Cindy Prascik's Review of West Side Story

 

My dear, neglected reader(s), the weekend just passed saw a major new release in cinemas that was very much of interest to me (The Batman), and a brand new Sebastian Stan movie that I could have screened in the comfort and safety of my own home (Fresh). Instead I elected to watch the remake of West Side Story, which, at the very least, is new to a couple streaming services this week...in other words, no longer a twrnty-dollar rental. Twenty-dollar rentals are the hill on which I've chosen to die.

Spoiler level here will be mild, I suppose, though I can't imagine anyone doesn't know how this plays out by now.

Against a backdrop of racially-motivated gang violence and neighborhood gentrification, a young Puerto Rican girl and a Polish-American boy fall in love.

I am of the...vintage...where everything I've ever loved is being remade into something I don't understand by people younger than I can remember. I try not to be bitter about it and, generally, I don't hate remakes for the sake of it. (Just don't get me started on The Crow.) That being said, I'm a big fan of the original West Side Story, and I wasn't sure how to feel about it being remade. It seems somewhat cemented in its time. I'm happy to report this is neither destruction nor fawning copy of the original. It also isn't some "woke" reimagining. The show's message endures, without this new version feeling the need to beat anyone over the head with it.

WSS-2021 is two and a half hours long, but it doesn't feel bloated or slow. The better and more interesting musical numbers all occur in the first half, and there's nothing for it, but I never was checking the time incessantly or waiting for the movie to end. With one notable exception (more on that later), vocal performances are solid and acting is okay-ish. The dancing is exceptional, with choreography is reminiscent of the original, but somehow busier and, thus - to someone with two left feet, anyway - all the more fascinating. Bonus points for eliminating that chicken-walk thing (which I've always hated) from the mambo!

On the minus side, I don't think Ansel Elgort was hired for his voice. He's not a bad singer, but he's not a particularly good singer, either. The 1961 version used voice doubles for some of the leads, and may have had the right idea. Staging sucks the life right out of some formerly dynamic numbers (notably, America), and many of the exteriors have the same awful green-screen effect that plagued In the Heights. Also, not that it could be helped, but no one in this move is George Chakiris, and that's never less than a shame.

West Side Story runs 156 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some strong violence, strong language, thematic content, suggestive material, and brief smoking."

I definitely don't get the awards love for any of it, but the remake of West Side Story is a decent effort, and if its recognition keeps people making movie musicals, I'm all for it. Of a possible nine Weasleys, West Side Story gets seven.

West Side Story is now streaming on Disney+ and the HBO family of channels.

Fangirl points: Brian d'Arcy James! Corey Stoll!

Oh, and, for the record, I did start Fresh and realized about 30 minutes in that — no matter how much I love Sebastian Stan — I can no longer be a person who watches everything he does. Hard pass.

My 10 Favorite Films of 2021

2021 was another strange and challenging year for the big screen. We saw a slow rollout of film's delayed from 2020 with mixed results.  

Comic book film still rule the box office roost for the most part and helped soften the hit from some big name projects that just couldn't gain any traction.  

Ultimately, I reviewed 76 films this year with some surprises and letdowns along the way.  This top ten reflects my favorite films which may or may not be reflective of my original grade.  

Some of these films stuck in my mind long after I'd seen them while others left an immediate impression.  

So without further adieu, here are my ten favorite films of 2021 in no particular order.  

Saint Maud 

Rose Glass' debut film is an efficient and affecting slow burn of a psychological horror film.  It all hinges on a haunting performance from Morfydd Clark which culminates with a final act that will leave you shaken.

The Night House 

Rebecca Hall is the type of performer that's capable of delivering stellar turns when she's given the right material (See 2016's Christine).  The Night House is a meditation on grief and loss in the guise of a horror film.  Hall elevates the film with her singular turn as the widowed wife.

Nightmare Alley 

Guillermo del Toro's remake of Nightmare Alley is lavish but dense film which is no rush to get anywhere quickly.  Anyone with a short attention span is likely to hate it but those that stick with it will find a beautifully macabre morality tale.  Del Toro's style radiates through each meticulously constructed scene.  Bradley Cooper plays against type with great effect but Cate Blanchett own the back half of the film.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

This film is a prime example of performances being better than the actual film.  Jessica Chastain has gotten a lot of buzz for her turn and it's justified but Andrew Garfield is just as good. They make this paint by the numbers biopic far more watchable than it deserves to be.

Belfast

Kenneth Branagh puts down Poirot's mustache to deliver a personal, moving and heartwarming film.  Regardless of where you grew up there are universal themes that come through the film's narrative making it an uplifting experience.

Last Night in Soho

Edgar Wright's latest film is a dazzling technical marvel especially in its stellar first half.   Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin Mckenzie both deliver engaging performances in this kaleidoscope of a film which takes you on a journey and features the late Diana Rigg's cinematic swan song.

The Tragedy of Macbeth 

Joel Coen's The Tragedy of Macbeth is a striking minimalist adaptation of Shakespeare's legendary play.  The visuals leave a lasting impression with their stark staging which linger in your memory long afterward.  Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand provide one of the best Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in recent memory.  

