Beastly: A Modern Beauty and the Beast

The book was better.



Beauty and the Beast is the best.


       Tonight I watched Beastly, starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer--a modern adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. Originally, it was a really awesome book about a good-looking teenager who humiliates a witch, causing her to turn his face ugly, hoping it will teach him a valuable lesson. His handsome, rich father is embarrassed and upset that nothing can be done for him, and has him stay in a house away from prying eyes. It's the classic "make someone fall in love with you"/"get kissed by your true love" story, and it's great.
Just great.

   But the movie can rarely match up to the book. I mean, name on that has? Besides The Lord of the Rings (and some would debate that strongly). My favorite character was the blind tutor, played by Neil Patrick Harris. A riot! A realist in a movie I couldn't really take that seriously.
   Alex Pettyfer's acting was good, but his character was selfish and super-creepy, stalking the girl who could ultimately break the spell for him, and he basically kidnaps her, under the guise of protecting her from fiends and ruffians.
Wow.
   Also, maybe it's just me, but I really preferred Vanessa Hudgens when she was giggling over Troy Bolton in the High School Musical movies.


She was unbelievably adorable.

   Unfortunately, not so in this movie. She was dark and bitter and had a sucky life. Typical non-stereotypical awesome girl, who has no friends and listens to beautiful music, likes poetry and flowers...are there actually girls like this? I know a few really interesting, lovely ladies that are original and don't fit into our society's norm, but our favorite heroines tend to be the cooler-than-cool ones; girls who don't actually exist. They also happen to be the girl-next-door-type.

How does that work?

   If you prefer books to movies, then please read Beastly.
I'd say "read it anyway" but that never convinced any of my friends. ;)

   Or, if you like the old fairy-tale, but want a new perspective, then I'd suggest Beauty by Robin McKinley. It really is a lovely book to read and one of my favorites. You could even ask me to borrow my copy and I would say yes.

Song of the Day: Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-ENipUB8NI
Verse of the Day: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17).