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As a 16 year old male, I recieved far more than several strange looks upon entering the theatre to see this movie. There was one girl in particular who sat in front of me and managed to turn around and look at me with a rather pathetic lack of comprehension somewhere between 10 to 20 times before the movie started. I could just see in her eyes that she, like many of the other close-minded immature tweens whom surrounded me, was thoroughly considering either my sanity or my sexual orientation. It really is incredibly unsettling that our society is as bigoted and incapable as it is. Target demographic, shmarget demographic; Miley/Hannah's music is incredibly entertaining, well composed, and, at times, moving, regardless of age or gender.

BUT anyway, on with the review...

Miley's voice is amazing. It's even better live than on her CD's, and this film presents absolutely no exception. Her control and range are darn impressive, while at the same time her voice maintains an innocence and untapped potential that makes it satisfyingly difficult to stop listenting to her. I have to say that I love the unique controlled vocal crack that seems to be her signature during extended segments of vocal influctuation. She's also absolutely fearless; how many 15 year olds could keep their composure in front of 15,000+ people nearly every night with the comfort and facility that she does?

And on top off all her talent, she is, to put it incredibly frankly, pretty darn hott.

The instrumentation throughout the concert was superb. Her lead guitarist and drummer especially were outstanding in my opinion. One thing that I love about concert experiences is that the music itself is always far better than it is on the recording, since record companies and such can't put restrictions on spantaneous improvisations by the musicians. It was also a treat to listen to Miley play an acoustic guitar during "I Miss You."

Perhaps the best part of the film was the 3D effect. The glasses, thank God, weren't the blue and red sort that leave your color perception ruined and your head aching for hours, but were much better quality plastic ones.

I happen to be an aspiring filmmaker, so coming from a cinematographic point of view, this movie left nothing to be desired. Sweeping camera shots, pleasantly unexpected close ups, and creatively fun visual tricks in post production made the absolute best use of the 3D effect possible. At one point during viewing, I almost subconsciously convinced myself that I actually WAS right there, front row at her performance. You literally feel like you could reach out and touch her at any time.

The vibrant use/balance of color was in no way distorted by the glasses [if anything, the 3D effect enhanced them] and the very well designed stage setup and enormous venue could've made even the smallest theatre seem wonderfully spacious.

One of my personal favorite moments of the experience was the period of time in which the incomparable Jonas Brothers played a few songs while Miley changed. Their dramatic music, rich instrumentation, and dependably deep and passionate performances/vocals alone were worth the $15, and one can only hope that they will release a filmed concert as well... Haha, but I digress.

My only complaint would have to be that the entire concert is not included. There were numerous songs that I was looking forward to, but that didn't make it past the cutting room floor. I suppose they had to pick and choose between performances though since they had to fit behind-the-scenes action as well.

All in all, this movie is incontrovertably entertaining and simply bursting with refreshing talent. People can tell me I'm "not supposed" to enjoy what Miley has to offer all they want, but the fact of the matter is that she is a quality entertainer and to refuse fandom based merely on social expectation is ridiculous and pathetic. I cannot wait until this DVD comes out, and you can bet that it'll be in my DVD player before the day it becomes available is through.

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I'm one of the many who didn't get to see Miley's concert in person, so I jumped at the chance to get a ticket to the concert movie. I thought $15 was a bit high for a movie, but it was better than paying over $100 for a ticket to the real concert. Anyway, I really enjoyed seeing the movie, and the fact that it was 3-D was really cool, because it made it seem more like I was at a real concert. It also had a few behind-the-scenes segments, which I thought was pretty cool. I just wish it had been longer, because I love all of Miley's songs. I hope they'll put out this movie on DVD, because it'd be fun to see it again.

