Disney’s live action remake of Beauty and the Beast broke huge records and made a very impressive $350 million worldwide on its opening weekend. The film stars Emma Watson as Belle, the book-loving heroine, alongside Downton Abbey‘s resident heartthrob, Dan Stevens as the Beast.
Now I will proudly go on record and say I’m a Huge Disney fan, and am a firm believer in the awesome film magic produced the by Disney. However, I am not the only Disney fan in my household. My 11-year-old sister loves all things Disney as well. Her and I have made a tradition of going to see the new live action movies together as sort of a sibling bonding experience. They are a chance for me to revisit some of my very favorite classic movies of my childhood and a chance for them to be brand new for her. A win-win for everybody.
My little sister and I decided, for your reading pleasure, that we would both provide a comprehensive review of this beloved classic from start to finish. We will refrain from spoilers for anyone who has not yet seen the movie and would like to enjoy it in the future. We invite you to be our guest and read below for a comprehensive review. Enjoy!
Pre-Movie:
We entered the theater and purchased our tickets with my sister jumping up and down she was so excited. I stopped to take a picture of my ticket. She was not amused.
At my sister’s insistence, we decide to purchase the limited edition Beauty and the Beast popcorn bucket and drink so we could “get the full experience” ($19.99 of our parents’ money well spent). We got into the theater and it was packed. Like really, really packed; filled with little kids. This is the moment when I realized a whole new generation of kids will grow up knowing Emma Watson as Belle and not Hermione. This was also the moment where I suddenly feel very old.
The movie began and I already felt emotional. My sister was so excited that I had trouble getting her to stay still. As the movie progressed, it became clear that Disney does not mess around. They have given this film everything they have. The movie went on and we both were a little *too* into it, so much so that my sister caught me crying twice. Not ashamed. After the movie was finished, we decided on a rating system. In honor of the spirit of the film, instead of doing a five star rating system we decided on a five “rose” system. Our opinions did differ. What follows is the breakdown of our discusion and review:
The Cast
Me: “The cast was amazing. Five roses. No… six roses.”
Sister: “Yeah. I agree. Five roses. I love Emma Watson so much, and man, Gaston was so hot. Was it bad I thought he was super cute? I mean I know he’s evil and everything but I just love looking at him!”
This is the part I became concerned my sister and I might have the same taste in men. To recap she is ELEVEN. I decide not to tell her I also was attracted to Gaston.
The cast was absolutely star-studded and gave amazing performances. My adoration for Emma Watson is well known but she truly gave an amazing performance. The rest of the cast played their parts perfectly as well. It was everything a viewer could hope for and more. They could not have had better casting if they tried. The original characters were brilliantly remastered and the new additions did nothing but complement the already well-established and well-loved characters from the original version.
Overall Rating: 5 Roses
The Music
Me: “The music was amazing. The score was incredible. The actors sang great. I really liked the new songs but I wasn’t a huge fan of the “Be Our Guest” number. I really didn’t expect for it to be as good as it was, overall.”
Sister: ““Be Our Guest” was my favorite one! I loved the “Gaston” song too! I didn’t like that they added new ones but I think they were pretty great, still.”
The film keeps all the same songs from the beloved classic but adds some new ones, giving the film its own unique touch that sets it apart from the original.
Overall Rating: 4 Roses
The Cinematography
Me: “The cinematography was absolutely beautiful. The scenery, the colors, and the castle were all super cool. You could tell they did a lot while building the castle sets.”
Sister: “Yeah the colors were really pretty.”
Overall Rating: 4 Roses
The Costumes
Me: “I have no words for how beautiful that yellow dress was.”
Sister: “Oh my gosh yes, it was so pretty! I want to wear it! But I thought Beast looked super dumb in all his wigs and makeup and stuff. I don’t like his outfits. But man, Gaston looks good in red.”
I again became concerned my 11-year-old sister is attracted to Disney villians.
Overall Rating: 5 Roses
The Animation
Me: “Mrs. Potts, Chip and the rest of the objects looked really fake. The only ones that looked believable were Lumiere and Cogsworth. They gave their best efforts but at some points it wasn’t the best.
Sister: “No way! They all looked so good! I thought it was awesome! But I guess Mrs. Potts looked kinda fake.”
Overall Rating: 2.5 Roses
The Story
Me: “I loved the way they closed the plot holes and answered some of the questions from the old film. The additions and changes to the story were wonderful. I was surprised by how much I liked the additions. All together the story was tied together really, really well.”
Sister: “No, I didn’t like that at all. I didn’t ask for them to change that stuff.”
Me: “But did you still enjoy the movie?”
Sister: “Yes, I still loved it. I thought it was funny how LeFou was so obsessed with Gaston.”
In this version, the curse placed upon the castle is a little more involved and a little more complex. We see more of Belle and how she came to be viewed as “different” and we see the Beast’s childhood as well. We also get a chance to see new characters have a bigger role.
Overall Rating: 4 Roses
The Lesson
Me: “What did you think the lesson of this story was?”
Sister: “Don’t judge a book by its cover because the Beast looked bad and mean on the outside, but he wasn’t. Belle looked on the insides and saw he was a nice guy. Then they fell in love.”
Me: “Anything else?”
Sister: “Also… if you made your girlfriend mad because you were mean to her, say you’re sorry by giving her a library. It’s a nice thing to do.”
So there you have it, a comprehensive review of Beauty and the Beast. It may have been remade and beautifully remastered, but at its core, it’s still the same tale as old as time.