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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 15, 2021 20:13:21 GMT
My god what about absolutely stunning job Spielberg has done with that. I loved everything about it. At the end as the credits started my friend asked what I thought and I actually had a little sob. When a director can do that with a story you not only already know but have seen multiple times then that’s bloody special. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 15, 2021 20:19:32 GMT
Anybody wanting to see this on a decent screen has until tomorrow. From Wednesday, the new Spiderman/Marvel film is taking over in 80% of the slots and all the big auditoria. So no chance to build word-of-mouth. Was planning on seeing it at the IMAX today but went in to book this afternoon and all the imax showings had been pulled, presumably in favour of Spiderman or The Matrix. I mean I can’t blame Vue cinemas for doing that, there were only about 12 in the cinema we did see it in so why would they take up a premium screen for something that doesn’t appear to have any demand. It’s a shame though. |
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Post by showoff on Dec 15, 2021 23:08:02 GMT
I can't make it this week, and to my surprise and disappointment it's not being shown in my local cinemas beyond Thursday 16th. Really? That's a huge disappointment! I just read an article which said they were hoping to get more of an audience over the Christmas holidays, obviously not over here in the UK. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2021 23:55:10 GMT
the fact you've just used the term "Latinx" tells me all I need to know, thanks. Say no more Latinx is the word that people of that descent, the West Side Story Sharks cast included, use. Do pray tell on what basis you think that using a word chosen by the community in question is wrong? The intolerance in your last couple of posts is astounding. Depends on who you speak to, apparently. Among young people it seems to have its fans - possibly the group represented in the film? - but among the wider community not so much. To the extent that 40% of the people it claims to describe find it offensive (mainly, it seems, due to the fact it’s rooted in English/American language and makes no sense in Spanish, which has other possibilities than ‘x’ for gender neutral expression). A Latin-American civil rights group has apparently stopped using it in its comms, as it’s so unpopular: www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/many-latinos-say-latinx-offends-or-bothers-them-here-s-ncna1285916Eye-opening stuff in that article on the importance of language and identity. Sadly I have zero desire to see the film - like a lot of people, judging by the cinema takings - but glad I’ve learned something at least! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2021 1:06:52 GMT
Stolen from Twitter (@ofalafel) : I met my girlfriend at a West Side Story fight re-enactment society - we just clicked
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Post by mkb on Dec 16, 2021 1:35:34 GMT
Anybody wanting to see this on a decent screen has until tomorrow. From Wednesday, the new Spiderman/Marvel film is taking over in 80% of the slots and all the big auditoria. So no chance to build word-of-mouth. Was planning on seeing it at the IMAX today but went in to book this afternoon and all the imax showings had been pulled, presumably in favour of Spiderman or The Matrix. I mean I can’t blame Vue cinemas for doing that, there were only about 12 in the cinema we did see it in so why would they take up a premium screen for something that doesn’t appear to have any demand. It’s a shame though. Having just seen the new Spiderman, I think it's an even greater shame that a five-star masterpiece is being displaced by two-star rubbish. I dropped off twice during the action scenes I was so bored. |
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Post by craig on Dec 16, 2021 6:15:51 GMT
WOW WOW WOW.
This was incredible. I'm in San Francisco at the moment and saw it on a suitably huge IMAX screen and thought it was spectacular. This has to be one of the greatest movie musicals of all time. Better than the original for me, without doubt.
The cinematography was probably the real star but I loved all of the cast, including Elgort who I found extremely charismatic. I also really liked his voice, particularly in comparison to the named actors we often have to endure singing in movie musicals. Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose and Rita Moreno all put in indecently good performances. Ariana, in particular, deserves an Oscar for this. One of the very rare true triple threats of our age.
I also adored the choreography, particularly the stuff involving the gangs which felt dangerous and masculine, and all of Ariana DeBose's dancing. "America" and "Somewhere" were my musical highlights.
