Mexico. They soon start to delve into their usual bag of tricks, but it's not long until the tricks aren't needed. The spirits start to come out, and they're deadly.

Co-written and directed by Tony West (David Clayton Rogers is the other main writer, although a number of people worked on the main story idea), Deadtectives is a horror comedy that manages to be entertaining throughout, just, but doesn't supply either enough scares or laughs. It has some fun ideas though, especially once it gets over the halfway mark, but it could have been greatly improved by some extra time spent working on the characters or committing to some extra bloodshed and gore throughout.

The cast do well enough. The main quartet are played by Chris Geere (not as strong as he could be in the role of Sam, the main host, but he's fine), Tina Ivlev (as Kate, the one who struggles most with the morality of what they are doing), David Newman (Lloyd, who spends a lot of time modifying equipment and being prepared for actual supernatural activity), and José María de Tavira (Javier, who becomes more interesting after a major plot development in the second half). Martha Higareda is Abril, a new figure hoping to raise the standard of the show, and there are a number of decent performances from those playing the spirits who reside in the house.

Although obviously not working with the biggest budget or selection of resources, what is on display here is done well. Production design is solid, the camerawork and cinematography is actually impressive, and CGI is used well, especially in the third act. Considering everything as a whole, West has created an impressive little film for his directorial feature. The problems lie in the script, with both the dialogue and the character interactions lacking something that could have made this much more enjoyable.

I rate it above average, it's trying to do something a little bit different and it's trying to do it well. And even while it's not succeeding . . . it consistently aims to provide viewers with a sense of fun. A lot of other films seem to forget how important that can be.

6/10

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