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The Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds concert usually sold out in minutes that it was announced. Disney is use to capitalize on a trend (like High School Musical, The Concert Extreme Access Pass). They recorded the concert and did it in Disney 3-d DVD format, so making it an extra special event for even those who saw this concert in tour or in the movie theater

This version has the concert in 2-d (normal viewing) and 3-d. It has four pair of 3-d glasses, so the family can watch the concert together. I wish Disney did that for Spy Kids 3-D Game Over (Two-Disc Collector's Series)

Like most concert tours, it shows the behind the scenes look at the concert. Some very cute for the Disney Tweens who love the Montana show. Some of the behind the scenes look like childish pranks, but then I remember Miley is only fifteen herself.

The concert is entertaining and lively. The Jonas Brothers on the bill, this concert film cant miss

However, the intercutting between the concert and the rehearsal/behind the scenes gets on my nerves. I would rather the full concert, without the behind the scenes footage.

I can not wait until November when Disney releases The whole first season of Hannah Montana. I know my niece Julia will love it for Christmas (like she loves this DVD) and I will again her a GREAT uncle in her eyes for a few more minutes

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

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In answer to those who are questioning why they didn't use the same technology they used in the theaters for the 3D effect... you can't reproduce it on TV.

The latest 3D effects requires two separate lights (wavelengths) to be emitted toward you. The black 3D glasses used in theaters are actually polarizing filters that allow only one of the images(wavelenths) to enter each individual eye.

Televisions only emit one wavelenth light, and thus, cannot be separated with the use of polarizing filters (black 3D glasses). Currently, the only way to achieve any kind of 3D effect on TV is using the old-school red-blue (anaglyph) glasses to filter out the respective red-blue images of Miley.

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The 3-d version is not good. Sometimes you see the blurred image as if you did not even have the 3-d glasses on. I'm glad that a 2-d version was included otherwise I would of had to return it.

Review of The Best of Chappelle's Show Uncensored (2003)

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Preliminary reviews for this collection say viewers should just buy the two seasons of the show. I agree. But pound for pound, minute for minute, the highlights of this show beat out 95 percent of any year's crop of film or TV comedies. This is two-and-a-half hours of inappropriate race-obsessed laughter. It can occupy the same spot as Late Night with Conan O'Brien The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog as the perfect crack-em-up closer to any party. This is the guaranteed laugh you need when nothing else will do. Skit-based comedy is perfect for repurposing, as "Saturday Night Live" has discovered, and there's no reason there shouldn't be a best-of for "Chappelle's Show" to serve the same function.

Best of all: "Chappelle's Show" wipes the street with the best of "SNL."

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This is a great (and very cheap) alternative to buying both seasons. Plus, you can cut out all the "extra" stuff less people watch, like the musical performances, etc.

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Fantastic! Dave Chappelle is such a classic comedian and these are some of his best. Dave appeals to such a wide audience and I laughed throughout his entire DVD, especially the scenes involving Charlie Murphy.

If you are thinking about buying this DVD I would highly recommend it. I wasn't disappointed and I don't believe you will be either.

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Dave Chapelle is a natural funny person, who also addresses real issues but in his language (comedy). His sketches hilarious and i would recommend him and all his standup releases if you're the type that enjoys (open-type) comedy and are not easily offended.

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If you like comedy then this is for you. Dave C is the funniest man alive today. Well worth the $.

Little Rascals: Best of Our Gang (1930) Review

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****Note: This review is for the LEGEND release The Little Rascals: Best of Our Gang, not the 3-D release that Amazon has grouped it under****

I give this only **** four stars because most of these films have already been released on DVD restored from 35mm. There is little new here.

The thought is that kids won't watch B&W films, so lets COLORIZE The Litle Rascals. Purists can watch this in B&W also, which is good since the colorization looks cartoony & unnatural.

I just could not pass up the extras that are included on these DVDs.

BEST OF OUR GANG has

Alfalfa short soundie "The Singing Lesson",

Broadway Highlights short clip of Pete the Pup becoming a member of a entertainment night club,

"You Asked For It" clip of the segment with the OUR GANG REUNION showing the silent stars (Jackie Condon, Joe Cobb, Farina & others) as they are in 1955.

