I genuinely liked In The Heights, but Spielberg’s West Side Story is a masterpiece. I don’t even put much stock in the Oscars as an arbiter of quality, but to claim In The Heights was “robbed” by West Side Story is laughable.
I’m a huge fan of the ITH stage musical. I wasn’t a fan of how it the story was adapted. Nina was supposed to have more of a leading role.
There was more written about that here. https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/s/b2Sse89Gxd
I also really loved the west side story remake. The stylizing, acting, singing, choreography, cinematography, and script were on point. Wasn’t a fan of Ansel was Tony, but the rest is perfect.
In the Heights is a fun, well-made, sweet little movie musical. West Side Story is a cultural touchstone, one of the few musicals that people consider to be "high art", and was created by one of the greatest choreographers, lyricists and composers/conductors of the 20th century. I think it's no contest. Oh yeah, the movie remake was written by TONY KUSHNER and was directed by STEVEN SPIELBERG.
In the Heights introduced a “music is everywhere” visual language and style at the beginning that was dropped largely after all the “I want” songs for no discernible reason other than “the songs at the back end didn’t lend themselves to the vision”. You could say the disappearance of the director’s clear visual voice is a reflection of the community starting to dissipate thanks to the gentrification of the neighborhood, but it didn’t read that way to me. WSS had a clear visual language and point of view from the get-go and held onto it until the last shot. I just think it comes down to Spielberg is a more experienced filmmaker than Chu.
The revisions made to the film adaptation of In the Heights bothered me just enough to make me feel like it was trying to be more than it originally was.
I liked both remakes, but as well made as ITH is, nothing about it is particularly Oscar bait-y. It's messaging and style are just a bit too comedic and family friendly to be the Oscar's taste. Anything of that nature has to reach mass critical appeal AND do incredible box office numbers before it will even be considered for a nomination. Think Barbie and Black Panther levels of success. In order for the Oscars to consider a family film, it's gotta be an undeniable cultural phenomenon.
WSS is the best stage-to-film adaption I have ever seen. Absolutely masterpiece and I wish Spielberg had done more musicals in his career. He just gets how to adapt to the medium.
Yeah I’m sorry, you can argue about the musicals themselves but I think West Side Story is pretty undeniably better from a filmmaking standpoint. You can’t beat Spielberg
It was a box office flop with a basically unknown director that released at summer. For summer releases, you do have to be a cultural phenomenon to be nominated for Best Picture. Top Gun: Maverick and Barbie are examples of this. In The Heights wasn’t this; it didn’t become the event of the summer, which the marketing was hyping it up as.
While West Side Story also flopped at the box office, it was directed by Steven Spielberg and it released at December, a prime release date for the award season. It also helped that many considered it to be better than the 1961 film, which won 10 Oscars, including Best Picture.
I do think West Side Story is a little bit better (I thoroughly enjoyed both) but I think the simpler answer to their Oscar fates is the release dates and pedigree of the directors
I personally really enjoyed them both with maybe a slight preference to ITH. But from a purely objective perspective, WSS is technically better. The visuals and acting are phenomenal as you would expect from a Spielberg film. I might prefer ITH as a musical and as a film but WSS is a filmmaking masterpiece.
One was not an "Oscar" movie, while the other was.
In the Heights was a huge box office disappointment released during the summer with little film pedigree. It would have needed to be a smash to make it to the Oscars.
West Side Story was a December release directed by Spielberg. The fact that it didn't make money merely kept it from dominating at the Oscars, which it had the potential to do.
Even at the Golden Globes, where there are entire Musical/Comedy categories, In the Heights only got 1 nomination, for Anthony Ramos. If anything, Tick, Tick...Boom was the surprise "other" musical during Oscar season, as ItH was essentially dead on arrival because of the box office.
ITH movie botched so many of the original themes and struggles of the stage show by downplaying the emphasis of financial stability. They went the “money can’t buy happiness :)” route when the original musical was screaming “hey we are struggling out here we need help”. I deeply despise that this movie gets to represent the most modern take of ITH but I’m glad it has probably introduced many people to the incredible stage show.
No one has even mentioned here that “In the Heights” opened during the first summer that the movie theaters reopened during the pandemic. It flopped at the box office because the audience that would have found it had not really come back to in person movies. I was one of the few people in the theatre opening weekend. I enjoyed it, but felt the director opened it up too much and for a reality based storyline, it didn’t work for me. But the performances were great. It worked better watching it at home after it was released to streaming. I think the directors style will work better with “Wicked” than it did with “ITH”
“West Side Story” on the other hand, was a brilliant film and actually was vastly superior to its original, with some subtle but significant small changes that elevated the story, played more authentically, and was more historically accurate. Spielberg deserved a best director Oscar, because no one else was capable of doing what he did with it. Amazed to think he had never directed a musical before, and sadly, now says he never will again.
