Beauty and the Beast (2017) PG (NOT a review)
(From Disney UK)
Belle (Emma Watson), a bright, beautiful and independent young woman, is taken prisoner by a beast (Dan Stevens) in its castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle's enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the beast's hideous exterior, allowing her to recognize the kind heart and soul of the true prince that hides on the inside.-WWW
Release date: March 17, 2017 (USA)
We watched this at the Commercenter on the 16th of March
Director: Bill Condon
Featured songs: Beauty and the Beast and Something There
Music composed by: Alan Menken
If I am not mistaken I watched the 1990s version with my Elim Community brothers and sisters somewhere in Mega Mall. PG and RJ, along with their nannies, plus my "surrogate" sister, Queenie, were with me. Queenie and I never stopped singing. We even bought the soundtrack and I "fell in love" with Robby Benson's voice.
The story, of course, is not new, but Disney has a way of "owning" it. Belle in this story is an only child and according to the "most handsome villager", but so full of himself named Gaston, she is the most beautiful in town.
Unfortunately for him, since she is a wide reader, she knows that there is life beyond "the village". She knows(or should I say she knew?) that she does not have to settle for a narcissistic man like him who is so primeval and did not even understand the word.
Even then, we found Gaston so violent. He never loved Belle. He just wanted Belle to be his "trophy".
To cover for his "sins" he wanted to be the hero of "the village". It was never because he loved Belle. He wasn't even a true friend to his supposedly best friend, LeFou.
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Beauty and The Beast (2017) is a heartwarming, feel good, live action musical that I wouldn't mind watching again and again and again. Since everyone knows the story anyway, I shouldn't worry about giving "spoilers" away. ;-)
One of my friends even joked, "Spoiler alert: They are going to live happily ever after. Belle is going to wear a yellow gown to the dance..."
I was blessed to watch this movie on my birthDAY with my whole family. While watching, my nephew asked me what a spinster is. I told him, "A spinster is like 'Tati'(his term of endearment for me, his auntie)...somebody unmarried who is already way beyond the calendar's longest month(beyond 31---but before, a spinster was younger than that)." A spinster is a derogatory term, so I really hate using that to describe myself.
"I'm guessing Agathe is the 'Enchantress', Tati!" "That's my guess too!"
We enjoyed every scene and every one's acting. Luke Evans was so good that we abhored Gaston even more. Kevin Kline played the role of Maurice like he was born to do it. Josh Gad(the voice of Boss Dog/Bailey, Bailey, Bailey) was, rather is, a natural.
Emma Thompson's role, Mrs. Potts(just like Angela Landsbury) had their son, Chip, at a late age...she did the role justice and even sounded a bit like Ms. Landsbury, but with her own style. I'm guessing her first name is Elizabeth, Sarah or Hannah. (Hehehe. The Biblical women who had their sons late in life.)
Ewan McGregor's depiction of Lumiere was a bit creepy according to my nephew. "This is G rated!????!" he asked. "I think it's Parental Guidance---I was in the powder room when the rating was announced---I don't really understand the film rating system in this country." Yes, I did read somewhere that is G rated. Anyways, I love the way Mr. McGregor depicted him.
IanMcKellen is Ian McKellen. I think you could give him any role and he would find a way to BE the character.
Sigh.
Stanley Tucci was funny as Cadenza. He too can play any role.
Emma Watson is perfect as Belle. Her voice is sweet and she is indeed a beauty, even if the villagers claim her looks got no parallel.
Dan Stevens? I don't really watch Downton Abbey, so I don't really know of him. My first reaction was, "He's the prince???? Why???"
He is NOT bad looking, but he was more charming when he was The Beast. Sigh. I am also guessing that is why Belle asked what he thought of growing a beard.
I'm also guessing that the area is a PRINCIPALITY and not a KINGDOM, just like Liechtenstein. Am I right?
Anyways, I still have a hangover. I will definitely buy this new soundtrack, although I miss the original singers of the 1991 soundtrack, especially Robby Benson, Angela Landsbury, Peabo Bryson and Celine Dion.
Congratulations to everyone involved in this film.
I am definitely watching this again.
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Oh...and Alan Menken is alive and kicking. It was Howard Ashman(Little Mermaid/B&B etc.) who died...gosh.
My Friend's Funny quips about the movie (I think only Filipinos would "get it")---added on March 20, 2017
#MitoDizon
#pawsversushands
#soshalnetwork
THE CAST (FROM WIKIPEDIA)
Emma Watson as Belle – a bibliophilic and beautiful young woman who sees the humanity within the Beast and slowly develops feelings for him.
-Daisy Duczmal portrays Belle as a baby.
Dan Stevens as The Prince / Beast – a self-absorbed prince who is transformed into a hideous beast and forced to embark on a spiritual journey to earn back his humanity.
-Rudi Goodman portrays the young Prince.
Luke Evans as Gaston – a narcissistic war veteran and hunter who is obsessed with Belle and willing to go as far as it takes to have her as his trophy wife.
Kevin Kline as Maurice – Belle's eccentric yet overprotective widowed father.
-Jolyon Coy portrays the young Maurice.
Josh Gad as LeFou – Gaston's flamboyant and long-suffering sidekick who bolsters his friend's ego but gets very little in return.
Ewan McGregor as Lumière – the Beast's charismatic bouteiller who has been transformed into a candelabra.
Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza – the neurotic court composer and Madame de Garderobe's husband who has been transformed into a harpsichord.
Ian McKellen as Cogsworth – the Beast's gruff but loyal majordomo and the head of the household staff who has been transformed into a mantel clock.
Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts – the castle's motherly head housekeeper who has been transformed into a teapot.
Audra McDonald as Madame de Garderobe – a world-renowned opera singer and Cadenza's wife who has been transformed into a wardrobe.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette – one of the castle's maids and Lumiere's lover who has been transformed into a feather duster.
Nathan Mack as Chip – Mrs. Potts' plucky son who has been transformed into a teacup.
Adrian Schiller as Monsieur D'Arque – the warden of the local asylum who is bribed into helping Gaston blackmail Belle.
Hattie Morahan as Agathe – a reclusive resident of Villeneuve who, in reality, is the enchantress responsible for cursing the Prince.
Morahan also narrates the prologue.
Gerard Horan as Monsieur Jean Potts – an absent-minded potter and resident of Villeneuve who is later revealed to be Mrs. Potts' husband and Chip's father.
Ray Fearon as Père Robert – Villeneuve's local chaplain who encourages Belle to borrow the books in the chapel's meager library.
Zoe Rainey as Belle's mother – Maurice's late wife who contracted the plague and died when Belle was an infant.
Henry Garrett as The King – The Prince's cruel father who, following his wife's death, raised him to be just as self-absorbed as he was.
Harriet Jones as The Queen – The Prince's kind-hearted mother who died when he was a child.
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