A delightful, fresh take on a well-loved classic :) *SPOILERS*

Rating: 8/10 (22 March 2017)

WARNING - THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!
First of all, there were enough differences to make it feel fresh while sticking closely enough to the animated original to evoke the warm fuzzies of nostalgia.
That said, there were changes I liked and changes/creative choices I didn't like so much. To get the "bad" out of the way, I'll cover those first:
What I didn't like:
Character designs - While some of the non-human characters had very interesting and clever designs, with creative ways to give inanimate objects anthropomorphic faces and features, others were far too simple. For example, Lumierre was a golden statue of a man with candle on head and hands compared to Cogsworth who was a cleverly designed subtly anthropomorphic clock. The Wardrobe and Harpsichord had faces formed from the intrinsic features of their design whereas Mrs. Potts' face is just painted on the side! Over all, there seemed to be a lack of cohesion as if different designers had gone off and designed one or two characters each without comparing notes at any point.
The Beast - While I loved the character, his expanded backstory and voice, I found his design a little bland. I've said from the beginning that he looked like a Buffy demon. I dunno... just looked too human. I'd have preferred a more "bestial" face, closer to his cartoon appearance.
Gaston - They really didn't seem to know what they wanted to do with the character. Instead of the impulsive buffoon we saw in the original, he was a capable military Captain, returned to his home village after "the Wars". Honestly, his arguments for why Belle should marry him, while delivered with too much over-confidence, actually seemed pretty reasonable (Basically that they were the only two who were "bigger" than the village and should therefore be together). Felt like the early scenes of a rom-com where Gaston would learn his lesson and Belle would fall for him after all. He also seemed to nice in early scenes so when he turns to pure evil, it's a bit of a jarring switch. I did, however, feel echoes of the love triangle between the Phantom, Christine and Raoul from "Phantom of the Opera", especially the more recent productions revised to tie in better with the sequel, "Love Never Dies". Also, they cut out the reprise of "Gaston" where La Fou reminds Gaston that thinking is a dangerous pastime!
What I liked:
La Fou's expanded role - From his first appearance, he seemed to be a little more than Gaston's lackey as he had appeared in the original. This is particularly noticeable during the tavern song "Gaston" where he slips coins to various people in the tavern to encourage their participation suggesting that Gaston is not quite so universally beloved as he likes to think. He is also the one to challenge Gaston when he feels like he is going too far. In this interpretation, I found him quite like Bernard from "Yes, (Prime)Minister" - taking the subordinate role but quite possibly the smartest man in the room!
Plot Holes Fixed! - So many of the plot-holes in the original are addressed. There is no reference to the rose blooming until the Beast's 21st year - he is cursed as an adult and he has until the last petal falls to break the curse although no time-scale is given for this. Also, the reference to the curse having been in place for ten years in "Be Our Guest" has been removed. Chip is seen as a human boy before the curse so we understand that all those who are cursed become frozen in time for however long it has been in place. Circumstantial evidence would suggest it has been only a few years but it's never explicitly stated. We also learn that the curse also meant that everyone outside the Castle would forget about it and anyone inside, explaining why the village seems unaware of a Royal Castle within easy walking distance! A tragic element is also added to the Beast's back-story to explain why the staff remain loyal to him despite it being his fault they are cursed. The story of what happened to Belle's mother and why her father brought her to the "small, provincial town" was quite moving and gave her and the Beast something else to bond over although the method by which they discovered this seemed a little shoe-horned in and was never mentioned again, despite how useful it might have been during later parts of the story.
I also liked the inclusion of a sub-plot from the stage musical that the non-human characters are slowly becoming more and more the object they have been turned into and less human (Expected them to include the song "Human Again" but it didn't come) and, if the curse is not lifted, they will become permanently inanimate, simple household items. Thought the expanded role for the Enchantress was was a nice touch.
All in all, a fantastic, beautiful piece of cinema that will be loved by fans of the original as well as newcomers who are unfamiliar with Disney's take on this well-loved tale :)