An antidote for millions of fans hankering for a new season of 'Chappelle's Show,' 'Dave Chappelle's Block Party' is also a romping hip-hop/soul concert crowned by a historic reunion performance. In fact, 'Block Party' may very well be the most purely entertaining concert documentary you'll ever see. The premise: In the fall of 2004, Dave Chappelle decides to organize a star-studded but kept-under-lids concert in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. Showers scatter that September afternoon, but who cares when Chappelle is in charge? The man can't seem to do anything without inciting riotous laughs. This inside view of how the concert came together was recorded by French director Michel Gondry ('Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'). He alternates scenes from the actual stage show, featuring Kanye West, Common, The Roots, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and others, with hilarious footage of Chappelle planning the festivities. When Chappelle returns to his hometown, Dayton, Ohio, to recruit locals for a bus trip to New York, he comes off like some foul-mouthed Willy Wonka, waving golden tickets, and even securing the services of an entire university marching band. As Chappelle's fantasy show unfolds and he entertains an enlivened crowd of, as Dave would put it, 5,000 black people, 19 white people peppered in... and possibly a Mexican, the results are delightful. And then just when it can't get any better, The Fugees appear and reunite right before our very eyes.

Inside the DVD Considering the film itself is already a backstage look, we can't really expect the extensive behind-the-scenes feature to be that illuminating, and it isn't, outside of a couple memorable moments (like a prep conference call with all of the artists on). Instead check out 'Ohio Players,' fun follow-up interviews with the rural folks who were shuffled off to the Big City for the show.
Unforgettable Scene Though Kanye West's marching band-backed rendition of 'Jesus Walks' is the most electrifying performance in the film, a nice slice of music history completely slays the crowd when The Fugees come together for their first group appearance in eight years. Lauryn Hill shows signs of rustiness (especially when she opts out of Killing Me Softly's' roaring descant), but nevertheless it's a beautiful sight.
Production Note The block party itself began at 2PM on a Saturday afternoon and went well into the evening. The concert location was undisclosed even to those New Yorkers lucky enough to score tickets. Instead they were instructed to meet at a Manhattan station from which they were bussed to the show.
Why You Should See It Dave Chappelle returns in a big way with this blissfully entertaining blend of music, comedy and culture. The film will invigorate fans of his comedy and overjoy those who also favor the soulful, quote-unquote conscious brand of hip-hop embodied by Black Star, The Roots, Common and the like. And besides, as Chappelle said recently on 'Inside the Actor's Studio' – with the drying up of the Comedy Central cash cow, he's now only "kinda rich, bitch!" Sounds like Dave could use your money.