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Beauty and the Beast (2017) reviews are here
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I liked it, and my wife and daughter loved it. Great reception from the (pretty packed) theater, as well.
My main critique is it felt a bit like there was a different take on this story lurking around the edges of the moivie, but we only see bits and pieces because they had to include the entirety of the original film. Nearly all the new material was darker:
I liked all the additions, but I wish they had been willing to not include every beat and scene from the original film and running a bit more in the direction the new material implied. But that wouldn't be as safe, or what people expected. But the new stuff was tantalizing for what could have been.
I could tell Watson's first song was auto-tuned, but she seemed to get much better as the film went on. I liked her performance quite a bit. I really dug Kevin Kline, who was unrecognizable to me for a good 10 minutes or so, and he's one of my favorite actors. He was also wonderful, and I'm glad to see him in a hit like this. I like that he got much more story this go around, as well. Everyone did, really - Belle, Gaston, her father, Beast all were fleshed out in ways that worked.
I thought the Beast's CG during the dancing scene was distractedly bad at times, but my wife and kid didn't notice, so maybe it was just me. The new songs and score were good.
My god can Ewan do a good French accent. He was fantastic doing Be Our Guest.
My main critique is it felt a bit like there was a different take on this story lurking around the edges of the moivie, but we only see bits and pieces because they had to include the entirety of the original film. Nearly all the new material was darker:
the backstory on how Belle's mother died, the magical trip to Paris that turns sad really fast, Gaston being messed up from the war, Belle being an outcast for teaching girls to read and get out of manual labor, Beast's song, Gaston leaving Belle's father to be eaten by wolves (!!!), the extended violence of Gaston hunting the Beast.
In particular I thought the magical storybook was a glimpse into another version of this story, one that would have seen them going to different places and the Beast finally gaining confidence to use it himself (only to get attacked, naturally).
In particular I thought the magical storybook was a glimpse into another version of this story, one that would have seen them going to different places and the Beast finally gaining confidence to use it himself (only to get attacked, naturally).
I could tell Watson's first song was auto-tuned, but she seemed to get much better as the film went on. I liked her performance quite a bit. I really dug Kevin Kline, who was unrecognizable to me for a good 10 minutes or so, and he's one of my favorite actors. He was also wonderful, and I'm glad to see him in a hit like this. I like that he got much more story this go around, as well. Everyone did, really - Belle, Gaston, her father, Beast all were fleshed out in ways that worked.
I thought the Beast's CG during the dancing scene was distractedly bad at times, but my wife and kid didn't notice, so maybe it was just me. The new songs and score were good.
My god can Ewan do a good French accent. He was fantastic doing Be Our Guest.
It's strange but I watched it about 4 hours ago and I've already forgotten almost all of it. I can't remember most of the Be Our Guest sequence. Either my memory is shit or the movie wasn't very memorable for me.
Overall though I thought Watson was a pale comparison to the cartoon. 3.5/5
Overall though I thought Watson was a pale comparison to the cartoon. 3.5/5
I thought he was more of an asshole, just a bit more subtle about it. I mean, he
punched Maurice out and chained him in the woods to be eaten by wolves because Maurice didn't bless Gaston marrying Belle lol.
ScottSullivan
Member
Saw it tonight, appreciated the transformating at the end and the dynamic between the "servant" characters more then the original, but other then that it didnt really add much, and it was so dark and gloomy most of the song numbers weren't very memorable.
They added a little dance outro to my favoite "gastons song" but I still like the original more.
I don't regret going to see it..(other then my wife spendy 30 bucks on snacks) but I don't see myself ever needing to see it again...
They added a little dance outro to my favoite "gastons song" but I still like the original more.
I don't regret going to see it..(other then my wife spendy 30 bucks on snacks) but I don't see myself ever needing to see it again...
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
Holy shit.
Herr Schwarz
Banned
So from impressions this is basically cinematic fast food?
So did you like Cinderella? They abandoned a lot of original content (like the songs) to flesh out characters, context, and back story. I loved it.
It depends on what direction they want to take The Lion King, they could make it more like The Jungle Book and eliminate all the songs.
Look at Mulan, the director stated he intends to make it a "a very girly martial arts adventure" rather than a musical.
eliminating all of the songs would be just about the dumbest possible thing they could do with live action lion king
So strange, I've moaned for the last few years that Disney don't make proper villains anymore, but now I'm disappointed that they changed Gaston from a frat-boy to, a typical Disney villain.
Be careful what you wish for I guess.
Lionking better not have a fucking back story making me feel sympathetic for Scar.
