Movies like these that get all the fawning “reviews” from “critics” usually end up bombing at the box office.
It’s almost as if these critics are totally out of touch with what viewers like or want.
The critics gave it positive reviews because its woke. If Spielberg had remade WSS but not gone all politically correct (or worse, if he had done something totally politically INCORRECT, like had a romance centered around a straight, white, opposite-sex couple), the critics would be tearing the same film to shreds.
Look at how the critics hated on the film Passengers, which is an excellent movie, but revolves around the above mentioned scenario of a straight, white, opposite-sex relationship.
You think Passengers is an excellent movie? I think you are in the minority here.
shareWhat is with this "woke" expression? Is it supposed to me an "awareness"?
What exactly is so "woke" about this version of WWS? Is the implied transgender character in Anybodys is what makes Speilberg's version woke? There were trans people back in the 50's I would imagine but not in the forefront. What is the big deal?
Also......people are calling this version "woke" because Hispanic and LatinX actors are playing the roles of the Puerto Rican characters. What is so wrong with that, may I ask? That is what "woke" is all about? Well, that was actually the best decision to cast only Hispanic and LatinX actors in those roles. And........they ace their parts with excellent acting. The original version had lilly white actors portraying many of the Puerto Rican characters with brown make up. Their accents were also not very realistic with not one word of Spanish uttered in the entire film. No realism there.
Don't get me wrong. I loved the original 1961 film of the 1957 adaptation of the Broadway play. I loved Natalie Wood in the role of Maria and Richard Beymer as Tony. After seeing Spielberg's film, I realize, without a doubt, Spielberg's two lead actors' performances are better than in the 1961 film, IMHO. I cannot believe I said that! They do their own singing for a start. I just LOVE Ansel's velvety voice and the young girl's soprano is just beautiful as is she.
You can take that "woke" stuff and put it on the back burner. This current film is the better film of the two, without a doubt in my mind.
This movie seems to be getting pretty good audience scores from the people who have seen it.
shareBecause it’s that small core of people who agree with it that Went to see it
shareHuh?
shareOnly hardcore fans went to see it and gave it raving reviews
shareHere's a bit of a cheat sheet for you, AndyUjku87: I'm a hardcore fan of the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story, who for a number of reasons, has absolutely no intent what.so.ever on seeing the reboot/rremake of the film version of West Side Story, and am voting my pocketbook, and not going to see it, at all.
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I agree
share"I believe that critics of the future will re-evaluate the movies coming out today, when "woke" is finally out of favor culturally. They will be amused at this period of Hollywood films (2010 - ?) and wonder how studios and filmmakers became so insulated from the general public as they continued to create film after film laden with insultingly one-sided leftist moral hectoring that was rejected time after time after time at the box office."
??
The critics of the future will be puzzled that this generation and previous were so benighted over matters such as transgender. "Why was it even an issue?" they will ask. They will praise such works as early forerunners of the way forward.
Understand the way that culture and society work. There is always progression. I mean, we haven't gone back and decided that Africans should be slaves again, have we?
No one made Triumph of the Will Part II either. There are many many examples where cultural and political movements were ultimately displaced by more dominant ideas. But don’t mistake your favored Western political movement as the definition of “progress.” China is the single largest cinematic audience on the planet. They are soon to be the dominant economic and military power in the world. Do you know what the most popular, massively profitable movie in China is? I assure you they are going in the completely opposite direction of ideas like the gender identity movement you perceive as progressive.
shareChina is behind us. Give them time. Authoritarian regimes always fall in the end.
The opposite of woke is intolerance. Which side do you want to be on?
In my experience, they are synonymous rather than opposites. I respect your live-and-let live philosophy and try to follow the same. In my opinion however, the tactics of many trans and gender identity advocates are anything but. Whether used in politics or against average people, it’s all about relentless condescension, intimidation, social ostracism and demands that you simply shut up and give in.
shareThe goal and the behavior differ. The two are separate. I agree that there's no shortage of people behaving badly. But just because some people are behaving badly doesn't mean that the intention is also bad.
shareMaybe viewers are out of touch with what's good because they've been raised on superhero garbage and think that's all that cinema is good for. If you sat them in front of a screen snd forced them to watch Cries and Whispers or La Dolce Vita, they would be utterly baffled and probably bored. This is why we have declared war on the superhero incels.
shareThe flip side to the coin I guess
shareLooking at the yearly top box office grossers from 50 or 60 years ago the common public doesn't have too much to boast about either.
shareYeah, 1950s era musicals that do a "modern" watered down version of the plot from Romeo & Juliet are obviously MUCH more cerebral entertainment than superhero films! Need to get rid of all the dumb action movies like Spiderman: No Way Home & X-Men: Days of Future Past so people can enjoy the intellectual simulation that comes from powerhouse films like The Pajama Game and Love Me Tender!
Cherry picking two second-rate examples of 1950s musicals does not support your argument. Movies like "Singin' in the Rain", "An American in Paris", "The Band Wagon", "Royal Wedding", "Funny Face", "Silk Stockings", "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", "Kiss Me Kate", "Gigi", "Oklahoma", and even Elvis's "Jailhouse Rock" are classics that are still highly regarded and widely viewed more than sixty years after they were made. They'll still be watched and loved sixty years from now, when Spiderman, the Joker, and all that crap has been forgotten.
shareYou could be right about that, liscarkat, but I also think that the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story will also fall into the category of still being beloved and viewed, both in the movie theatres, and on TV/Streaming.
share> Cries and Whispers or La Dolce Vita
Nobody but art-film snobs watches dated foreign films.
>It’s almost as if these critics are totally out of touch with what viewers like or want.
If what the audience want is more Venom and Ghostbusters, then I'm with critics.
No they’ve given decent movies quite the turn out, like Dune, The Battle at Lake Changjin, No Time To Die, The Stronghold etc.
shareAnyone paying attention notices the so called pro critics are really just paid to shill.
share The original 1961 film version of West Side Story got lots of great reviews, and not only ended up being a success at the box office, but ended up winning ten well-deserved and well-earned Academy Awards, including Best Picture when it came out into the movie theatres in October of 1961.
Having said the above, I'd say that just as often as not, movies that do get really fawning reviews do end up bombing at the box office.