The Reel Rejects - MICHAEL (2026) MOVIE REVIEW - We Forgot We Weren’t Watching Michael Jackson!

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Starting point is 00:01:23 podcasts. Thank you to Shopify for sponsoring this video. More on them in just a bit. Okay, we got to discuss how you're feeling now, Jackie. You gotta tell me how you're feeling. I had a really great time. Yeah, me too. I had a lot of fun.

Starting point is 00:01:45 This was a really, really fun one. I just, I love, I love Michael Jackson and I love his music and it was just so fun. And I love any, I just, I love a period. a period film. Like a time. Right, right. I love the 70s. That was really awesome.

Starting point is 00:02:03 Yeah, that was cool. And like, are there certain songs? So you knew probably most of them. Yeah. But is there any ones that you were like, oh, that's new? Probably not, right? No.

Starting point is 00:02:14 I think we all knew. You were mentioning some Jackson 5 song I didn't know. Oh, yeah, yeah. Just a few. I knew like the heavy hitters. Mm-hmm. Yep, yep. Okay.

Starting point is 00:02:24 And like, how did you feel about like, I guess the ending where I'm like, I wanted more. I wanted more. I didn't think it was ending. And I just felt confused. Like, are they going to make another one? I don't know. Because I'm like, what do you mean his story continues?

Starting point is 00:02:42 I'm like, well, number one. I mean, we know he's dead. But also, we do know the story continues. I think he went on tour again. I don't know. I don't remember. I don't know if he did with the Jackson. I mean, I mean solo.

Starting point is 00:02:56 Like after this solo one. We only got to a thriller, like the album. Yeah, right. We didn't talk about any other albums. Exactly. Ritching out. Yeah, there we have it. There we have it.

Starting point is 00:03:10 Yeah, okay. So, um, I had a freaking blast. I'm just going to tell you that right now. You guys, this was so much fun. But also, I think the casting, the casting, the fact that that is his nephew. Are you kidding? I literally thought I was, watching my, it never entered my mind.

Starting point is 00:03:32 I'm not joking, not even for a millisecond, that I wasn't watching Michael Jackson. That he didn't sound like Michael Jackson, that he didn't look like, but yes he did, yes he did, yes he freaking did. Like, are you kidding? The fact that also his moves seamlessly like Michael freaking Jackson. It was actually nuts and insane. I feel like I, like, how long was he, how long did he like, I want to say train or because he's his nephew?

Starting point is 00:04:01 Has he always just sort of looked up to his uncle and danced and sung? That's what we kind of have to. Well, maybe I'll look it up. You guys maybe ask the question too. Oh, we probably don't have, we don't have a question because it's a, never mind. There's a new release. Oh, do we not have questions? Let me look.

Starting point is 00:04:17 I'll double check. But I feel like with the nephew for this film, I mean, I just thought he was absolutely amazing. It's amazing casting. I wonder how the story came about where they obviously come to him and say, we would like to tell Michael's story, right?

Starting point is 00:04:35 From beginning to end, but also just really highlight his talent. Because there's one memory that I have of a while back, it was like a documentary that they were making. And it was just him on stage

Starting point is 00:04:52 doing sort of like what he was doing with the Bloods and the Crips where he's like, let's dance. he's doing all the things right yeah except he's on stage and it was like he was rehearsing for his last tour but i don't think that last tour happened and i just have that one memory of him working so hard but also just being like yeah let's let's let's let's take that again he still was so soft spoken but just such a hard worker but like never was like yelling like that was bad He would always just be like, yeah, that's great.

Starting point is 00:05:29 I have a feeling like we're going to do this. And I felt like when I was watching this movie, I was like, this feels very real. I loved how real it felt. Was there, was it, do you have like a favorite part in this movie? Or is there any part that you didn't like? Tell the people. I mean, no, I really, I really enjoyed the whole thing. I think my favorite part was do do do do do do do.

Starting point is 00:05:59 probably right around the time where he was going to make a solo album that was like the most exciting thing I think for me and then any any glimpses that we got of him I really I just loved the like small bonding moments

Starting point is 00:06:14 between him and his mom and like all his animals like those and especially his communication with his body card bodyguard yeah bodyguard totally I'm with you on that I also really wanted to like I love all the Disneyland or like Easter Aks that you put in here.

