Here are some Oscar movies I saw:

(M) Dreamgirls. (Bill Condon, 2006) Grade: B-

Thoughts: Based on the 1981 Broadway musical about three young women Deena Jones (Beyonce Knowles), Effie White (Jennifer Hudson) and Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose) and their rise to fame filled with heartbreak and hardship. Eddie Murphy was great as James “Thunder” Early and I think Keith Robinson and Danny Glover were good. However, the film belonged to Effie White played by the awesome Jennifer Hudson. She can really sing and the many awards she has been receiving shows she can act as well. I’m just glad Beyonce is getting pushing into the background. Be warned if you like musicals this movie is for you, otherwise I would avoid it because there is a lot of singing. Trivia – Jennifer Hudson had to beat out 782 actresses for her role as Effie, including Fantasia Barrino from America Idol fame.

(M) Children of Men. (Alfonso Cuaron, 2006) Grade: A

Thoughts: The tagline for the movie is “No children. No future. No hope.” And it is quite fitting. In 2027, Theo Faron (Clive Owen) is living in London where the world’s youngest kid is 18 years old and women are not capable of having children. I loved the bleak, depressing, darkness of the film’s topic; a world where there are no more children hence no future for mankind. In addition, I enjoyed the violent and fast pace of the movie, along with strong acting by Clive Own, Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor and the awesome Michael Caine. As much as I am not the biggest fan of children, it would be naïve to think human’s one way of continuing survival was not the most important gift we ever got.

(M) Notes on a Scandal. (Richard Eyre, 2006) Grade: C+

Thoughts: Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) is a new high school teacher whom begins an affair with a student. Her one confidant is fellow teacher Barbara Covett (Judi Dench). Judi Dench was excellent in this movie as a crazy old cat lady but I think they could have casted pretty much anyone to play Cate’s role. It was neat to see Bill Nighy in the film. The only downside was I wish they went into a bit more background about Barbara’s character to understand what drove her to become what she was.

Movie count: 3