Beauty and the Beast (DVD)

the animated version was better!

When I Wish Upon A Star...I wish that Disney would quit making live-action versions of their classic animated movies. Not only is it an unnecessary reinvention of the wheel. It's also incredibly uncreative, something that, until recently, I didn't associate with Disney. Mostly, though, one should not meddle with perfection. Because, chances are, that meddling will mess things up in some way.

Or, to quote Cogsworth from the animated Beauty and the Beast, "If it's not Baroque, don't fix it".

Before I get into the review, I want to say that I loved Maleficent (2014), the live-action remake of Sleeping Beauty, because it took the classic fairy tale and turned it upside-down and inside out and put an entirely new twist on things. It was awesome!

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Cinderella (2015), which followed the animated movie pretty much to the letter. Still, I had high hopes for the live-action Beauty and the Beast (2017). After all, it stars one of my favorite actresses and I have heard nothing but good things about it. Plus, I adored the animated version, so.... 

Despite the gorgeous costumes, expensive special effects, and new songs, I found the live action version of this film lacking. The story itself was pretty much the same as that told by the animated version, which left me asking "what's the point?" (other than $$). And the additions only served to drag the plot out. My main beef was this newer version didn't have the heart and soul the animated version possessed. I felt no chemistry between Belle and Beast. Even the main villain seemed like he'd been declawed a bit (maybe the actor just wasn't into the role). Lastly, I found the live-action/CGI/Whatever versions of the furiture/doo-dads/castle stuff to be quite creepy. 

The final verdict: Don't waste your time on the live action Beauty and the beast. Rent and relive the magic of the animated version. THAT is the one you'll really want to experience. --AJB