WEEKEND PIC March 2 - 5

A Guide For Your Weekend Viewing

1. DREAMGIRLS (musical with Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy) Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 4): Mesmerising musical about Black singers in the 60s and 70s (like Diana Ross & The Supremes), with powerful performances by Hudson and Beyonce. Watch how Hudson has managed to get the Globe and Oscar for her first movie role.


2. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (biodrama with Will Smith, Thandie Newton and Jaden Smith) Rated: * * * (3 stars): This rags to riches story of multi-millionaire Chris Gardner is a bit cliched and contrived but the heart and scene-stealer is Smith's son Jaden who should make the women reach for their tissues.

3. BABEL (drama with Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Rinko Kikuchi) Rating: * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): Like the Oscar-winning "Crash", here's another social critique on Man's inability to communicate despite technological advances and the Internet. There are four 'stories' here, each connected to a single careless incident in Morocco.

4. ROCKY BALBOA (Boxing sequel with Sly Stalone, Burt Young and Milo Ventimiglia) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Yes the geriatric Rocky goes for another round with a champ half his age and... Do you really need to see yet another underdog-triumph-against-the-odds flick?

5. TURISTAS: HOLIDAY OF HORROR (psychological thriller with Josh Duhamel, Melissa George and Olivia Wilde) Rated: * * (2 stars): American tourists invading Brazil for some sex, sun and fun hit nightmare territory when they are stranded at a beach. Slow-paced and incredulous plotting makes this one a forgettable flick.