That Was Magical

Rating: 9/10 (19 March 2017)

Out of all the Disney live action remakes in the works, perhaps none more sacred to film fans than Beauty and the Beast. Dissecting and critiquing every set photo, clip, and trailer to pieces, there was a ton of pressure on Bill Condon's remake. With that said, it's hard to imagine a more fitting re-imagining of the classic tale than the one we were given.
Let's talk about this cast. This may be the most perfectly cast film I've seen in quite some time. Starting with Emma Watson as the beloved princess, Belle. Lily James certainly had some pressure taking on Cinderella, but to today's audience, Belle is the more popular character. Watson wasn't going to please everyone, but she captures Belle's wonder, intelligence, curiosity, passion, and of course, beauty. Pair her with a great performance by Dan Stevens as the co-lead, and you have your classic romance.
Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as LeFou, Kevin Kline as Maurice, Ewan McGregor as Lumière, Ian McKellan as Cogsworth, and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts? Come on now, casting that impeccably just isn't normal. They don't just look like their animated counterparts from the 1991 version, they completely embody every aspect of what made us love them in the first place. McGregor and McKellan have a hilarious back and forth, as do Gad and Evans, and Kline & Thompson will break your heart as respected parents.
As for the music, which probably provided the most hesitation from avid fans. Would they change things too much? Too little? Would the new songs actually add anything of value? I wasn't bothered by any of the new music, but none of them particularly stood out either. But they nailed all of the new renditions of the classic Alan Menken hits. I don't know that anyone can top Angela Lansbury's Beauty and the Beast/Tale as Old as Time, but Emma Thompson gives it her best effort. The "Be Our Guest" scene? Yep, it's just as ridiculously fun as the original.
The additional time spent fleshing out the Beast and Belle's individual backstories felt necessary and not excessive. Really, the only thing that needed working on in this movie was Beast's CGI. There were moments of really noticeable effects work, especially in the ballroom dance sequence. Unfortunately, that's one of the most important scenes in the film, you'd think that would be something they spent a little more time on. In the same vein, not all of the green screen was polished either. I love how colorful and wondrous the production design and sets are, but that can only do so much. But if the CGI is all I'm complaining about, then I think the filmmakers did alright.
I watched the 1991 version a lot as a kid, so this was a remake that was near and dear to my heart and pretty much my entire generation. With the exception of a few CGI filled scenes, I think this ranks up there with the best of Disney Live Action remakes. It's not often I get swept up with emotion at the climax of a kids movie, but I just couldn't help myself with this one. The cinematography, the performances, and that legendary music all came together at the end. This was nothing short of a magical time at the theaters.
+Perfect cast
+Glorious music
+Felt the Disney magic once again
+Subtle additions were beneficial
-Beast CGI was worse than I originally thought
9.3/10