Posted: 1/28/22 at 11:30am
https://www.goldderby.com/article/2022/mike-faist-west-side-story-oscar-spotlight/
Great article.
Updated On: 1/28/22 at 11:30 AM
Posted: 2/1/22 at 6:16pm
I can only imagine what the excitement level in that room must have been ... to hear that orchestra live in person!! Everyone looks so happy and thrilled to be there.
Posted: 2/1/22 at 9:25pm
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/West-Side-Story-Blu-ray/300964/
No release date YET, but here’s a listing for the Blu-ray
Posted: 2/2/22 at 6:45am
jacobsnchz14 said: "https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/West-Side-Story-Blu-ray/300964/
No release date YET, but here’s a listing for the Blu-ray"
This listing from the same site has a release date of March 15, 2022. I'm not sure if that's correct or not:
West Side Story 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital - March 15, 2022
Posted: 2/3/22 at 7:27am
Mike and Ariana both got BAFTA nominations this morning for supporting actor and actress. WSS was shut out of the other main/big categories.
Updated On: 2/3/22 at 07:27 AM
Posted: 2/3/22 at 10:12am
MIKE FAIST!! So thrilled for his BAFTA nomination. Who knows what it'll mean for his Oscar chances, but it's great to see some major nominating body acknowledge his tremendous work in the film.
Posted: 2/4/22 at 12:07pm
Faist might be nominated but it won’t be because of the BAFTA nomination, which was released after Academy Award voting ended. I was still pleased he got some recognition.
Posted: 2/4/22 at 12:15pm
WSS is basically only guaranteed to get one acting nom (DeBose). If it gets multiple (Zegler, Faist, Moreno) and also does well across all the crafts, it could be seen as a frontrunner to win Best Picture. Some pundits are now questioning its strength.
Posted: 2/4/22 at 12:30pm
I agree, I doubt Rachel will get a nomination and the movie itself might be shut out of the big ones. I am hoping Mike Faist gets a nomination because he's just so incredible in the film.
Posted: 2/4/22 at 12:43pm
I've seen the movie three times now and really appreciate Elgort's performance. Vocally, he's marvelous--obviously he's gotten some expert coaching. His acting is also fine for this reconceived role. I love his scenes with Moreno.
Posted: 2/4/22 at 5:41pm
On the back cover of the FYC DVD screeners for WSS it lists Zegler, Elgort, DeBose, Moreno, Alvarez and Faist in their respective categories. DeBose has a solid lock for a spot, the others are really anybody's guess.
Posted: 2/5/22 at 1:16am
I’m assuming a Best Picture nomination and DeBose in the major categories. Spielberg seems surprisingly iffy. I would love if Faist sneaks in but I’m not expecting him or anyone else.
The film even seems questionable for cinematography, which would be real shame if it’s snubbed there. We all know how difficult it is to stage a good movie musical, especially one with dance.
West Side Story suffers from its perception as a remake that bombed at the box office, even though most of its competitors drew fewer people to theaters in the middle of an Omicron wave.
Posted: 2/5/22 at 5:56pm
Oddly, more and more people are seeing the film and really enjoying it. Lots of them are thanking me for recommending the morning screenings of the film because those are the ones with the lightest attendance.
Posted: 2/5/22 at 6:59pm
I think its box office performance has led to people defending it. It has an underdog status now.
Posted: 2/6/22 at 2:23am
Dollypop said: "Oddly, more and more people are seeing the film and really enjoying it. Lots of them are thanking me for recommending the morning screenings of the film because those are the ones with the lightest attendance."
It’s all because of you. You will save the movie musical .
Posted: 2/6/22 at 10:19am
bear88 said:
West Side Storysuffers from its perception as a remake that bombed at the box office, even though most of its competitors drew fewer people to theaters in the middle of an Omicron wave."
That!
