Beauty and the Beast Live Animation Remake

So Beauty and the Beast...why I am writing a post about it now, since the movie has been out for what, a month already? And who wants to know my opinion about it since I'm not a professional movie critic?

Because I do have some opinions about it that are contrary to current popular opinion about the film, and I'm finding way to procrastinate my writing. [Btw, I've gotten first drafts of 4 chapters out already, so as much as I still have a ton to write...it's 4 chapters! Woo hoo!]
Also, Belle was my favorite Disney heroine, so BOOKWORMS UNITE!

Anyway, back to the movie. First, did I like the movie? Was it as magical as the animated version?
Yes and no. It was magical, and I enjoyed it, but it is a different kind of magic from the animated film. I appreciated that the live version closed some plot holes, such as explaining why the village forgot about the castle and its inhabitants. But did I like this version better? No. In fact, I think I like the animated version more because... (and here's my biggest difference in opinion with others):

Emma Watson as Belle. I know. Sacrilegious!

Look, she wasn't bad. In fact, she was good. I also liked how they updated Belle to be a creative thinker of solutions (the laundry scene broke my heart), something which fits into Watson's real-life feminist agenda.

However, I don't think Watson did a fantastic or excellent job, and since Belle is such a pivotal role in the film, for Watson so be merely "good" was disappointing. Just listen to her singing. Was she bad? No, far from it. Was she good? Yes. Was her singing terrific? No. She can hit the notes, but it lacked emotions that the singer for the animated version was able to convey, even without us seeing her real face! Or perhaps that's why her voice had so much emotion...

And this to me was the crux of the problem with her overall acting. She did a good job. Period. Nothing else to say. Actually, wait, I have one more thing to say. The animated Belle showed more emotion that Watson's Belle. Cartoon Belle has better "acting" than real-life Belle? Oh dear. Just watch her face during the "Be Our Guest" Scene--which I have to say I LOVED!!!--Watson's face is happy, and she smiles and makes tiny laughs.

Umm...you are in an enchanted castle with living objects singing, dancing, and creating a beautiful spectacle, and serving you the best meal you've probably seen in your life (Belle and father were poor villagers, remember?), and all you do is smile and laugh politely?! Wouldn't you be entranced or burst into gasps of surprise or clap along to the catchy tune? Or show some disappointment when Lumiere whisks away the food before you can even taste a morsel of it?

In short, I liked her but didn't love her, and I'm nowhere as enamored by her portrayal as other people are. Oh well, to each their own.

You know who I thought did a great job? Dan Stevens as the Beast. This was a pleasant surprise. I was dismayed when I first watched the trailer because the Beast was so NOT scary, and isn't that what makes the transformation of the beast so miraculous? However, the Beast in the live version exceeded my expectations in the remake because they changed some parts of his character. It worked, and now, I like both versions.

Gaston... he was good in both movies. I prefer the voice of the original Gaston because I love moi some deep, sexy, strong bass. Still, Luke Evans was a convincing evil Gaston, and maybe if he was 2 decades older, would possess that same sexy, deep voice. I was sad that some of his lyrics got changed though.

And of course I have to talk about Ewan McGregor as Lumiere because McGregor (if you didn't know) is my favorite actor. I do not like the CGI for Lumiere, and while watching the film, I thought McGregor was okay...until "Be Our Guest" came on, and then I was like, "YAHOO! I LOVE THIS! AND I LOVE YOU ALWAYS EWAN!!!"

I mean, look at how bad the CGI is... good thing my Ewan saved the character!
Picture source from www.flickfilosopher.com, which btw, is even more critical of the film than I am. 

As for the rest of the cast who are too many for me to go into detail, they were good. Some better than others of course, but good and fun overall. Kudos to also including more black characters, in harmony with the population makeup of France back then.

Now, for gay Lefou. I feel for Disney. They had to make that pre-release announcement, if not they would get angry letters from parents demanding why they weren't informed of the character's sexuality before they took their children to watch it. So I get it why Disney had to make the announcement, and unwittingly made it a bigger deal than it really was.

Was Lefou's queerness explicit in the film? In my opinion, no, at least not until the dancing scene finale. His salivating for Gaston in earlier scenes did not scream "HOMOSEXUAL DEVIANT!" but more a psychopathic, pathologically-problematic obsession for his hero that is stalker-like. Will I let my children watch this version? Yes, even as I teach them that acting on homosexual behavior is wrong. And so is behaving like a stalker. Or kidnapping people for that matter.

The whole Stockholm Syndrome thing...yes, there is that. I'm not going to deny it. I think it is also beneficial that people have pointed out that the supposedly-innocuous Disney princess movies are not 100% perfect.

But I also get irritated with people who take animated and fictional characters too seriously. Maybe it's because my parents taught me well, and so despite all the exposure to the "I'm-so-helpless-come-save-me-Prince-Charming" trope, I could still fall for it, but not be trapped by it. Did I wish my Prince Charming would come and save me and live happily ever after? Of course. WHO DIDN'T?

Yet, when my dream didn't come true when I thought it should, I didn't sit around and mope. Nope, I got my butt off the floor and carried on, even as I still wait for Prince Charming to turn up. My parents taught me that life doesn't revolve around princes and being rescued.

Also, it should be remembered that:
1) Disney Princesses are more than just helpless princesses. Snow White and Cinderella, the two best (or worse?) examples of the "save me Prince Charming" trope, demonstrated kindness to animals, were hard workers, and didn't complain despite the injustice of their situations. They are stronger than we give them credit for, and helps explain their appeal.

2) Your children should not take Disney movies, or any movies for that matter, as their only learning guide. If you are not taking time to explain to your children what is good and bad from movies, something isn't right...

One more thing: the production set was beautiful and realistic, and yet it lacked that extra special magical touch. I don't know why. I was looking forward to the library-reveal scene since BOOKWORM here! However, when that scene came on, I was underwhelmed. Lots of books for sure, but not "WOWZERS." And again, I felt more of Belle's excitement and wide-eye surprise in the animated version because Watson doesn't emote much. Grrr....

Would I recommend it? Sure. Just know that it is different from the animated version. Also, my movie theater had the sing-a-long version, and a quiet, closed-caption version. Go for the sing-a-long version-- I wish I did. Maybe doing so would have made me more forgiving of Watson.