West Side Story (2021)

Opening in theaters on December 10th is the new musical remake ‘West Side Story,’ which is based on the Broadway play and the original 1961 film of the same name. Directed by Oscar winner Steven Spielberg (‘Schindler’s List) and written by Oscar winner Tony Kushner (‘Lincoln’), the film tells the story of teenagers Tony and Maria, who are both affiliated with rival street gangs in 1950s New York. The movie boasts a strong cast of actors including Ansel Elgort (‘Baby Driver’), Rachel Zegler (‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’), Ariana DeBose (‘The Prom’), David Alvarez, Mike Faist (‘Touched with Fire’), Brian d’Arcy James (‘Spotlight’), Corey Stroll (‘Ant-Man’), and Academy Award winner Rita Moreno (the original ‘West Side Story’). The result is a fairly satisfying and visually stunning remake, with some strong performances, which ultimately does not work because there is nothing really new to separate it from its predecessor.