Jennifer Hudson on "Movies Rock!"

[cubanpab]

Posted: 12/8/07 at 5:56pm

I dont know if this was posted yet and I'm scared to post the link because i dont want to get yelled at, lol, but Jennifer Hudson performed "Somewhere" from West Side Story on the Movies Rock special last night and it was INCREDIBLE. The power that comes out from her voice at the end of the song when she rips into it amazes me... if you havent seen it the clip is online on that side that everyone says we cant mention...

and i figured this was semi-broadway related...

[Pianist3912]

Posted: 12/8/07 at 6:31pm

I just watched it...and I didn't enjoy it all too much. The music and her singing both were just so...wrong, in my opinion.
ETA: There were some nice moments in her singing, but it just didn't feel right, is what I mean.
Updated On: 12/8/07 at 06:31 PM

[cubanpab]

Posted: 12/8/07 at 7:09pm

really? i thought she was superb. i mean when isnt she really... but her voice is just insane... i loved how the audience jumped to their feet... i hope she has much continued success...

if you watched the rest of the show you'd know why she was the best... everyone else just sucked... carrie underwood sounded sweet tho.

[scott68]

Posted: 12/8/07 at 7:31pm

I enjoyed it, but when you say "her voice is just insane..." well, that's both good and bad. She has a fantastic instrument, but she isn't really interpreting the song. You can see it in her eyes on that last note that she isn't really sure what she's singing about. I love her and think she has great potential and has already done great things, but it would be great for her to really get inside the song in a way I'm not sure she did. Technically, a great performance, though.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 12/8/07 at 7:45pm

I thought she was good, though, sometimes it sounded like she was scream-belting, and that was a little "insane"

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 12/8/07 at 8:34pm

It was enjoyable enough for what it was but sometimes I feel like when you take a song like this and you throw in some classical guitar and a big R&B voice to try to make it sound modern (and therefore, apparently, better) it just ends up looking really cheesy.

It's like, who are you trying to convince about what? The song was good before Jennifer Hudson ever got to it.

On the other hand, it's a 60 year old song and I guess it can't hurt to be reinvented. And she's certainly very talented.

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 12/8/07 at 9:09pm

I loved her and the whole show. But I very much liked Queen Latifah's Big Spender.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/8/07 at 10:05pm

Queen Latifah's "Big Spender" was a train wreck. I had to fast-forward that horror. Word of advice, Latifah -- NO PANT SUITS! EVER!!!

Stand-out of that night: Marc Anthony's "Mrs. Robinson" (from THE GRADUATE) and especially Carrie Underwood's sensational "The Sound of Music" .

Wow!

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 12/8/07 at 10:13pm

Underwood?

I thought she was the most emotionally dead of all the performers. She didn't look like she even wanted to be there until she got applause.

[lusciouslace]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 12:57am

I think Jennifer has an amazing voice and looked beautiful. I did enjoy it, but I'm with some of you. I just kept thinking, "This isn't supposed to be an over-the-top, powerhouse, belt-to-the-point of yelling song." I think sometimes you can be just as powerful by being soft.

As for the rest of the show...it was all pretty boring, which is sad. All these songs had the potential to be very exciting. I expected more of all of the performers. Chris Brown has been giving great performances lately on awards shows, etc... I liked it, but didn't think it was anything really special. Sad that Queen Latifah's wasn't more exciting. And the pant suit?? Really...no.

I had heard about Fergie and the aerial stunts and I did think they were pretty cool, but it still was just okay.

Did enjoy Usher though...

Overall I thought the whole show was disappointing. Even the people reading the prompter were a little off.

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 2:43am

Usher was the only performance I really enjoyed. Then again, I can't bare it when someone, even if they're voice is as good as Jennifer Hudson, just stands there and sings the song or riffs as if that makes it better. I'm not asking for musical theater here, just a little knowledge of the words rather than merely reciting them to the melody.

[DAME]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 3:41am

Jennifer was wonderful. She was the highlight of the evening. Ushers number was boring and pointless. And he comes of so nelly.

