April Film Feature:
West Side Story

Rated: PG-13
Length: 156 minutes
Release Date: 2021

West Side Story is a retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set in 1957 New York City. The story follows two gangs, the Sharks and the Jets, as they compete for complete control of the Upper West Side. Just as Romeo and Juliet were born to rival families, Tony and Maria are associated with rival gangs. Tony is the co-founder and member of the Jets, a gang of white youths led by Tony’s best friend Riff. Maria’s older brother Bernardo is the leader of the Sharks, a gang of Puerto Rican youths. The Jets challenge the Sharks to a rumble to end the territory dispute once and for all. Tony tries to stop the rumble, for Maria’s sake, but Bernardo stabs Riff. Through love, conflict, and song, their love comes to a tragic end. 

Genre: 

Musical

Directed By: 

Steven Spielberg

Personal Rating: 

I LOVE this show, one of my favorite shows. As a musician, it’s super fun to sit and active listen to. Whether it’s one of the films or the stage production, everyone should watch this story at least once. Between the story, the casting, the cinematography, and  the music, this movie will have you feeling every which way. 

Featuring: 

Ansel Elgort
Mike Faist
Rachel Zegler
Maddie Ziegler

Letterboxd Rating: 

3.6/5 Stars. (94,000 ratings)

Fans Also Liked: 

West Side Story (1961)
La La Land
In The Heights
Les Miserables

Based On:
West Side Story (1961 Film) - Dir. Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins
West Side Story (1961 Book Musical) - Arthur Laurents
West Side Story (1957 Musical) - Conceived by Jerome Robbins, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare