That is what I am renaming this movie. Dreambores.
I am sadly dissappointed, folks. I seriously thought I would be more impressed. The only award that the academy should have offered this movie was Best Costume Design, or whatever the academy likes to call it. Those girls' costumes were freaking amazing. Wow.
But I am very sorry to say... that this musical was boring. Of the 15 million cazillion songs, I fast forwarded through half of them, because the songs were so dadgum long. And c'mon. If you're going to tell the story of the Supremes and James Brown, and especially if you're going to throw in Jackson 5 look-a-likes, then at least use the real songs! Not some fake crap that sounds like the white man writing it is trying too hard. I know, I know. They probably either couldn't get the rights or it was too expensive or WHATEVER, but seriously. Jersey Boys is doing it on Broadway right now, aren't they? Real songs, real names, all that good stuff? Sherry Baby? Big Girls Don't Cry? Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons?
Yes, Jennifer Hudson was good. She can out sing anyone, and yeah, she knows how to sell a song. But beating out Cate Blanchett for Best Supporting Actress? No. Jennifer sold the same song wrapped in different packages 5 different times. She's mad and she deserves better. We get it. We got it the first time.
Beyonce was actually alot better than I expected. I've seen her in other movies and always thought it was a joke. But I actually liked what she did here, and in some ways, I thought it had more depth than Jennifer's character. And she's just so strikingly beautiful. All those different hair styles and make overs. Very cool.
Now I will say that I think it is extremely hard to make a musical work on film. Musicals are made for the stage. It's almost impossible to make a good movie musical. I think some have pulled it off in the past. Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, and Chicago come to mind. But they all throw you off guard because they have that bust-out-in-song-instead-of-the-spoken-dialogue-you-expected element. It works on stage because...well it's the stage! You've got a freaking orchestra in between the audience and the actors! It just works. But it's hard to do in film. So with that in mind it was well made. It was a good looking film. Lots of glitter. Cool sets.
But unfortunately...boring.
7 comments:
Amen and amen. I don't need to express my feelings because we watched it together. But I will say that I was surprised by Beyonce as well. I tend to think that she was just as good a Jennifer. Did anyone notice that one of the guys in the beginning of the flick was Urkel from Family Matters?
Overall, snore me a river.
Thanks for the review, now I'll know not to rent it!
I actually really liked this movie. I liked it way better than Rent and Chicago, the other musicals I've seen on film lately, but it could be because the story was more interesting.
By the way, although Dreamgirls is meant to be the story of Diana Ross and the Supremes, it doesn't ever come right out and say that like Jersey Boys. And Diana Ross was supposedly not very happy with the play.
But I'm a casual viewer, I haven't studied stage or musicals or anything. I enjoyed the music and was interested in the story, and that was enough for me. I have not seen Notes on a Scandal (is that a good movie? looked a little freaky to me) but Cate had already won her Oscar, so it doesn't bother me at all that Jennifer Hudson has enjoyed so much success for this movie.
Well...kddub, I don't know if you should take my word for it. I know alot of people really liked it.
Take my new blogging friend, Amy, for example. She liked it very much. (Amy, can we still be friends?)
Fancy,
I think I'll have to watch it for myself and decide. It won't be the first time I've stopped after watching the first ten minutes of a movie. (Ex. Farenheit 911-yawn!)
No, I haven't seen Notes on a Scandal, either. I just think Cate Blanchett is one of the best actresses out there right now. One of my favorites. I did see Babel, a really hard movie to watch, but very good, and I loved her performance in that.
Of course we can still be friends! :)
I haven't seen Babel, yet. I can't think of any Cate Blanchett movies that I like apart from LOTR. That, of course, doesn't mean she's not a good actress.
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