The best Disney film since 1991?

Rating: 8/10 (6 October 2006)

Reportedly five years in the making, this enchanted, inspired production is perhaps not quite on the level of Disney's first-tier masterpieces (Pinocchio, Dumbo, Snow White and Fantasia), but a strong case could be made for it being the best film the studio has released since its 1991 premiere. From the design of the Beast's awesomely monolithic castle to the heart-stopping, Busby Berkley-inspired dance of china and silver in "Be Our Guest", this is one of the most rigorously constructed animated films I've seen. Bolstered by grand, romantic themes of self-sacrifice and eternal honor in the face of persecution, this is a marvelous experience for any age.