A beautiful beast of a movie

Rating: 8/10 (27 May 2019)

This highly anticipated live action recreation of a much loved Disney classic did not disappoint.
The all star cast with the likes of Ewan McGregor, Ian Mckellen and Emma Thompson gave us some of the most comical and memorable moments including some spectacular musical numbers - all of which were sung to perfection.
Emma Watson's portrayal of Bell was very well executed and she managed to set the tone of the film to a comfortable understated level which set us up for the comparison of the future magical moments we would see later on.
Luke Evans as Gaston was the perfect casting choice. He encapsulated the humerous arrogance and masoginistic nature of the character to a tee and made him as likable as any villain you love to hate. An excellent singing voice worthy of the original classic. His sidekick lefou played by the very talented Josh Gad provided some excellent liners and a great musical performance in the song 'Gaston' with co star Evans.
Dan Stevens' beastly voice was also a casting win for me.
His portrayal reminded the audience of the prisoner behind the monster and the innocent remorseful Prince which we grow to route for as his relationship with Bell blossoms.
Visually clever effects throughout with colourful sets and scenery kept me firmly engrossed into the magical world of Disney. The story is a timeless masterpiece and one that director Bill Condon did an excellent job of bringing to life.
I have seen this twice now and would happily watch it again.
Another live action triumph for Disney!