10am Saturday morning for a film, i must be out of my mind. Ive had a very bad sleeping pattern this week to so this will really through my body clock out. But everything is now going to start getting busy for christmas, so its west side story now or maybe never.

So i left togo see this film at 8:50am… why you may ask its only 11miles away… but its either up & over the downs which is now a longer route for me or its through central Brighton with only one more weekend after this one before christmas. & okay yes i still got there earlier than most to seethe film, however it took 45minutes to get to the marina, which is a while, id expect that on a friday straight after work but not at 9am on a saturday. I mean i did go for a nice walk around the harbour first & i took my own tea.

I was the youngest person in the cinema, there was a group of 3 who looked about 10 years older than me 2 women about my parents age & an older couple. There might have been another random one im not sure, but i was still the youngest person there.

Trailers, Cumberbatch & the cats (yay), Cyrano {or as im calling it Ben in period costume (yes)} Matrix 4(yes) & Spiderman(yes) so that was some good prep for me. Also i loved the new cineworld gift card advert which said it was more trippy than a Nolan film & more twisty than an M.Nigh ending. I liked that. I laughed out loud at that.

then the film started… Stunning, just stunning. I mean i was hoping it would be goods, but i was also hoping Cats another classic musical was going to be good, so this actually living up to the hype was very good indeed.

I love the fact that when they speak Spanish in the film its not subtitled. Because you are so involved in the story & whats going on, you dont need the words written out in front of you. You just went with the flow & completely understood. First time i was like hang on no subs, but by the time we got to the end of the film, i had completely forgotten they were speaking spanish. Oh & i dont actually speak spanish other than disafortunadamentay (unfortunately) so thats how powerful that was.

You forget how many classics are from this musical. they just kept coming, & it just flowed & ebbed & all the songs were powerful & the choreography & staging of the songs were amazing.

The Choreography for everything was amazing if im honest, the fights, the walking, the climbing & then the actual dancing especially in America. That was so well styled too (i mean the whole film was) but there was something about America when shes in that yellow dress, & it just hit & was wonderful & if i had been in the cinema on my own i might have applauded the end of it. It was that well done.

I know the story of West Side Story so there was nothing shocking to me in it, but it had me on the edge of my seat with anticipation as to what i was going to see next & what part was next. It just felt amazing & had be breathless & exhilarated.

The film was very much set in the 1950’s, it did feel like i was in a time machine & had gone back to that era. However with that did come some of the 50’s attitude which as a millennial living in 2021, you do sit there & go oh go no dont do that, you cant say that, no no no. Some of the attitudes to people & ways of life & their choices are horrendous. But it was of the era unfortunately. & it did make me feel uncomfortable at times, which it is meant to.

It wasnt dumbed down if you get me. When remaking a classic or rebooting it, often cinema likes to really dumb down, but this just went for it. Its up there with Baz retelling Romeo+Juliette 25 years ago (got that makes me feel old), but it just went for it & was like we are the musical movies youve chosen to see go with it.

The Stair scene is beautiful & i love that, it was a health & safety nightmare thos. But the best scene over all is when they go to the community dance. Its the heart of the movie & is the meet cute, but it was the part of the film i enjoyed the most.

It just knocked it out of the park & went for it. Spielberg understood his assignment & nailed every inch of it. If you are a fan of any previous version go see this new one & you will be like oooooh yeah this, this here is very very special. You wont regret it, trust me.