Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Mariah Carey: Adventures of Mimi Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 13, 2008

Crowned “the third bestselling female artist of all time” by the Recording Industry Association of American Mariah Carey can finally be seen and heard on Blu-ray. “Mariah Carey: The Adventures of Mimi” was shot in high definition during the star’s stop in Anaheim, California in 2006 under the supervision of Award Winning producer Ken Ehrlich.

Meant to be a grandiose celebration of her incredible legacy and a loud statement clarifying to her critics that she is still capable of covering the much publicized five octaves Mariah Carey: The Adventures of Mimi is a show you definitely want to see. It is colorful, terrifically produced, and superbly executed in a manner that will undoubtedly please those of Mariah’s fans who could not make it to Anaheim. It is also a bit nostalgic as it brings back memories of a time when the music scene in America had so much more to offer.

Once again together

Mixing old but not forgotten hits with new and exciting material The Adventures of Mimi is the type of show both artists and audiences dream about. It has an incredible energy, a great tracklist, and most importantly a star giving her best. It also appears to be a symbolic reunification between a glorious singer and her dedicated fans.

It is also a bit of a statement which I suppose Mariah is undoubtedly entitled to. After years of misfortune and all sorts of undeserved criticism it is great to see that the New York-native is still very much the sublime singer we remember from the mid-90s. It is not that we forgot about her, but let’s face it, after her highly-publicized divorce with Tommy Mottola her career took a plunge many used as a pretext to channel personal agendas that are better left unaddressed.

The selection of songs here is absolutely fabulous. From Vision of Love (1990), to the spectacular remake of I’ll be There with Trey Lorenz (1992), to Dreamlover (1993), to her unforgettable collaboration with Boyz II Men on One Sweet Day (1995) Mariah truly goes through her entire spectrum of hits and I find it hard to believe that anyone who ever liked her music would not be moved by the terrific performances she delivers.

From a purely technical point of view the show is just as impressive. A colossal stage with a smaller “floater”, placed in the middle of the venue where Mariah heads later on for a great set of some of her funkier songs, allow the audience to experience the star’s still unparalleled voice. Mariah also appears fittingly dressed with all sorts of provocative outfits confirming what by now everyone should know – she is a looker as well.

Furthermore, the production team behind The Adventures of Mimi employs a number of strategically placed cameras that capture not only the star’s movement on the stage but the reactions of the audience as well. There are terrific shots of the crowd singing with Mariah (particularly on One Sweet Day) as well as quick glimpses at individual reactions by those who appear utterly moved by her voice.

Finally, if there is anything that stands out about this show it is the sheer sense of joy and appreciation Mariah and her audience share. I certainly felt a bit sad a few times, specifically during I’ll Be There and Hero, as I just could not stop thinking how incredible the music scene in America was during the late 80s and early 90s. There was so much more enthusiasm to create beautiful music which nowadays simply isn’t here. For better or worse Mariah embodied it and I am rather nostalgic about the days when she was in her prime.

Tracks:

1. It’s like that
2. Heartbreaker
3. Dream Lover
4. My All
5. Shake It Off
6. Vision Of Love
7. Fly Like A Bird
8. I'll Be There
9. Fantasy
10. Don't Forget About Us
11. Always Be My Baby
12. Honey
13. I Wish You Knew
14. Can't Let Go
15. One Sweet Day
16. Hero
17. Make It Happen
18. We Belong Together
19. Butterfly Reprise

Mariah Carey: Adventures of Mimi Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC, and granted a 1080i transfer Mariah Carey: The Adventures of Mimi arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Image Entertainment. The overall quality of this disc is good but not spectacular. The show has been recorded with multiple cameras and I was able to detect a number of inconsistencies with the video treatment. First of all contrast, clarity, and detail are good. The stage decors, lighting, and supporting dancers are all captured rather well allowing one to truly taste the terrific atmosphere. There are a few minor jaggies that you would probably detect when the camera zooms but overall I was pleased with the manner in which everything was transferred to Blu-ray. Second, I was watching closely to see whether or not some of the digital noise I've seen lately on concert BDs (Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid) is an issue for concern here but generally speaking most everything appears to have been handled well. This being said, however, there must have been something wrong with one of the cameras used to record this show as every time there is footage that we get to see from it there is a very strange wave-like effect that pops up. Fortunately enough, this specific camera is used only a couple of times and within a very limited timespan so the annoying effect is easy to ignore. Nevertheless, it is present on the disc and the more sensitive amongst you will definitely notice it. The rest of the presentation is generally fine with all of the basics intact.

Mariah Carey: Adventures of Mimi Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Mariah Carey: The Adventures of MIimi has two audio tracks – English PCM 5.1 and English PCM: Stereo. I opted for the 5.1 mix and had a distinctively pleasurable experience with the show. The producers of this disc have done a very nice job with the audio presentation as it is very well balanced and with a strong use of the surround channels (One Sweet Day where Mariah performs with Blyz II Men is a great example of a terrifically mixed live performance). Furthermore, Mariah's voice comes off the speakers beautifully and there is a terrific range of resonance that you would detect. The blending between the recorded bits (her mix with ODB) and Mariah's live singing once I thought was handled extremely well as it certainly did not feel choppy. Finally, I did not detect any hissings, pop-ups, or cracks either. Optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles are provided for the supplemental materials.

Mariah Carey: Adventures of Mimi Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are a number of interesting extras in this package. On the actual disc with the concert you will find the following supplemental materials: a Jukebox feature where you are given the option of creating your own tracklisting. Next there is a "Behind The Scenes" featurette where Mariah and her supporting team are seen getting ready for the show. The majority of the comments here are rather generic but nevertheless you would get a good feel of what the backstage preparations before the show begins look like. The Adventures of Mimi Tour Documentary is next with plenty of info pertaining to the entire tour. Mariah offers plenty of comments here as to what type of an experience the tour was, what it meant to her career, and how it fares to her past performing history. In my opinion this is the most significant bit on this disc and I strongly recommend that you take a look at it. Lovers and Haters is a funny little spoof where a great deal of the issues Mariah had to deal with in the past are recreated with a good dose of sarcasm. Finally, there is the Karaoke feature where you could effectively mute Mariah's voice and attempt to sing her songs on your own. In addition, this package also offers an interactive disc which you could load on your PC and gain access to free ringtones, exclusive updates on upcoming shows, releases and pretty much everything that has to do with Mariah. Strangely enough I recently loaded up the disc to see what new updates are there and believe it or not some of the ticket offers are still there.

Mariah Carey: Adventures of Mimi Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I suppose it was only a matter of time before one of the all-time bestselling artists is introduced on Blu-ray. Mariah Carey: The Adventures of Mimi is a great show where plenty of the star's older hits are mixed with some of her newest material. The guest appearances by Boyz II Men and Trey Lorenz were a great touch and I personally felt a bit nostalgic about the 90s when Mariah was in her prime, there were plenty of great R&B groups, and rap had not yet eliminated mainstream soul music. The Blu-ray disc is of good but not rock-solid quality. Recommended.