Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast

Starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad

Directed by Bill Condon

The Story:
There once was a handsome Prince who threw the most lavish balls for the most beautiful people.  When an unseemly older woman seeks refuge at his castle and offers a rose in payment, the Prince scoffs her and throws her out.  She reveals herself to be an enchantress, and places a curse on the Prince, turning him into a Beast and his servants into furniture, erasing them from the town's memories, and leaving the Prince with one last rose.  If he can love - and find someone to love him - as a Beast, then everything will be restored, but if fails to do so by the time the last petal falls, he will remain a Beast forever, and his servants will turn into ordinary furniture.

Some time later, in the small town of Villeneuve, young Belle (Emma Watson) is the most beautiful girl in the town, but also the most unique, as she doesn't need a man and also forges her own path in life.  Her beauty draws the attention of Gaston (Luke Evans), a former war hero whom repeatedly pleads for Belle's hand in marriage, but she keeps refusing him due to his narcissistic tendencies and overall arrogance.  One night her father Maurice (Kevin Kline) gets attacked by wolves and finds refuge in a dark castle, where he is imprisoned by the Beast (Dan Stevens) after taking a rose from his garden.

Belle finds her father and takes his place, and learns about the Beast's dark history from the talking furniture including candelabra Lumiere (Ewan McGregor), mantel clock Cogsworth (Ian McKellen), tea kettle Mrs. Potts (Emma Thompson), her son Chip the teacup (Nathan Mack), wardrobe Madame Garderobe (Audra McDonald), harpsichord Maestro Cadenza (Stanley Tucci) and feather-duster Plumette (Gugu Mbatha-Raw).  While at first the Beast appears angry, evil and cruel, Belle learns of the soft interior he possesses, and when she finds out her father is in danger at the hands of Gaston and his mate LeFou (Josh Gad), the Beast releases her to him.  Gaston plans a raid on the castle and organizes the townspeople to lynch the place and kill the Beast, and Belle sets out to rescue him before the last rose petal falls.  

The Synopsis:
Based off the novel "La Belle et la Bete" by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, Disney took the classic tale and turned it into an animated feature film back in 1991.  Not only was it the first animated film to gross over $100 million, it was also the first animated film to be nominated for the prestigious Best Picture Oscar.  The film has withstood the test of time and is still valued and highly regarded today.

So when Disney decided to turn the film into a live-action adaptation, there was some trepidation about it.  Disney found success in re-branding other classic animated films like "Cinderella" and "The Jungle Book," but taking "Beauty and the Beast" and making it into a live film was a bigger risk for the company, as the original still held such sway with audiences, and it had a lot to live up to.

Thankfully, not only did the film live up to its animated predecessor, but it also managed to ignite a special spark that was something direly needed for today.  It made you feel like a kid again, leave a warm smile on your face and warmer feeling in your heart, and made you believe in fairy tales again.

Everything about this film was pitch perfect, from the acting to the story, from the effects to the costumes, it truly transported you to a land and time far away, and took you out of the miserable conditions you typically find yourselves in.  Not only was it the prefect escapist movie, it also manages to touch your heart and move you to love stronger, love unconditionally, and love everyone no matter what their outward appearances might be like. 

Casting Emma Watson as the lead was a pure stroke of genius, as she truly epitomizes everything Belle is, especially since she played the headstrong, book-smart Hermione Granger in eight "Harry Potter" films.  The two women could be sisters as to how they handle situations with a keen wit and sharp intellect, but also a form of innocence and vulnerability.  There couldn't have been a better actress to cast, and she truly was the heart and soul of the film.

Dan Stevens is best known for his role on the hit series "Downton Abby," and even though he spends the majority of the film covered with CGI fur, you can still see his acting through his piercing blue eyes that showcases Beast as something more than just...a beast.  Luke Evans is dastardly evil as Gaston, and also is perfect for the role, as is his loving sidekick LeFou, while Kevin Kline's Maurice shows us where Belle got her fiery spirit from.  As the voices of the furniture, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, Nathan Mack, Audra McDonald, Stanley Tucci and Gugu Mbatha-Raw all give rousing performances, but it's Emma Thompson's performance as Mrs. Potts that takes the cake, especially in the iconic dance scene where she beautifully sings a rendition of the much-adored Angela Lansbury classic "Beauty and the Beast." 

The cinematography is top notch, as they perfectly blend CGI with live action effects and scenery that helps teleport the viewer to this magical land of castles and Princes, and the vibrant colors help to drive the overall theme home in a way that's visually beautiful and viscerally powerful.  The costume designs are incomparable, from the highly intricate stitching in the costumes of the Prince's servants to Belle's plain dress at her home (perfectly paired with the 1991 animated classic), no detail has gone to waste.  However, once again, it's that iconic dance scene that truly showcases the brilliance in the costume designs from the Beast's powerful blue suit to Belle's elegant yellow dress. 

Finally the story - a tale as old as time - has a deep impact even today.  There was much debate over the supposed "gay" scene with LeFou, and it just serves as a way people today still focus on the outside and not appreciate what is on the inside.  The scene itself was a blind-and-you'll-miss-it scene, but it was something that raised the ire of thousands of people before they even saw it.  Much like Gaston roused up the town to battle the Beast, it seems that those who were against the movie due to this supposed scene roused up people to go against it, both without fully understanding what is happening. 

What is most beautiful about "Beauty and the Beast" is the story.  As it is in life, we often reward attractive people and shun those who are less aesthetically pleasing, and more times than not those who are attractive on the outside are the biggest beasts on the inside, and those who look frightening or different on the outside are often the most beautiful, caring people inside.  We're very quick to judge a book by its cover without opening it up and reading the beautiful story inside, to our detriment.  Yet, through everything, love can still exist.

When it comes to the music, everyone gives amazing performances.  Emma Watson can belt it out like the best of them, and two of my favorite numbers get top-notch treatments.  "Be Our Guest" is a visually stunning performance featuring Lumiere and the rest of the servants that is lush, lovely and full of life.  "Beauty and the Beast" is as powerful as ever, thanks to the excellent Emma Thompson who literally brought a tear to my eye.  Plus the rest of the songs are great too, but those are my two favorites.

The Summary:
Proving the film really is "a tale as old as time," "Beauty and the Beast" is a rousing, moving, poignant film that affects your heart and makes you feel like a kid again, believing that fairy tales can still come true.

The Score: A+