The 2017 version of Beauty and the Beast is a remake of the original animated version, featuring all the same characters, this time in real life and computer generated images. Belle, played by Emma Watson, is a country girl with big ideas. In her small French town, she is shunned for knowing how to read and wanting to share her knowledge with the world. Belle spends her days frequenting the town library and helping her father, who she lives with. Fending off unwanted advances by cocky Gaston (Luke Evans) and singing her heart out, Belle keeps herself busy, not yet leaving her father for the big city of Paris. However, trouble arises when her father disappears while making a delivery to a nearby city. Belle, courageous and assisted by her father’s horse Felipe, goes to her father’s rescue, but ends up being imprisoned by a beast (Dan Stevens) who lives deep in the forest. In a turn of events, Belle slowly learns to understand and empathize with the beast with assistance from a candelabra named Lumière (Ewan McGregor), a clock named Cogsworth (Ian McKellen) and several other household objects come to life. The story grows as the beast, actually a cursed prince, and Belle learn to be friends, slowly falling in love.

Beauty and the Beast is truly a tale as old as time, and the remake was done beautifully, from the sets and costumes to the acting. Each of the characters brought a sense of purpose to the film, commanding the audience’s attention, and leaving no dull moments. The songs were full of life and were stuck in my head for days after I saw the movie (in a good way)! Watson’s rendition of Belle was impeccable, singing and acting exactly as the animated version, with her own, beautiful twist.

Overall the movie was received incredibly well, with a $120 million opening. Nearly everyone who watched the movie loved it, including myself. With 71% rotten tomatoes, the movie was a huge hit and is destined to be a classic, just like the original.