"West Side Story"

Wow. What can I say about this movie?

I really wanted to watch it, since it's a classic and a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, 

and those are always interesting.

I should have known. I watched Breakfast at Tiffany's

a few weeks ago because it was a classic and everyone talks about it...

and it was one of the weirdest movies ever. Granted, Audrey Hepburn acted her part beautifully.

But anyways. This post is about West Side Story.

I don't tend to adore old musicals. I know, I know. That's an unpopular stance. 

There are some that I love, but I like it better when there is less singing and more talking... and when there is a reason for the singing. Instead of just irrelevantly breaking out into song.

For instance, I feel like all of the singing and dancing down the streets 

doesn't really seem like a tough-guy gang activity. 

But maybe that's just me.

The story of Romeo and Juliet has always made me a little uncomfortable. 

It has the potential for being epic. 

But they are both so selfish and, my word, 

they're supposed to be what, 13 and 15??

I have to admit that I love parts of Romeo + Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. 

The death scene is tragedy at it's most beautiful and heartrending. 

I wouldn't recommend the movie, though.

Instead of having the two families who hate each other, this movie has two gangs--

the Puerto Ricans and the Americans.

I was disappointed that Romeo (Tony) was American. Because the Puerto Ricans were awesome.

I couldn't stand Tony. He was unattractive, sang too much, and was just sappy, sappy, sappy. 

Not to mention his weird yellow sports jacket.

* shudder *

So the two gangs have this fight, which was (how do I say this nicely...) odd. 

I guess they were combining fighting and dancing. 

Eventually several of them end up getting killed by being stabbed in the stomach with tiny daggers.

In the middle of everything, Tony, the love of Maria's life (pfff... whatever), 

ends up killing Maria's brother, Bernardo. 

Hold everything.

Something you should know: Bernardo is awesome. 

He is Puerto Rican and has way-cool hair, tries to protect Maria from Tony's creepy advances,

and he is just a really, really great brother.

So Tony kills him.

I hate Tony.

And Maria, thankfully, gets mad at Tony when he first comes but then she is sobbing 

and he hugs her and is like "I didn't mean for that to happen!" blah, blah, blah. 

Instead of screaming at him and stabbing his stomach/shooting him through the head/

pushing him out of the very handy window/scratching his eyes out (that would have been my choice)...

they sleep together.

X [

I am pretty certain that if a guy killed one of my brothers...

his chance for a relationship with me would be

SO GONE.

In the play, at least Romeo and Juliet get married. 

The movie was worth watching because of Bernardo,

and because of the death scene.

At that point, I was so mad at Tony and Maria, that I wasn't that sad. 

But I thought the scene was well-done.

Especially after Tony gets shot and the police guy comes up and Maria freaks out, hurls herself on Tony's dead body to protect him, and screams "Don't you dare touch him!" 

I apologize that my favorite part is when he dies. 

There were a few other things I liked about it... I liked how it kind of involved racism, instead of just a random family feud like in the play. I was definitely rooting for the Puerto Ricans. 

The American boys were animals. 

At the end, after Tony dies, it was cool how the two gangs help each other carry his body off

 and comfort Maria, giving the impression that they have realized

 that their hatred of each other is not a good thing.

So have you seen it? What did you think?