Pop star George Michael is one of the best-selling pop artists of all time, although his career in the United States has had more downs than ups in the last decade. His name and face have been in the news on two occasions in the last few months, once when he was arrested for possession of marijuana and once for crashing into three parked cars while driving. He's made past headlines for indiscretions in public restrooms, suing his record label and rumored drug abuse.

But a few minutes into the dazzling British documentary George Michael: A Different Story, it's obvious that the artist is much more than a tabloid writer's dreams come true. He's disarmingly shy but articulate, emotional but not maudlin or self-pitying, and above all, he's the guy with that voice who writes those songs.

George Michael: A Different Story is being received enthusiastically at film festivals all over the world, and showed at the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival on June 16. It was directed by the BBC's Southan Morris (Men in Tights).

George Michael came onto the scene in MTV's early heyday and quickly earned a following of squealing fans. With his fluffy 80s hair and cheesy pop image, songs like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and “Young Guns” were at best guilty pleasures and at worst, forgettable and somewhat embarrassing bubble gum hits.

But twenty years later, it's clear that much of Michael's early work stands the test of time, shiny little pop gems with their infectious hooks and exuberant choruses. (The hair, fashion, and videos don't fare as well, as numerous clips in Morris' film demonstrate.)

Although Michael cooperated fully with the filmmaker, not all the voices heard on film sing his praises. Simon Cowell and Boy George weigh in, with Sir Elton John, Mariah Carey, Sting, Martin Kemp, Geri Halliwell, ex-Wham! band-mate Andrew Ridgeley, as well as Oasis' grumpy Noel Gallagher adding commentary both positive and negative. Michael's battles with record label Sony garner the most sympathy from fellow artists, while his public outing when arrested for lewd behavior in a Los Angeles public restroom gets a mixed reception.

Boy George leans mostly towards the negative in his comments, saying, “The difference between me and the other George is that I have the ability to laugh at myself, and I don't think he has much of a sense of humor.” Sir Elton, who has taken his turn scolding Michael in the press for what he calls “wasting his talent,” dismisses Boy George's criticism with a shrug. "I think (Boy) George doesn't like George Michael because (Boy) George doesn't have George Michael's talent."

Infamously blunt Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher joins the negative chorus, dismissing Michael's claim that his popularity in the US was at least partly due to a video he made that ridiculed President Bush. “This is the guy who hid who he actually was from the public for twenty years, now, all of a sudden, he's got something to say about the way of the world,” he crabs.

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