As many others probably were, I was ecstatic to see that Disney was releasing a live action version of the animated movie, "Beauty and the Beast". As one who loved the movie as a kid, I had very high expectations for the remake. So as one of many who saw the live action version of "Beauty and the Beast" since it has come out in theatres I thought I would share how I felt about the movie as a whole, and things that I had noticed.
1. Emma Watson was not my favorite choice as Belle.
Now I may get some hate for this, but I did not love Emma Watson as Belle. I thought she was very good, but literally while watching the entire movie, all I could think about was Hermoine Granger from "Harry Potter." I think once you play such an iconic role for so many years, as audiences watch you grow up, it is very difficult to separate yourself from this reputation. I also was not a huge fan of her voice. Don't get me wrong, she has a great voice, it was just not what I imagined for Belle.
2. I think it did a great job freshening up a classic.
Many people disagree on this, but I did enjoy that they freshened up the classic, but without changing it too much. I liked the subtle twist on Belle being an inventor, but still sticking to the original characterization in the classic. I think that directors did a great job of sticking to the classic story line but also changing it with the times.
3. The new song that the Beast sings, "Evermore", brought me to tears.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED this addition of the song. It gives us a true glimpse into the softer side of the Beast that we did not get in the classic, and this song has to be my favorite song on the soundtrack.
4. LeFou and Gaston were casted perfectly.
I really enjoyed this dynamic between characters, and they acted and sounded exactly as I imagined they would in the live action. Josh Gad's voice was perfect and Luke Evans had the masculinity and confidence to pull off Gaston which can be hard to find.
5. I am still confused how those who worked in the castle and turned into objects did not age.
This seemed to confuse a lot of viewers as many conspiracy theories arose from this, but all in all it was difficult to tell if this was just a plot hole or a choice.
Overall, I thought that the live action "Beauty and the Beast" was well put together and I did enjoy it. I did enjoy the few changes that were made, and I thought it was a very enjoyable movie for all ages.