Hey folks, Harry here... wondering if it's still ok to take my hair gel, lipstick and shampoo into my local cinemas. Heh. Here ya go with two more peeks from last night's screening. I've heard from a few people that I know that have seen DREAMGIRLS and apparently it's every bit as good as these reviews are saying... if not better. So here ya go - watch out for spoilers - but if you know the original Broadway - you'll pretty much know most of the spoilers. Here ya go...
Hey there Harry,
I just wanted to give you a shout hello and tell you that I got to go to a test screening for the movie Dreamgirls last night. After waiting in line to get in the theatre they practically frisked me and took my phone for security reasons. It was like I was going through airport security or something. When the guy that introduced the movie said it was going to be Dreamgirls we were seeing lots of people got really excited.
The story is about the struggle and rise to fame of a motown type group. Think the Supremes.
It stars Beyonce, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx. Beyonce is part of an all girl group trying to make it big. Foxx plays kind of a bad guy in this one and hes pretty good at it too. Eddie plays Jimmy, a wild James Brown type guy.
The movie starts out with lots of energy. Theres a cool opening sequence at a talent show that Beyonce's group The Dreams is performing in. All the talent acts really set the mood for the time period of the movie and sets up the Dreams rise to success. By the end of the talent show I was tapping my feet and along for the musical ride. I know, I'm a push over. But it worked its magic on me.
The movie then follows the Dreams who join Eddie's character as his back up singers. Eddie falls in love with Lorell the really funny girl in group while Beyonce's character begins to replace the heavy lead singer Effie in the group. Effie is the best singer in the group but she is too stubborn and mean and they want her out. Thats when the 3 girls begin to fall apart and they even have an incredible verbal cat fight that they all sing. Loved that.
All the actors do really great jobs. The drama in the movie is sometimes serious and sad but the movie is also very funny too. I have to say one of my favorite things about this movie is Eddie Murphy. The part is something hes never done before. This is NOT Daddy Day Care or Haunted Mansion. Eddie Murphy can act and he can fucking sing! Murphy is a great talent and the character he plays allows him to show off his true abilities. Academy award?? Hope so. My only real gripe is Eddie disappears for a while in the middle of the movie. Not sure why. Where is he? Whats that about? One other thing was the AC wasnt on or something so it got a little warm in the movie.
I really thought the movie was great. So did the audience. They were clapping after the songs and some even stood up clapping and whistling after a few. It was fun being with an audience that was so into the movie. I hope the film doesnt change much from what I saw. The cinematography was amazing looking. The songs and dancing stuff were really great! They had us fill out a sheet of questions asking what we liked. It was cool to be at a test screening and to see a movie a long time before it comes out. I left and still had alot of the songs bouncing around in my head when I got home.
I really dont like reading spoilers on your site so I wont give away too much of this movie. Its better to just to experience it (like I did) when it comes out and enjoy the performances and music for yourself. I bet you will be singing at least one song when you leave the movie.
If you guys post this please call me 'RiverRuler '
Well - I don't know about you - but I'm now very very jazzed to see this film!
Hey Harry.
Malbert P. Red here. I got to see a screening last night of what I suspect will be one of the bigger titles this Christmas. It was DREAMGIRLS with Jamie Foxx and Beyonce.
Now my reactions to the recent wave of musicals have run the gamut from loved it (CHICAGO) to please kill me (PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, RENT), so I went into this one with no idea what was in store for me. And it didn't help that I was seeing it in a theater with crappy air conditioning. But I'm happy to report that DREAMGIRLS falls into the pretty damn great category and I immediately forgot about how hot it was.
The movie starts off right in the middle of a kick-ass Detroit talent show and doesn't let up for over an hour. No character intro scenes or any establishing stuff. It just gets moving and pulls you along for the ride. I liked that same trick in MIAMI VICE.
Basically, the story follows the ups and downs of a Motown girl group as they rise to fame. I don't know how accurate it is, but it's supposed to be the story of Diana Ross and The Supremes. So there's lots of cool music inspired by the sixties and seventies. Keep your eyes open for a cameo by a young Michael Jackson type (pre-plastic surgery).
The performances, I have to say, were pretty great. Beyonce delivers in a way I didn't expect. Jamie is Jamie, always interesting. Eddie is fantastic as this James Brown type singer that the girls go on the road with. He's so good in this, I almost forgot about HAUNTED MANSION. And I loved Danny Glover as Eddie's over-the-hill manager. The man has still got it. And by "it", I mean soul.
But the big surprise for me was one Miss Jennifer Hudson. You know how every now and again you see some unknown actor or actress in something and they just steal the movie? Well that's what I saw last night. She seemed born for this part. I still refuse to watch AMERICAN IDOL though.
The cinematography and production design were gorgeous, but not in a way that distracts you from the story. The direction is invisible. The editing is energetic and tight and the film manges to tell a big story in only two hours, a feat too many directors seem incapable of these days.
As far as the cons go, I wish the movie had more cameos by real-life Motown stars (Stevie Wonder anyone?), simply to root it in and blend it more with reality. As it is, it feels kind of like a Motown alternate universe. And I have to say I would have liked more Eddie Murphy. His part is definitely meaty, but I just wanted more of his story.
So as long as you don't despise all musicals (and I know some of you do), Dreamgirls is definitely worth a look.
Sometimes,
Malbert P. Red
