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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- SPOILER FREE Belle, the new anime film from Mamoru Hosoda, dropped in US theaters today. And ho boy, are you in for something. Here is my reaction and detailed review. Call it an analysis if you want friends :)
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Some say that the relationship between suzu and the beast is really underdeveloped and it doesn’t make sense why she cared for him but I feel like it was about understanding why her mother sacrificed her life to save a stranger.
She didn’t know the beast, but she saw someone in need of help.
Yup should have just been an idol movie tbh.
"I LOVEEEEE HIM"
Me - wait what
Yeah I totally agree with you, especially with how the entire premise of the movie is Suzu trying to come to terms with her mom's sacrifical act for a stranger, I think they intentionally made the relationship between Belle and Ryuu sorta ambiguous, they're not supposed to know each other that well. And how the relationship developed made sense to me, I mean, imagine being in Suzu's position where a big beast comes crashing in during the concert and with everybody in U being interested in him with his background, and with him being chased after and his obvious wounds on his body, I think she was both curious and concerned about him, esp with the hardships shes been through. And as she slowly got hints of his emotional pain, she wanted to do her part to ease them. It reflects what her mom did for the girl who was stuck across the river, that little girl prob reminded her of Suzu and at the end that's what Suzu realized was going on in her mom's mind. You don't need to know a person to relate with their pain, and a sacrificial act for a stranger doesn't mean that they're ignorant to leave their loved ones behind, I think her experiencing such a traumatic moment as a little kid clouded her judgement, but growing up with that mentality, she kept harboring negative thoughts about the incident. Only when she went through all her experiences as Belle did she realize it was simply just her mom's willingness to help someone in need. But yeah I do think there were a few pacing issues with how the relationship between the characters developed but with regards to context, I think the plot development made sense to me.
@@suzuchixchie6834 can you explain why the dad just stop fighting her? He so much bigger and stronger but he got scared and ran away. That part really confuse me.
@@bobbysmith8095 Me too lmao, I am confused too. But I think it's when he realize he did... something wrong? I don't know about that as well because if it that is the reason I'd be MORE confused. Papa has really complex personality
@@bobbysmith8095 @Bobby Smith I feel like maybe it's because he's arguing and fighting with kids, he's a grown man and while I do think the scene felt a little rushed almost like "we need a reason to have the dad stop fighting go with the first thing that comes to mind so we don't have to draw out the movie any longer" I do like how that development helped Suzu and Ryuu's character come to a close. But yeah the only reason I can think of is he probably realized that 1. He wasn't going to win as Suzu wasn't backing down or 2. Realized he was in the wrong for harming kids
I just came back from the movie theater after watching this film. This is the first anime film I watched in the theater and let me tell you it was such a beautiful experience. I’m really glad to have watched this movie.
I HIGHLY reccomend seeing more anime films in theaters, expecially with a group. It just hits different.
@@Akezura I watched on my laptop
@@iloveanime8139 same.
Me too. Belle became the first Anime movie I ever watch in an actual theater.
I’m currently looking for a movie to watch and your comment influenced me to buy a ticket for this movie.
Throughout the movie I was asking myself, "Is this a romance?" "is this a coming of age story?" It was all over the place. Nothing stuck. Still, I enjoyed it.
same
Is not a romance, not coming of age. It's about overcoming your fears/traumas and coming to terms with reality. So I guess the middle point towards maturity.
In the side of the beast though, it could be seen as a lil bit of love and respect for bell, but for Suzu she didn't have reasons to love him since all she did was try to understand the feeling of helping someone for selfless reasons like her mother did and forgive her mother for abandoning her at such an early age
the movie just kept me attached the entire time thinking "what comes next"
Maturity, overcoming insecurities, overcoming traumas, this is perfect
Could've been romance and about her understanding why her mom saved the kid
My only complaint about the film is the ending feels a bit unresolved on how things are left for you to imply on what happens to Dragon/Beast and his brother.
fr, like did anything actually change?? they are still with their dad dfgs
Yep I agree it was the only thing I didn't like about the movie, like all she did was stare down the dad like yeah OK u get em girlboss 🙄. I would've appreciated if her whole squad rolled up with her to defend the kids but whatever great movie 8/10, the best part of the movie was the music 100%
yes!! Like, don't get me wrong, there's only so much that could be done. They tried calling the police and the Beast addressed the fact that people offering to talk to their dad does absolutely nothing to help.
