Rating: 
Summary: So dated, so cheesy, so weak!
Review: There are several old movie musicals that hold up ... this isn't one! Some of the music is good, though enormously derivative, hence the one star. Two scenes have some life in them still: the 'officer krupke' song and 'america'. Everything else is tedious, unreal, awful, sappy ... and it's full of 35-year-old 'teenagers', this movie needs a remake: with a changed ending, the loss of a few songs, better choreography (it's so bad now ... I don't understand my memory of it being exciting, at the time it came out ...), and more reality: a better re-creation of that time ... the directors did not have an eye for their own time at all!
Rating: 
Summary: Ultimately somewhat disappointing
Review: This 1961 film version of of Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein's stage hit begins hopefully. The camerawork, editing, choreography (by Jerome Robbins) and, most of all, music, pulsate with dazzling energy. Then, after a vibrant and exciting ten minutes, it all begins to full apart. It all becomes static and uninventive, failing to live up to the grand promises of that first reel. Most of the musical numbers (especially with the two rather bland leads) are executed with little imagination. A few of the songs fall prey to gimmicky visuals which nowadays look trite.An at times compelling drama is soured by mediocrity which should never have surfaced, given the immense talent involved here (chiefly Bernstein, Sondheim, and Robbins). What a disappointment!
Rating: 
Summary: when your a jet
Review: i love this boy and girl meet and are from two different worlds so to speak. can they find happiness together before family tears them apart.
Rating:
Summary: Still the best
Review: It's amazing that a film made forty years ago still has such relevance. It's ability to entertain and make the viewer think about racism and social issues is timeless. Rita Moreno steals the show as Anita with her unsurpassed dancing and acting skills showcased beautifully. All the players are magnificent and this film changed forever the way we see the movie musical. As far as beautiful men go, these stunning actors in their skintight denims and trousers make us wish the current baggy pants trend would go away. Far away. ...
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Music!
Review: Natalie Wood plays a recent NYC immigrant from Puerto Rico who falls in love with Richard Beymer, a former gang member. Wood's brother, played by George Chakiris, and Beymer's best buddy, played by Russ Tamblyn, are current rival gang members. Despite pressure from both sides, the two young lovers plan to run away, but it is not to be. The musical numbers staged on the city streets are eye-popping, and the songs are beautiful and singable. Wood and Beymer seem miscast and wooden at times, but the music is simply wonderful and has stood the test of time: "Tonight," and "Maria" are well-known classics. The multi-talented Tamblyn is completely convincing as Riff, the leader of the Jets. Rita Moreno and Chakiris shine as immigrants who have adapated by joining the Sharks. This film certainly deserved its 10 Oscars for its outstanding script and musical numbers.
Rating:
Summary: a little timeless, a little dated
Review: Despite the length of the movie, the relationship that develops between Maria and Tony does seem a little rushed. But if you're looking for a realistic plot, this is not the movie to watch. "West Side Story" invites the audience to witness the ongoing feud between the Jets and the Sharks, "hoodlums" in '50's NYC. Choreography and music are great -- loved the opening sequence. Some parts seem a little cheesy but were entertaining nonetheless. A few particular scenes absolutely stood out and glowed, owing their magic to the actors' chemistry. Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood do a great job. A classic must-see!
Rating:
Summary: My favorite, favorite, FAVORITE movie!
Review: Did I mention that this is my favorite movie? West Side Story has it all: New York, ethnic conflict, romance, music, dance, excitement, drama, laughs, even spirituality, albeit hidden. I've loved this movie since I was a kid. Recently I've seen this movie as a spiritual tug-of-war between Maria the peacemaker and Riff the warmonger, with Tony as their battleground. Within this story of gang warfare and star-crossed romance is a story of a sheltered young girl who learns to take her faith and love beyond the prayer closet and into the streets. Within the story Maria sends Tony, then Anita, to carry out her mission of peace, but Maria's mission has no chance until she's forced to carry it out herself--with great cost. Okay, enough philosophizing. Enjoy the movie!
Rating:
Summary: This is one of the greatest films of all time!!!!
Review: West Side Story is a very good movie. The way it portray's love between two people who really don't give a *Bleep* about what their friends or family think is just genious! Tony and Maria just give off this vibe of wanting to feel the same love they have for each other. Rita Moreno's performance of "Anita" is just superb! Her being the only real Latina in the film made it even more special for all Latin people making it today. The film just has all the elements any Musical/Romance/Action film of today that just makes you want to fall in Love all over again. I also suggest Moulin Rouge. They have very much similar points.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Musicals of our time
Review: A truly great musical with a great theme about gangs. Beetween hatered two people from diffrent religions find love and happiness, but cvan't keep their love because of the hatered. Riff is the head of the Jets a gang of whites, while Bernardo the head of the puerto rican gang called the Sharks, the Jets are the rivals. Tony a memeber of the Jets, falls in love with beautiful Maria, brither of Bernardo. The two, Tony and Maria try to outstand the gangs and find a peaceful love, untill a big event happens which changes both of their lives. This muscial comes with great songs such as "I want to be in America" and "Tonight". This is a musical you can treasure forever.
Rating:
Summary: Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise's West Side Story
Review: This overrated classic musical lifts Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" storyline, and muddles it with a cold romance and gangs that were dated even at the film's world premiere. Riff (Russ Tamblyn) is the leader of the Jets, who are constantly having run-ins with Bernardo's (George Chakiris) Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks. Planes and fish don't mix, and things come to a head when the gangs are at a dance when Bernardo's sister Maria (Natalie Wood) meets the Jets' cofounder and Riff's best friend, Tony (Richard Beymer). Tony is trying to clean up his act, backing away from all the street dancing, but he is immediately smitten with Maria. A jet and a shark cannot be lovers, and since no one in the film has read "Romeo and Juliet," no one knows what will happen...P>Eventually, the film does ape Shakespeare, partially. ... The positives are what made the film a classic. The songs are excellent, using Stephen Sondheim's lyrics to carry the emotions of the characters. The dancing and ballet choreography are superb. It may seem silly to have street gangs dance-fighting, but the pure athleticism on the part of the dancers is fantastic. Rarely have dance numbers been so physical, and so grand. On the downside, the main romance takes place waay too quickly. This is quicker than a whirlwind romance, this is a tornado wrapped in a cyclone being blown by a wind machine. The mere speed of the relationship (a day) takes any sympathy for Tony and Maria away from the viewer...P>Leonard Bernstein's music is good in the songs, but not as incidental background noise. He thinks he is scoring a bombastic Broadway song even in quiet moments... The pacing is a little slow, as this marked the beginning of the two and a half hour widescreen musical genre that spawned such bloated cinematic drivel as "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and "Doctor Doolittle." "West Side Story" is not a perfect classic, and not a dud. It is squarely in the middle of the spectrum. If anything troubles the viewer, it is wondering how this film beat out "Judgement at Nuremburg" for the Best Picture Oscar. This is unrated, and contains physical violence, mild gun violence, very mild profanity, some drug references, and mild adult situations.
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