What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

West Side Story (2021)

I had given up hope of this film being released where I live, but then it finally did, and I went and watched it at the first chance. I always love modern re-tellings of classic stories, and when the original Broadway play of this came out in the 50’s it was about about as modern a version of Romeo and Juliet as it could get. Almost 75 years later, West Side Story has become a classic in its own right, with iconic characters, memorable music and quotable scenes.

Steven Spielberg’s adaptation feels like it was taken directly off the stage, with the kind of scoring that’s reminiscent of live orchestras, and camera placements that give wider shots, letting the viewer make up their mind about where to look, much like a stage play would. Add to that the heightened drama of the story and the minimalist set design, and you find yourself immersed in the world of the story in a way that only theater usually allows.

I was always a bit skeptical about the choice to cast Ansel Elgort, and he was perhaps the most disappointing of the cast members in the film, lacking the depth and emotional range to truly make me believe that Maria (Rachel Zegler) would fall for him in the space of a day. Conversely, I found that two of the strongest cast members were Ariana DeBose and Mike Faist, both of whom, unsurprisingly, are seasoned Broadways actors. There were layers and nuance to their characters that made them compelling on screen and made me want more, more, more.

Despite its 2-and-a-half hour running time, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and felt that it absolutely flew by. The pacing was perfect, and despite my issues with how quickly and easily Tony and Maria fall for one another, I also know that this is part of the conceit of the story, the idea of love at first site, burning passion that transcends logic and reason, and of course the ultimate downfall that occurs when you rise too far, too fast.