But they framed what Suzu did as if they completely resolved the issue and the boys weren't going to be abused anymore when that clearly was not the case. They walked away celebrating what a hero she was. While I'm glad she found her strength again and learned how to live again and how to connect to others, they were rejoicing while ignoring the fact that they just sent two children back into an abusive home.
i have also reflected on the end.
first of all is the little brother, right? he has some mental health problems, wether it is from trauma or a mental disorder is not explicitly stated, but that is not the important part, remember they're in Japan a country were the suicide rate is incredible high and if you dig a little you would find that is a country full of prejudice against people with mental health problems, like the little brother, it is a hidden criticism, in how japanese authorities handle this cases.
then we have suzu, she cannot do everything online, same way as us, if there's an issue you can help about you go to help, is not enough to tweet about it (performative activism) that's why is so important in the film that she personally goes to meet the boys. now, keep in mind she just confronted her BIGGEST fear, she's not afraid of the father, in fact if anything i think is a message about how she is helping someone she doesn't really know to well and it mirrors her mother.
it was actually dangerous to go but she now has the same bravery her mother display towards the world and people around her.
but it is left to speculation what happened next, and you know what? i remember the infamous channel daddy of five, we don't know what happened with the kids after they were rescued, except they are now with better people they deserve privacy to heal.
at the beginning of the movie it is said that belle wins money that is put in charity, i like to think that Suzu got in contact with one of the organizations and helped the brothers in this manner, remember they cannot go to the government because the little brother mental state where it could be actively worse.
Thats with what I've come with. tell me your thoughts.
Finally, someone talked about that ending, it left me confused and disappointed on how they tackle abuse ://
The visualization and music was truly stunning, my only complaint is that they didn't give enough character development to the other characters besides Suzu.
True, but with a few of them, I feel like you could say they did, though a fair amount just went unspoken.
@@FlyingFocs yeah they went for less is more but on the other hand I could’ve easily sat through another half hour of movie
I agreed. I needed more in the Beast kid, her classmates and her dad. Even a LITTLE more dad and best friend backstory would’ve been Cool. A little more on the domestic violence situation w the dad.
I guess it's because it's focused on Suzu. That's why the the movie is titled as Belle. It's about her and not really anyone else.
@@Zyleace Yeah like as opposed to Beauty and the Beast which is equally about Belle and Adam/Beast. They definitely could've developed other characters a little more but Suzu was their focus
I just watched it tonight and I can say that every he said was true, I can confirm everyone was dead silence and was crying near the end of the movie
That and I was singing her songs 😭
@@kawaiiotakuttv9447 lalalalala 💀
Everyone stayed till the credits ended. Everyone in the theater! No one moved
What? What happend???
Haha me and the stranger beside me literally looked at each other and had a "I'm not crying you're crying" moment
My one complaint about the movie is that we didn't get to see what Peggy-Sue really looked like after she saw Belle as Suzu and said "She's just a normal girl. Just like me."
I honestly thought she was Luka. Though that doesn't really make sense. I really wanted to see her real self.
@@anastasia_852 no, luka is a maximalist-looking girl holding a saxophone with kamishin as a dog beside her, we see her when the la la la la moment
I guess that's left to our imagination. Also the story is clearly focusing on Suzu as the lead character. If your logic works, then we'll see the romance story of kamishin & luka too haha
@anastasia I love to believe that Peggy Sue is actually the girl Belle's Mom Saved
Peggy Sue could be…Cristina Vee… ok I’m kidding ( Peggy Sue is voiced by Vee in the dub )
I feel like this movie also fell victim to a REALLY aggressive marketing campaign. It kinda set it up as something it's not. But like...if you go into it without any preconceived notions of what kind of experience it was shown as is the best way to approach viewing this film. It's a really special experience.
Where I am there's been absolutely nothing. It started showing yesterday, just one screening a day until next Wednesday and then it's gone.
I literally walked into the cinema to waste a couple of hours and picked Belle because it's subbed and figured it'd be a quiet and not crowded.
I was absolutely not prepared for the experience I had!
