Follow your passion

How often have you heard it said, "Follow your passion." We say it to teenagers and college students. We say it to laid-off workers. We say it to artists of all types and non-conformists. We say it to encourage people to make career choices or explore paths they might not otherwise.

That was the dominant message of two films we saw recently, courtesy of Netflix -- "Departures," a Japanese film that won the 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign Film, and "This Is It," the recent release starring Michael Jackson.

In both cases, I had no expectations so it was doubly rewarding to say both were enjoyable, though in wildly different ways.

"Departures" is the story of a young cellist who finds himself out of work after his orchestra is dissolved and has to find a new way of making a living. He answers an ad for "Departures," thinking it's a job with a travel agency, only to find himself hired as an "encoffiner," someone who prepares bodies for cremation. Though the story involves death, it's the graceful way that the pre-burial rituals are carried out -- with sensitivity and respect for the deceased and survivors alike -- that draws you in as a viewer. We found ourselves silently cheering for Daigo as he follows his new-found passion despite his wife's misgivings about the low social status associated with the work.

A few days later, we watched "This Is It," the documentary/concert film that was cobbled together from video footage of rehearsals for a series of London concerts Jackson was scheduled to perform beginning in July 2009. Jackson died less than two weeks before the first concert and the film was released in October, four months later.

Think what you will about Jackson -- I have no doubt he was a serial child molester -- but this film  cements his reputation as a singular talent, a musical genius and an extraordinary dancer/choreographer. He had an instantly recognizable voice, a gift for composition, and an incredible, electric way of dancing that just made your jaw drop. At one point, I marveled at the sight of this skinny 50-year-old man matching every move of the 11 young dancers hired to perform with him.

We're all familiar with the dark side of M.J. -- the abusive father, the fantasy land he lived in (typified by his Neverland estate), the multiple cosmetic surgeries, the various lawsuits alleging molestation. It's a shame his personal life was such a disaster. As an entertainer, he defined passion.