They Love it! They really love it!

The press preview happpened on Monday night and some analysis has popped up from some well known film columnists and critics. Jefferey Wells has an extensisve analysis of why DREAMGIRLS will be up against Flags of Our Fathers during Oscar 2007. Here are some highlights from the analysis: "But I'm all but convinced it's going to come down to a Flags vs. Dreamgirls thing -- a mano e mano on Melrose Ave. I'm saying this because of fresh perceptions of extremely strong emotional currents in both. And because, as one strategist notes, "there's such a shallow pool of obvious [Best Picture] contenders from our current vantage point of mid-August." "And having seen portions of Bill Condon's knockout Dreamgirls again last night I'm dead certain it's a Best Picture lock. Four scenes were shown, and each was emotional, exuberant, tight as a drum, perfectly staged and performed, and edited with the skill of a diamond-cutter." Tom O'Neil of The Golden Derby wrote this in the Wired section of Wells column. "For Hudson's performing of "the most anticipated scene in one of the most eagerly awaited movies of the year, director Bill Condon fretted so much over shooting it that he saved it up for last and shut down the set so no one could spy on the scene," O'Neill writes. "All early buzz indicates that Dreamgirls is about to transform Hudson into a superstar," he adds. "[And] she's already the frontrunner for the Supporting Actress Oscar." O'Neill is correct about this -- Hudson is the one to beat right now. I saw the Dreamgirls scenes Monday night at the Pacific Design Center and listened to Hudson belt out three tunes like a champ. She's got the hot role in Dreamgirls -- the one with the most soul and punch and heartache. I didn't think I'd be saying this, but the great Meryl Streep needs to put herself into the Best Actress category after all for her Devil Wears Prada performance. If she goes for Best Supporting Actress she'll almost certainly lose to Hudson." To read the full Jeffery Wells analysis click here and to read O'Neil's click here. Source: The Golden Derby and Hollywood Elsewhere.