Tale as old as time

Rating: Null/10 (14 October 2015)

Song as old as rhyme. In a way that's the perfect way to sum up this film. In many ways the magnum opus of the Disney Animation Studios. The first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Picture category, still considered to be one of the greatest films ever made, a classic beloved by children and adults alike, a timeless tale about hatred turned into love, love twisted into hatred, about redemption, determination, sacrifice and willpower. An all-around good film, easily one of my favourite Disney films, and one of my favourite films in general.
You all know the story. You know Belle, Beast, Gaston, Lumière, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts. You know the songs, the castle, the quiet French village. You know about the rose and the mirror, about the curse. You've all seen this movie already. And if for some baffling reason you haven't, you probably still know how the story goes. So I'm not going to talk about that. It's a great story, one of the best. That's all you need to know.
Instead, let me talk about what this movie has taught me. Belle taught me about being different, about being the odd one in a crowd. She taught me that it's okay to read, to dream, to stand up against the opinion of the many. Beast taught me about the importance of what's inside. He taught me that no matter who we are or what we look like or where we come from, it's what we do, how we act, how we treat others, that matters. Gaston taught me about the meaninglessness of public opinion. His popularity taught me that I had to make my own choices, that leaders are fallible, that good looks can hide twisted morals and empty souls. The servants of the castle taught me about loyalty. Maurice, Belle's father, taught me about not giving up. Belle and Beast together taught me about love. Their romance is considered to be one of Disney's finest for a reason.
Beauty and the Beast, to me, is one of those perfect films. Yes, you can nitpick and say, for example, that the CGI effects have aged a little bit in certain scenes. But what truly matters is the quality of the story. And I adore this story. It shaped me, as a child. It helped me grow into a better man, a better human being. And for that it has my eternal gratitude, respect and love.