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In another time, I would hate this movie with a passion. HOWEVER in this reality, I feel like this movie is a MASTERPIECE. So I understand why so many people hate it in the reviews, but luckily I am on the side of the many more people who think it is one of the greatest movies ever made. I feel bad for the people who cannot appreciate and see how brilliant the movie really is. In their reality, I am sure they feel bad for me. What I can say for certain, is that I have shown this movie to many family and friends, and those few who I thought would really love it- were confused and not impressed; but the many more I thought would not get it- they loved it and even cried. I kinda think that haters are just haters and think they are too sophisticated to simply get how deep this movie really is. This movie is number 5 on my all-time favorite list, just behind 'Life is Beautiful' and above 'Life of Pi'. I have seen this movie so many times, and it still can make me laugh and cry harder than any other movie I have ever seen in my life. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

Despite that musicals are my favorite genre, my favorite director after Hitchcock is Spielberg, so I expected much from this movie- maybe too much! It was very much like the missing vault classic film that I never seen before, satisfying as a movie in many ways- cinematography, acting, directing- all first rate. HOWEVER West Side Story is a Musical, and there is always a special magical extra layer to them that goes beyond cinema and stage. I always wondered if Hitchcock would be able to direct a musical, and now I know: Spielberg's version is a gritty, real, beautiful, miraculous rendition but it also strips everything that makes it a musical or magical.

Unlike this years "In The Heights", which is a superior musical compared to this (except for the awful music of ITH), the script and directing tries to ground and root WWS in a harsh reality but deflates the idea of love instead. We lose the brilliance of Jerome Robbins choreography which is half of the reason to the massive overall success history of WWS. Musicals seem to be better directed by choreographers like Cho (ITH) or Marshall (Chicago). Also the script seemed to add so many extra heavy ideas that were unnecessary, instead of just using the lyrics to understand where the plot needed to come from. In musicals, the music and the dance tell and guide the story- not the heavy handed script and over crafted photography.

I heard older people snoring during the movie and saw younger people just watching tik tok on their phones. So it did lack the luster and spectacle of the old time grande musicals that the old timers loved, as well it lacked the fantastic display of musical clips and dance moves that the younger generation could mimic in attempts to go viral. Lets keep musicals in the hands of experts of the musical, please.

The one number that exceeds and is what this version of WWS wanted to be, was 'COOL'. That scene really had the art direction, scenery, acting, dancing, music, camera, plot, props, direction, script, everything PERFECT and MAGICAL. And some of the shots of this movie in general are just breathtaking, however I never broke out a single tear which happens to me at almost every musical (including the awful Dear Evan Hansen). This movie is a great exercise in how to make a great film into a boring musical.

I always knew this musical would be better as a movie. I never expected though that Andrew Garfield would be so transcendent. I would question some of the editing and screenplay choices: like why does 'Susan' need to narrate the start and the end?? I am not a fan of Lin-Manuel, but I am impressed on certain interesting choices made. A little bit awkward of a movie, but a gem of a Musical none the less. If you do not leave wanting to sing the songs, then I suggest you listen to the soundtracks of various versions afterwards; I bet you will become addicted to the talent that is Jonathan Larson and won't be able to stop wanting to sing along.