Starting point is 00:06:32 I mean, he has so many posters and there's like a Tomorrowland and Matterhorn. He has it everywhere. And that makes a lot of sense to me that Never, Neverland, you know, the Peter Pan connection I got, but I didn't realize that like, I mean, I talk about it a lot. I love Dean Parks, okay? Disneyland, they worry about the details. I'm talking, you go on a ride, you wait in line, you're looking around. There's details.

Starting point is 00:06:59 Right? They're like carving the wood in a certain way. Does Universal Studios do that? No. Do I still at Universal Studios? Yes, I do. Do they do that at all? Not really.

Starting point is 00:07:09 Not really at all. Not really. Now, Michael, sort of at the end, in that when he was, he is literally backlit. This is on tour in a giant stadium. And he is still like giving you, you're not seeing his face, but he is like, it's till the end that most concerts,

Starting point is 00:07:28 You're not going to a concert at a freaking the Rose Bowl Stadium or a Dodger Stadium where someone turns around and is still giving you a freaking vibe. And you're just, you're being back or you get, it only happens once in a while. And that's like that, that to me spoke volumes. I don't know why that hit me so hard,

Starting point is 00:07:46 but that's when I started yelling. It's about the details. And I see the Disneyland connection and Walt Disney and all of that that they brought together. Now, in regards to his nephew, he rehearsed for two years. That's crazy. That's insane.

Starting point is 00:08:01 They said his feet went numb. There was, he pushed himself to physical exhaustion. His feet went numb, which is insane. And he worked with the choreographers from the history tour, Michael's choreographers. Which is awesome. And so he, to capture the voice, it said he spent months studying interviews, which makes sense, reading books in Michael's voice. And he worked with an acting coach called Angela Gibbs. So, yeah, he put in a lot.

Starting point is 00:08:28 of work. We're getting that now. It says Deep Reacher said he studied Michael's personal journals, poems, and affirmations, and even lived and practiced in the dance rooms at Havenhurst, the Jackson family home. And we got a lot of glimpses in the movie of like, I loved

Starting point is 00:08:44 the details of his notes on the wall and what he's writing in his notebook. I loved, I just loved those details. Do you do affirmations? I do. I definitely do like sticky notes and I do like some affirmations. What do they say, though, Jackie? Tell us.

Starting point is 00:08:59 They're just for me. Oh, God. She's got to keep it a secret. I'm trying to give it. That's what it says. It says reaching out. Wait. I don't think we have any.

Starting point is 00:09:09 Wait, what day is it? Because it's too soon. I thought it was July. It's June, girl. Get your shite together. No, because this hasn't dropped yet. We're not going to have any questions. But.

Starting point is 00:09:23 I really thought it was July all day. That's on me. All day? I think all day. Not just right now, all day. I'm worried that on those call sheets I was making earlier that I put July. I didn't send them out yet. It's okay.

Starting point is 00:09:35 I'll go, I'm worried for Jackie and her overall well-being. Currently. Everyone should be. Good God. Everyone really should be. I'll ask you some questions. You, yeah, yeah.

Starting point is 00:09:47 Ask me, ask me anything. But like, you didn't have anything that you didn't like, right? I know. I'm like totally trying to type here. And, and. No, I'm just going to. confused by the end, I think. I'm just really confused by the end. Okay. So like because it says, yeah, we got to look up real quick. Hold on. That gives me another thing. I got to say the is there a second

Starting point is 00:10:12 Michael film? Yeah, it was popping up. Because the end, I'm typing it all because the end is confusing. Said to be continued. To be continued. Whatever. Okay, I got to type it all in, guys. Give me a second. It's in development. Wow. Bum bum bum. Oh, following its record-breaking box office success. Oh, because it ended right before the intense controversies of the 1990s. And apparently they have reportedly already shot 25 to 30% of the material intended for a second film.

Starting point is 00:10:50 Interesting. It says he's Antoine, right, the director has confirmed the follow-up. An official release date has not been locked in yet. Interesting. Okay. The conversations they say are going well. They're planning out the next chapter. Wow.

