I cannot get this one review of West Side Story (2021) out of my head that called the Jets "racist street rats" and refused to engage with them on that basis and I...

Yes the Jets are racist (and transphobic) but by calling them "Street Rats" and refusing to question why they are like that you are fundamentally missing the point of West Side Story. Like both movies (and I assume the original musical) make it very clear that the resentment between the Jets and Sharks is ulitmatley causing nothing but suffering for people who were already left behind by the system. Classism is the real problem here.

"America" and "Gee Officer Krupke" are BACK TO BACK so that you see under which systemic issues both groups suffer. These people carry out violent power struggles amomgst themselves because that is all they have. 2021 even has a scene of a white police officer trying to rile up the Jets against the Sharks using racism and Riff sees right through it and tells him that he knows the police doesn't think much of him either.

And I am not here to excuse the Jets' racism or transphobia or attempted rape (!) or for that matter the violence carried out by them and the Sharks, but refusing to have sympathy for them on the basis of them being "racist street rats" is....yikes.

I will say I don't like how WSS 2021 made the Sharks purely defenders, and removed their equal role as aggressors, because the point of the dynamic is a level of equal hatred and aggression on both sides, not caused more by either. Also it was weird all the Sharks were clearly adults and all the Jets clearly kids

Bernardo Makes Peace with Tony [HC #5]

Request from @mikefaistandarianadebosestan: “Can you write a hc about Tony and Maria dating or like Bernardo finally accepting Tony also this would be if nobody died.”

Tony is able to stop the rumble so no one dies. He tries his hardest for weeks to make Bernardo like him.

Anita makes nice because she knows how Maria feels and she never had any ill will towards Tony to begin with, but Bernardo is so inside his head that he is always looking for Tony to slip up. Not because he wants his sister’s heartbroken, but because he doesn’t trust Tony.

Every time they see each other, Tony tries to shake Bernardo’s hand out of respect - as he would if he had met Maria’s father. The first few times Bernardo either ignores or wipes his hand on his shirt.

It isn’t until it’s Maria’s 19th birthday when Tony and Anita plan a surprise party for her that Bernardo sees that Tony genuinely loves Maria.

Tony knows all her favorite music. Her favorite foods. Even spent a pretty penny on a painting of Puerto Rico to remind Maria of home, because he knows she gets homesick.

At Maria’s party, Tony is getting some air on the fire escape because of how crowded the apartment is. Bernardo comes out to join him and they both talk about how much Maria means to them.

This is the first time Bernardo offers a handshake. And he tells him, “Take care of her”. And it’s the first time he’s fully accepted Tony. But of course, he has to add the brotherly threat of “hurt my sister and you die”.

Have We Lost The Ability To Engage With Art?

Have We Lost The Ability To Engage With Art?

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Some of y'all are going to let your hatred of Ansel Elgort keep you from watching West Side Story and I’m just going to say it—it’s your loss.

I’m not defending Ansel, I’m saying that regardless of his inclusion, West Side Story is a damn good film full of incredible talent, beautiful music, stunning imagery, and important messages.

Watch it for Rachel Zegler. Watch it for Ariana DeBose. Watch it for Mike Faist. Watch it for Rita Moreno. Watch it for Steven Spielberg. Just watch it. An entire cast and crew poured their hearts and souls into this project. It’s their movie too and they deserve for it to be successful.

These two women are in love and once they get over their comphet they will have such a fruitful life together and I can’t wait

So… Saki knows everything about what Akito put everybody through then, huh? Y’know here’s a good question. If she knows all about everyone’s pain then maybe could she have learned about the curse? or maybe… she might have even known all along?! With her powers I wouldn’t be surprised. I can’t believe I only just now realized that!

Yeah. I like to believe that she always knew. That’s just her way.

Family dinner

Kyo: Well…Maybe I guess maybe you are kinda stubborn….

Me:” Maybe” ? “MAYBE” ? Kyo, did you live under a rock this whole time ? Maybe ? Kinda ? She might be quietly stubborn but she is one of the most stubborn person on this show and you are the one who experienced that the most… Do you not remember the failed confession in the rain or true form ?

Furuba gang in quarantine

open images in full size to read and apologies for my handwriting ;-; next time i’ll try using type lol

bad timing, king

do not repost my art!

“I just want Kyo-kun.” // “It’s crazy how much I want her.”

Why is this everything 😭❤️😭❤️😭❤️😭

I won’t let you go. It’s crazy how much… I want her.