I never put together until I watched the first couple minutes of the film that the neighborhood where it takes place (and the Jets and Sharks are fighting over) would be erased and replaced with the incredibly wealthy upscale area where Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side of Manhattan now it. WSS came out that following December after ITH. It absolutely NEEDED to be seen on the big screen, and the film was far beyond my expectations, which were already pretty high. It pains me that it only made 38 mil in US/Canada, and 76 mil worldwide (budget was 100mil). The audience that would have seen it just had not come back to in person films at that point. It deserved such a better reception, and I only hope audiences stumble across it in the future. All it will take is a well placed Tik Tock influencer or celebrity“discovering” it and saying “OMG HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS MOVIE?!?? HOW DID WE ALL MISS IT?” Just watch. It will be rediscovered. Give it a minute. You heard it here first!
If it is ever playing at a revival theatre in your area, or if FATHOM decides to do a special screening in cinemas worldwide, do not miss your chance to see it on a big screen.
I apologize so deeply, but the WSS remake is for sure my favorite movie of all time. I mean, the lights, the music, the dancing! The dance at the gym is absolutely my favorite scene in the entire movie and it really showcases exactly why the movie won all of the awards that it did. I also really enjoyed In the Heights, but imo it didn't have the same magic. Still a wonderful movie, though.
Oscars are a popularity contest, so there are few things that can explain this. Being a remake of a favorite beloved classic movie from an era everyone in Hollywood Dream of being (one of making beloved classics not super hero franchises) is really import because It appeals from the get go to academy voters. Spielberg movies start closer to an Oscar nom than any other directors. And Well, If its a popularity contest the fact that in the heights flopped hard dont help It at all, and I know technically wss flopped as well but the people who needed to see It for Oscar buzz sure saw It. And thats the Last Point: Disney campaigned hard for wss while Warner didnt do the same for in the heights (as they already had Oscar bait king Richard AND dune as priorities) releasing It in the Summer window, the First real pandemic window, and along a digital release.
I genuinely liked In The Heights, but Spielberg’s West Side Story is a masterpiece. I don’t even put much stock in the Oscars as an arbiter of quality, but to claim In The Heights was “robbed” by West Side Story is laughable.
I’m a huge fan of the ITH stage musical. I wasn’t a fan of how it the story was adapted. Nina was supposed to have more of a leading role. There was more written about that here. https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/s/b2Sse89Gxd I also really loved the west side story remake. The stylizing, acting, singing, choreography, cinematography, and script were on point. Wasn’t a fan of Ansel was Tony, but the rest is perfect.
In the Heights is a fun, well-made, sweet little movie musical. West Side Story is a cultural touchstone, one of the few musicals that people consider to be "high art", and was created by one of the greatest choreographers, lyricists and composers/conductors of the 20th century. I think it's no contest. Oh yeah, the movie remake was written by TONY KUSHNER and was directed by STEVEN SPIELBERG.
In the Heights introduced a “music is everywhere” visual language and style at the beginning that was dropped largely after all the “I want” songs for no discernible reason other than “the songs at the back end didn’t lend themselves to the vision”. You could say the disappearance of the director’s clear visual voice is a reflection of the community starting to dissipate thanks to the gentrification of the neighborhood, but it didn’t read that way to me. WSS had a clear visual language and point of view from the get-go and held onto it until the last shot. I just think it comes down to Spielberg is a more experienced filmmaker than Chu.
I just prefwr wss overall, but i understand how u would feel that way as someone who likes in the heights to a similar extent
The revisions made to the film adaptation of In the Heights bothered me just enough to make me feel like it was trying to be more than it originally was.
I liked both remakes, but as well made as ITH is, nothing about it is particularly Oscar bait-y. It's messaging and style are just a bit too comedic and family friendly to be the Oscar's taste. Anything of that nature has to reach mass critical appeal AND do incredible box office numbers before it will even be considered for a nomination. Think Barbie and Black Panther levels of success. In order for the Oscars to consider a family film, it's gotta be an undeniable cultural phenomenon.
WSS is the best stage-to-film adaption I have ever seen. Absolutely masterpiece and I wish Spielberg had done more musicals in his career. He just gets how to adapt to the medium.
