Dreamgirls is the first movie on this list to bring up a problem I found myself having throughout the year as I was trying to rate all these movies. I am generally of the school of thought that if I liked a movie, it's good, I try not to get myself bogged down in details like, say, craft. And that works both ways; if I am bored by a movies it doesn't matter how masterfully it's directed or whatever: it's bad. I enjoyed Dreamgirls a good deal; I love musicals and it had a few really good songs and the movie was very visually interesting, it was fast paced and the story was satisfying throughout. I have, in fact, watched Dreamgirls (or parts of it) on TV several times. BUT...I can't bring myself to say it was good. There's too much about this movie that really bothers me; mainly that the majority of the songs are really corny, even for Broadway, the character development generally falls short and Jennifer Hudson is good but not as good as she might be. Also, I was really bothered by some of the shots in the big climax scene where J.Hud sings her big song; it looks really cheap sometimes, and I guess I can appreciate that you're trying to show that she's just letting it all hang out here, but the angles used are beyond unflattering to her. It's just not a three star movie. I am maybe also still kind of bitter that the director's Chicago won the Oscar for Best Picture because that movie really really stunk. So, two stars.
mel
