Stands as a powerful record of a truly historic event in the annals of rap.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Dec 10, 2004

A concert film that captures last year's Garden party along with well-orchestrated, if not especially revealing, behind-the-scenes footage.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 12, 2004

A spectacular concert documentary that also gives some fascinating insights into the making of 'The Black Album.'

| Nov 5, 2004

Against a vibrant, well-lit backdrop, he performs his biggest hits with an intensity and clarity that should allow even the uninitiated to appreciate the lyrical dexterity which makes him the genre's dean, the first rapper profiled on 60 Minutes.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 5, 2004

Much as with official corporate send-offs, the excitement of this documentary builds steadily for about five minutes and then, before you know it, there's nothing left to see.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 5, 2004

Relentlessly upbeat infomercial.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4 | Nov 5, 2004

Mostly comprises rousing, well-edited concert footage that shows off Jay-Z's talent as a dynamic live performer.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 5, 2004

It will be interesting only to die-hard hip-hop enthusiasts.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Nov 5, 2004

The movie has the good sense to stay focused on the music.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 5, 2004

Though Fade to Black veers into vanity-production territory at such moments, it mostly is a triumph of stagecraft and speaker-blowing freestyling.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 4, 2004

If you knew nothing else about rap, you'd know from watching him in action that the man knows what he's doing. And, when you can hear what his audience is shouting back, you feel the burn of his energy and breadth of his power.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 4, 2004

The rapper Jay-Z performs his own movie-length swan song set to thumping rhythms in Madison Square Garden.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 4, 2004

This is standard concert-film fare geared to the faithful.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Nov 4, 2004

The film doesn't manage to achieve for hip-hop what the great rock concert films of the past have done for their musical genre.

Full Review | Nov 4, 2004

Certainly a boon for Jay-Z fans.

| Original Score: B | Nov 4, 2004

Smartly directed by Pat Paulson and Michael John Warren and nicely lensed, the material sufficiently establishes the rarefied air Jay-Z occupies.

| Nov 4, 2004

Whether a legend was born (or retired) that night at the Garden remains to be seen, but even on film, it was one killer show.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 4, 2004

You thought there was Red State America and Blue State America? Welcome to Jay-Z America. It's not your father's crossover rap show.

| Original Score: B+ | Nov 3, 2004

He may have 99 problems, but a glitch ain't one.

| Nov 2, 2004

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 10, 2003