Deserves all the accolades and more....!

Rating: 9/10 (6 April 2017)

I'd been waiting for this movie for nearly an year ever since the first trailer came out, and I finally got to see it the way it deserved to be seen, seated in a plush, velvety, reclining couch, in my city's best "Royal Cinema" in 3-D. The animated original is a childhood classic of mine; I know all the songs and nearly all the scenes by heart. Going by the trailer, and learning about all the preparation that had gone in to its making, I was expecting it to be a grand affair, and it was just that, AND MORE.....! Everything from the luxurious sets, to the lavish costumes, the splendid dancing and the mesmerizing songs at once transported you to another world. I felt like I was watching a grand re-enactment of a Broadway musical and not a live- action version of a Disney animation. I kid you not when I say that I had the silliest grin plastered across my face every time a familiar song number came on, as I knew all the lyrics and every time an usher saw me singing along to the tune, they thought I was beckoning them to order food service. I believe Luke Evans a.k.a Gaston deserves a special mention; his role was strong and he portrayed it perfectly. Kevin Kline's contribution was limited. It's a shame we didn't get to see Emma Thompson (Mrs. Potts) and Ian McKellen (Mr. Cogsworth) spend much time on screen in their human forms but their household crockery/furniture versions were also effectively entertaining (especially Ewan McGregor as Lumiere). I have to admit, I wasn't completely sold on Emma Watson playing Bella as I felt she lacked the natural charm to portray Bella as a personable character and I'm afraid she did fall rather short in the beginning but I confess she'd won me over by the end and she and Dan Stevens made a lovely couple. I could tell they had put in considerable effort to master the dance moves in the ballroom scenes which were elevated to an ethereal level with their elegant outfits, the timeless music and their effortless gliding across the ballroom floor. All in all, it was a truly magical film as is the trademark of most Disney productions and I recommend all mothers take their daughters to see this film and share this amazingly delightful experience.