The Last Duel

Ridley Scott's The Last Duel is a period piece with some heavy subject matter.  Scott delivers a well constructed adult drama utilizing a Rashômon approach to the events in question.  Its a difficult watch in parts but the film is populated with excellent actors (excuse Affleck's boyband hair) delivering engaging performances about a timely subject matter.  

The Suicide Squad

Apologizes to Spider-Man: Far from Home but James Gunn's gonzo The Suicide Squad was far and away the most fun I had with a comic book movie this year.  It's vulgar, over the top but also has enough heart  (and daddy issues) to make you care about the characters.  The set pieces are great fun but nothing tops Harley's compound escape with poetic mayhem.

Cruella

I'd be lying if I said I went into Disney's latest live action redo with any sort of expectation.  Most have been so-so money grabs but at least Cruella had Emma Stone who typically make most things better.  The biggest surprise here wasn't that she was great but that the film itself was worlds better than it deserved to be.  Its an edgy mash up of Tim Burton's sensibility with Lady Gaga's fashion sense, kudos to Disney for letting them make this film.  

Honorable Mentions

Dune 

My main take away from David Lynch's 1984 Dune was a floating fat man.  Needless to say I didn't have any deep affinity or affection for Dune onscreen or as a book.  Denis Villeneuve's new take was visually arresting and engaging even though it hit on plenty of origin story beats.  There's a geeky joy watching a sci-fi story treated with such reverence and care.

Titane

Some films work to subtly unleash hints of insanity before unleashing it full bore onto the audience.  Julia Ducournau's Titane doesn't bother with any pretense and lets its freak flag fly in the first ten minutes of its runtime.  You're either all in or out of business with it midway through the first act.  The story goes is unexpected, bizarre directions occasionally recalling some of Cronenberg's early work.  Regardless of what you think of the film as a whole, you aren't going to forget it for a longtime.  

Lamb 

A24 continue it's string of delivering some of most interesting "horror" films in recent memory.  Lamb doesn't play like a straight up horror film instead it feels more like a long forgotten folktale anchored by a fantastic turn from a fully committed Noomi Rapace.

West Side Story

This remake from Steven Spielberg has no reason being as good as it is.  Spielberg pulls off an impressive bit of cinematic alchemy by making a classic musical fresh with minor tweaks, amazing dance numbers and memorable performances.  Hopefully more audiences will take the time to see this film and truly appreciate what Spielberg pulled off.

Werewolves Within

Who would have thought a good videogame adaptation would have popped up without any fuzz or fanfare.  Loosely based on the game of the same name, Werewolves Within takes 1985's Clue premise and adds in a tad bit more gore and fangs.  Excellent performances from the ensemble is sure to make this a cult classic in the years to come.   

Special Mention 

Zack's Snyder's Justice League 

It's the film that should have come out in 2017 and it only saw the light of day because of dedicated fans.  Snyder's DC opus does everything right that the theatrical cut got wrong.  Snyder's cut is beefy and surprisingly character centric which gives the film heart that was sorely from the theatrical cut which was cobbled together like a cinematic Frankenstein.

MOVIE REVIEW: WEST SIDE STORY

 

Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks -- two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Rita Moreno, Corey Stoll

Release Date: November 19, 2021

Genre: Crime, Drama, Musical, Romance

Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, strong language, thematic content, suggestive material and brief smoking.

Runtime: 2h 36m

Review:

Steven Spielberg's West Side Story isn't really necessary in the grand scheme of things since the 1961 Robert Wise film is considered cinematic royalty.  Perhaps Spielberg is one of the few directors around who could pull off the amazing feat of delivering a vibrant and relevant refresh of this story. The film pulsates with a palatable verve from it's opening frame.  Each shot is meticulously constructed and composed which displays the amount of care that went into this production.  The songs are instantly recognizable but the choreography and costuming are just breathtaking to behold in terms of size and scope.  Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler lead the cast as the star crossed lovers.  Zegler, in her big screen debut, is perfect from the moment she hits the screen with a voice that's sure to leave an impression.  There's an air of authenticity in her performance that bleeds through the screen. Elgort though feels like a weak spot in the cast with his performance and voice coming off flat for large portions of time.  Zegler and Elgort don't share that spark of onscreen chemistry you'd expect from the central couple and in a lesser film it'd probably sink the whole production.  It's a testament to the film that it really doesn't matter in the long run since the supporting cast more than makes up for it.  Mike Faist turn as Riff is a kinetic punch of charismatic juvenile delinquency making him the most interesting person onscreen for a large portion of the film.  David Alvarez is equally strong as Riff's rival Bernardo.  Alvarez reeks of masculinity and machismo which fits perfectly with the character.  Ariana DeBose, who takes on Rita Moreno's role from the original film, manages to leave a huge impression with her energetic and ultimately tragic turn with the centerpiece being her performance of America.  Spielberg's West Side Story is a rare cinematic feat especially for a remake, it's engrossing, uplifting, timely and moving in the best way.

A-