Starting point is 00:11:08 Okay. That's exciting because I'm going to tell you, I did really love this film. I do understand why they're saying that his story continues tease because it ends before the crazy stuff that happened in the 90s, right? like I think when I was a young, young kid, except this has been, there's a bunch of memes of it. He hung like a baby over the balcony.

Starting point is 00:11:37 It was like a weird thing. I don't even know whose baby it was. I don't think it was his baby. Can you Google that? Can I see it? Yeah. He did a, baby. He did a thing where he hung.

Starting point is 00:11:49 So there was stuff. And that was like happening, you know, in the 90s, or like 2000s, I think. Oh, 2002. It was his own. It was his own son. Here's the picture.

Starting point is 00:12:03 It's like looks weird. But he, he, he did a thing where it's like, see how he puts him over the balcony? He did a thing where he covered his face. He's looking a little weird. You know, he got, he got some, I think some more surgery done. So I'm understanding why they're saying the story continues. Because this is 2002, which is now why I remember.

Starting point is 00:12:26 it because I was like if it's a 90s I don't think I would totally remember it but he there was some stuff that went down but in general I think that I mean I loved the Jackson five I loved the music there honestly isn't one thing that I can honestly say in this the fact that while they're showing us the thriller movie whatever movie that was I don't know I don't know what scary movie that was okay that my brain automatically went, oh, maybe it's going to be, he bases it off the thriller. And then I was like, that's right. And then you're like, great thriller.

Starting point is 00:13:04 Totally. It was such a good direction, such a good editing choice. Great to place that there to give it. I mean, it totally fed, obviously, me, the audience into, oh, now we know where we're going. Because before that, I'm going to tell you I was totally lost because I did not remember. I did not remember what it was titled. Um, so, uh, I love that moment.

Starting point is 00:13:28 And I also really, really like that they gave us, I guarantee you probably, I don't know, that if we looked up the Pepsi commercial, it looks like that. I bet you we could find, which is a spooky, but I bet you could probably find the hair catching on fire. I think I remember that. And like clips of it, right? I bet you look like that. Also, I bet you his last.

Starting point is 00:13:55 song on tour at the Dodgers stadium. I really think that they did it like toe for toe, like moment for moment, just like they did with the thriller music video. Like I really think we got like a moment with Michael Jackson there and it felt very real, even though it wasn't him. I think they did a really good job of giving us what is basically,

Starting point is 00:14:23 yes, it's like a documentary, but since we don't have Michael, it's still really felt that way. And I think they did a really good job of it's in the freaking details. And in the details, we feel like we're actually behind the scenes at the actual making of the thriller, Vito.

Starting point is 00:14:37 Or that we are at Dodger Stadium, seeing him sing that song. I felt like I was, I know, I felt like you were there. You felt like you were there. And that's when it ended, I was like, wait, I kind of got that, like, you know, when you have all that adrenaline

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Starting point is 00:16:24 Totally. And I just wonder, I don't know what happened with him and his dad. I wonder what happened. I'm glad that his bodyguard has his back. I'm glad that his bodyguard was there. That's wild to me. Was that the bodyguard the same?

Starting point is 00:16:42 Yeah, go. Well, I was just going to say, yeah, I think my main complaint is like, I want, now I really want to see the second one because I feel like I didn't get, I wanted to see. Michael when he was like completely free of the reins of like still feeling all of that guilt and like he owed everything to his family, you know? Totally.

Starting point is 00:17:04 I'm totally with you. I had to, I had to look up if the, because he went through other bodyguards, but Bill Bray was with him for 25 years from when his dad hired him till he retired in 1996. And that's after that concert we just saw. So that means he was, he was with him for a long time.

Starting point is 00:17:23 That means he was, you know, obviously Bill Bray, that guy was, had his back. Oh yeah, can you click a photo? To click this photo? Or just images. I just want to see what he looks like. Yeah. Oh, cool. Pretty good casting.

Starting point is 00:17:36 Yeah, pretty good casting. Looks like similar, right? And who was the actor that was playing the bodyguard? Let's look at Michael Jackson's baby balcony. Yeah. Like, a movie. So, yeah, okay, let's see here real quick. It was Mike Myers.

Starting point is 00:18:00 Okay. So let's see. Where is the bodyguard? Bill Bray. Oh, I don't know this actor. Me neither. Might have been just really good casting. Oh, he's in...

