Beauty and the Beast
Tale as old as time, this live-action remake of the 1991 animated Disney classic directed by Bill Condon hits the mark for viewers young and old! Staying true to the original storyline, we meet Belle (Emma Watson), a beautiful, smart, sweet and gentle young woman living in a small town but longing for much more out of her simple life. The musical stays true to its original score and even adds a few new songs into the mix, all of which are wonderfully performed.
Belle finds herself imprisoned in a castle by a horrible “Beast” (Dan Stevens), who is really an arrogant, selfish and spoiled handsome Prince who has been cursed and must find someone to see past his fearsome exterior and love him. During her captivity in the Beasts castle, Belle befriends the many “staff members” and makes the most of her situation. There are so many amazing actors who make up the characters and just like the original, “Be Our Guest” is a fan favorite scene. Some of the award winning actors include Kevin Kline as Belle’s father Maurice, Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, the candelabra; Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.
Of course we can’t forget two other stars of the show; Gaston (Luke Evans), a shallow and pompous, though very handsome man who relentlessly pursues Belle to be his wife and his sidekick Le Fou (Josh Gad). This duo are very entertaining throughout the film and their rendition of “Gaston” is truly one of my favorite scenes from the movie.
I was thrilled to see the live version stand the test of time and be just as enjoyable, if not more, than it’s animated original. Solid 9/10.
