Places Movie Reviews

If you are a Brian McKnight fan this is a must have. For me this is Brian at his absolute best. Without the smoke and mirrors. You get to see the true Brian McKnight. I was a fan before, but after viewing this piece, I am hooked for life. They should do more of these. Keep on doing what your doing Brian Baby.

I'M TOTALLY BIASED TOWARDS BRIAN MCKNIGHT. THIS DVD ONLY REINFORCES THIS BIAS. PURE TALENT.

Late one evening I caught the airing of this performance (why was it never on prime time?) and have been searching for the CD ever since. I'm so happy that it went to DVD!!

I've had the privilage of seeing him live 2x, and this DVD really captures what a talented and insightful musician he is. Plus set in beautiful Brazil, with his own candid comments about his music and what it means to him. One of the most memorable parts is when he talks about playing a song the way HE wants to play it, not just because everyone is telling him to play it exactly like the album represents it. The new interpretations of old favorites (and new ones) are not to be missed!!

Brilliant!

I wasn't a fan of India Arie at all until I bought this DVD. Like another reviewer here, I purchased this DVD out of an interest in Brazil and a general interest in R&B. I find the idea of an American R&B artist collaborating with Afro-Brazilian artists fascinating and much more natural than other cross-cultural collaborations. I think this DVD definitely demonstrates where music will be going, or at least should be going. I agree with the other reviewer that this DVD is better than the Brian McKnight one. There is much more local collaboration on this DVD. The camera works is also superior on this DVD. But the Brian McKnight one is worth purchasing too. Hopefully there will be more DVDs like these!

I love India ("Acoustic Soul" is one of my all-time favorite recordings) and when I saw the title "LIVE In Brazil," I was expecting to see her band blow through another incredible electric set...vocal improvs w/Kerisha Hicks, deliciously drawn-out jams, killer chops from drummer Forrest Robinson, the whole nine.) What "Live In Brazil" ended up delivering was an experience actually far more rewarding.

Seeing India's band perform an unplugged set of "A.S." material would be enough for me. So would a documentary on the wonders of Bahia itself. Put the two together, though, and you got a religious experience, baby. Some of the performances (the band playing "Beautiful" while looking out onto the vast expanse of the ocean under an exquisite sunset, the Baiao-flavored version of "I See The God In You" in the tall grass, a deeply moving solo performance of "India's Song," Arie's heavenly voice echoing throughout the palatial Igreja De Sao Francisco...etc.) literally brought tears to my eyes. The material (all acoustically performed and mostly from "Soul") and setting create a majesty that is altogether beyond words.

Even more affecting was the band's reaction to and interaction with the music, culture, and people around them--India getting downright teary while watching a local musician who reminded her of herself, Forrest Robinson exclaiming "I BEEN REBORN!" after an ecstatic "Video"-turned-Samba-Reggae jam with the legendary Ile Aye in the troupe's hometown 'hood of Curuzu, India and Kerisha getting swept up in song with Margareth Menezes and Olodum...one unreal scene after another--and all beautifully captured. (The extra scenes on Capoeira, traditional music, and behind-the-scenes happenings with the band and crew are merely icing on the cake.)

Arie referred to her time in Bahia as a "reward"--and that's exactly what this exceptional DVD is for the viewer. If you're a fan of Ms. India, Bahia (or beautiful places in general), Brazilian music, or just watching some of the greatest creative spirits on the planet converge, exchange ideas, play some truly classic tunes, and laugh (a lot), all the while living and breathing the time-honored notion that music is indeed THE universal language, please do yourself a favor and check it out. It's the "Voyage" that Arie's sophomore CD may have intended but never fully delivered.