Me and my friends watched it online and the only thing we knew about it was the song U, we had so much fun and even if the plot was messy atvsome parts, we still enjoyed it through the visuals and the songs because we didn’t expect anything other than the music!
I will still give this movie a chance since it seems that mostly guys are complaining about it!!!
That was my experience - I criiiiieedd it was amazing
I did not know anything about belle except for the first half of this review. What was the marketing making it out to be?
One of my favorite parts of Belle. Was when she finished sing "Gale of Songs" and the next day when it took off and she started to get a ton of followers. It showed you the different covers of the song people were creating of it. From Techno, to Rock, to Jazz, to R&B. It was really cool seeing how quick she was getting recognized. I also want a soundtrack of all the different versions of that song. Lol
“Swarms of Song” on Spotify has that exact moment if you want to hear it again. Longer versions would have been nice though I agree.
That scene remind me of Japan Queen of pop, Ayumi Hamasaki
since her beginin she realeased albums with diferent arrangements from electronic to classical
my favorite part was when the beast was following the angel and reached out to the angel before he drifted away. so beautiful and so vulnerable
@@EnaLikes Sameeeeee!!!! That had me crying and liking the beast even more. 😭
i love that!
Belle is by no means a musical in the traditional narrative sense, since every single song is very literal and happens within the world of the story.
BUT it's better at using music to push the story forward than movie musicals like La La Land or Greatest Showman. The music manages to actually convey Suzu's thoughts and feelings and doesn't bring the story to a screeching halt.
Good point
During production they stated they wanted to do a musical but since japanese cultural didn't have much history doing so they swapped to using music as the center of the film so they sought an actor that can speak their lines and do the singing as the main character
Could be seen as a diegetic musical; a musical where each character is acutely aware that they're singing.
I actually liked the themes brought through by La La Land. It felt as if it was a musical created for the screen
The Epilogue of La La Land will like a word.
The point of Suzu caring for the AKA dragon, someone she barely knows. Led her to understand the action her mother took back when she was a kid.
The film isn't well written intellectually.
However that doesn't matter. It hits on an emotional level. It works. I've never lost a parent, I've never been a high school girl in Japan, I've never gone viral, but I had so much empathy for Suzu for exactly 2 hours. I cried because I was so moved.
Belle is proof of the power of art on an emotional level.
Exactly this
It would've been better if Shinobu instead is the Beast because for some reason, a kid with trust issues saves Belle, the one he has trust issues with.
I cried three times watching this movie, I could even hear people sniffling in the row behind me! Gorgeous art and gorgeous music!
Same
Bruh I wanted to cry also but I was with my uncle he was gonna bully me
I so wanted to watch it in a Cinema but unfortunately it wasn't playing in my country I was so sad 😭😭
One word to describe this movie is "beautiful"
I cried the moment "A Million Miles Away" starts playing, it's so powerful... It's really a beautiful movie worth your time to watch...
Even though I kinda disappointed in the ending because it kinda left a little bit of details to me...
I kind of get it, although "that video" is out there, so it'll probably get better for them. I kind of like that it doesn't give you all the information and let's you imagine for yourself. While at the same,time understanding why yeah, you would definitely want closure regarding... That.
I'm being vague to keep spoilers out, just in case.
Yeah i agree what was that ending
yeah the ending imo was too open ended though bittersweet. who knows what will happen to those two kids later, aside from the promise of child protection services.
I did enjoy the vague ending, it made it feel much more realistic, as soon as one problem in your life is overcome something new will be there. And they didn’t go a for “cheap” happy ending. I do think a nice addition would be seeing all of the characters much older and Suzu laughing and having a good time with the boys. But I think that would just be a random input into the film that wouldn’t have any cohesiveness.
@@snubnosedmonke The guy's face is on the internet hitting his kids in anger and calling them worthless. I can't imagine there would be nothing done at that point.
BELLE WAS INCREDIBLE. I saw it in the theatre and the art and story was so beautiful. At first, I thought it was going to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling, based on the fact Suzu named her avatar Belle and the story with her and the Beast.
But it was SO much more than that. It was so beautiful and the english dub vocals were HEAVENLY. It was a tear jerker for sure and it was such a good story
I was never one to easily cry, much less for a movie, but when Belle started singing my eyes began to water. I don't speak Japanese so I wouldn't be able to understand what she was saying unless I read the subtitles, yet her voice, her melody has already moved me to tears. Every time she sang, I cried.