Starting point is 00:18:15 Succession. Yes. And How to Die Alone in 2024, which is really great. like indie film, kind of indie-esque. I think I've seen it and I really liked it. But yeah, I mean, great, great cast. I loved, I love, I mean, just nothing really took me out, honestly, except for the CGI animals.

Starting point is 00:18:39 Yeah. I get it, we can't get a giraffe. The giraffe is fine. We don't have to go up close. But when he hugs the freaking llama, it's like, can we get a freaking real llama? He's not even, it's like, can we get a real llama? for a second, please. But I also get it.

Starting point is 00:18:54 I get that the chimpanzee would have been very hard. It's hard to work with animals on set. It is difficult. But there are still working chimpanzees out there. Although I'm not sure the animal, like, rights on that, on, like, chimpanzees and, like, working and all that. I know it still exists. But anyway, I wish it was real.

Starting point is 00:19:18 that was really my only complaint is that that was CGI but everything else I believe they took me through the human empathetic side of you Michael Jackson was absolutely he had a lot of heart and he felt he felt very strongly which I very much relate to you guys know me listen Jackie was crying in this movie and she cries over like the people stuff and kid stuff. I do it too sometimes, but mostly animals. Okay? Animals. And if they're like a baby or like a kid,

Starting point is 00:19:56 they can't help it, they can't defend themselves. It kills me. So I really felt like his heart is going out to those who are struggling, who don't have the strength like all the burn victim.

Starting point is 00:20:09 He's like every penny needs to go here. Right? He already wanted to volunteer at the children's hospital and try to bring them joy, give them gifts to see them smile and be happy about that. And that probably brought him joy, right? As well as, you know, him getting rescuing where he goes,

Starting point is 00:20:29 I saved him from a really bad place where they were testing on animals. And I'm like, get that chimpanzee out of there. I don't even care if it's going to be crazy in here. But like, I love that about him. Like I really, I love that because that would be a thing that I would want to do with my money. But I, seriously, guys, if, can you Google Michael Jackson Chimpanzee? Sure, yeah. Let's do it.

Starting point is 00:20:55 Um, if I had money and like a big place, I'd be like, give me all the animals. Whoa. Can you click images? Can you click images? Yeah, he was born in 1983. Whoa. He's alive and well at the center for great apes. You, wait, he's, you guys.

Starting point is 00:21:15 he the I'm losing my mind Bubbles is still alive and he's well into his 40s an age considered elderly for chimpanzee and he's retired Bubbles spends his retirement surrounded by nature and other chimpanzee

Starting point is 00:21:31 companions at the center for great apes in Florida Road trip. Are you kidding? We have to go visit him. We have to go visit him. Oh my God. Okay because literally at one point we stopped seeing bubbles and I was like oh my god did he like

Starting point is 00:21:47 passed and I got scared but I didn't want to ask I didn't even want to ask I don't want to yeah and I probably would have been thinking about it the whole time that's amazing and his estate still pays for his care apparently oh I love that and he traveled with him on the bus and stuff

Starting point is 00:22:05 oh my god wait wait he drinks he I love that of course he does abstract canvases of course he does I bet you people buy those canvases for like a million dollars right i'm gonna they're like bubbles painted this for me i'll give you a million dollars for it that's amazing i really i love dude i would pay a million i imagine if i invite you over to my house and i'm like oh this yeah yeah right this was painted by michael jackson's that's so

Starting point is 00:22:34 cool i'd be like all right man you're cool now you're cool now you were cool before oh i feel like you know they're saying keepers describe him as gentle shy and suburb surprisingly artistic. So that's what you're bringing up the painting, which I just love that, like, of course, he's like, he's kind of gentle and shy like Michael was. That's really sweet. Oh, my God, I can't.

Starting point is 00:22:58 And if you just look at his little pictures, I didn't know that he had a little matching red leather jacket. That's adorable. And you know what? I really, I love that. I don't love how the mom didn't stand up for our kids. I have zero respect. I mean, I felt like it was, I don't know.

Starting point is 00:23:19 Impossibly. No. I mean, I don't know the history of the family, but I felt like the narrative was sort of implying that he also hit her. Yeah. That was the energy that I was getting, because especially when she said, you're not going to whoop anyone anymore.

