Thanks to Cineworld last night I got the chance to watch the new film by the creator of “Hamilton” and the director of “Crazy Rich Asians”, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big, In The Heights.
Lights up on Washington Heights…The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.
“In the Heights” fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu’s lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience.
I have to say that over the years as I have got older I’ve been finding a new interest in musicals. It was La la Land that rekindled my love of the musical and since then I’ve been re-watching a few movies, so when the trailers started coming along for In the Heights I was captivated by the look and the sound of the music in the trailer.
It’s fantastic to be back at the cinemas and it’s films such as this one that certainly brings you a sense of something special when you are in a screening with other like-minded movie-goers and let’s face it there is nothing better than a film on the big screen and In The Heights is certainly a film that deserves to be seen on the big screen.
Right from the start of the film you have a sense that the music and cinematography are going to look and sound great together, they do work very well together as the music booms out with the accompanying dance sequences that work wonderfully, it kind of took me back to the older musicals such as West Side Story.
The music flows very well through the film keeping it flowing nicely to keep your interest in the storyline which may be simplistic it works great for the overall production on the film.
There are some great touches throughout the film, such as a sequence having some nice animations added to the scene to make it pop and later on a scene with a dance sequence on the side of the building that I wasn’t really expecting and it looks superb, I think that may have been my favourite part of the film.
If you love musicals then this is certainly a film that you will want to check out, also if you enjoyed Hamilton then no doubt this will be for you as well, the music is catchy, the choreography is wonderful to watch and the cinematography looks fantastic on the cinema’s screen in its 2.39:1 ratio.
The cast all work brilliantly together, I have to say it was a bit strange seeing Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Stephanie Beatriz singing and dancing, but that’s because I’m so used to seeing her as Rosa Diaz, but I loved her performance which reminded me of the Pink Ladies in Grease.
“In the Heights” stars Anthony Ramos (“A Star is Born,” Broadway’s “Hamilton”), Corey Hawkins (“Straight Outta Compton,” “BlacKkKlansman”), singer/songwriter Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera (TV’s “Vida”), Olga Merediz (Broadway’s “In the Heights”), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Broadway’s “Rent”), Gregory Diaz IV (Broadway’s “Matilda the Musical”), Stephanie Beatriz (TV’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Dascha Polanco (TV’s “Orange is the New Black”) and Jimmy Smits (the “Star Wars” films).
Chu directed the film from a screenplay by Quiara Alegría Hudes, based on the musical stage play, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegría Hudes and concept by Miranda. Miranda, Hudes, Scott Sanders, Anthony Bregman and Mara Jacobs produced the film, with David Nicksay and Kevin McCormick serving as executive producers.
Behind the camera, Chu reunited with his “Crazy Rich Asians” production designer, Nelson Coates, and editor, Myron Kerstein. He also collaborated with director of photography Alice Brooks (TV’s “The Walking Dead”) and costume designer Mitchell Travers (“Eighth Grade”). Original songs by Miranda. Alex Lacamoire (“Fosse/Verdon”) and Bill Sherman (“Sesame Street”) served as executive music producers. The choreography is by Christopher Scott, who previously teamed with Chu on the award-winning “The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers.”
“In the Heights” was filmed in New York, primarily on location in the dynamic community of Washington Heights. Warner Bros. Pictures presents a 5000 Broadway / Barrio Grrrl! / Likely Story / SGS Pictures Production, A Jon M. Chu Film, “In the Heights.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and will be in UK cinemas from the 18th June.
Where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big
Movie title: In The Heights
Movie description: A film version of the Broadway musical in which Usnavi, a sympathetic New York bodega owner, saves every penny every day as he imagines and sings about a better life.
Date published: June 18, 2021
Country: UK
Duration: 2h 23min
Director(s): Jon M. Chu
Actor(s): Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace
Genre: Drama, Music, Musical
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
