The latest releases reviewed

DREAMGIRLS ****

Directed by Bill Condon. Starring Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson 12 cert

Condon's stylish screen treatment of the Broadway musical is infused with a passion for the genre as it charts the ups and downs of two women singers in a 1960s Motown trio modelled on The Supremes. Foxx strikes an edgy presence as their manipulative manager, and newcomer Hudson pours her heart and soul into a powerhouse, Oscar-winning performance.

CHARLOTTE'S WEB ****

Directed by Gary Winick. Starring Dakota Fanning, Beau Bridges, voices of Julia Roberts, Dominic Scott Kay, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Kathy Bates, Robert Redford, Cedric the Entertainer, Sam Shepard (narrator) Gen cert

Charlotte is a spider (voiced by Roberts) who conspires with a farm girl (Fanning) to save a cute piglet from going on the menu for Christmas dinner. Seamlessly blending live action with computer animation, this thoroughly appealing film taps into the emotional heart of EB White's novel.