I have to admit that I had never heard any of India Arie's music before purchasing this DVD. The reason why is because I rarely listen to the radio anymore. It hurts me a little because I don't stay up to date with the newer artist. But sooner or later I get to hear them all. I actually purchased the DVD because of my interest in Brazil. I was pleasantly surprised to see that she decided to do a DVD in Bahia which is one of my favorite areas of Brazil. Her music is actually a combination of folk music and R&B. Although she records on Motown she does not play the Motown sound that most of us are familiar with. Actually her music is quite relaxing but the strength of her songs is definately the lyrics. Her voice is ok but not as powerful as say Jill Scott, Angie Stone or Mary J. The camera work is great and the sound is outstanding. She discusses each song and Brazil thoughout the video. She also features several local Brazilian groups and singers in some of her songs. The videos also feature plenty of sights in Bahia. Her and her band really seem to fit in well with the locals. Music critics like to refer to her type of music as "Neo-Soul" or new soul but let's face it, Bill Withers was doing this type of music back in the 1970s! But it is refreshing to hear something besides rap music from new musical artist. So purchase this DVD even if you are not a fan. The beautiful scenery and relaxing songs help to make this a very good DVD. I should add that although I am a fan of Bryant McKnight, I like India's DVD better.
Note: Several famous Brazilian musicians including Olodum, Ile Aiye and Margareth Menezes stop by and jam with India Arie in the DVD!

THIS IS A WONDERFUL DVD. IT'S ATMOSPHERE IS NOT LIKE YOUR USUAL CONCERT, INSTEAD YOU ARE TAKEN TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN PUERTO RICO. EACH SONG IS PERFORMED IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION, WITH JOY BEING ACCOMPANIED BY BEAUTIFUL ACOUSTIC GUITARS AND PERCUSSION!!!
THIS DVD IS PART OF A SERIES FEATURING VARIOUS ARTISTS, SO IF YOU LIKE THIS ONE, YOU MAY WANT TO OWN SOME OF THE OTHERS IN THE SERIES!!
THIS SET FEATURES JOY ENRIQUEZ AT HER BEST!!! IT ALSO GIVES THE VIEWER SOME INFORMATION ABOUT PUERTO RICO AND TAKES YOU TO HISTORIC LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM!!!
SO THIS IS NOT YOUR USUAL CONCERT, BUT IT FEATURES JOY ENRIQUEZ AS SHE SHOULD BE HEARD.
IF YOU'RE A FAN, YOU MUST SEE HER OUTER AND INNER BEAUTY, SHOWCASED HERE FOR US TO SEE....AND AT THE SAME TIME YOU'LL GET TO HEAR HER BEAUTIFUL VOICE-AS NATURAL AND SERENE AS YOU WILL EVER HEAR IT!!!~ENJOY!!!

I was so excited when this came out. I had recorded it when it was on Direct TV, but I am so jazzed now that it's on DVD.
Joy is so talented, and she also has a GREAT personality. She is really entertaining, not to mention beautiful to look at! So what are you waiting for.
You want to learn a little. or maybe teach your children about Puerto Rico... BUY IT NOW!!! You won't be disappointed!!

I recorded this off the tv when it was on Direct TV.
I am so excited to purchase the DVD.
Joy is an amazing singer and a very real and fun person.
I think you'll really enjoy this DVD.

Buy it, you won't be disappointed.
She's a JOY!!

If you like Sugar ray, you've gotta get this video!!! Live from Australia! Songs like "Someday" and "Fly" performed!

One day I was flipping through the channels and came across this playing. It was halfway through, but I enjoyed what I did see greatly. It made me a Sugar Ray fan immediately! And an obsessive fan of the georgeous Mark McGrath...:)

(...) This DVD / VHS is very enjoyable and pure entertainment. Watching these guys in the outback was fun. The music was refreshing. I went out and bought all of the Sugar Ray records. Then I found out that Music in high places was going to put this Sugar Ray show on the shelf. This DVD has all the great songs by Sugar Ray. It is the best of anything they have done. You will not be let down.

I have been trying to get a copy of this movie for at least 15 years now and the fact that it is now coming out on DVD is why I love this format . The movie is a funny spoof of spy movies with amazing action and truly one of a kind gadgets . The series also has a famous villian in every installment , in this one it is the clint eastwood character from the good ,the bad ,the ugly (or at least a lookalike) . This movie is for kids and adults alike and especially for fans of spys and gadgets . I won't be buying it but only because I am buying the whole collection .

