Dreamgirls, 2006

Dreamgirls, 2006
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Daniel Glover, Jennifer Hudson


Stage: Home TV selection, Sunday night


Dreamgirls in short: Detroit, the early 1960s. Curtis Taylor, Jr., a car salesman, breaks into the music business with big dreams. He signs a trio of young women, the Dreamettes, gets them a job backing an R&B performer, James "Thunder" Early, establishes his own record label and starts wheeling and dealing. When Early flames out, Curtis makes the Dreamettes into headliners as the Dreams, but not before demoting their hefty big-voiced lead singer, Effie White, and putting the softer-voiced looker, Deena Jones, in front. Soon after, he fires Effie, sends her into a life of proud poverty, and takes Deena and the Dreams to the top. How long can Curtis stay there, and will Effie ever get her due?


Preps: Hm. Beyonce? Eddie Murphy? The beginning scene draws my attention really fast.


Reality: Two oscars: for sound mixing and Jennifer Hudson. Perfect role for her, I must admit. I am not so convinced about the two main - Beyonce and Eddie aren't that perfect as I have expected.
This is a makeover of a musical and as such, filled with good music. This is the least you expect of one :) Apart from that usually it conveys a dream come true or a dream pursue of someone on chase for music, love or something extremely emotional. This piece pursues a dream of three girls coming to stage night after night without a success until they find a manager that turns them into a product. Takes a step beyond and selects one of the former back singers to sing front voice and chases top lead singer in the back. Thus, the rivalry becomes obvious, envy takes place and confrontations between three friends begin. Jennifer Hudson is brilliant with her interpretations and emotional approach, the director takes her safely home from every scene where she bursts out.
Eddie Murphy is taken in the back, after the three girls drift away from his cover. All in all I don't really appreciate his performance and would love to see him in different roles I am used to. I don't think he pulled all from this one. Undoubtfully the music is good, however, I am annoyed because it's quite obvious that everything is filmed with a matrix or without the real singing. I really despise that at any show., and I am quite sure that a movie can be made with a true genuine feeling and without playback. Here it's pretty obvious.

The story about fame and glory, its ups and downs. Its pluses and minuses. All the way. You will adore the music. And you will be on the watch for Beyonce. A fine dame, indeed. With a superb voice. However, this isn't a musical. Either make a musical or don't. This is a normal movie up to its third. After that, like the director couldn't make up his mind or was just reminded he was doing a remake of a musical. It's not a problem if this is not a musical. So make the normal movie. Just don't pretend you are supposed to make a musical and throw a few scenes just for the sake of genre.
You will adore the feeling of the 60ies and the music that goes with it.

My personal rating: 6,0 (good music, fairly good interaction between the actors. Especially if you are a fan of music, don't miss it. However, it's far beyond what you would expect from a musical).

Dreamgirls on IMDB

The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn, 2011

The Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn, 2011
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner



Stage: Local Colloseum, theatre with a lot of teens at that point. Late Sunday night


The saga in short: The Quileute's close in on expecting parents Edward and Bella, whose unborn child poses a threat to the Wolf Pack and the towns people of Forks.


Preps: As I adore the books, I am one of fans and I need to see it. I love love stories that aren't meant to happen but happen anyway. It's written so well that I need to see the piece.



Reality: wow. I am thrilled to see some genuine romantic shots for a couple that wasn't meant to be but still got to the romantic wedding Edward dreamt of. I love the movie interpretation of some dialogues that I have depicted in my imagination. It is obvious that they followed the scenario (the book) to the smallest details and I am sure that it could have been interpreted differently. Nevertheless, I am grateful it happens in such a mushy way (the way your romantic spirit melts as you watch it). But beware, no place for irony here. I am talking about the mere interpretation of what some authors call everlasting love, love that happens once in life and cannot be broken by eternity.
So, if you consider and accept this, you will love the first half of the movie. The beautiful wedding, a cliche and everything a dream wedding means to a lot of girls. With a perfect honey moon that dawns in a forthcoming birth. Now the dilemma, who is worth more, the newborn that you are not sure whether it's a normal baby or a monster, or the mother. In other words, can a couple decide together what to do (either to lose the child or bear it to its birth), or is it completely up to the mother. And is it egoistic for a mother to insist on having the new life, even though she's clear she's probably not going to survive this? The dilemmas just continue and expand. Can a family influence the decision. Is the newborn something that can separate the poles in one family.. and more important, can a best friend and someone you love, really influence on one's decision? The second half of the movie is the true antipod to the first half, as it brings action, depression, death and birth, decisions that are exceeding one's competencies.. and moreover, it brings also hope. And proves the world's eternal cliche, that still holds in Hollywood movies - hope is all we have and maybe, just maybe everything is going to be allright. As I have read the script, I know what happens, so no drama for me. And a true Hollywood ending. Maybe the author should consider bringing some poison into the development of the story. But.. on the other hand.. this is a world of vampires and werewolves - even miracles are allowed here. A good solid rate from me. Watch it, especially if you liked the previous parts. It's the most romantic and inspiring part of them all.




My personal rate: 8,5 ( I adored it. Could be better in some aspects, but a true version of the book. And a beautiful love story)



The Twilight saga on IMDB