Beauty and the Beast (2017) (SPOILERS)

Tale as Old as Time...

It is one of the most beloved and highly regarded Disney classics of all time. Being the first Disney Animated Feature to garner a Best Picture nomination, Beauty and the Beast is a timeless tale, so when news came up of a live-action adaptation coming to theaters this year, there was quite a buzz. This movie had been under a lot of pressure, so the big question is: did it deliver? For the most part, yes, yes it did! This movie is faithful to the original with a few changes, and changes that I think were for the better. As per my custom, I will be going over what the film did right, and what it didn't:

UPS

1. The cast. This film really struck gold here, casting actors that were not only big names in the media today, but also embodied these characters in almost every way possible. Everyone did a phenomenal job here and made the most of what they were given. If I had to pick one standout among them all, though, it'd have to be Dan Stevens as the Beast.
2. The songs. While you had your usual gems from the original, we also had some new songs inserted as well. Of course, the one that takes the cake as the best new addition is "Evermore" sung by the Beast. All in all, the songs were great and I feel they can stand by their counterparts with pride. 
3. The visuals. Aside from the all-star cast and the amazing music, this film is just beautiful to look at. Every shot, every costume, and every design is gorgeous and very well done. I mean the Beast alone just looks amazing. If there was anytime that people would enjoy the use of CGI, this would be the time. 
4. The expansion of backstories. Not just of Belle and the Beast, but of everyone and everything as well. We get more insight into the lives of both our leads and more insight into the effects of the curse, and it really helps to give a better understanding of the world and the characters. Honestly, if there was one place that I could say the movie improved upon over the original, this is where it was.
5. Finally, I should touch upon the subject of LeFou being gay. Honestly, I loved it. It added more depth to LeFou's character and made for some hilarious scenes, with Josh Gad selling all of it. And I also liked that they gave him a happy ending of his own. All in all, LeFou's character arc was another highlight that I think this movie did better than the original. 

DOWNS

Honestly, I don't think there is anything of particular note that brought this movie down. If anything, I guess I could say that I found Emma Watson's singing voice not as strong as Paige O'Hara's, but saying that, she still did a good job and it wasn't terrible by any means. 

OVERALL

Beauty and the Beast was a great adaptation of the original. It remained faithful for the most part while also bringing in some welcomed changes that brought in a lot more insight into the story and the characters. Can I say it is better than the original? Probably not, but it is certainly just as good in my opinion. I also heard news that Disney is planning to make a live-action adaptation of The Lion King. Since that is my favorite Disney movie, this should be interesting to say the least. 

Well that's it for this blog, guys! Next will be reviews for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and The Walking Dead Season 7.