West Side Story (2021)

Brace Yourself; It's better than the original. I know it feels like blasphemy to even suggest, because the original is perfect. But Spielberg's remake includes every thing that makes the original great: the over the top choreography, the little snaps, even the dream sequences. However, Spielberg goes FURTHER than the original classic. He adds to the characters, he fixes up the song sequences, and we finally have a Maria who can not only sing, but BELT all of those notes. If it wasn't perfect, Rita Moreno wouldn't have been a part of the remake, let alone replace the role of Doc. The Sharks are ACTUALLY Hispanic, and speak Spanish other than "vamanos". Spielberg chose not to subtitle the Sharks when they speak Spanish. If you are not bilingual, you will not be lost. The acting is superb and they sprinkle in English appropriately so you can follow along. Everything about this movie is magical. If you flipped the movies, and you saw the 2021 remake BEFORE you watched the 2021 remake, you would be upset about what was left out. The greatest remake of all time. I wept in the theatre, and I wept again when I saw it at home. Everyone involved in this movie should be proud of what they accomplished. I know everyone in the original would love it just as much as I did. If you love musicals, then you're going to love this movie. Shakespeare himself would watch this and admit that the feud between the Jets and Sharks is better than the Montagues and Capulets, and the love of Tony & Maria outshines his own work of Romeo & Juliet. I only gave this 5* because I could not give it what it truly deserves: 6/5 on the musical scale. This film is more than an instant classic: it's an absolute masterpiece. Bravo.