Our Gang clip from "The Stolen Jewels" ( o.k. this is the only clip un necessary as the complete short is widely available ).

Oh, yes.. there are the comedy shorts. These are all from 35mm 1950's RE-ISSUE PRINTS, not the same MGM transfers as the Cabin Fever / Hallmark DVDs. But they are 35mm prints and they look very good. There is a variety of title sections representing almost every company that re-issued these shorts in 35mm, including Official Films which I never knew made 35mm prints.

BEST OF OUR GANG

"FLY MY KITE" Official 'Famous Kids' titles The rascals help Grandma save her property from the evil banker.

"A LAD IN A LAMP" ERKO 'Kids 'n Pets' titles (1st time on DVD?)Spanky & the gang find a 'magic lamp'. Spanky whishes Buckwheat was a monkey and thinks his wish came true when a real monkey comes in (there is always one around in a Little Rascals comedy).

"KID FROM BORNEO" Monogram titles a short that has been long banned from television due to racial jokes & the main character being a wild man from borneo who goes around saying "Yum , Yum , Eat'em Up" while chasing Spanky & the gang. It is unlikely that Hallmark will do an official release of this on their DVD sets, so you might want to consider this if you don't have the old Cabin Fever videos.

"HI! NEIGHBOR" Allied Artists titles The gang gets a new neighbor, who owns a shiny new kiddie firetruck.

"HIDE & SHRIEK" Official 'Famous Kids' titles another classic featured on this disc starring Alfalfa, Buckweat & Porky. Alfalfa plays a sherlock holmes type of detective and hires Buckweat & Porky to investigate some missing candy.

The shorts are offered in both Colorized & original B&W restored versions, but switching back & forth while playing the short is not possible. The bonus material is B&W only.

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You probably remember the Cabin Fever tapes from back when you were a kid. After all, where can you find a more wholesome piece of Americana than in the Depression-era antics of Spanky and company? Now that you're grown, you probably want to introduce your kids to Our Gang the same way that your parents introduced them to you, as a part of their socialization as equally wholesome, proud citizens. There's only one problem, I suspect: kids today have no tolerance for "antiquated" black and white cinema. And really, who can blame them? Color, the de facto standard to which they were raised, lends life, vibrancy and realism to anything that it glazes.

Thanks to this DVD, you can now bridge that generation gap by watching this newly colorized version of the Little Rascals' greatest shorts (even on the kids' Playstation if need be!). The drab, depressing black and white of '30s film suddenly comes to life in a full rainbow. And, should you succeed in making your kids into new fans, you'll always have the option of graduating them to the thoughtfully included black and white versions of the colorized material. From what I can tell, there's simply no other DVD that allows you the same flexibility.

Hardcore fans of Our Gang should take note of this disc's special features, which include clips of the gang's twenty year reunion and a hilarious skit where they encounter peer jokesters Laurel and Hardy.

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I wanted to share what Jamie at Legend Films advised me -

that the 3D Blu-ray will not include a 2D version.

Hope this helps you decide to buy or not to buy.

UPDATE 11/2/12

I received another call from Jamie who advised me that

if you play this in a NON-3D BLU-RAY player, it WILL

play in 2D!

Count me in!

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This is a video for both young, and old. A surprise feature is the ability to watch in color. I would have liked the contents more detailed...more info about each clip. But, this aside, I highly recommend buying this. It's a good watch for...oldsters...boomers...children...grandkids!

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As a Little Rascals fan, I was mesmerized by how these selected episodes came out in color. It would be nice to see further episodes done likewise. I highly recommend this product to both the fan and the occassional viewer of the Little Rascals

Review of Best of Burlesque

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According to my degree, I am a historian, so perhaps I will be believed when I say I watched The Best of Burlesque out of pure historical curiosity. Perhaps. Some people will believe anything.

