3-D Re-Release

Rating: 10/10 (28 January 2012)

I finally have a legitimate excuse to review this movie. One of the great ones. One of the greatest animated masterpieces of all time. There's no real reason to hate on this movie; it really is a gem. It's been talked about to death that all I can hope to do is bring my own opinion to the table.
The story is still good. It's perfectly paced and excellently executed. The best scenes involve Belle and the Beast falling in love. One of the best elements in the movie is the romance. Unlike most Disney romances where the couple meets, falls in love, and gets married a few days later, Beauty and the Beast takes its time. You never know how long it takes the couple to fall in love; it could be weeks, maybe even months, so its open for debate and allows the viewer to draw his/her own conclusions.
The characters are still memorable. Belle is beautiful (duh, the title tells you that), but she never flaunts it. She is constantly taunted and mocked, but does she care? No. On top of that, she's smart, kind, and anything else you look for in a Disney princess. The Beast is drawn great and you do believe he's evolved throughout the course of the film. Gaston is one of the best villains of all time. I love how egocentric he is, and when he doesn't get his way, he becomes this vengeful, hateful person. His transformation is just as believable as the Beasts.
The side characters...do I need to say anything about these guys? You all remember the quick-witted Lumière, the snobby Cogsworth, the gentle Ms. Potts, and the hilariously stupid LeFou. They're all memorable and I don't need to say anymore about them.
I guess I'll talk about the things that I don't like about the film. The first thing is the design of the human version of the Beast, or as Disney so persistently calls him, Adam. It looks goofy and unlike Disney males of the past. Adam looks very out of place, but that's just nit-picking. The 3-D is another gripe I have with the movie. I did not want to see the movie in 3-D, not because it's not a good film, but because I own the movie. Why would I want to pay $13.50 for a ticket when I could pop it into my DVD player FOR FREE? But, after the 3-D Re-release of the Lion King, everyone began to praise the 3-D animation. So, I spent the money on the ticket, and within the first 5 minutes of the film, I regretted it.
The 3-D isn't a cheap conversion like The Last Airbender or Clash of the Titans, as I am told that Disney put a lot of money into re-releasing the movie in 3-D. But still, the movie is so clearly NOT shot in 3-D that it just doesn't look good. The opening shot in the forest looked great, but that's it.
Final verdict: Though I don't think the movie is worth seeing in 3-D, still take your kids to see it. The animation, the characters, the story, and the music is perfect. It's a better alternative than something like The Smurfs. Raise your children on stuff like this, parents of America. I hear some theaters show the 2-D version, and by all means, go see that. For the problems I have with the 3-D, I won't deny that it was great seeing this film on the big screen. Do yourself a favor this weekend and go.