DVDizzy Forum

There was a free weekend of channels and this aired on HBO. I have it DVRed although I haven't watched it yet. I'll get around to it at some point, it's really just that nearly 3-hour length that's putting me off. I mean, the original is no doubt better than the new one and even that one is a little boring.

Anxious to hear your opinion, Divinity. As I stated 3 months ago, I went to see it expecting to hate it as a woke nightmare and I absolutely fell in love with it! I love the original too!

I thought it was good. Better than I expected anyway, it looked worse than it was. The only weak part of the film for me was the end. From Rita Moreno's character telling Tony Maria was dead--his reaction onwards, none of it completely worked for me. I suppose because that's very heavy stuff, it takes strong actors to make it work and none of the teen actors really did it for me there.

I enjoyed the rest of the movie though, including the new songs and Rita Moreno's character. The scene of Tony talking to Doc about Maria was probably my favorite scene in the movie, actually. I thought Tony's actor would be the weak link, but, while I still don't think he was handsome enough, he did an okay job. My favorite shot in the film is him on the puddle looking upwards into the camera, with the water illuminated by the lights above.

Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it to a degree, Divinity! Glad you didn't think Ansel as Tony was bad. I liked him, and at least he cries when he hears the bad news in the end. There actually were no new songs, just sung in different places and by different people sometimes. It's awesome you noticed that puddle shot, so many people commented on that!

Congratulations to Ariana DeBose!

Well, we finally got to hear how Zegler would've done on "Somewhere." She performed it at the Grammy's last night in a medley for the In Memoriam--Ben Platt did some song, Cynthia Erivo and a guy I don't know did "Send in the Clowns," then she came in with "Somewhere" with the other three falling in line with her for a sort of choir effect at the end.

I didn't get to hear it, but cool she did that and you and others got to hear it.

As much as I love Rita, taking Somewhere away from Tony and María was the film’s biggest flaw.

My same sentiment.

While her voice would've been better for sure, I'm glad Portman didn't sing "Somewhere." She didn't have the acting abilities to pull the ending off, having her sing there would've prolonged the awkwardness.

Portman? Who was she in West Side Story (2021)? Did you mean Zegler? She sang "Tonight" when Tony died instead, which means she still sang a song they had both sung together previously, but in a sad way. It would have been the same acting, just with a better, more suitable song, since it would have been a more recent song they sang together, and about their future together. The words of "Somewhere" would always make for a sadder ending, with Maria singing, "Somehow" they would find a way to live together in peace, but there really is no way by then.