West Side Story (remake)

Brian in Mesa

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West Side Story

Release Date: December 10, 2021
Studio: 20th Century Studios
Director: Steven Spielberg
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some strong violence, strong language, thematic content, suggestive material and brief smoking.
Screenwriter: Tony Kushner (screenplay), Arthur Laurents (author)
Genre: Crime | Drama | Musical

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Rita Moreno, Brian d'Arcy James, Corey Stoll, Mike Faist, Josh Andrés Rivera, Iris Menas

Plot Summary: An adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.

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Cheesebeef

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I know a couple people who have seen this that are usually pretty harsh critics and said it was flat out great.
 
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Brian in Mesa

Brian in Mesa

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Stout

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Steven Spielberg Refused to Subtitle Spanish in West Side Story to Not Give 'English the Power'
Thus guaranteeing I won't see it. Look, I need subtitles to understand the ENGLISH in most movies; I'd like the "power" to understand what I'm watching.

I mean, if we're talking a sentence or word here or there, then fine, I get it. But if we're talking scenes, you can shove it up your ass sideways, SS.
 

Chaplin

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Thus guaranteeing I won't see it. Look, I need subtitles to understand the ENGLISH in most movies; I'd like the "power" to understand what I'm watching.

I mean, if we're talking a sentence or word here or there, then fine, I get it. But if we're talking scenes, you can shove it up your ass sideways, SS.
Shouldn’t you see it first?
 

Devilmaycare

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Steven Spielberg Refused to Subtitle Spanish in West Side Story to Not Give 'English the Power'
And then they wonder why it only has a $10m opening weekend. It's pure virtue signaling. Let's not let the majority of the audience understand the entire movie so that we don't offend our "latinx" audience. Forget the fact that almost no one is offended by it and they're more likely to be offended by the term "latinx" than the subtitles.
 

Chaplin

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And then they wonder why it only has a $10m opening weekend. It's pure virtue signaling. Let's not let the majority of the audience understand the entire movie so that we don't offend our "latinx" audience. Forget the fact that almost no one is offended by it and they're more likely to be offended by the term "latinx" than the subtitles.
Have you seen it?
 

Chaplin

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Not yet, I generally won't pay to go see a remake, especially one that didn't look that good to me. I'll wait for it to come to streaming.
Then why is it coming so easily to you to write it off? Has Spielberg ever steered you wrong? He’s had some less than great movies but his worst is still better than half the movies out there. At least.
 

Cheesebeef

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Thus guaranteeing I won't see it. Look, I need subtitles to understand the ENGLISH in most movies; I'd like the "power" to understand what I'm watching.

I mean, if we're talking a sentence or word here or there, then fine, I get it. But if we're talking scenes, you can shove it up your ass sideways, SS.

Both people I know who saw it said you can totally understand what’s going on without the subtitles.
 

Devilmaycare

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Then why is it coming so easily to you to write it off? Has Spielberg ever steered you wrong? He’s had some less than great movies but his worst is still better than half the movies out there. At least.
Because I had little interest in the remake to begin with so when I see inane virtual signaling like what Spielberg has been doing it makes it a really easy skip.

And for "Has Spielberg ever steered you wrong?" Big time yes. He directed Crystal Skull. That's a lot of atone for. ;)
 

Chaplin

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Because I had little interest in the remake to begin with so when I see inane virtual signaling like what Spielberg has been doing it makes it a really easy skip.

And for "Has Spielberg ever steered you wrong?" Big time yes. He directed Crystal Skull. That's a lot of atone for. ;)
I put the blame for that in George Lucas more than Spielberg.
 

Stout

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Shouldn’t you see it first?
So when a movie I didn't want to see anyway has a concern like the one I have (and with my hearing loss making it hard to follow the English parts, even, the concern is much worse), the answer is I should go pay to see it first? I shouldn't, no. Cheese has partially alleviated the concern, but it still wasn't a movie I was planning to go see.
 

MigratingOsprey

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Who is the market for this?

At least where I lived, among my generation the original was more mocked than appreciated

Musicals on film can be challenging enough to grab an audience - I'm not sure this one has the weight with the right demographics to really pull

The trailer doesn't look bad, parts look decent even if it's pretty well traveled ground - the set/scene/atmosphere looks well done

Looks like there are still the big numbers at times that almost work to take you out of the drama - not sure many people are all that interested in choreographed, singing, dancing 50s street toughs.......
 

Dback Jon

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Everyone that I know that has seen it has loved it, and some are doing multiple viewings. Not one mentioned the Spanish part, so it must not be a big deal. Of course, my friends are probably part of the target demographic.

Musicals usually build an audience slowly.

Another factor - some of the main audience (older folks) are probably the least likely to go to the movies right now.
 

Cheesebeef

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Everyone that I know that has seen it has loved it, and some are doing multiple viewings. Not one mentioned the Spanish part, so it must not be a big deal. Of course, my friends are probably part of the target demographic.

Musicals usually build an audience slowly.

Another factor - some of the main audience (older folks) are probably the least likely to go to the movies right now.

also, there's no stars. that will hurt it as well.
 

Bada0Bing

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Everyone that I know that has seen it has loved it, and some are doing multiple viewings. Not one mentioned the Spanish part, so it must not be a big deal. Of course, my friends are probably part of the target demographic.

Musicals usually build an audience slowly.

Another factor - some of the main audience (older folks) are probably the least likely to go to the movies right now.

I found the spanish parts a bit annoying. I was barely holding interest in the story anyway, so when I missed minutes of dialog at a time I found my mind wandering quite a bit.

I don't understand his take on that. Speaking spanish didn't bother me or distract me at all, but I'd like to at least know what they're saying.

Rachel Zegler was incredible. It's hard to believe this was her first role.
 

Cheesebeef

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This movie felt like Spielberg was unleashed creatively in a way he hasn’t been in years. I thought it was electric and could feel how grand the movie was even watching on TV. Would have loved to see this in the theaters.
 

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