This has never troubled my list of favourite musicals before but it's right up there now. The score sounds utterly gorgeous here too. What a send-off for Mr Sondheim.
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Post by danb on Dec 16, 2021 6:26:40 GMT
Was planning on seeing it at the IMAX today but went in to book this afternoon and all the imax showings had been pulled, presumably in favour of Spiderman or The Matrix. I mean I can’t blame Vue cinemas for doing that, there were only about 12 in the cinema we did see it in so why would they take up a premium screen for something that doesn’t appear to have any demand. It’s a shame though. Having just seen the new Spiderman, I think it's an even greater shame that a five-star masterpiece is being displaced by two-star rubbish. I dropped off twice during the action scenes I was so bored. Not just me then; I was sat in a cinema full of mostly teen and early 20’s lads whooping and hollering every time a predictable Spidey moment was revisited, whereas two days earlier I’d been sat in the same screen watching in wonder at real movie magic. |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 16, 2021 14:50:12 GMT
Add me to the list of loving this new film. So many great touches such as the language, the development of the Lincoln centre, Cuban band and the department store.
I spent most of the film comparing it to the original so I need to watch it again!
The soundtrack is great. It's knocked ABBA off the topslot!
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Post by ShoreditchTom on Dec 16, 2021 15:14:48 GMT
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Post by craig on Dec 16, 2021 16:23:23 GMT
I don't agree with the absolute fatalism in that article. The Bond film just recently was a huge smash with older audiences. I do agree that when you stop making films for adults you can't just expect them to show up on demand though. I don't think my parents have been to the cinema in years. I've barely been myself since I moved out of London as the listing are so uninspiring. Either way, I'm sad this isn't a bigger box office hit, but there's no denying it's absolutely incredible and it will find its audience, whether in the cinema or later in its life. |
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Post by orchidman on Dec 16, 2021 16:36:38 GMT
Except West Side Story is a long way from being a highbrow adult film! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2021 17:49:22 GMT
Except West Side Story is a long way from being a highbrow adult film! It isn't a brain-numbing superhero film either though. |
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Post by scarpia on Jan 1, 2022 22:16:45 GMT
This was very enjoyable. I was hesitant about a reimagined WSS but this was done pretty perfectly. The only disagreement I have with some other posters here is that I felt like Ansel Elgort was horrible casting. He dims every scene he’s in imo. Both vocally and comparative innate charisma, Rachel Zegler completely blew him away in every scene they shared. They needed to find someone who could match her better in order for me to truly buy into the fact that Maria would do so much to be with Tony. That’s my 2 cents at least. I completely agree with this (sorry for dragging up an old thread; I'd deliberately delayed seeing the film until this week). I wanted to like the film more than I did (which is not to say I didn't like it - I did - but I was probably unfairly burdening it with the responsibility of being a definitive version, and this wasn't it for me). The direction was superb, the cinematography dazzling, the use of colours incredible. Rachel Zegler was superb and flawless (I think I could watch her perform all day) and is destined for great things, and I loved Ariana DeBose as Anita and Mike Faist as Riff. But Ansel Elgort...no. Two whole iconic songs of Tony's ('Something's Coming' and 'Maria') were duds for me. He was wooden, uncharismatic, and didn't sing well either. And while many (most?) will not care, the change in the keys for him affected my appreciation of those songs. He did get better towards the end of the film, but I wonder if that's because I wasn't having to hear him sing. Had they cast a better Tony, I do think this would have given the film a huge lift (both artistically and at the box office). I also think it was a mistake giving 'Somewhere' to Valentina...I prefer the number as a duet and it took the edge off Maria's reprise of it at the end, since it wasn't really 'their' song to begin with. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2022 9:21:32 GMT
I also think it was a mistake giving 'Somewhere' to Valentina...I prefer the number as a duet and it took the edge off Maria's reprise of it at the end, since it wasn't really 'their' song to begin with. Maria sings Tonight in the reprise at the end in this version, not Somewhere. |
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Post by karloscar on Jan 2, 2022 10:05:59 GMT
Somewhere wasn't written as a song for Tony and Maria to sing, they danced while a single voice from offstage sang it, and Jerome Robbins had to be heavily persuaded to have any singing at all. It's perfectly fine for Valentina to sing it in this version of the film, as it reflects her story as well as Tony and Maria's, and it widens its scope from a love duet (they have two already) to a universal anthem. It works perfectly that way.
