A masterpiece for movie lovers of all ages

Rating: 9/10 (10 July 2007)

I reluctantly attended the showing of this film with my grandchildren, and sat through the entire movie absolutely mesmerized. Not only does this film retain its charm and appeal throughout every frame, it faithfully expresses the human condition as all great fairy tales were meant to do. While the songs are top notch and energetic, Paige O'Hara's voice is picture perfect as Belle, the girl who doesn't seem to fit in with her surroundings. I was blown away when I discovered it was Robby Benson doing the voice of the Beast, and he is perfectly cast. However, it is the story which kept me in rapt attention. Fully encapsulating Carl Jung's theory of depth psychology, the theme of the movie is psychological wholeness, that every man has an inner female (the anima) and every woman has an inner male (the animus), and that wholeness can never come into fruition until both male and female compliment one another. This isn't the story of two separate individuals, it is the story of one person -- the viewer -- being given the chance to explore their feminine/masculine inner self, and becoming complete. Nominated for Best Picture, it should have won, if not for the dreary nastiness of Silence of the Lambs. Hollywood will never be ready to admit the cartoon is as valid a movie art form as live acting, and that's a shame. Don't miss this one.