Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is back and it’s bigger, louder, and longer then before. This 2017 remake of the Disney Classic is just that, a remake. There is no real need to worry about spoilers in this review since it’s really a beat-by-beat retelling of the 1991, animated film. With that said, Beauty in the Beast is honestly a charming movie. It is the successful blend the classic story and songs with impressive CGI and a very theatrical tone.
There is no doubt that the stand out of the film was the music. Alan Menken, the film’s composer, did a tremendous job mixing in notes from the songs we love in and out of the story. The music set the tone beautifully and held the movie together. The songs themselves, new and old, also really worked for me. I appreciated the updates and new versions to the classics and I think all the actors did a great job in preforming them.
The story itself does have it’s issues, but that is no different from the original. Belle’s quick turn from prisoner to dance partner doesn’t get much better in this telling but hey, the original became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture, so I guess if it ain’t broke. The small additions to the story, gave the characters a bit more context and I do wish they would have been able to add a bit more new to the film.
I did also really enjoy the cast. Emma Watson pulled off Belle without a hitch. She was believable and I was impressed with her singing ability. The Beast seemed much less like a grumpy dick this time around, thanks to Dan Stevens bring some charisma to the role, which really helped the love story be a bit more believable. Luke Evans seems to have been born to play Gaston and Josh Gad took LeFou from an annoying joke to a much more tolerable one. Finally, Sir Ian McKellen and Ewan McGregor made a fantastic duo as Cogsworth and Lumière, better then the originals.
I challenge you to watch this movie without smiling or to leave the theater in a bad mood. I mean, I guess both are possible if you just want to be a jerk, but my point is this is a happy, upbeat musical that delivers on that promises.
So, you should see this movie if…
- You know what comes after “There goes the …..”
- You've had a shit day, you're out of wine, and need something to pick you up
OR
- You want to relive a classic from your childhood with all the charm, music and fantasy you remember
Rating: 3.5/5
