Review of Beauty and the Beast (1991) by Chris D — 04 Feb 2013

An absolute classic, and my favorite Disney animated movie. Also I found it to be one of the scariest when I first saw it: I was about 6! It's such a charming and (yes, I'll say it) magical journey, about an intelligent, country woman who falls in love with a (very) broken man. Mrs. Potts goes down as my all time favorite Disney character: such a loving tea pot!

Saw it again (the 3D version) and it's still just as incredible as when I first saw it, at the tender age 6: it is a classic for the ages. As for the 3D, I thought it had it's moments (especially in the opening, which was truly jaw-dropping, the various layers of stained glass during the intro really stood out in an incredible relief), but overall wasn't worth the extra 3+ bucks they tack onto the price of admission. Still, this film in particular was worth it: I can't think of another film that I've seen this many times that continues to make me laugh and cry at such a deep level. It could be straight nostalgia causing such things, but what difference does it make: this film continues to make me "feel" and that's a treasure in and of itself. Also, the characters are very striking and well formed: I see their reflections in my own life (particularly in the Beast, who is probably the most complex Disney character ever). It's Disney's greatest hand-animated film, if you haven't already seen it, then go out and buy a ticket right now, it is worth it, whatever your age.