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Post by scarpia on Jan 2, 2022 11:29:31 GMT
I also think it was a mistake giving 'Somewhere' to Valentina...I prefer the number as a duet and it took the edge off Maria's reprise of it at the end, since it wasn't really 'their' song to begin with. Maria sings Tonight in the reprise at the end in this version, not Somewhere. When Tony's dying? I thought she sang 'Somewhere'. You're right! I have no idea why I even had this idea in my head when I wrote that. Literally none at all. I'm going to have to blame the wine that went straight to my head. No tolerance these days. Very good point/riposte - and it makes me feel better about that moment of the film (which still worked for me anyway as I admittedly shed a tear). |
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Post by Oliver on Jan 3, 2022 15:33:02 GMT
This was very enjoyable. I was hesitant about a reimagined WSS but this was done pretty perfectly. The only disagreement I have with some other posters here is that I felt like Ansel Elgort was horrible casting. He dims every scene he’s in imo. Both vocally and comparative innate charisma, Rachel Zegler completely blew him away in every scene they shared. They needed to find someone who could match her better in order for me to truly buy into the fact that Maria would do so much to be with Tony. That’s my 2 cents at least. I completely agree with this (sorry for dragging up an old thread; I'd deliberately delayed seeing the film until this week). I wanted to like the film more than I did (which is not to say I didn't like it - I did - but I was probably unfairly burdening it with the responsibility of being a definitive version, and this wasn't it for me). The direction was superb, the cinematography dazzling, the use of colours incredible. Rachel Zegler was superb and flawless (I think I could watch her perform all day) and is destined for great things, and I loved Ariana DeBose as Anita and Mike Faist as Riff. But Ansel Elgort...no. Two whole iconic songs of Tony's ('Something's Coming' and 'Maria') were duds for me. He was wooden, uncharismatic, and didn't sing well either. And while many (most?) will not care, the change in the keys for him affected my appreciation of those songs. He did get better towards the end of the film, but I wonder if that's because I wasn't having to hear him sing. Had they cast a better Tony, I do think this would have given the film a huge lift (both artistically and at the box office). I also think it was a mistake giving 'Somewhere' to Valentina...I prefer the number as a duet and it took the edge off Maria's reprise of it at the end, since it wasn't really 'their' song to begin with. I agree. However, you've tagged on the horrendous decision of giving "Somewhere" to Valentina almost as an afterthought in your review, when this ruined the entire movie for me. It's essential that "Romeo" and "Juliet" have that song as a duet. Absolutely. Overall, the original movie had more heart and the relationship was handled more sensitively. Spielberg is brilliant when it comes to production and film technique but useless at anything that calls for subtlety and human emotion. The definitive version would be somewhere in between the two movies. |
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Post by karloscar on Jan 3, 2022 16:08:09 GMT
I completely agree with this (sorry for dragging up an old thread; I'd deliberately delayed seeing the film until this week). I wanted to like the film more than I did (which is not to say I didn't like it - I did - but I was probably unfairly burdening it with the responsibility of being a definitive version, and this wasn't it for me). The direction was superb, the cinematography dazzling, the use of colours incredible. Rachel Zegler was superb and flawless (I think I could watch her perform all day) and is destined for great things, and I loved Ariana DeBose as Anita and Mike Faist as Riff. But Ansel Elgort...no. Two whole iconic songs of Tony's ('Something's Coming' and 'Maria') were duds for me. He was wooden, uncharismatic, and didn't sing well either. And while many (most?) will not care, the change in the keys for him affected my appreciation of those songs. He did get better towards the end of the film, but I wonder if that's because I wasn't having to hear him sing. Had they cast a better Tony, I do think this would have given the film a huge lift (both artistically and at the box office). I also think it was a mistake giving 'Somewhere' to Valentina...I prefer the number as a duet and it took the edge off Maria's reprise of it