Why? Steven Spielberg can make any movie he wants. Why trace a legend if all that’s to come of it is a blemished face-lift? Some of the more problematic moments from Robert Wise’s 1962 original — Anglo-stars darkened by Max Factor, Marni Nixon’s ghost-singing, Vaselined lenses — have been smoothed out, although not entirely. The original, shot in 70mm and intended to be viewed on a big screen, was composed almost entirely in medium and longshots. Janusz Kaminski’s camera knows no restraint: including the light source in every other shot must be the director and cinematographer's way of paying tribute to Kubrick. (Imagine watching a movie with a car’s high beams parked behind the screen.) Is there nothing nice to say? It was bound to be woke woke, so imagine one’s chagrin to find Baby John in the arms of a woman. Tony Kushner’s script grants Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler) more time to fall in love and the repositioning of America from rooftop to sidewalk was a musical highpoint. And a man with Spielberg’s clout couldn’t have secured the rights from the estate of Ned “Doc” Glass” to Photoshop on a wedding picture next to his widow, Valentina (Rita Moreno, topping her turn as Anita). In the Heights blows the doors off this remarkably unnecessary remake. (2021) — Scott Marks
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