Imagine spending a quiet evening with Wynonna and some of her friends ...with Venice, Italy as a backdrop. This is a side of Wynonna we don't often get to see. The Queen of Attitude shares her music, - from her CD New Day Dawning - her laughter, her tears, hopes , disappointments, and her love for Italy with great interviews. No concert halls here, just Wy with Vicki, Robert and Kim singing in intimate outdoor settings in Venice and a cathedral in Bologna . How Great Thou Art has never been greater !

Few movies hit you so unabashedly in the heart with a melodramatic wallop as Benton’s Places in the Heart, yet manage to avoid feeling cheap. A deeply touching slice of the depression era, worthy of all the Oscars it bagged (screenplay, best actress for Fields) plus several nominations.

Sally Field weilds absolute acting prowess as Edna Spaulding, a wife and mother of two kids who becomes widowed after a drunk accidentally shoots her husband. So she decides to make some money by planting cotton. She takes in a very friendly black man (wonderfully played by Danny Glover) who helps her get and plant the cotton, and a smart blind man (played by John Malkovich in an Oscar-nominated performance) who's a paying boarder.

These three adults and the two children form a little family together, and this is the part of "Places in the Heart" that works best.

Other characters add to the story. Lindsey Crouse was also Oscar-nominated for her portrayl of Field's sister who comes to help out after tragedy strikes early on. Ed Harris plays Crouse's husband who's having an affair with another woman, which makes for a somewhat inessential subplot. But that's a minor grouse.

Apart from the top-notch performances, the film's stunning finale is an unforgettable cinematic statement about hope. Had everyone in the room jerking a tear.

On DVD the film doesn't really look like an old movie (1984) if that bothers you. A highly recommended gem for any collection!

This movie is great! I used it for a college paper on prejudice and the hardships of life. You can really feel what these people are going through. I wish there were a sequel about 10 years later, where Moses comes back with a family and buys a piece of Edna's land. I wish he could really overcome being black during a miserable time in history. I wish Will and Edna would fall in love and help complete the missing part of each other's lives. Possum would be a teen, with high hopes and great dreams. Frank would be a strong, honest man that is a representation of the type of person it takes to change an entire country's idea about prejudice. They would become happy once again. I want their lives to finally be worth something. I WANT MORE OF THEIR STORY!

I've been waiting for this film on DVD for years! Thank goodness, It's here and won't disappoint. Clean crisp and sharp with great sound quality! As a film it is a true piece of ART with some of the best performances ever assembled! I lived in Waxahachie where much of the film was shot and was in the "Heart" house as it is called. Believe me, the cinematography in this film is worth the price of the DVD! Texas never looked better! This film would make a terrific companion piece to "The Trip to Bountiful" which was also filmed around the Waxahachie, Texas area. "Places" on DVD! It's about time! Now how about "Bountiful" on DVD?

I am a fan of Collective Soul and I had the good fortune to catch this show on MTV. I usually have it tuned there as just background noise when I'm doing something at home. But then this came on and I was transfixed. The bands' acoustic performance is top-notch. The location videography is absolutely pristine and hauntingly beautiful. The camera-work on location with them playing thier more reflective songs is just mesmerizing. You also get to see the band mugging and hamming for the camera. Nice to see them comment about their experience there.
After watching this you just feel good. Maybe just a little better about this world we live in. Especially now.
If you are a fan then this DVD is a must have. No doubt. If you are not but love acoustic performances, I'm sure this won't disappoint.

My best DVD to date! Great suround Sound and Video Quality. 5 Stars for sure! I'm lost for words...

Collective Soul, with their hard rocking electric guitar combo, is a perfect candidate to be unplugged in this Music in High Places video, which appears to be a new and improved MTV Unplugged programming format. Acoustic performances are spectacular while up close footage and documentary style program of band's trip to Morrocco aquaints the viewer with band members just enough. This is a must-have for Collective Soul fans, and watching it made me an even bigger fan as I now appreciate the original electric recordings even more after seeing this. Added bonus is that you can bypass the "documentary" altogether and just watch the music, one track after the next.

The movie is funny enough, but the main reason to buy this DVD is for the pause function and the scene with Jamie Lee Curtis topless. This scene is probably the finest work she ever did.

