West Side Story & King Richard - Best Picture Deep Dives
The Oscars air next weekend, so if you want to squeeze in a few more movie viewings, now is the time! Before we get into winner predictions, my brother and I will be breaking down our takes on the Best Picture nominees. We kick things off with West Side Story and King Richard!
WEST SIDE STORY
Annie: I've never seen West Side Story before watching this movie.
William: WHAT?
Annie: I never saw the original movie. I've never seen a production of it.
William: What are you talking about?
Annie: Right?
William: I've seen the original and the staged version multiple times. You've never seen it? Why?
Annie: Because I don't like West Side Story.
William:Why not?
Annie: I don't like the concept. I don't like Romeo and Juliet. I don't like...
William: You should watch the original! It's very different.
Annie: I read the Steven Spielberg version is more true to the Broadway song order. I knew the music. I love the music. I think the score is one of the best scores ever written. I knew all the songs, but I've never seen it. So I'm coming at it from a weird place. I was really blown away by it.
William: You really should watch the original. I shouldn't need to recommend a movie that's won 10 Oscars... I didn't know that you'd never seen any version of it! [This version] is really good. There are a lot of people who are rejecting this because they liked the original version. I don't think it's because of the staged version, because that's being adapted every time that it's done. Then Steven Spielberg said I'm going to adapt the stage version too and people are mad because they liked the original film. This is not a remake of the movie. It's a new adaptation of the staged version on film. He took many things that were only in the staged version and not in the film and took them for the movie. I think people should get over it. Every great movie is going to be remade eventually... and here is this version.
Annie: The casting decisions in the original West Side Story are not good. It's not diverse. Natalie Wood, who played Maria, was a white woman. I think there are reasons to adapt something. And for a story like West Side Story, which is built on racial divisions, and then didn't reflect that in all of its casting. It's important to remake this movie and cast people of color.
William: Yeah. I think it's a great movie. I think Steven Spielberg did a great job.
Annie: A lot of people have been treating it like, of course you can remake West Side Story and of course it'll be amazing. I don't think that's the case. It's incredibly hard to make a good movie musical. There are more misses than hits. You're working with a great score to help set it up for success, but I think a different director could have messed it up.
William: I agree. I don't buy into the narrative that of course it was going to get these nominations. In another year, it could have missed Best Picture.
Annie: This movie has been in my head in the days and weeks since watching it. I've rewatched scenes, specifically a lot of the dance numbers. It's my second favorite of the Best Picture nominees I've seen.
William: I think people who are hesitant should give it a chance and accept it for what it is. This version and the original can both exist. It's a Broadway musical! These things run on Broadway and they end and they get revived over and over again. And they're new productions! This is just like that.
Annie: I think that's a great point - I've never thought of it like that. Was there a scene or a moment that stood out that you really loved?
William: I liked the dance; that was probably my favorite. I don't know if I have specific moments. Even though I did like it and it's my second favorite [of the Best Picture nominations], I do feel like it could have been better. I think it's because I've seen two different versions, so I was watching it under such a scope of "what is this going to be and what's different?"
Annie: What were the things you didn't like?
William: Look, it's not their fault, but a bunch of Newsies were the Jets...and it's horrible that I'm blaming that on them. That's just the job they had before West Side Story. Such a limited amount of people know this, but it was very distracting watching the Jet scenes and it's the cast of Newsies doing Newsie things around New York City. So Gee Officer Krupke was the worst part of the movie, but it was only because it [felt like] a scene from Newsies and it was distracting.
Annie: It's funny because I think that's why I loved it. Because this took one of my least favorite musicals and made it more like one of my favorite musicals, Newsies.
William: I wish there was more dancing, even though there was a lot. There was something about the opening. The original opening is a lot better. There was a lot more walking to the beautiful music, instead of dancing, and that was a little disappointing. And that's tough at the very beginning because that's what draws you in. It's just little stuff here and there! It's tricky. But I loved it. I'm glad it's in Best Picture because it deserves to be. And Rachel Zegler is better than everyone is saying.
Annie: I agree. She was amazing. She was probably the top performance! Look... my issue with West Side Story plot wise is mostly that I think Maria makes crazy choices, and I have a hard time getting past that. But Rachel Zegler was so good that she made me suspend my disbelief. The casting for her is spot on. She's relatively unknown, it's her first movie, she has the wide-eyed innocence you need for Maria. I think she should have gotten a Best Actress nomination.
William: It's a tough year for that category.
Annie: I also liked Mike Faist. I know the Internet agrees with me, but no one I talk to does.
William: I thought he was just fine...
West Side Story is nominated for Best Picture, Actress in a Supporting Role (Ariana DeBose - Anita), Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Production Design and Sound. You can watch the movie on HBO Max or Disney+.
KING RICHARD
William: King Richard is great. Go watch it. And be your own King Richard.
Annie: Honestly, you should.
William: It feels like not enough people know about this movie. I really, really liked it. I think Will Smith is great. I think the story is great.
Annie: I also enjoyed it. I was really impressed with Will Smith. I really lost him in the role, which I think is hard for someone who is so known like Will Smith is. I also thought Aunjanue Ellis was great. One of my favorite scenes in the whole movie is when Venus is going with the fancy coach and Serena is left to practice on the courts at home, and the mom takes her and is coaching her. I really loved that scene. The movie is obviously focused on the dad, but it was a nice moment to show what she did as well. I didn't know a lot of the backstory of Venus and Serena!
William: When you're watching a biopic, you know the ending. But there was something about this that was so interesting, because it was less about telling their story [step by step] and more telling it from a certain perspective in a very specific time of them starting out.
Annie: I thought the way they timed what the movie covered was perfect. We obviously know the outcome but I didn't know the ins and outs of it, and I never knew if a decision being made in the movie was a "wrong" decision that they bounced back from or if it was the right decision. That kept the tension in the movie. I thought the tennis world moments were interesting too, where they talked about these kids starting out so young and getting burnt out or overwhelmed with fame, and they showed the balance of a father pushing for the success of his kids but also setting them up so they'll be okay in that type of environment. They're so young! Award-wise Will Smith is doing really well in Best Actor categories, which is well deserved.
William: I think [King Richard] showed up everywhere it was going to show up in the Oscar nominations. Will Smith is winning everything so far!
Annie: He has a strong path to the Oscar. Has he won an Oscar before?
William: No, this is his third nomination.
King Richard is nominated for Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role (Will Smith - Richard Williams), Actress in a Supporting Role (Aunjanue Ellis - Brandi Williams), Film Editing, Original Song and Original Screenplay. King Richard is available to rent or buy on a variety of streaming services.
