Beauty and the Beast

I've really come to accept these live action Disney remakes for what they are. 

While I've enjoyed all of them to varying degrees (I never did see Cinderella), I always leave the theater somewhat bored. These are all re-tellings of stories we already know quite well and I suppose that there's a bit of magic lost in the actual "remake" aspect of it because the story stays the same. 

I think the upcoming live action remake of The Lion King will avoid this somewhat dull aspect, mainly because that story is just that good, but for films such as Beauty and the Beast, it means that I'll pretty consistently be left wanting more when I leave the theater even though I completely understand why I cant have it. 

Are they really going to change the stories to these classics? Of course not. Hence why I feel as if I've finally come to terms with these remakes. I'm fairly confident there won't be one that cracks my year-end Top 10 lists, but it's still somewhat fun and nostalgic to revisit a movie where the last time I watched it I had to open up a big ass plastic VHS case and rewind it in order to view it. 

Beauty and the Beast also has the added element of Emma Watson, who's pretty much the top dog of my many celebrity crushes so I certainly wasn't opposed to going and watching her for 2ish hours on a Sunday afternoon. 

What we're left with is a lovely, truly gorgeous remake of one of Disney's most iconic animated films that, while highly enjoyable, still comes across as just a really good remake.

"Is there more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking?"

Fun recreation of some
classic Disney characters

There isn't anywhere glaring that Beauty and the Beast falters. It's essentially a film with very few actual faults and the only criticisms I have are mostly personal preference. For starters, the 2 hour length was overdoing it by about 20 minutes and I couple that with the fact that there was too much singing. I'm not opposed to musical numbers -- just see my #1 pick from 2016 -- but I personally begin to get irritated when I feel like every 5 minutes there's a song. This is not a consistent problem in Beauty and the Beast as there are several stretches with no singing, but they're often grouped together otherwise and outside of 3-4 numbers, are largely forgettable. This makes the pacing seem off too as there are several documented trips with various characters to and from the Beast's castle and it all drags slightly where a tightening of the run time would have done it some good. 

Other than that however, most of what Beauty and the Beast produces is wonderful. Emma Watson is a splendid Belle, Dan Stevens is a fantastic choice as Beast (though the transition from watching him on Legion is jarring), Luke Evans is a perfect Gaston, and the rest of the cast of Sir Ian McKellen, Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Josh Gad, and others all fit their roles to a T. They're all particularly memorable and do the iconic characters justice while bringing their live-action form (or voices) to the role. McKellen and McGregor in particular are given some really funny bits and interactions as Lumiere and Cogsworth. Josh Gad is fun too as LeFou and provides a few of the film's biggest laughs. 

The most impressive aspect of the film are its production values. Sets are beyond impressive and intricate, with a lot of attention to atmosphere, colors, and detail. This seems to go hand in hand with the previous live action versions of princess-based films, but nonetheless, it's impressive to see and will likely get Oscar noms. Similarly, the costume design is gorgeous and more than a bit nostalgic. Seeing the Beast in his initial rags, Gaston in his red coat, or Belle in that yellow dress are all captured with amazing accuracy here and really do a lot to add to the magic of some of the film's best scenes. Even the details on the CG household item characters is impressive as they look "real" other than the fact that they move and talk. 

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the dungeon...
Have you heard this story before?"

Beauty and the Beast may not do anything new to the story or challenge itself outside of being a very close remake of the original. I've come to accept that for what it is going into these films, and while I still feel like I want more, I'm perfectly content with what I got. In this case it's a lovely trip back to a story with great characters and lessons to be learned that is sure to tug at your nostalgic heartstrings. 

CONS

• Overlong by 20 minutes
• Too much singing in my opinion
• Only a handful of memorable songs/numbers
• Pacing drags here and there

PROS

• Wonderful and expertly chosen cast. Watson is a fantastic Belle and while it is her movie, everyone else is perfectly suited for the role which they are given
• A few good songs
• Recreates the story and iconic scenes well
• Incredible production values, specifically with the sets and costumes
• A couple of really funny moments
• Fun and nostalgic to revisit

Rath's Review Score | 7.5/10