“A remake the world didn’t need” it’s the general consensus amongst voting members hence the snubbing at most awards. They are of a certain generation who is attached to an iconic film that won 10 academy awards and refuse to take another version on board no matter how good it is. Also the fact that screeners either arrived too late or never therefore most members had already cast their votes, didn’t help either.
Those issues were discussed in a recent YouTube video I watched about Oscar Predictions with film critics that know the industry.
I also personally believe a major blunter was made by deciding not to release the film on streaming platforms. I get what Spielberg is saying about the Cinematic experience (fully agree) but good luck convincing the audience (especially the age group for this film) during the pandemic to go and see it. I mean the ones who truly want to experience it in the theatre will do no matter what. Dune was released on streaming and although I could have watched it on my 50 inch TV I refused to. I went straight for the IMAX experience and wouldn’t have jt any other way. Same happened for WSS, watched it 3 times already in theatres.
Adding on top the BO failure and WSS is destined to be remembered as a failed remake (in both sales and awards recognition) that no one will talk about in 10-20 years from now. It breaks my heart but it is what it is. 
Posted: 2/6/22 at 10:41am
Yesterday I finally received that highly anticipated FYC DVD Screener for WEST SIDE STORY. Voting window for Academy Award voters ended over a week ago so it’s pointless. All my actor friends who do vote either still haven’t received the screener or never had time to watch it as it was only recently sent out. They admitted the film isn’t one they voted for as they did see many of the others listed on the ballots so those were the ones that motivated them to vote for. Too late now, folks.
Posted: 2/6/22 at 12:48pm
BrodyFosse123 said: "Yesterday I finally received that highly anticipated FYC DVD Screener for WEST SIDE STORY. Voting window for Academy Award voters ended over a week ago so it’s pointless. All my actor friends who do vote either still haven’t received the screener or never had time to watch it as it was only recently sent out. They admitted the film isn’t one they voted for as they did see many of the others listed on the ballots so those were the ones that motivated them to vote for. Too late now, folks."
I think you are confusing your awards here. It seems as though you received the DVD intended for members of SAG who will vote for this year's SAG Actor awards (Ariana De Bose is the lone nominee from WSS). Votes for the SAG award are not due until Friday, Feb. 25th. You have plenty of time to watch before voting.
This is completely separate from the Academy Awards. You can rest assured that members of the Academy were given every possible means of viewing Steven Spielberg's latest film before submitting their nominee choices, which will be announced this Tuesday.
Posted: 2/6/22 at 1:00pm
The Academy Awards officially closes out awards season. All other awards are welcomed, but the granddaddy of all entertainment awards is the Academy Awards/Oscars. The FYC DVD Screeners are primarily intended for Academy Awards consideration though they obviously influence the other awards as well. LICORICE PIZZA’s FYC DVD Screener was sent out to voters a full month ahead of its theatrical release so most voters already saw the film when awards season voting had just kicked off. WEST SIDE STORY should have followed this similar trajectory.
Posted: 2/6/22 at 4:08pm
Azúcar! said: "Dollypop said: "Oddly, more and more people are seeing the film and really enjoying it. Lots of them are thanking me for recommending the morning screenings of the film because those are the ones with the lightest attendance."
It’s all because of you. You will save the movie musical ."
That wasn't what I intended to imply.
My point was, many people are afraid of going to a theater because of the pandemic, but when they learn certain screenings are sparsely attended and social distancing is easily accomplished, they give it a try.
I saw the Met's "Live in HD" transmission of RIGOLETTO last week and there were only 8 of us in the the theater. Usually these events are so popular out here that a 2nd auditorium often has to be opened to accommodate the crowds.
Posted: 2/6/22 at 4:37pm
Aside from whatever problems the producers have had in sending out For Your Considerstion DVDs, which seems like a big unforced error, I also agree that failing to make the film available on a streaming platform was a major error.
I understand Spielberg’s desire to release the film on the big screen, but Omicron changed things. And even if the variant hadn’t happened, there was no reason not to release the film on a screening service after a month. It wasn’t a hit. It wasn’t going to suddenly become a hit in theaters a month into its run.
