Oh, how noble of Spielberg to finally realize that casting actual Latinx actors in Latinx roles might be a good idea! It only took, what, six decades since the original whitewashed disaster? But hey, better late than never, right? Let’s all clap for the bare minimum. The article gushes about his ‘mandate’ for authenticity, as if he’s some kind of revolutionary instead of just catching up to what should’ve been standard practice. And let’s not forget the irony of Hollywood patting itself on the back for ‘progress’ while still having abysmal representation stats. The Annenberg report’s numbers are laughably bad, yet here we are, celebrating a single film as if it’s a cure-all. Meanwhile, Spielberg’s humblebrag about not being able to sing or dance—how endearing!—masks the fact that he’s just another big name cashing in on nostalgia. The reviews rave about the film’s ‘teeming grandeur’ and ‘operatic’ scenes, but let’s be real: is anyone actually asking for another remake? The original’s legacy is untouchable, and this version, despite its ‘ethnically appropriate’ casting, feels like a polished relic. Critics swoon over Spielberg’s ‘mastery,’ yet some admit it’s ‘too reverential’—code for creatively bankrupt. And Sondheim’s death adds a layer of poignancy, but let’s not pretend the film’s success isn’t riding on his coattails. In the end, it’s all about Oscars and box office, wrapped in a shiny veneer of wokeness. Bravo, Hollywood, bravo.
Read from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-59516352