Watch Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to off the Wall

Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall is a documentary film directed by Spike Lee, which explores Michael Jackson's early career leading up to his landmark album Off the Wall. The film begins by chronicling Jackson's childhood in Gary, Indiana, where he grew up with his eight siblings, including his brothers who would go on to form the Jackson 5. From a young age, Michael was recognized as a musical prodigy, and the film charts his early performances with the Jackson 5, including their appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and their rise to fame under the guidance of Berry Gordy and his iconic label Motown.

The documentary then shifts its focus to Michael's solo career, which began in earnest in the late '70s with albums like "Got to Be There" and "Ben." At this point, the film highlights Jackson's growing ambition and his desire to be taken more seriously as a musician and an artist. As he moves away from the bubblegum pop of the Jackson 5, Jackson begins to work with producers like Quincy Jones and teams up with songwriters who can help him craft more mature and sophisticated songs.

Throughout the film, we see a young Michael Jackson honing his craft, learning how to write and produce his own music, and developing his iconic dance moves. Jackson's evolving fashion sense and hairstyles are also highlighted, showing how he was constantly reinventing himself and pushing the boundaries of what it meant to be a pop star.

The real heart of the film, however, is the section devoted to Off the Wall, Jackson's breakthrough solo album that signaled his arrival as a true force to be reckoned with. The film features interviews with musicians and industry insiders, who discuss the impact of Off the Wall and how it represented a major turning point in Jackson's career. Whether exploring the richly textured sound of the album or dissecting individual tracks like "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You," the film makes it clear that Off the Wall was a groundbreaking work that paved the way for Jackson's later masterpieces like Thriller.

Throughout the documentary, Michael Jackson himself is a constant presence, through old interviews and archive footage of his performances and music videos. We get a sense of Jackson as a driven and focused individual, who knew what he wanted and was willing to do whatever it took to achieve his dreams. But we also see him as a fun-loving and down-to-earth person, joking around with friends and collaborators and sharing his infectious joy for music with the world.

Overall, Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall is a fascinating and well-crafted documentary that sheds new light on the early career of one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Whether you're a die-hard fan of Jackson's music or simply curious about his life and legacy, this film offers a compelling and immersive look at the man behind the music.

Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to off the Wall is a 2016 music movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 33 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 66.