But release it on HBO Max and, better yet, Disney+, it attracts an audience that is the most reluctant to venture out to a movie theater. And any Academy voter or SAG voter who hasn’t seen it will have every chance to catch it.
Look at Encanto. It performed respectably, but not spectacularly, at the box office. And then, even though it was still doing well enough, Disney pulled it from most theaters and put it on Disney+. And now, due to Tik Tok and those two hit songs, it became a talked-about sensation.
Can anyone seriously argue that West Side Story is better off languishing in theaters, with audiences of four or five old people per showing, than in taking a chance that its diverse cast of eye candy might get more attention with more exposure? Sure, the score isn’t new or modern, but it’s one of the greatest scores ever written. And the film has what most of the other Best Picture candidates lack: vibrancy, energy, passion, sex appeal.
Maybe none of that would have worked either, but it would have been better than going out with a whimper.
Updated On: 2/6/22 at 04:37 PM
Posted: 2/6/22 at 4:53pm
I feel bad for the entire cast and crew. You can sense their excitement to be involved in the film from their interviews and behind the scenes footage ... the film was critically well received and and the majority of those who ventured out to see it in the theatre loved it as well ... yet it now appears the film is destined to be classified as a "boxoffice bomb" which seems unfair. Yes it may have "bombed" at the boxoffice but the film itself was far from a "bomb". All those involved can hold their heads high and know that they were a part of something very special.
Updated On: 2/6/22 at 04:53 PM
Posted: 2/6/22 at 5:01pm
bear88 said: "Aside from whatever problems the producers have had in sending out For Your Considerstion DVDs, which seems like a big unforced error, I also agree that failing to make the film available on a streaming platform was a major error.
I understand Spielberg’s desire to release the film on the big screen, but Omicron changed things. And even if the variant hadn’t happened, there was no reason not to release the film on a screening service after a month. It wasn’t a hit. It wasn’t going to suddenly become a hit in theaters a month into its run.
But release it on HBO Max and, better yet, Disney+, it attracts an audience that is the most reluctant to venture out to a movie theater. And any Academy voter or SAG voter who hasn’t seen it will have every chance to catch it.
Look atEncanto.It performed respectably, but not spectacularly, at the box office. And then, even though it was still doing well enough, Disney pulled it from most theaters and put it on Disney+. And now, due to Tik Tom and those two hit songs, it became a talked-about sensation.
Can anyone seriously argue thatWest Side Storyis better off languishing in theaters, with audiences of four or five old people per showing, than in taking a chance that its diverse cast of eye candy might get more attention with more exposure? Sure, the score isn’t new or modern, but it’s one of the greatest scores ever written. And the film has what most of the other Best Picture candidates lack: vibrancy, energy, passion, sex appeal.
Maybe none of that would have worked either, but it would have been better than going out with a whimper."
I completely agree, it's baffling. Maybe Disney was banking on it scoring a lot of awards nominations which could maybe extend its life in theaters/box office haul, but it's been steadily losing steam during awards season - the screeners for SAG were sent out extremely late which could have contributed to the lack of Best Ensemble nomination there, the ASC (cinematography) and ACE (editing) snubbed it for their guild awards, and it wasn't nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, or Best Adapted Screenplay at the BAFTAs. I'm confident it'll get nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars because there will be ten nominees, but Spielberg isn't a lock for director anymore and it might be overlooked for cinematography, editing, and adapted screenplay as well, considering the competition in those categories this year.
It's such a shame to see it mismanaged in this way.
Posted: 2/7/22 at 8:45am
Globefan said: "The Daily Beast decided today to write a hit piece about Rachel. It was disgusting."
I’m not gonna lie, I’ve found Rachel’s social media presence to be pretty annoying for a long time lol, but this attack piece was definitely unnecessary, especially when it’s aimed at a young inexperienced actress trying to make her way in the business.
