Beauty and the beast: more alive than ever.

Rating: 8/10 (28 May 2018)

In this movie, the actors all shine together in a bright constellation even though I am not entirely satisfied with Ewan Mcgregor as Lumiere. Not only is his accent ridiculously fake but his performance lacked the presence and humor that this character brings to the story. However the animation of the character compensates for his performance.
As for Emma Watson, she is basically the Belle of Hollywood as there is no one but her for that part. Despite a few awkward moments and a singing that she could have worked more on, her performance was overall flawless and charming.
With such a leading lady you need a leading man who is as strong. Dan Stevens may not be the obvious choice for beast but his interpretation was on point. In fact, he was able to find the perfect balance for his character in this remake. With one deep gaze, we can see that Beast isn't a monster, he is simply a hurt man who needs to be healed and is really trying to learn how to love.
I won't forget to praise Josh Gad's interpretation. Le Fou is no longer a simple, brainless sidekick; he is in fact smart, cultured, stylish, witty, funny and yes gay! What difference does it make? Well first, it means he likes Gaston and is blinded by his sizzled body. Second, Disney and Hollywood are paving the way to a more inclusive place where everyone, including Le Fou, can find a happy ending.
While anxiously waiting for this movie to hit the theaters, I was expecting it to be like Cinderella. In others words dusting off a beautiful piece of antique to make new and shiny again. Well, I was gladly surprised that it wasn't so.
In this remake, Bill Condon successfully made the story richer while staying true to its heart. What he did was simply create more complex characters. For instance, Beast lost his mother at a very young age and was brought up by a monstrous father with a temper. Even before the spell was cast, his only escape were books. That simple yet genius change makes him more like Belle and that creates more romantic and deeply connected moments between the two characters.'
Now can we talk about this fairy tale without mentioning the set where it takes place? Even though it is a summery June in the village, the castle is living in winter. And as the story goes on, the snow melts and it is spring again.
I can go on and on about what makes this movie a great movie and a definite must see with musical numbers that makes it look like a "culinary cabaret". But it's time I tell you which of the animated or live version I prefer. The adult in me prefers the live version. However the kid in me has a thing for the animated movie. And as beautiful and moving the live movie is, animation makes everything more magical. While a lot of creativity and great minds are behind those live adaptations, I wonder if those resources would be better invested in creating new movies and let the animated original ones wow us as they have been.
I'm looking forward to see where this magical carpet ride is gonna take us next.