Be careful what you wish for I guess.
Lionking better not have a fucking back story making me feel sympathetic for Scar.
Cinderella had a backstory for the evil stepmother. It worked. I still hated her, but I pitied what caused her to be a bitch in life
show me your skeleton
Member
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
why are they removing songs
why is this allowed
why is this allowed
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Favreau already said songs will be all untouched unlike the Jungle Book.
He probably wants to make the most realistic singing and dancing animals ever and im up to watch that challenge.
Icedburden
Member
Except it's still not good while you're eating it.
Jeff Albertson
Member
I agree, more great than good
I really enjoyed it. I do think Watson was a bit out of her depth with the singing, there was zero power behind her voice and the auto-tuning was fairly obvious in a number of places. Overall I think she was good, but not great.
My only real problem with the film was Beast's CGI - it was never convincing. I can't put my finger on exactly what it was, but I feel like the lighting on his fur is what kept throwing me off, it just looked like it could have used more touching up. I do wish Beast and Belle had some actual dialogue with each other at the very end before the credits rolled. Like, I feel like there was a missing scene where they talk to each other person-to-person.
I also liked Beast's new solo, although I was bit thrown off by the fact that it was a song in his digitally-altered "Beast voice". I'd be curious to hear what it sounds like with Dan Steven's unaltered singing voice.
My only real problem with the film was Beast's CGI - it was never convincing. I can't put my finger on exactly what it was, but I feel like the lighting on his fur is what kept throwing me off, it just looked like it could have used more touching up. I do wish Beast and Belle had some actual dialogue with each other at the very end before the credits rolled. Like, I feel like there was a missing scene where they talk to each other person-to-person.
I also liked Beast's new solo, although I was bit thrown off by the fact that it was a song in his digitally-altered "Beast voice". I'd be curious to hear what it sounds like with Dan Steven's unaltered singing voice.
Diprosalic
Banned
i kinda liked but def. didn't love it.
theater was eating it up.
it gave me a good feeling throughout and wasn't overy dumb or annoying.
theater was eating it up.
it gave me a good feeling throughout and wasn't overy dumb or annoying.
Saw it last night with family. I really liked it overall and would love seeing it again.
The music was great, I loved all the additions they made to the story, and the scenery was well done. CG Beast didn't bother me at all aside from the bigger horns.
I really don't see how people could say it's bad, unless they didn't like the animated one either.
The music was great, I loved all the additions they made to the story, and the scenery was well done. CG Beast didn't bother me at all aside from the bigger horns.
I really don't see how people could say it's bad, unless they didn't like the animated one either.
That's good to hear.
Be Prepared is my favourite and I wonder how they can top Jeremy Irons/Jim Cummings version.
Buba Big Guns
Banned
Sounds like this is literally the original turned into live action which is probably the best you could expect. Hopefully I'll like it as much as Jungle Book.
jack_package_200
Banned
Emmy Rossum or Anna Kendrick would have been better choices for Belle.
UnknownSpirit
Member
I have wanted this since they announced it.
I am totally fine with Emma's watson as Belle. I think she was fine as belle, but Emmy Rossum would of destroyed that role and been incredible.
I mentioned it earlier but I'm giving Disney credit for having the balls to shoot the whole thing in the IMAX aspect ratio, it fitting the whole screen really did make the movie feel a bit bigger.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Reposting
The last act of this movie is fucking gangbusters. Everything from when the villagers leave to storm the castle on is firing on all cylinders. And that's coming from someone who thinks a bunch of the rest of the movie is super rocky
I honestly think that if you have any affinity for the material it's worth going just for that last forty minutes. Emotionally, visually, dramatically it all works, even making up ground for weaker early bits
The last act of this movie is fucking gangbusters. Everything from when the villagers leave to storm the castle on is firing on all cylinders. And that's coming from someone who thinks a bunch of the rest of the movie is super rocky
I honestly think that if you have any affinity for the material it's worth going just for that last forty minutes. Emotionally, visually, dramatically it all works, even making up ground for weaker early bits
Heh. According to Dan Stevens, Beast's transformation at the end of the film originally had him shirtless and emerging from a bed of rose petals. But mothers in Midwestern test audiences thought it was too racy and said "they would never take their daughters to see it". So they re-shot it with him fully clothed.
Pagusas
Elden Member
Crazy how we have such different opinions. He was my favorite part. The cartoon Gaston would have been ridiculous in this.
I really like it. The problem I have is that the beast was just not scary or repulsive. He is like a giant puppy...
Also they fixed my petpeeves plot so Gaston was more vile and the whole thing has less of a Stockholm syndrome feel to it. I mean I feel bad for Gaston in the original...