I think this movie clearly shows that Jamie Lee Curtis is not a man and has a nice rack. Get it and hit pause.

This review refers to the Widescreen Collection/DVD edtion(Paramount)of "Trading Places"....

If you have already seen this fabulously fun film, then you know the scene I am referring to in my title of this review.It is just one of the many, many laugh out loud moments that Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd and the rest of the brillant cast treat us to. If you haven't seen it and you like to laugh..this is a must see, one that will brighten your holdiays and leave you grinning ear to ear whenever you think of it.

The very wealthy brothers Randolph and Mortimer Duke portrayed by legends Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche, are sitting around their exclusive club having a little tiff on the theory of Heredity vs. Enviroment. After bestowing a very generous Christmas bonus of five dollars to the man who sees to their needs year round, they make a little wager. The bet...take their most trusted employee(Aykroyd), and play with his life until he becomes an outcast. Take a street-wise con-artist(Murphy),and give him a taste of the good life. Who will prevail? Will the Harvard grad, still be the person he was, after losing everything, or will he turn to crime? And what about the con man? Will his new enviroment make a new man out of him or will he still resort to his old ways? Watching these two "Trading Places" is one of the most fun 2 hours you can spend. The story takes place between Christmas and New Years so it's a great Holdiay film to add to your collection as well.

The cast is marvelous.Dan Aykroyd is the perfect snob, and Eddie Murphy, well he's just great at being Eddie Murphy. Jaime Lee Curits is the hooker with a heart(who's looking to increase her bank account and get off her back),Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy show they haven't lost what it took to become the legends they are, and Denholm Elliot is perfectly cast as the butler in on the action. Adding to the fun are Bo Didley,Paul Gleason, Frank Oz and James Belushi. Directing this wonderful cast is John Landis, who doesn't miss a trick and the music by Elmer Bernstein sets the tone perfectly as usual.The movie is rated R for some some scenes of nudity(do we expect any less from Jaime Lee?).

The DVD is a great buy. The anamorphic widescreen picture is gorgeous. Clear and bright with beautiful colors, the film does not appear to be 20 years old already. You have the choice of Dolby Dig 5.1 surround sound or stereo surround sound, both are excellent. There are English subtitles and it may be viewed in French(mono). There are no special feautres though.

So how much was the wager they made? A whooping one dollar! Who wins?.....I'll never tell!

Seen it?..you know you gotta have it!...Haven't seen it?....Go for it!...You'll love it!...enjoy....Laurie

I have been a fan of the Goos for years and have, for the most part, enjoyed everything they have been a part of as a band. But I believe that this DVD is the worst thing they have done with their careers to this day. If you are expecting the usual Goo outstanding live performance, don't count on it. All you get is basically a limited tour through Alaska with a few songs thrown in. I have no problem with great documentaries but this doesn't come close. Through out the entire length of this video there is this overall "blah" feeling generated from the band as if they were really thinking : " OK, can we go get trashed now?" I was really bummed out because of this video and honestly, I wish I could get my money back. Obviously this isn't the type of thing geared toward the die hard music fans. It's more for those who crave the Goo eye candy.

Unlike most live CD's/DVD's this one is very different. The reviews from other readers were very helpful: I have a large screen and surround and the review was dead on - the scenes of Alaska are awesome and the Johnny Reznik is talented enough to pull off their best tunes from their latest project acoustically. Don't expect a typical concert - basically the Goo's and a guitar... much time is spent showing them touring Alaska - but if you are a fan it makes you feel like your hanging out with the boys. Only reason it didn't get 5 stars? Surprisingly, they don't perform "Iris" or "Name" - songs which would seem to be easier to pull off acoustically and are their best sellers. If you are a fan, enjoy cool scenery, and can live with only 7 songs (mostly from "Gutter Flower"), it's worth having in the collection.

This is by far the best DVD ever made. The Goo's did such an excellent job playing their songs. They are superior musicians and have tons of talent. You can tell that they had so much fun being there and they were so themselves. The scenery of Alaska was absolutely breathtaking and unbelievable. So unreal. I highly recommend this to any Goo Goo Dolls fan out there. You will not be disappointed. John, Robby, and Mike, you guys are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!