I believe dreams are just our unconscious trying to let us know what it is we really should learn/need to know. Often, we don't have the psychological wherewithal to "listen" yet and get what the dream is trying to tell us but then something will happen in our real life, therapy or an unexpected "ally" and things will change/get resolved.

I had experiences similar to egoalien where therapy changed the types and number of dreams I recalled dramatically. If you are "open" to working with your dreams, they're more "useful" to one I think. Otherwise, they're stuck running the same script/recurring theme until you do pay attention.