[RetroBoy]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 10:43am

You can see it in her eyes on that last note that she isn't really sure what she's singing about.

I completely disagree. "Somewhere" is a very self-explanatory song. The meaning of the song is right their spelled out in it's lyrics. There is no hidden meaning in the song. I'm sure Jennifer had heard and/or seen WEST SIDE STORY in her lifetime and knew very well what she was singing up on the stage. She did a marvelous job with the song. She is an amazing talent and no one can take that away from her. She's proven herself and I cannot wait for her new CD to drop.

She got a very well deserved standing ovation.

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 12:20pm

Jennifer Hudson, in my opinion, was the highlight of the evening. She had the best vocals of any of those singers on that stage. Underwood? Please, she was off key too frequently and had no life in her eyes. Beyonce RUINED one of the greatest songs to ever be written.

I'm actually lost when it comes to the point of the evening. I thought the point was to celebrate great songs from film. However, if their idea of "celebrating" a song is to change them to the point of making them almost unrecognizable, then, I just don't get it. Running vocals and r&b groove does not always a better song make. LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!

-Vincent

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 1:52pm

She was defeated by that horrible arrangement.

But, really, how can you top spinning cirque de Fergue.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 2:20pm

Any links to this?

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 2:23pm

I thought the whole show was off and didn't need the "updating". Jennifer was the only part of the show I enjoyed, but also thought she took it to far.

[lusciouslace]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 3:51pm

How does Usher come off as Nelly?? I don't follow that logic at all. Unless I'm thinking of the wrong Nelly. Nelly the rapper is just that...a rapper. How does Usher come off that way, especially when he's covering a Gene Kelly song?

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 3:59pm

See I thought Jennifer was boring...lovely voice but fairly blank slate face. I'd rather just listen to her in that case. I enjoyed Usher because he actually had facial expressions, even if his voice isn't thrilling to me.

Updated On: 12/9/07 at 03:59 PM

[dream on]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 5:55pm

I cannot believe Usher destroyed Singin in the Rain. That was a mess. Now I havent bothered to watch anyone else destroy what are legendary performances.

Anyone who knows anything about Dancing would know that this was a very very poor performance. He wasnt even tap dancing and was totally off the beat.
Uggghhhhh.
Updated On: 12/9/07 at 05:55 PM

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 6:54pm

Gene Kelly doesn't actually tap in the actual movie either. the taps were recorded over the dance and don't match to his steps. Usher performed all the original choreography and even tapped lve a bit at the end. He was pretty good.

I thought Usher, Fergie, and Hudson were all admirable but Underwood was lousy. She's not a good singer. She really is a country singer, and that's it.

[dream on]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 9:15pm

Are we watching the same tape? Usher did not do the same choreography - he was way off. I know the taps were put in later but Gene Kelley is doing tap steps - flap ball change etc. Usher isnt even attempting to do flaps.

Do you dance? Ushers dance is not the same and not even on the right beat and some of the choreography is different.

Im confused.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmCpOKtN8ME

You are telling me that Usher looked like this?

No way no how.
Updated On: 12/9/07 at 09:15 PM

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 11:42pm

I'm very surprised at how negative this thread has gotten. Certainly there were some slow moments, the show could have been tightened, some of the new arrangements could have been "toned down", etc. However, I was willing to look past all of that, because it was a very enjoyable show for the most part. I mean, how often does this timeless music get such a huge stage in this day & age? I was tickled that a younger generation had a chance to appreciate the music we love.

You can say what you want about Hudson, but the girl has some PIPES! I thought Usher's performance was fine--he made me want to see that flick again!

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 12/9/07 at 11:51pm

Thank God for DVR. I was able to fast forward right past the awful attempt Usher made at "re-creating" one of the best musical moments EVER.

-Vincent

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 12:23am

Actually Vinny, I thought it was pretty decent...of course it's not the original, but nothing will ever be. I thought it was a nice tribute.