There are a lot of Disney animated films that could be classified as “must-watch,” both in the 2D era and among the modern 3D flicks. But Beauty and the Beast was in a class all by itself, and one of the rare animated films to ever earn a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars. The music by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman is amazing, and the animation is still dazzling over three decades later.
None of that would matter without the strong performances of Paige O’Hara as Belle and Robby Benson as the Beast. She has to learn how to see the man beneath his monstrous appearance, while he has to become worthy of her love or else he’ll remain trapped in the body of a beast forever. Their love is also complicated by one of Disney’s most memorable villains, Gaston (Richard White), who manages to be both comical and menacing. This is a masterpiece from start to finish, and few films have ever come close to topping it.
Beauty and the Beast is streaming on Disney+
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