Adequate but unnecessary remake of Disney's '91 Classic.

Rating: 7/10 (6 April 2017)

Beauty and the Beast is the most recent installment in Disney's ever-growing library of live-action remakes based on the company's famous animated movies of 'yore'. Why is Disney doing this again? To keep its non-Marvel, non-Star Wars, and non-Pixar stuff relevant with the times. For the most part, Beauty works well in updating its classic Best Picture-nominated precursor. But it's mostly pointless and practically shot-by-shot and beat-by-beat remake that introduces just enough material to justify its existence. And the original is STILL a modern film by today's standards.
There's some truly pretty moments here and there, but because this film is live-action, you can feel the painfully obvious reality that THIS Beauty and the Beast film lacks the energy and expression of the 1991 original. Despite all the CGI-fueled imagery helping give some extra life to some of the set-pieces, we've seen these pieces before in the original. 'Be Our Guest' is personally the piece I consider to stand out the most in this interpretation. Ewan McGregor does have a unique singing voice: I'll give him that.
This growing trend in Disney does seem to be working, I understand why they're pursuing remaking their own movies, but how far can you go once you've run out of animated movies to remake? They can't last and work forever. I'm guessing that there'll be a remake of The Little Mermaid starring Sophie Turner as Ariel or something, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula; or Henry Cavill as Prince Eric? Michael B. Jordan as Sebastian? *Groan* Disney, please keep focusing on Star Wars for the time being. And don't lose sight of the greatness Pixar affords your company in the field of originality and creativity.
Anyway, Beauty and the Beast: the first truly interesting successor to the original 1991 film (the straight to DVD sequel vermin can FINALLY be forgotten: for good)!