Hermione Granger courageously tackles her First Major Muggle Movie Role . . .

Rating: 10/10 (21 March 2017)

. . . and totally enchants as the Belle of the BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ball. Disney produces its best flick of the decade, highlighted by a perfect blend of vocals channeling Joel Grey's CABARET emcee and visuals mimicking Busby Berkeley's kaleidoscopic choreography in the "Be Our Guest" extravaganza. However, the most daring component of BEAST is ripped from Today's Headlines. Disney goes out on the limb of risking a charge of political incorrectness by suggesting that not all Gay Guys are Good. Tinseltown has toed this party line for decades, with Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, Stanley & Livingston, the Lone Ranger & Tonto, right through to Butch & Sundance. However, the Gay Blade Gaston is clearly the Real Villain of BEAST, as even his Bi- Belly-Hickeyed Paramour LeFou comes to realize. Not only that, but Disney makes it Crystal Clear to even America's toddlers that Gaston's pursuit of Belle to become his "beard" (or "trophy wife") is a perfect parallel to Don Juan Trump's exploitation of U.S. Third Lady Melania. About 96 minutes into this film Disney puts Trump's most notable Campaign Catch-Phrase ("Lock Her Up!!") into Gaston's mouth (referencing Belle), and turns the gullible villagers into a crazed mob indistinguishable from a Red State Trump Rally.