I think I need to start this review in March of 1975 in New Orleans. It was my first visit to the city and I was enjoying the music, the food, the river, the architecture, and the ambience. I also enjoyed the dancing girls in the smattering of clubs of that nature along Bourbon Street, including Chez-something-or-other -it is a different name now. Due to an extremely appealing young woman on stage named Karen, I was there long enough that the bartender, one of the many women named "Roxy" in that industry, became quite chatty. Roxy, a veteran of the club scene, lamented to me at length how the whole business had changed in the past ten or twenty years and had become thoroughly lame.

"It was much better in the old days," she said. "There were real shows and real acts, not just prancing around."

I nodded but dismissed the remarks. Veterans of anything always think the old days were better and that modern times are lame. I was content to watch Karen prance around.

In 2008, I picked up The Best of Burlesque. It contains 7 hours of material filmed mostly between 1950 and 1955. My apologies, Roxy. You were right.

To any contemporary ecdysiast who may read this, please take no offense. I do not suggest you are any less capable than those of yore. Rather, it is the business itself that has changed. In the 1950s the classic burlesque houses still reigned as they had for half a century. Within a decade they were all but gone except as virtual museum pieces here and there, replaced by the go-go bar.

One of the DVD features is called Too Hot to Handle. It is a record of an entire burlesque show, with the live band, the songs, and the comic acts some atrocious, some genuinely funny as well as the dancers with their elaborate sets and routines. In addition there are lots of shorts with headliners of the day and with relative unknowns. Tempest Storm's act is very traditional and simple but amazing. Corky Marshall does a funny dance/monologue routine in which she portrays a nervous stripper on her first gig.

If you are seeking straightforward graphic sexual content of the sort found in modern adult videos, this collection is not for you; it is quirkier than that. The 1950s were the bad old days in any number of ways. Most of the social changes since then have been in the right direction. Yet something was lost along the way, too, even if the loss was a price worth paying. Perhaps we can spare some nostalgia for a time when even the sleaze had more style.

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This is another Something Weird disc set to get for the extras. The 2 theatrical features draaaag! But the trailers, strip tease shorts, and promotional art galleries are fun and fascinating!

Every woman here is pre-silicone and botox. Body types vary, but most of these dolls have the one thing modern cosmetic science can't offer: CHARACTER!

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This was the best look at burlesque I've had so far. It was great to go back in time and have a peek at how strippers use to do it and I loved it! There's such a variety of perfomers and surprisingly, my favorite was not one of the better known stars of burlesque. I found the quality and content of this DVD to be excellent. This one is a nice addition to any burlesque collection.

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This is a great collection of Burlesque shorts. The "features" are not entirely worth watching. Every element of the classic grindhouse atmosphere is recorded--the gritty backdrops, the corny comics, the jaded stripteasers, and even some hilarious musicians having trouble keeping their eyes on the instruments!

Even if you aren't planning on watching every short in this two-disc set, it is a great purchase anyways. I have even used this as a sort of conversation piece/ambiance in some interesting parties. The interview of Lili St. Cyr in the liner is also well worth reading.

Enjoy the lost art form of Burlesque!!!

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... Dixie Evan's riotous "Casting Couch" , Patti Waggin's

athletic "Parisian Pickup", and the over-the-hill Jean Carter sing the blues classic "Hot Nuts" & then do a lumbering striptease. Some fun stuff here, but not all the vignettes are top-notch. You get some Tempest Storm & Lili St. Cyr, but would have loved to seen Jennie Lee's and Alouette LeBlanc's tassel-tossing. Most of the music has that blaring,wah-wah bump n' grind beat -Something Weird should put out a CD of some of these tunes.

Review of The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009)

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I live in Gardiner, Montana (location of the Roosevelt Arch) and work in Yellowstone, and I experienced firsthand the genuine passion and forthright efforts of Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan and their staff as they took their vision and turned it into a poetic masterpiece. Their years of hard work not only in Yellowstone but throughout the entire national park system have paid off, and we are the lucky beneficiaries of their skillful and spirited tenacity.

