Classic

Rating: 9/10 (12 June 2017)

Looking back, I think I was too easy on the remake in my review, simply because it's a remake. I still contend that it was a good movie, but of course, you simply just can't outdo the original's sheer elegance and originality.
Beauty and the Beast is a classic for a reason. The animation and the music is flawless; even though the ballroom scene might be dated by today's standards (inevitable, really), the sheer ambition alone is still astounding today. What contemporary cartoon is even attempting to experiment with grandiose camera angles? The medium of animation also allows for much more expressive characters, both physically and emotionally. The designs are attractive and iconic, and the actors, only getting to showcase their voice, really give it their all to really convey who these characters are.
Speaking of, the characterization in this film is super tight, and amplified by great voice acting, really enhances the film. The Beast, for example, is actually a beast. He growls menacingly and stalks around on four legs. It provides an excellent contrast between his initial cold heart and his eventual descent into a romantic. Cogsworth is an OCD sycophant, and Lumiere is a dashing playboy; miles ahead of the watered-down versions of them in the remake.
I do wish that we could've spent more time with the characters falling in love; we get a couple great scenes and songs of them bonding, but before you know it, we're at the climax. It's pretty much excused though by the animators' mastery at emotional subtlety that lets us see the Beast and Belle gradually develop feelings for each other.
All in all, this movie's flaws are pretty close to nil. It's the best movie of the Disney Renaissance, in my opinion. It's a perfect romance and musical that never fails to elicit strong emotions, whether it be ebullience or sadness. It's a masterpiece of animation and cinema.