4/23/17 Beauty And The Beast? (Movie)

    I will admit that I was dragged to this movie, I was almost even going to say to Wife I am just going to sleep through this one as I have done when I find myself in a boring movie.  This was not a boring movie though.  Emma Watson (better known as Hermione) plays Belle and although it bothered me in the beginning because she physically isn't a "Belle", she did do a good job with the role and she gave her strength and the right attitude. 
    The Disney female heroines have been slowly improving through the ages, but in the beginning they were some weak ass damsels in distress.  Snow White is asleep through most of her movie then wakes up and voluntarily starts cleaning house for seven men or vice versa, it's been awhile.  Cinderella can't or won't step up to her stepmother who treats her like a servant until she starts getting high and talking to the critters around her.  A man, of course, comes to her rescue.  Belle, at least, starts showing us a female can sacrifice for a loved one when she switches places with her father and then we see her fall in love with the man under the fur.  She is smart, literate even, and is unwilling to settle for the barbaric hero, Gaston.
    Gaston is played up perfectly by Luke Evans who might not be as muscular as the cartoon character, but he certainly had the devil may care attitude of being an elitist.  I do believe he was outperformed by his underling, LeFou, played by Josh Gad.  I have always found him to be a bit too bull in a china shop for me, he is a husky guy and he overacts a bit, but man, this role fit him perfectly, as Gaston's personal cheerleader and his noticeable man crush.  It is the first time I enjoyed his performance on screen.
    I read other reviews and people are not being kind to this movie, but maybe it has to do with I haven't seen a movie in a while, or I love a musical, or there was a touch of nostalgia apparently having watched this as a cartoon, but regardless, I was in the scenes, never mind that Beast looked a little fake, come on people, that is some petty shit.  I got caught in and by the time Lumiere is singing "Be Our Guest" I was teary-eyed and into it, I wasn't judging the special effects.
    I liked the stark contrast of the library in her province which had maybe 10-15 books as compared to the Beast's personal library which filled at least two great rooms.  Gaston was not impressing her when he mentioned a book in her hand but he of course had not read it.  Meanwhile, Beast saying he had read everything in his library just made her pantaloons soak (I don't think panties were invented yet). 
    Of course, the story ends in happily ever after.  Beast found true love and a real reason to live, not just partying every night.  Belle found a man of substance who could and would challenge her, mentally, plus it's a Disney movie, of course he would also be rich beyond her wildest dreams.