West Side Story (2021)
★ ★★★ ½
I don't know how he did it, but Steven Spielberg pulled off a remake that is both reverential and original. This version is not a reimagining either. It's West Side Story through and through. The setting, characters and songs are all the same, but framed differently. If you were able to take away the knowledge that sixty years separated the release of this one and the original, it would be a perfect examination of how different directors can showcase a story in two different ways. One is not necessarily better than the other, which shows you the strength of the original Broadway musical.
I was stunned by the cinematography and camera movements of Spielberg's vision. This movie looks modern, yet has a color scheme that is reminiscent of the 60's classic. He is able to showcase old New York in a completely different way and uses the choreography to show off the city just as much as the dancers. He pulls off very strong performances from many new faces. Ariana DeBose is getting a lot of awards love, but I was particularly drawn to Mike Faist's performance as Riff. I wouldn't be surprised to see him win an Oscar in the future. Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler do a good job of epitomizing the tragedy of young love and it's easy to buy into their quick romance.
Even with the original, there is still an element to the story that I don't completely connect to. Despite the performances, I have never gotten emotionally involved despite my awe. I do regret not seeing this in the theater because the movie was breathtaking just sitting in the comfort of my own home. It seems like more people are discovering it now because it is streaming, which is a good thing for the musical genre. We've had a lot of good ones come out lately and for some reason, pop culture has bypassed them. We not only got another great movie musical, but we also got one of Spielberg's best films in a while (if only he would lay off the lens flares).
