I know it sounds like I’m doing a countdown here, but hey, Christmas is just about two weeks away! We are already feeling the festive cheer in my house as Amy sings ‘Jingle Bells’ and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’ all day every day!
Since moving to Melbourne, I have not been watching movies much. Firstly, the TV is usually dominated by kids’ programs. Even if I successfully veto-ed my way through and turned on my show, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate or listen to anything with the kids running and screaming around. And when I finally do have the chance for a quiet movie time after they’ve gone to bed… well, I’m just too exhausted by then.
Picture from Google Image
“Then if this is your dream, you must do it.”
The other night, after many nights of exhaustion and brain-deadness and zombiefied-ness, I decided that I should watch a movie on TV to relax after the kids went to bed. While browsing through Netflix, I saw The Walk.
Featured image from movies.disney.co.uk
Oh. My. Goodness.
Have you watched ‘Beauty and the Beast’ the live-action movie? I confess: even as I sat there in the cinema, waiting for the movie to start, I was nervous. What if it screwed up? ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is such a classic and one of the best Disney cartoons to me. What if my expectations are too high for this new movie, and it falls flat?
I went to the movie not knowing what to expect at all. I hardly watched any trailers or teasers, and did not read much about it. So I really did not know how the movie would be, except that it would probably be exactly like the cartoon.
Well it was exactly like the cartoon, and more!
Picture from Elite Daily
Firstly, I think the cast were perfect. Emma Watson was Belle incarnate, and she can sing! Dan Stevens’ voice was on-point for the Beast. I say voice because we hardly see his face, all covered in that Beast costume haha. But even with the costume, he managed to bring out the Beast’s expressions and emotions so well. Even I fell in love with the Beast OK! Oh, I must also mention Luke Evans because I think he made such a great Gaston.
And the other big names: Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, Emma Thompson as Mrs Potts, and Ewan McGregor as Lumiere… Perfect!
New songs were added, and they are beautiful, thanks to Disney powerhouse songwriter Alan Menken. With a classic like ‘Beauty and the Beast’, it can be hard to introduce new scores that somehow flow with its well-loved songs. But Menken did it somehow. I love the new additions, ‘Evermore’, ‘Days In The Sun’, and ‘How Does A Moment Last Forever’!
These songs were used to show a different side to the characters that we already love and know so well. I really like how the team added some backstories to the characters, and how they built on the relationships, i.e., the love story between Belle and the Beast, the Beast’s love for books, Belle’s childhood story, the Beast’s childhood story, etc. It made the characters even more relatable and lovable.
I think the team really succeeded in making ‘Beauty and the Beast’ real. With an animated movie, it can be more exaggerated and, well, fairy-tale-ish. But through this live-action movie, they managed to make it more real without compromising the magic.
Oh, even as I type this, I feel like watching the movie again!
The only part of the movie that felt a little bit of a drag to me was the ‘Be Our Guest’ scene. Somehow, I did not feel any magic from that scene. But other than that, it’s all love from me!
Overall, I would sum it up like this:
My heart skipped a beat every time they sang a song. I had a silly grin on my face when Belle and Beast fell in love. When the credits rolled I wanted to squeal with delight and stand and clap.
And now that I’m home, I find myself listening and re-listening to the soundtrack.
I WANNA WATCH IT AGAIN.
Love,
Natalie