This past week I was able take my guys to see a preview of Beauty And The Beast. We saw it in 3D, which I'm not a big fan of, but was able to enjoy it for the most part. There were a couple moments when the 3D had me jumping! Thankful for the partnership I had that we were able to get tickets to preview this before it came out at the end of the week.
When the movie opened I was literally taken back in time to when the animated version came out. It was a bit emotional for me. My girls really enjoyed this movie, and I just remember watching it through their eyes. The songs were absolutely delightful, and I was so happy they stayed true to them. Don't you always worry that a remade movie will detour too far from the original that you and your children adored?
That's certainly not the case here. It was animation brought to life! It was so magical to see Lumiere and Cogsworth, Chip and Mrs. Potts, Plumette and Garderobe even as CGI. You really felt they were the same as the original, just "real." I didn't feel like Belle was nearly as feminine or wide eyed with wonder. My husband said that he saw an interview with Emma Watson where she mentioned she was intending to make Belle stronger. Not sure how I feel about that, but I still enjoyed her character.
As for the Beast, how Disney created him was pretty spectacular. I honestly thought I could reach out and feel his horns. There were moments when I thought his design was distorted, but that could've been because of the 3D. Of course you can't forget Gaston and Lefou, one who's a complete oaf and the other who's kind of a dingy wingman.
I wish I had watched the original before this release because there was a lot I had forgotten and it would've been nice to have that comparison fresh in my mind. I know there's a lot of talk about Lefou and his sexuality. Aside from a moment at the end and 1 other quick scene, I think it has been overplayed by the media to make it a "thing." I can't remember how the character is depicted in the animated movie, but I'm planning to watch it again this week to see if Lefou's character portrays a gay man back then or if he was just the goofy sidekick. My boys are teenagers so I didn't have to discuss this part of the movie with them. I actually think that if you have small children they won't actually realize that Lefou is gay.
Many of the scenes were mesmerizing! Of course "Be Our Guest" went above and beyond what a fan of the movie could hope for. I actually had to plug my ears at one point because the music was so loud. lol By the end of the song, I thought I was back at Disney World watching the fireworks finale. HA!
They added in a couple of extra songs, making them unique to the new movie. Because I couldn't remember all of the original, so much of Beauty And The Beast felt new to me. Of course, they weren't going to make it 100% the same, but it followed along so well, I enjoyed this version just as much as the first one.
Be sure to download some fun activity sheets, including this maze, to go along with the movie excitement!