Also they fixed my petpeeves plot so Gaston was more vile and the whole thing has less of a Stockholm syndrome feel to it. I mean I feel bad for Gaston in the original...
This looked mediocre from the beginning.
Spread the word! It's trailblazer for progressive values and a new cultural touchstone!
Goddamnit. I hate Midwestern mothers.
That was my one little fan-ish nitpick about the film: the transformation sequence wasn't nearly as gothic or dramatic enough.
This is one of my favourite shots of the transformation sequence and the fact that he just plopped down on his feet kind of disappointed me
Half naked in a bed of rose petals would have more than made up for it lmao.
jack_package_200
Banned
I just had a realization.
The guy at the beginning of the movie who couldn't remember what he had forgotten...it was his wife and son.
Alex_Mexico
Member
You're not the only one. For as many things this movie does right and some even better than the original, the Be Our Guest song definitely fell flat in comparison.
By god, but they really hammered those multiple close-ups of Belle smiling. Like too close, too close, god damn.
TDLink
Member
I liked it and liked the darker aspects they added to the original. The stuff with
Now what I really want is this treatment done to Hunchback of Notre Dame, Alan Menken's best score. Unfortunately it was less popular due to religious reasons and they chickened out from the dark ending, but I would love to see them have the balls to do a live action remake like this. It seems to perfect for it. Still sad they never brought over the play version from Europe as well into English.
the plague doctor, new stuff they gave Gaston, and Beast's song were all great.
Now what I really want is this treatment done to Hunchback of Notre Dame, Alan Menken's best score. Unfortunately it was less popular due to religious reasons and they chickened out from the dark ending, but I would love to see them have the balls to do a live action remake like this. It seems to perfect for it. Still sad they never brought over the play version from Europe as well into English.
Alex_Mexico
Member
Gotta love how they're calling The Lion King a live action remake when it I'll get The Jungle Book treatment except now there's going to be zero human actors making the movie 100% (CG) animated anyway.
They're remaking the movie in CG. The Lion King isn't getting a live action treatment, guys. Make no mistake.
Alex_Mexico
Member
I thought the "new" songs were all forgettable.
Did any of these songs were adapted from the Broadway musical or were they brand new?
You Are Viewtiful
Member
I enjoyed watching it, but it felt a bit poorly made, in a way.
Astral Dog
Member
They will never give it justice
TDLink
Member
There were three brand new ones. The Beast's song, "Evermore" was a stand out I thought. One song was cut ("Human Again"). Didn't notice any of the songs from the play, which is too bad because some of them are pretty good.
Only song I thought was weak was "Belle", mostly because they broke it up with too much dialogue rather than any of the stuff about the auto-tuning...which is too bad because I love the original and Broadway versions of that song.
I fear that...but I can hope.
Pagusas
Elden Member
I really hated the Beast solo song, it felt so wrong in that moment and broke up the plot momentum. Here we are approaching the climax, Belle is racing away and then.....bam screeched to a halt as we listen to this song that has nothing dynamic or interesting about it. It fell flat and just dragged the whole scene down pace wise. Plus I just hated his voice.
TDLink
Member
I thought it was powerful, but I can understand if people didn't like it. In the play the Beast has a different (yet still good) song there, and I thought this one was better.
Have you seen/listened to the more recent Disney adaptation of Hunchback?
It's actually VERY good, and fixes a lot of the things from the movie that brought it down (gargoyles, bringing an even darker tone, haaaalf (?) of the ending (it's unclear lol)). It's excellent.
Evermore didn't quite live up to If I Can't Love Her for me, but IICLH is one of my favourite songs from a musical so it's tough to live up to it for me ("let the world be done with me" 😭😭
. I still thought Evermore was excellent though, and I liked his climb up the tower to watch Belle go.
TDLink
Member
This was the European one I was talking about! I didn't realize they made an American version. Will listen immediately. It's a shame it didn't go to Broadway. But they really should make this version a Film.
Yeah, it's a bummer it didn't make it to Broadway, it's excellent. I'd be down with a film version of it!
Let me know if you like it! Some of the added songs are eeeeh, some are great (Rhythm of the Tambourine, Place of Miracles, Someday (this one omg), Made of Stone (also this one) being the standouts to me).
Mattakuevan
Member
Saw it with my wife this evening, we both liked it a lot.
Some things fell a bit flat, but overall it was a marked improvement over the animated film (which is how it should be).
Some things fell a bit flat, but overall it was a marked improvement over the animated film (which is how it should be).
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