Starting point is 00:23:35 Yeah. She wasn't like just not Michael. That's kind of the vibe I got in why she was so, like I felt like she, it was subtle, but the actress, I thought she did an amazing. job. Totally. That's the vibe that I got. I don't know though. I don't know the truth. Me too. That could be the thing. If she was, uh, you poison his food, honey. Okay? We have a knife

Starting point is 00:23:56 under our fucking pillow at night. We slit his throat real quick. Listen, I got plans for these people. I can't. But also it did upset me, especially when you're there and you, your husband taking off his belt to like go beat that living crap out of them. I, it's very hard for me. to watch where I'm like, oh, no, I wouldn't be able to control myself. So I am glad that at the end that she did say, you're not going to wop anybody anymore. Whereas like she's kind of putting her foot down there. I don't know that she would have stepped in between it, but I do believe that he heard her because I don't know that they ever had a serious conversation like that.

Starting point is 00:24:37 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I was like, finally, Jesus, because I was scared for her. and, you know, just continually doing that, I realize how it could really F you up, you know? Why I'm sure Michael had, you know, OCD, and that's why he has a perfection issue

Starting point is 00:24:56 and why he was so, so good is because of the way that he was raised. It doesn't mean that pressure doesn't make diamonds because it does. Yeah. But there are still some fallouts when it comes to the diamonds, right? I mean, there's blood diamonds out there. Like I'm just saying it's rough.

Starting point is 00:25:11 It can be rough. And we saw parts of that. And we saw how he grew up. So I, you know, I feel for him. But I'm all, I also am like, wow, what, what, what, what, what a life he built and through his music. And what a message he wanted to give and send. Like, he wanted to tell people, he wanted to give them hope with his music and spread love and joy. And I love that.

Starting point is 00:25:36 I love it. Yeah. Do you have any last things you want to say about this, about this film? I really No, I just, I really enjoyed it. I'm excited to keep my eye on you know, how the sequel's

Starting point is 00:25:51 coming along and how that's doing. Oh, the one thing that I will say is everyone is rightfully so, giving Jafar Jackson his flowers for this performance, but also the child that played young Michael too. Yeah, he was great. Oh my God.

Starting point is 00:26:08 Sign me up. Just incredible. I'm excited to watch I mean, I'm also I'm just excited to watch how both of the actors that played both versions of Michaels to see what else they do with their careers because, oh my God, they're so talented.

Starting point is 00:26:21 It's absolutely insane. Absolutely. I'm with you on that. And by the way, guys, like when I was looking up some of the stuff, both of those actors do have Instagrams. They had a link there. So I do believe that the actor, the nephew, when they said he rehearsed this for two years, there's going to be stuff on his Instagram

Starting point is 00:26:39 of him, like rehearsing this, which would be cool to look up. Yeah. And probably also for the little kid to see like, I mean, I would go see that kid on tour. Yeah, I know. That's, I'm like, you know. Music career?

Starting point is 00:26:50 All of them. I want to go watch. Totally. And who knows? Well, the nephew is already probably starting on the next movie, which is very exciting. But like, it was all great. I loved it.

Starting point is 00:27:01 I had a lot of fun. I'm glad that they're going, hey, his story continues. Because there is a lot of stuff out there, right? there's a lot of stuff but we kind of focused on like him growing up and not getting to like yeah yet so um for me i really really love this i'm looking forward to the next one to see what they bring um bring truth to the table bring bring fun bring love and joy like what he wanted the more music sign me up i'm into it uh we love you guys don't forget that you've got to leave a like

Starting point is 00:27:34 leave a comment do all the right stuff thank the editors um yeah yaddy yada Go to Patreon if you want to get a zahz-z-z-z-z-a-z-h-h-h-k. Okay, you know the deal. You get 15% off over there. I should have said that earlier. I didn't. It's fine. I was too excited.

Starting point is 00:27:50 You can leave five stars on Spotify or all the things. Like, just leave a comment. Tell us we're cool. Be nice about it. We'll see you on the next one. Bye. Bye.

The Reel Rejects - MICHAEL (2026) MOVIE REVIEW - We Forgot We Weren’t Watching Michael Jackson!

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