Mariah Carey: The Adventures of Mimi

Minimalist outfit of black bra, panties, and high heels notwithstanding, resurrected diva Mariah Carey has precious little stage presence in this October 2006 concert from Anaheim, CA. Although she tosses in a few hand motions and hip gyrations (and has a couple of awkward interactions with the audience), Carey seems somewhat uncomfortable physically, letting the background dancers do the heavy lifting choreography-wise. Not that we see those dancers much, as the camera follows Carey like a precious butterfly (when it isn't bluntly focusing on her bare midriff). What Carey does bring to the table, however, is her record-breaking (and making) five-octave voice, which has made her the top-selling female artist of all time (although, let's be honest, the high end of that famous register has only one real-world counterpart: it's the exaggerated sound of the opera singer on the old Memorex commercial). After her personal and professional meltdown following her starring role in the 2001 bomb Glitter, Carey recaptured the love with her 2005 release The Emancipation of Mimi. Five of the 19 songs here (or 17, since “Can't Let Go” and “Butterfly” are a snippet and a fade out, respectively) hail from that CD (including the hit “We Belong Together”), but what fans will appreciate is the hit parade: “Vision of Love,” “Dream Lover,” “I'll Be There” (with guest star Trey Lorenz), “Honey,” “Make It Happen,” “Hero,” and “One Sweet Day” (with guests Boyz II Men), among others. DVD extras on this double-disc set include a 14-minute behind-the-scenes puff featurette (with more of the same in the half-hour-plus bonus tour documentary), a karaoke option on six songs, and the Spike Lee-directed sketch “Lovers and Haters,” in which Carey confronts a bunch of catty gossips dishing on her. Presented in crystal-clear DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, this concert is being sold “exclusively” by Best Buy, but is also available through many distributors. Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)