Sunday, March 6, 2011

My Movie Reviews: Beastly (2011)

Lindy Taylor (Vanessa Hudgens) and Kyle Kingson/Hunter (Alex Pettyfer) in Beastly

It is a retelling of the fairytale Beauty and the Beast set in modern-day New York City. This film is based on the fantasy romance novel Beastly by Alex Flinn. The film is written and directed by Daniel Barnz and was produced by Susan Cartsonis, Roz Weisberg, and Michael Flynn with the film releasing on March 4, 2011.

THE CAST

Vanessa Hudgens as Lindy Taylor
Alex Pettyfer as Kyle Kingson/Hunter
Mary-Kate Olsen as Kendra Hilferty
Neil Patrick Harris as Will Fratalli
Lisa Gay Hamilton as Zola
Peter Krause as Rob Kingsbury
Dakota Johnson as Sloane Hagen
Erik Knudsen as Trey Madison
Regina King as Letisha
Roc LaFortune as Lindy's father
David Francis as Dr. Davis
Brian Eastman as Dan Granburg
Gio Perez as Victor

SYNOPSIS

Kyle Kingson is a handsome man with an evil streak disrespects a classmate, who is a witch in disguise, during an environmental event. The witch then casts a spell on Kyle and physically transforms him into a grotesque monster. In order to break the curse, he must get some to say "I love you" before the following spring, or he will be a monster forever.

TRAILER


MY THOUGHTS

I have to say I expected a lot less of this movie, but it was actually not bad at all. Alex Pettyfer plays the haughty and cold-hearted Kyle Kingsbury very well (I have actually never really doubted his acting skills, It's just I Am Number Four was TERRIBLE... OK I'll stop, I'm sorry) and Vanessa Hudgens plays Linda Taylor (which also was done very well... Vanessa has really matured as an actress since High School Musical, thank GOD). Mary-Kate Olsen did well as Kendra Hilferty as well (I've always been a fan of the Olsen sisters, so I wasn't surprised by her performance). Anyway, I love classic fairy tales and I am writing modern retellings myself. When I first heard of this I wasn't very receptive, but I decided I would give it a shot and see how it was. I was pleasantly surprised at how the film was put together and how the original plot of Beauty and the Beast was so nicely incorporated. And of course, Neil Patrick Harris had me laughing in almost every scene he was in (I love that guy, he cracks me up), and most critics have stated that he stole the entire film with his wits; which he really did, since I anticipated every scene he was in. SPOILERS: Somethings that occurred in the film weren't answered, like what happen to the guy who was going to try and kill Lindy since her dad killed his brother. I was waiting for an epic battle between him and Kyle towards the end of the film (similar to the Beast and Gaston's battle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast), but I was greatly disappointed. SPOILERS END. But over all, this was a very decent film.

I give Beastly: 4 out of 5 Stars ★★★★

 "must embrace the suck!"

2 comments:

  1. I had really nothing to do so i started reading this book and got abosorbed in it rite away. It was execellent page turner that i didn't want to put down. Good thing i read this before i watched the movie i heard the movie sucked. But anways its a good book and not cliched like the most vampire books they have out now where they fall in love when they just meet.

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  2. Very true, the book is much better than the movie. I was over all impressed with how they did this film though, it was good but not great.

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