"My, what tall ceilings you have." Belle doesn't actually say those words in the new IMAX version of "Beauty and the Beast," but you might be tempted. The wide, high IMAX aspect ratio makes everything here, including the Beast's castle, seem larger than life.
Not that his digs needed much fixin'. 1991's "Beauty and the Beast" was the first and only animated movie to get an Oscar nomination for best picture. Even more surprising, it deserved the honors. "B and B" breathed new life into a classic tale and represented the pinnacle of the latter-day Disney animation dynasty (which also included "The Lion King" and "The Little Mermaid"). That dynasty is over, but it's well worth revisiting.
"Beauty and the Beast" brims with charm, style and flawless execution that doesn't feel the least bit dated by subsequent technological advancements. The songs of Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman are performed with humor and a sense of sophisticated innocence. And now there's one more to enjoy: "Human Again," a lively ditty that was excised from the original movie before finding life in the Broadway stage version. It's reinserted here with nary a seam (though it still can't hold a Lumiere to the French music hall-inspired "Be our Guest").
If you haven't seen it, "Beauty and the Beast" is one of those movies that brings truth to that empty, worn-out phrase "Fun for the Whole Family." No need to find other activities while the kids enjoy themselves; it's far better to become a kid yourself. Even in the "Shrek" age of pointed (and deserved) Disney barbs, "Beast" remains a beauty.
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