Save your money for something good and enjoyable

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Again, another of Ken Burn's masterpieces well worth watching and learning. In the following, I will be exposing the reader to historical events. If one does not want to learn of them at this time, please do not go any farther.Of all that Theodore managed to accomplish in his seven years as President by: Taking on the monopolies of big business and threatening to use the Army to run them for the sake of maintaining fairness and a continual flow of necessities at a reasonable costSetting aside national parks and preserves at the combined size of Texas, including the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, among othersReaching out to the average man and giving him hopeBuying and building the Panama Canal after taking that region from the Columbians by arming the Panamanians and sending in troopsHis willingness to display courage and aggression against who he perceived as the enemy, i.e. during the taking of Juan hill in Cuba ...and there is so much more for which he deserves praise.But, I cannot get my thoughts around the fact that within the space of eleven months, while hunting big game in Africa -- a pastime I hate so very much -- he sent and carried back home with him over 11,000 pelts of lions, tigers, elephants, rhinos, birds, and every conceivable animal from that continent. I hate him for displaying such evil and wickedness, and wish he had been the one born disabled so as to make him unable to initiate such a horrible holocaust.

This 14 hour mini-series by documentary icon Ken Burns, gives an in- depth look into the lives of this famous family. This documentary can make a person who does not know anything about The Roosevelt Dynasty into an expert in an entertaining and educational way. This film has a fine feel of history supported by a very clear narration. The documentary covers facts that take place between 1858 and 1962. The subjects are mainly Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt and their entire lives from birth to death and everything in between. The Roosevelts: An Intimate History is a wonderful look at the history of one of the greatest American Dynasties. I love the way they make some parts narrated as if a person from that era is talking. The only thing I have a small problem is the length. The entire thing is 14 hours long. This may be a bit challenging if you try to keep attention of younger audience but, if you stay with it, the film teaches you a lot about history. If you have the time, it is a great film to watch and learn from. My favorite scene is when they talk about the birth of Theodore. He is sickly and is not expected to live long. However, he lives a very good and successful life even though every time he sees a doctor they say he has very little time left. He refuses to live with those limitations and to avoid stairs, hard hikes or anything challenging and he lives life to its fullest despite his sickness.This film is very mature and talks about some touchy topics so I would recommend it for ages 12 to18. Younger kids may get confused of some things. I give this film 5 out of 5 stars for fantastic narration, wonderful layout and a fantastic educational background. After all Ken Burns wrote the book on documentaries! If you like learning about history – this is the way to go.Reviewed by KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Gerry O.

I was slightly startled to find that while there were seven episodes, only two covered TR--a man that accomplished more in his lifetime than any other three humans I can think of, including FDR and Eleanor.There are numerous assumptions of espoused political and social attitudes being in fact correct, with lip service given to opposing views. The sections on domestic and social agendas drag on and on, especially in the FDR/Eleanor episodes. To the point where I started losing interest. I saw strong hints of political bias in many sections.All that said, though I've read several biographies of TR and FDR, I learned a great deal new about all three of the major players and the restored photography and video is great. But by devoting only two sections to TR, they glossed over some amazing parts of his story.

Greetings again from the darkness. Ken Burns is renowned for his documentaries - two of my favorites are Baseball (1994) and Jazz (2001). The power he wields is measured by his ability to get 14 hours of documentary not just researched and filmed, but also broadcast via PBS. Think how many Hollywood producers can't get the green light for a 90 minute pet project. Mr. Burns is a national treasure who creates national treasures, and his latest is some of his finest work yet.Focusing on an incredibly prominent American family - one that dominated politics and history for years - the stories are presented in chronological order, interconnecting the biographies of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor with the key events in history that they helped shape. But it's not all politics, as we also learn about the families and the individual make-up (flaws and all) of the 3 principals. We learn of the Republican Roosevelts of Oyster Bay and the Democrats of Hyde Park.Mr. Burns has set the bar very high for his productions, yet somehow we still managed to be struck by the photographs, archival footage and insights of these people and the times. The sheer number of previously unseen photographs and footage is staggering. Add to that the commentary from writers and historians, and it's easy to imagine this being the foundation for a high school or college history course ... one that students would actually enjoy.There are seven parts to the whole, each presented in chronological order: Pt 1 Get Action 1858-1901, Pt 2 In The Arena 1901-1910, Pt 3 The Fire of Life 1910-1919, Pt 4 The Storm 1920-1933, Pt 5 The Rising road 1933-39, Pt 6 The Common Cause 1939-44, Pt 7 A Strong and Active Faith 1944-62. We witness the rise to power and fame for TR, FDR and Eleanor. The deaths of each is also highlighted, as well as their respective impact on politics and history. It's not surprising that some of the character flaws and even questionable political decisions are glossed over, but this is not without it's acknowledgment of such. The insight into the obstacles all 3 Roosevelts overcame is fascinating. We hear recordings of each, and the voice acting fills the gaps - Meryl Streep as Eleanor, Edward Herrmann as FDR, and Paul Giamatti as TR. Peter Coyote does a nice job throughout as the narrator, and numerous other actors are utilized through the production, including the final screen appearance of Eli Wallach. This is an incredible documentary covering some giants of US politics and some of the most historical events ... each with visual and audio depth that makes this an extraordinary viewing opportunity.