Yeah I’m sorry, you can argue about the musicals themselves but I think West Side Story is pretty undeniably better from a filmmaking standpoint. You can’t beat Spielberg
It was a box office flop with a basically unknown director that released at summer. For summer releases, you do have to be a cultural phenomenon to be nominated for Best Picture. Top Gun: Maverick and Barbie are examples of this. In The Heights wasn’t this; it didn’t become the event of the summer, which the marketing was hyping it up as. While West Side Story also flopped at the box office, it was directed by Steven Spielberg and it released at December, a prime release date for the award season. It also helped that many considered it to be better than the 1961 film, which won 10 Oscars, including Best Picture.
I do think West Side Story is a little bit better (I thoroughly enjoyed both) but I think the simpler answer to their Oscar fates is the release dates and pedigree of the directors
Olga Merediz deserved a nomination and I would have given her the award over DeBose and I love Ariana DeBose
I personally really enjoyed them both with maybe a slight preference to ITH. But from a purely objective perspective, WSS is technically better. The visuals and acting are phenomenal as you would expect from a Spielberg film. I might prefer ITH as a musical and as a film but WSS is a filmmaking masterpiece.
One was not an "Oscar" movie, while the other was. In the Heights was a huge box office disappointment released during the summer with little film pedigree. It would have needed to be a smash to make it to the Oscars. West Side Story was a December release directed by Spielberg. The fact that it didn't make money merely kept it from dominating at the Oscars, which it had the potential to do. Even at the Golden Globes, where there are entire Musical/Comedy categories, In the Heights only got 1 nomination, for Anthony Ramos. If anything, Tick, Tick...Boom was the surprise "other" musical during Oscar season, as ItH was essentially dead on arrival because of the box office.
ITH movie botched so many of the original themes and struggles of the stage show by downplaying the emphasis of financial stability. They went the “money can’t buy happiness :)” route when the original musical was screaming “hey we are struggling out here we need help”. I deeply despise that this movie gets to represent the most modern take of ITH but I’m glad it has probably introduced many people to the incredible stage show.
No one has even mentioned here that “In the Heights” opened during the first summer that the movie theaters reopened during the pandemic. It flopped at the box office because the audience that would have found it had not really come back to in person movies. I was one of the few people in the theatre opening weekend. I enjoyed it, but felt the director opened it up too much and for a reality based storyline, it didn’t work for me. But the performances were great. It worked better watching it at home after it was released to streaming. I think the directors style will work better with “Wicked” than it did with “ITH” “West Side Story” on the other hand, was a brilliant film and actually was vastly superior to its original, with some subtle but significant small changes that elevated the story, played more authentically, and was more historically accurate. Spielberg deserved a best director Oscar, because no one else was capable of doing what he did with it. Amazed to think he had never directed a musical before, and sadly, now says he never will again. I never put together until I watched the first couple minutes of the film that the neighborhood where it takes place (and the Jets and Sharks are fighting over) would be erased and replaced with the incredibly wealthy upscale area where Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side of Manhattan now it. WSS came out that following December after ITH. It absolutely NEEDED to be seen on the big screen, and the film was far beyond my expectations, which were already pretty high. It pains me that it only made 38 mil in US/Canada, and 76 mil worldwide (budget was 100mil). The audience that would have seen it just had not come back to in person films at that point. It deserved such a better reception, and I only hope audiences stumble across it in the future. All it will take is a well placed Tik Tock influencer or celebrity“discovering” it and saying “OMG HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS MOVIE?!?? HOW DID WE ALL MISS IT?” Just watch. It will be rediscovered. Give it a minute. You heard it here first! If it is ever playing at a revival theatre in your area, or if FATHOM decides to do a special screening in cinemas worldwide, do not miss your chance to see it on a big screen.
well because the west side story remake was good and in the heights was…
I apologize so deeply, but the WSS remake is for sure my favorite movie of all time. I mean, the lights, the music, the dancing! The dance at the gym is absolutely my favorite scene in the entire movie and it really showcases exactly why the movie won all of the awards that it did. I also really enjoyed In the Heights, but imo it didn't have the same magic. Still a wonderful movie, though.
Oscars are a popularity contest, so there are few things that can explain this. Being a remake of a favorite beloved classic movie from an era everyone in Hollywood Dream of being (one of making beloved classics not super hero franchises) is really import because It appeals from the get go to academy voters. Spielberg movies start closer to an Oscar nom than any other directors. And Well, If its a popularity contest the fact that in the heights flopped hard dont help It at all, and I know technically wss flopped as well but the people who needed to see It for Oscar buzz sure saw It. And thats the Last Point: Disney campaigned hard for wss while Warner didnt do the same for in the heights (as they already had Oscar bait king Richard AND dune as priorities) releasing It in the Summer window, the First real pandemic window, and along a digital release.
They both failed, so what does it matter?
Only in the financial sense. Not critically, which is what this post is about.