This film speaks gently and lovingly of the National Parks idea. The majestic vistas, the enlightening interviews, the background music -woven together they demonstrate the power of "place", and fill us with a desire to further protect and honor these sacred sites.

We cannot live without the land, and we cannot live well without understanding our past. "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" is an authentic rendering of those very truths, and like all things good and beautiful, will be experienced and revered for ages to come, just as will the national parks themselves.

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Not sure why people are complaining about not getting more geological data or wildlife info. This documentary is about the IDEA of our National Park systems which includes inspirations and motivations. As history lover's review says...its how (and why) our National Parks came to be. I'm sure Burns included the term "idea" for good reason. The idea that Burns goes after seems to be a philosophy against commercialism and greed which makes sense after seeing the first episode. Who cares if spirituality was one of the inspirations though? For many, appreciating nature is a spiritual or at least meditative experience regardless of what they do or don't believe. So far this documentary is organized much the same as Burns' other films. Nice music, nice scenery captured in nice camera work with nice photographsall interwoven with Park Rangers, historians, writers and other experts on the people and places mentioned. So far so good! Leave it to Burns to use National Parks to provide another reminder that not everything in this country is money motivated. If the rest of the episodes are as good as what I've seen it'll be worth a purchase.

e: Now that the series is over I can say I really enjoyed it. I feel pretty much the same as my initial review above. I do agree with some of the other reviews that this series didn't feel as cohesive as some of Burns' other films but it was still a really good one. I thought the narration and interviews had a more "scripted feel" to them. Another small gripe was that although I enjoyed the music (especially the guitar-work) I wish there was more variety. I wish they had recorded more music for this specific film so that songs weren't reused as much. It didn't detract from the film all that much though. And there is still quite a bit. When it was all said and done, not only did I learn about interesting things about interesting people and places, this film inspired more appreciation for our National Parks from me. That's enough for me to say its worth a watch and worth owning. Recommended.

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Although the series suffers somewhat from repetitiveness occasioned by the need to keep re-orienting viewers as multiple story sequences are interrupted for long periods of time while first one, then another, thread is begun, I am glad that I was patient enough to view the entire collection. If you like Ken Burns's thorough and somewhat laid-back style, you will find it agreeable here as in his other series, even if this is not quite his best effort. One should bear in mind that this is primarily an historical documentary, not a travelogue or guide to the parks.

In terms of content, I'd probably give the series four stars; but I was disappointed in the video quality of the new motion-picture footage that Burns's photographers accumulated over six years of hard and dedicated work. I believe that a fundamentally wrong decision was made in the choice of medium. Burns has a love of old-style photography, and the many stunning examples of still photos were a joy to behold. I also agree with him that film is a more pleasing medium than direct-to-video. Unfortunately, it would appear that budget limitations (and perhaps portability considerations as well, as photographers were slogging through wilderness) precluded the use of 35mm film, which would have been ideal. Instead, a decision was made (by whom I have no idea) that 16mm film would be the next best thing. This is the point at which I would have decided to use direct video. Even though it may be a little lacking in warmth compared with film, there is only so much grain that I am willing to put up with in a hi-def production. My consumer-grade HD camcorder makes much clearer and cleaner video than is seen in this series.

There are a couple of points to be made in favor of the Blu-ray version, however. First, those who may be basing their purchase decision on what they saw on PBS's HD telecast should know that the Blu-ray disc is somewhat better; the graininess of the 16mm film really messed up the compression algorithms used in the distribution of the telecast. Also, the stunning still photos, both the old B&W's that were probably shot on 4x5 negatives, and the modern color photos, benefit from Blu-ray versus DVD, if you're willing to pay the price.

None of this criticism of the video is relevant to the DVD; nor will it matter to those with poor eyesight or who watch on less than full-resolution HDTVs or who view from a distance greater than recommended for a given screen size. I for one was hoping for something visually splendid, something like "Planet Earth" or the BBC's "Yellowstone," something, quite frankly, that would help to justify my investment in home theater. The National Parks doesn't do it.