at the end, since it wasn't really 'their' song to begin with. I agree. However, you've tagged on the horrendous decision of giving "Somewhere" to Valentina almost as an afterthought in your review, when this ruined the entire movie for me. It's essential that "Romeo" and "Juliet" have that song as a duet. Absolutely. Overall, the original movie had more heart and the relationship was handled more sensitively. Spielberg is brilliant when it comes to production and film technique but useless at anything that calls for subtlety and human emotion. The definitive version would be somewhere in between the two movies. Not essential at all that Tony and Maria sing Somewhere. It wasn't written that way in the first place, and the show worked perfectly well that way. Get your facts straight. |
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Post by Oliver on Jan 3, 2022 16:10:45 GMT
I agree. However, you've tagged on the horrendous decision of giving "Somewhere" to Valentina almost as an afterthought in your review, when this ruined the entire movie for me. It's essential that "Romeo" and "Juliet" have that song as a duet. Absolutely. Overall, the original movie had more heart and the relationship was handled more sensitively. Spielberg is brilliant when it comes to production and film technique but useless at anything that calls for subtlety and human emotion. The definitive version would be somewhere in between the two movies. Not essential at all that Tony and Maria sing Somewhere. It wasn't written that way in the first place, and the show worked perfectly well that way. Get your facts straight. I have only seen the original movie, not the stage play, so I don't have all the facts at my disposal. How was it originally written then? I would simply argue that if it wasn't originally written for the couple then it should have been. My argument would still stand. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2022 17:34:22 GMT
Not essential at all that Tony and Maria sing Somewhere. It wasn't written that way in the first place, and the show worked perfectly well that way. Get your facts straight. I have only seen the original movie, not the stage play, so I don't have all the facts at my disposal. How was it originally written then? I would simply argue that if it wasn't originally written for the couple then it should have been. My argument would still stand. All the facts are at your disposal both on Google and if you even just read this thread. It was originally sung off-stage by an ensemble member. Rita Moreno singing it works fantastically if you just take a minute to stop and think about the life of her character and the circumstances in which she is singing it. Moreno isn't a strong singer anymore (arguably she never really was) but contextually her character having that number is a stroke of genius. |
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Post by karloscar on Jan 3, 2022 19:20:24 GMT
Not essential at all that Tony and Maria sing Somewhere. It wasn't written that way in the first place, and the show worked perfectly well that way. Get your facts straight. I have only seen the original movie, not the stage play, so I don't have all the facts at my disposal. How was it originally written then? I would simply argue that if it wasn't originally written for the couple then it should have been. My argument would still stand. So you know better than Robbins, Bernstein, Sondheim and Laurents? That's some ego! |
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Post by anthony40 on Jan 3, 2022 19:24:39 GMT
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Post by danb on Jan 3, 2022 19:35:02 GMT
I’m currently flicking through numerous cast recordings trying to find the best ‘One Hand, One Heart’, but they all seem to be as gorgeous as each other. Any opinions?
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Post by Oliver on Jan 4, 2022 0:00:04 GMT
I have only seen the original movie, not the stage play, so I don't have all the facts at my disposal. How was it originally written then? I would simply argue that if it wasn't originally written for the couple then it should have been. My argument would still stand. So you know better than Robbins, Bernstein, Sondheim and Laurents? That's some ego! I don't understand what you mean. Are you suggesting that these guys are simply beyond criticism, that everyone has to agree with every single creative decision they make? Are you saying that everyone must love West Side Story (I do incidentally) or otherwise they have an enormous ego? |
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