Disney fans rejoice because the remake of “Beauty and the Beast” is everything one can ask for. From the casting to the music, the directors were able to beautifully capture the magic found in the original.

After the original “Beauty and the Beast” was a huge success, it came as no surprise Disney included it in their launch of live-action Disney classic recreations. Released March 17, the recreation attracted Disney fans of all ages from all over. At two hours and 19 minutes, the movie is longer than average but every minute is worth it.

One of the most commendable aspects of this movie is the cast selection. Emma Watson in her role as Belle was able to seamlessly capture the nerdy bookworm many fangirls relate with. In sharp comparison, Gaston (Luke Evans), did his part in making the audience despise his self-centered, patriarchal attitude. The distaste for Gaston emphasizes the grace and down-to-Earth nature of Belle. Gaston’s sidekick, LeFou, played by Josh Gad, adds to the diversity the original lacked. By suggesting that LeFou is a homosexual when dancing with another man, Disney embraced audience members of all sexual orientation. But most intriguing is the life and emotions they capture in the CGI of the Beast (Dan Stevens). Although the audience starts out repulsed by his lack of sympathy, they, along with Belle fall for him due to his wit and melodic singing voice.

Despite Watson’s lack of a musical background, she displays a beautiful voice that makes up for her lack of vocal range with emotion and passion. All of the original songs were recreated with the help of many award winning directors and actors. Grammy and Golden Globe award recipient Alan Menken who wrote the original soundtrack, came back to compose the three new songs that helped add a more modern touch. He was aided by John Legend and Ariana Grande who are featured in “Beauty and the Beast.” The soundtrack, overall, was a critical in capturing the magic that Disney fans search for.

The plot of “Beauty and the Beast” live-action follows that of the original very closely. Although some criticize it for not bringing in more new elements, changing the plot completely would ruin the point of remaking it for an audience that wants to relive it. There are some slight changes though, that give the movie a deeper meaning to the older audience such as delving into the Beast’s backstory and Gaston leaving Belle’s father to the wolves. This depiction leaves the audience sympathizing with the Beast and furthering their hatred for how low Gaston stoops to marry someone based off of beauty. As with any live-action in these scenes the violence is more prominent and may not be as child-friendly as the original. Despite this violence the movie is still rated PG.

From beginning to end, “Beauty and the Beast” took into account some of the smallest details to faithfully recapture the original film’s charm while giving it a fresh, modern look.

by HANNAH BLACKWELL