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In reading some of the previous comments/reviews, it is apparent that it would behoove some people to look up the definition of 'documentary'. It just might be a revelation that they mainly consist of historical content. If an endless montage of pretty pictures is all it takes to satisfy you (or that is all you can handle), stick to the National Geographic channel. I am not knocking their content, but you won't find this kind of depth/detail there. This series has the perfect balance of beautiful landscapes and historical narration. The point of this documentary is not simply to show the wonderous beauty that the National Parks have to offer. Rather, it is about exploring the origin and necessity of the parks and the journey from a grand idea to magnificent fruition. Learning what it took and the obstacles faced to make the National Parks a reality is very interesting and truly awe-inspiring. We are blessed to have these amazing places that we can all call our own.

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I have always been in awe when visiting America's National Parks. Like most people, I take these wonders for granted, never had a good understanding of how they came to being. This documentary, though it contains breathtaking scenes, isn't all about the ooohhhs and aaahhhhhs of the National Parks. As the title suggests it's America's Best Idea, the documentary builds on how hard fought the idea was, like many great ideas. Most of us know very little about our national treasures. We may know that John Muir fought hard as a conservationist but many may not know that trying to prevent Hetch Hetchy valley from being dammed and flooded took the life out of him. I remember learning Teddy Roosevelt was a Rough Rider in school but never knew the major role he played at conservation and that even he and all his powers as President could only made the Grand Canyon a National Monument. Those of us who enjoy the great outdoors owe it to Muir and Roosevelt and others such as Stephen Mather and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The idea didn't come easy or free and some people put their lives and/or fortunes into making sure that Nature's Majesties are conserved for all to enjoy. Besides the beautiful scenes, the documentary is very informative and educational and a must for those who enjoy America's National Parks. This series would make a very nice addition to one's video collection and a must for those who enjoy the great outdoors.

The IMAX Best of Oceans Collection (Galapagos/Into Reviews

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The Galapagos Islands are located off the coast of Ecuador and is the site that Charles Darwin visited in 1835, viewing some of the marine life from a glass bottom boat. His observations on these islands formed the basis for his eventual theory of evolution. Now, all these years later, a marine biologist from the Smithsonian Institute, Dr. Carole Baldwin, makes the same trip. Darwin would have been amazed at all the technological equipment she has, and even more amazed if he could have viewed it as I did, in startling three dimension.

We saw it on a screen that was 80 feet high, and the three dimensional effect was so intense that I kept trying to reach out and touch the rocks and small birds that always appeared in the foreground. It was distracting at first, so distracting that I was more impressed with the technique than with what was actually going on in the film. But within a few minutes I was right there with the scientists, literally inside the picture as they climbed the rock mountains and descended into the ocean's deep in a submersible boat that seemed to come straight out of science fiction, not real science.

I was fascinated throughout the 40-minute film as the camera went where humans have never been before, filming sea lions, iguanas, giant tortoises, birds and lizards and using a special device to capture live sea creatures from the bottom of the sea. I felt I was climbing the lava rock mountain, descending into caves, and feeling the brush of foliage against my face. And the whole time I kept wondering how it was done, and enjoying the fact that I live at a time in history that a voyage to Galapagos can be enjoyed so much because of modern technology.

I did some research on the web later and discovered that during the filming a cameraman and a pilot died when their lightweight plane crashed on a volcano, and realize the dangers that it took to make this film. Then I went to the official website and found more details about the technical aspects as well as some excellent photographs. Recommended. See it if you can.

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This 3-D IMAX film at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History offers the Galapagos islands as thrill ride, but that's OK, it really is a thrill. The rollercoaster tours of the stark, rocky island scenery from the air and from below the waterline are breathtaking but expectable in a big-screen 3-D movie. What makes the film unique are the surface-level extreme closeups of the islands' strange wildlife a far more intimate view of these creatures than you could get by going there to see them for yourself. The film is plotless but not long, and with the superb camera work and Branagh's smooth narration you are happy to just let it all unfold.