West Side Story

A better version of the love story in the movie is in Romeo and Juliet. A better version of the other things are in In the Heights.

The best remake I have seen in a while.

Steven Spielberg provides a reinvigorated interpretation of the material. Some scenes are truly marvelous. The chemistry between the leads - Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler - doesn't match the film's artistry, but this is a wonderful addition to the Spielberg canon of films he's directed.

This movie is a must watch for anyone who loves musicals and wants to experience a classic tale with a fresh perspective. The film is a perfect blend of romance, drama, and music, and I highly recommend it to everyone. It is similar to the older film with a modern touch.

Why West Side Story (2021) exceeded the high expectations that West Side Story (1961) set. I viewed the movie West Side Story on Disney Plus which was released on Disney plus on March 2nd, 2022 which is relatively recent. The film is about two gangs named the Jets and the Sharks and their rivalry over their turf which is getting demolished soon. There is a clear racial bias among the cops against the Sharks as they are Puerto Rican and the Jets are a white gang. The viewer is then introduced to the character Maria who is the second protagonist in the film and it is revealed that she recently came from puerto rico for an arranged marriage with Cino however she is not in love with Chino and does not want to get married to him. At the rumble, they plan on having it turned into a disaster as it leaves with Riff and Bernardo dead. As, Tony Marias' love interest just killed her brother Tony as revenge for stealing his love supposed wife and for killing one of his best friends Chino shoots Tony in cold blood but, in an unexpected turn of events this ends the feud that the Sharks and Jets had as they realized that everything has gone incredibly out of hand. The acting was not terrific however it was made up by the outstanding singing as every character seemed to have a part in the singing and I was completely blown away by how talented almost every single character was. Some parts that stood out to me was Maria sung by Tony(Ansel Egort) who has appeared in multiple films but not many musicals as he was in Fault in our Stars, Divergent as well as Baby Driver. This stood out to me as he did a fantastic job with the singing but also the setting that it took place in really fit the type of song Maria was. Another song that stood out to me was America sung by multiple people but the two notable ones are Ariana DeBose who has appeared in a major musical which is Hamilton and David Alvarez who has been in many musicals on Broadway. This song stuck out to me as it was not just one or two people singing but it was many and they blended perfectly. As well as the scene and the lyrics as the women were saying how much they love America as the men were saying the opposite of what they were saying and trying to shut down what they liked such as "Life is all right in America. If you're all-white in America.". The women are saying that life is all right but the men retort this by saying if you're white. These are just two of the songs that stuck out to me but every single song has something special about it. The director of West Side Story was Steven Spielberg who has directed numerous films that are famous worldwide such as Jaws and Jurassic Park however these movies are not related to West Side Story at all however that does not mean he did a bad job. I think he did a fantastic job with the narrative of the film as well as staging it perfectly. I think some of the scenes he did an outstanding job on was the beginning of the film as it perfectly encapsulates the setting of the film as well as shows how it was not a wealthy neighborhood at all. Another scene I think he did exceptionally well on was the dance room scene as it showed how although they were "getting along" with each other they still hated each other guts completely. I think he also did a great job on how he cut to another scene such as in Song America when the girls are hitting Bernardo with pieces of fabric then it cuts to a dress. I also believe that the set did a wonderful job in taking place in New York City in the late 1950's as it feels like it was filmed there and not in its current place in NYC. The two others on the production team that was not Spielberg were Kristie Macosko Krieger who also produced Ready Player One which Spielberg also directed. Kevin McCollum was the other producer who focused on producing musicals that could explain how West Side Story was produced so beautifully he has produced many musicals including Rent, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, and Something Rotten! Overall the production team and the director did a wonderful job with the film and hopefully, they work together again to do a remake of a musical film again. The film West Side Story is one of my favorite films ever since watching as everything blended beautifully together and it was the perfect length as it was not too long nor too short. As well, as being easily digestible and there were no plot holes and everything made complete sense and there were no random scenes that were irrelevant to the film. Overall the film exceeded the expectations that its predecessor set before it and I hope that in a couple of decades, they remake this movie again.

Honestly, I had high hopes for the highly anticipated remake of "West Side Story," but unfortunately, this new adaptation fell flat on its face. Director Steven Spielberg's attempt to recreate the magic of the original 1961 film was a dismal failure, resulting in a lackluster and uninspiring cinematic experience. One of the biggest issues with this rendition is the casting. The actors lacked the charisma and chemistry necessary to bring the vibrant characters of the original story to life. Their performances felt wooden and forced, leaving me disconnected from the emotional depth that "West Side Story" should evoke. The leads failed to capture the passionate essence of Tony and Maria, delivering forgettable performances that lacked any genuine spark. Furthermore, the updated screenplay and dialogue felt awkward and contrived. The attempts to modernize the story and make it relevant for a contemporary audience came across as forced and inorganic. The witty and poignant exchanges from the original were replaced with clunky and unimaginative lines, robbing the film of its charm and authenticity. Another disappointment was the choreography and musical numbers. The dance sequences, which should have been the film's highlights, were lackluster and uninspired. The energy and precision that made the original dance sequences so captivating were sorely absent, leaving me underwhelmed and disengaged. The musical numbers themselves lacked the passion and emotional resonance that should have been the heart of the film. The new renditions of beloved songs felt flat and unmemorable, failing to capture the essence of the music that made the original such a triumph.

This movie is one of my favorites of all time! It’s really hard to make a remake of such a good musical, but Steven Spielberg can do anything! The casting is literally perfect. It made me cry so many times. I love it!

When you're singing the songs for a week after watching a musical, you know it was good. The one issue was the whole "transgender" character that added no value to the story. It was just Hollywood trying to be "inclusive".

It was like watching and old musical but new if that makes sense! Haha it looked incredible! What talented people xx

It's not easy to remake a classic, especially one as iconic as West Side Story. Enter Steven Spielberg, Hollywood legend who's no stranger to classic films. His and screenwriter Tony Kushner's take on the beloved stage musical-turned-film more than lives up to the legacy of the original, featuring incredibly-choreographed dance numbers and songs you'll have stuck in your head for days. The central story remains relatively unchanged, other than a few minor differences, yet feels fresh and new. Everyone in the cast is fantastic, with two notable standouts: Ariana DeBose as Anita and Rachel Zegler as Maria, the latter making her film debut. Both women have a lovely singing voice and deliver beautifully emotional performances. The perfectly-crafted sets truly transported me back to 1950's New York City, and the vibrant use of color made the entire film visually stunning. While the original has long since cemented its place in cinema history, I have no doubt that this wonderful re-imagining will become a classic for a new generation.