I love a concert film most times. I love any behind the scenes/under the stage footage that gets in. I love what goes on the stage as much as what goes on behind it.

The concert footage debuts today on Netflix today. I'm a little disappointed in it. While JT is a great performer, has a tangible joy onstage, slices in and out of the choreography with ease, and displays his instrumental skills on various cuts, I'm let down with the editing. More specifically...

Jonathan Demme directed the film. Of course, it starts with 10 minutes of band and dancer interviews (the first being Rev. Mike Scott, who the group called Unc or Uncle). While I'm referencing the set list on Wikipedia, even if a song changed here or there, Demme and Timberlake are skipping 2, 3, and 4 songs at a time. "Don't Hold The Wall" is skipped two songs in, then after visits to his first two solo records, they skip new tunes like "Strawberry Bubblegum", "TKO", and even the older hit "Summer Love" (which actually isn't a favorite of mine). He also skips "Senorita", "Tunnel Vision", "Heartbreak Hotel", "Not A Bad Thing",

The cinematography is great, and Demme captures the concert experience well. The video wall is textured, yet hosts imagery with ease, and fully stretches to either side of the stage, opposed to just a huge 16:9 screen in the center. All of the band is on lifts, and the multi-level stage has lifts throughout. The stage even comes apart and extends out over the audience at one point. The light show is pretty amazing, too. The background singers shine through in certain songs, and the band's cohesiveness is clear throughout, yet they're not mechanical about hitting their queues or nailing the choreography. It's rehearsed, but natural.

Note edit: He sings "Human Nature" from MJ right after the stage-moving "Let The Groove Get In" (where he incorporates the "Oh way oh way" chant from the Miami Sound Machine). It's a nice rendition that sticks close to MJ's version, although abbreviated. Also included is Bel Biv Devoe's "Poison", where Timberlake joins a boy band again with the two male backup singers, all taking turns at lead vocals. It's a fun part of the show.

With the interviews etc, the whole thing is only 90 minutes long. I hope a DVD has the whole show on it. Otherwise, I might skip the purchase.

In case you didn't know, he dedicated the film to Prince saying "it felt right". I'd co-sign on that.

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[Edited 10/12/16 11:02am]

TrivialPursuit said:

In case you didn't know, he dedicated the film to Prince saying "it felt right". I'd co-sign on that.

I'm sure Prince is laughing from the beyond.

I've just finished watching the movie, it's very well directed. Yes, it's missing almost an hour's worth of songs but I'm sure there will be a dvd/blu ray release containing the entire concert eventually. I hope that will also include the music on cd as the band and arrangements are excellent.

Jonathan Demme not only focuses on Justin, but all of the band members and dancers are given a lot of screen time and shots don't last for a millisecond like they do on most of Madonna's concert dvd's which I find annoying to watch.

whitesockedfunk said:

I've just finished watching the movie, it's very well directed. Yes, it's missing almost an hour's worth of songs but I'm sure there will be a dvd/blu ray release containing the entire concert eventually. I hope that will also include the music on cd as the band and arrangements are excellent.

Jonathan Demme not only focuses on Justin, but all of the band members and dancers are given a lot of screen time and shots don't last for a millisecond like they do on most of Madonna's concert dvd's which I find annoying to watch.

I noticed that in the last few concerts of Madonna's, the editing is much more hurried and quick-paced. Often times the viewer loses the momentum of a section of dance, or the energy of the performance as a whole. The energy shouldn't be left to the editing. The editing should let the show happen naturally. I do agree that JT's show did that, and that some of Madge's more recent concert releases lose a bit in the frenetic editing.

MattyJam said:

TrivialPursuit said:

In case you didn't know, he dedicated the film to Prince saying "it felt right". I'd co-sign on that.

I'm sure Prince is laughing from the beyond.

I'm not sure why it's always a VS. situation. Prince knew JT respected him, and influenced him a lot. There's MJ, Prince, and more in JT as much as his own creativity. Prince respected musicians and singers, and JT can certainly handle his own on a mic, and even on a piano or guitar a bit. I think Prince would have appreciated the dedication.

Ill check it out! I liked 20/20 Experience...the first album a little more than the second so I'm curious

Thanks I will check this out, pretty curious to see what this show was like.

It was pretty good! I liked his energy and actually the editing was one of my favorite things about the production. I liked the camera on closeups of the band and dancers non-editing the dance segments. His skills are a bit more fluent than before he must have been practicing more freestyle dancing, he is not as stiff as he used to be. I would have liked to see my favorite song Dont Hold The Wall being played but glad to hear him do Poison, Let The Groove Get In, Human Nature, FutureSex and Rock Your Body.

TrivialPursuit said:

I love a concert film most times. I love any behind the scenes/under the stage footage that gets in. I love what goes on the stage as much as what goes on behind it.

The concert footage debuts today on Netflix today. I'm a little disappointed in it. While JT is a great performer, has a tangible joy onstage, slices in and out of the choreography with ease, and displays his instrumental skills on various cuts, I'm let down with the editing. More specifically...

Jonathan Demme directed the film. Of course, it starts with 10 minutes of band and dancer interviews (the first being Rev. Mike Scott, who the group called Unc or Uncle). While I'm referencing the set list on Wikipedia, even if a song changed here or there, Demme and Timberlake are skipping 2, 3, and 4 songs at a time. "Don't Hold The Wall" is skipped two songs in, then after visits to his first two solo records, they skip new tunes like "Strawberry Bubblegum", "TKO", and even the older hit "Summer Love" (which actually isn't a favorite of mine). He also skips "Senorita", "Tunnel Vision", "Heartbreak Hotel", "Not A Bad Thing",

The cinematography is great, and Demme captures the concert experience well. The video wall is textured, yet hosts imagery with ease, and fully stretches to either side of the stage, opposed to just a huge 16:9 screen in the center. All of the band is on lifts, and the multi-level stage has lifts throughout. The stage even comes apart and extends out over the audience at one point. The light show is pretty amazing, too. The background singers shine through in certain songs, and the band's cohesiveness is clear throughout, yet they're not mechanical about hitting their queues or nailing the choreography. It's rehearsed, but natural.

Note edit: He sings "Human Nature" from MJ right after the stage-moving "Let The Groove Get In" (where he incorporates the "Oh way oh way" chant from the Miami Sound Machine). It's a nice rendition that sticks close to MJ's version, although abbreviated. Also included is Bel Biv Devoe's "Poison", where Timberlake joins a boy band again with the two male backup singers, all taking turns at lead vocals. It's a fun part of the show.

With the interviews etc, the whole thing is only 90 minutes long. I hope a DVD has the whole show on it. Otherwise, I might skip the purchase.

In case you didn't know, he dedicated the film to Prince saying "it felt right". I'd co-sign on that.

.

.

[Edited 10/12/16 11:02am]

Argh that sucks. Just read that

Watched it last night while not as good as his last tour it was decent. He should have done this one at that show:

Not bad:

JoeBala said:

Watched it last night while not as good as his last tour it was decent. He should have done this one at that show:

He's been doing that Jackson's cover for a while now, and it's good. "Shake Your Body" is one of the catchiest hooks w/ the piano, and the horn line. He did it a year or two ago on BBC One Lounge. He performed about 35 minutes, and one of the last songs was "Shake Your Body Down".