Enfnts Terribles

Some time ago Disney started doing live-action remakes of their original stories. I have to admit that not every story sparks my interest. Of course I know all of them, but for example, as a kid I LIVED for The Lion King. I had the whole shebang: bedsheets, lunchbox, backpack… and I played the VHS til it stopped working. I had the same obsession with Beauty and the Beast.

So OF COURSE I was beyond excited when Disney started teasing the remake of this iconic story. And my excitement exploded when they invited us to watch the exclusive screening of Beauty and the Beast at the beautiful Vaudeville Theatre in Brussels. Moms and dads, get your fucking 5-year olds out of my way because I’m about to relive my childhood.

Beauty and the Beast: the story

I’m obviously not here to tell you the plot. Hopefully the original animated movie was a part of your childhood (If it wasn’t, are you okay?!). Let me begin with reassuring all the anxious souls: they did an amazing job at following the original storyline. Someone who hasn’t seen Beauty and the Beast in years, will not notice a single difference. Except maybe for this significant detail that has been all over the news: it marks the first openly homosexual character (LeFou) in a Disney film. But only ignorant assholes will see a problem there.

Also, while I was watching the movie I noticed how amazingly well everything translates to our present-day society. The story is still as relevant as ever and makes awfully clear how in a Tinderized world we still have a lot to learn. “Beauty comes from the inside” we say as we swipe to the left, to the left.

Amazing Cast

I will be continuing my rave about this movie with how bloody well casted it is. I have to admit that I had my doubts about Emma Watson being The Beauty. Don’t get me wrong, she’s absolutely gorgeous, but she didn’t give me the usual Disney princess vibe. And that’s what made this movie even better; for once being a princess doesn’t seem to be only for the few chosen ones.

There’s not much else I can say about the rest of this cast, except that it’s on point. We’ve got Dan Stevens as The Beast, who did a good job at that. Duo Luke Evans and Josh Glad were even better than the animated Gaston and Lefou. And let’s not forget about our beloved living pieces of decoration. Ewan McGregor is an amazing Lumière and we L-O-V-E Ian McKellan as Cogsworth. His dry sense of humor does it every time. Oh and also, this must be the most diverse cast I have ever seen in a Disney film. Well done!

To make a long story short… it’s a MUST-SEE!

Not only the story and the cast are on point. Disney managed to stun us again with some amazing visuals. I don’t know how they do it, but these computer generated movies seem to get even more realistic every time. But that only counts for the characters, because all sets from village to castle were built in real life! And just beyond all that, we also have to applaud the costume design.

To round it up, I’ll make it very clear: go watch Beauty and the Beast. It’s set to become one of the most iconic Disney movies of the decade. Also, you’ll look like a real loser if you’re the only one who hasn’t seen this movie. So start rehearsing the songs, which were beautifully sung by the actors, and get ready to be enchanted by the Disney magic of Beauty and the Beast!

Photo credits: Beauty & The Beast