Also, I watched this before it came out in my country, and when it did I planned to watch it on the big screens AFTER my exams. Been waiting for it since the trailer was released last year. Least to say I was disappointed to discover the premier was over right after exam season ended :')
I just got back from the theater and while the plot wasn't my favorite, the sound and animation were absolutely worth it. I want to go see it a second time since the theater I went to was rather small. But the vocals and combo of 2D and 3D animation is seriously breathtaking. I really wish they didn't go through with the beauty and the beast plot and more focused on suzu finding confidence and building relationships after her loss. It's sad that this is rumored to be Hosoda's last movie, I would like to see what else he comes out with
Saw it opening day and I Stan. The pacing was a bit off, I felt like she got popular too fast. But other than that it's immaculate. My theater treats these niche films like fodder but I'm sorry this film needs an iMax or Dolby release only. Digital isn't cutting it.
I loved the story. I can't relate to losing a parent but Suzu resented her mother because she was selfless and it left me asking myself real questions. Would I put myself in danger to help another when I have people that depend on me? The film was PG it had mature themes but nothing I feel is too tense for children. I actually think Hollywood needs to take notes. We know children films like to sneak innuendos into kid movies but the jokes are tired. Anyways the movie, the animation THEEEEE MFCKN MUSIC 🎶
I'm sorry but Belle is sweeping come award season no question.
Luckily my cinema is cultured… so I got to watch it in IMAX and holy shit it was amazing!!
@@user-kt9ul5kq6x maybe a reward in music or the graphics, not much of the story
I wish. The closest theater showing this movie is a three hour drive away...which admittedly I'm debating about doing but with gas prices going through the roof...I need to know whether it's worth it.
Woah, woah.
The pacing was pitch perfect. How dare you.
This is probably gonna get me downvoted, but I feel like I'm in the minority when I say I was disappointed in the movie. I heard about how it got a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, and how some legendary Disney employees worked on the film as well. I also caught some clips online, which made me realise that this movie was going to be a lot more Westernised in terms of its musical performance instead of a more anime-esque approach, and I was excited for that. So, perhaps my expectations were a little warped.
I was a film major and have worked in media, while my friend was a game illustration major and is currently in the anime game industry. I remember being absolutely blown away by the opening sequence; the storytelling in Act 1 of the film, from Suzu's backstory, her journey into U, and becoming a pop star; all of that was extremely emotional and captivating. But once Act 2 of the story hit (which was when the Beast appeared during her concert), the story took a bit of a downward spiral. For a lot of the second half of the film, it seems more like a forced homage to Disney's Beauty and the Beast (with some scenes in the EXACT SAME ANGLE AND PRESENTATION) rather than trying to tell its own story. Both me and my friend felt extremely confused over the body language of Bell and the Beast, because we couldn't tell if they were developing a romance or a platonic friendship. By the time Act 3 hit, we had lost most of the interest we got from the beginning of the film, and was utterly disappointed that a lot of what it promised at the beginning felt squandered because the writer/director wanted to retell a Disney movie. The climatic scene, which involved Suzu going all the way to the city where the boys lived BY HERSELF (Why did she not bring an adult with her? What about the authorities??), basically ended with her in a staring contest with a grown man in the middle of the rain; a grown man who, until that point, was very ready to hit the high schooler, but got scared off because she had an impressive glare, apparently?
Maybe it's just the fact that we had too much expectations, or the fact that we have decades of anime-watching experience and expected something top-tier, or the fact that we get exposed to similar materials in our daily work, but both of us walked out of the cinema that day feeling as though we had wasted our time. My friend felt a lot more betrayed than I did because she was a fan of the director (while I only watched the director's first two films and liked them, especially Wolf Children, which I still think is one of the best anime films ever made). Personally, it felt like the second half of the film was wasted. The first act of the film was tragic, touching, and beautiful, and I want to see the story that THAT was telling, and not a repackaged version of a Disney movie I had already seen a hundred times as a kid.
Totally agree. I think a lot of people felt this way.
No you definitely aren't alone. I just watched the movie an hour ago together with my friend and we are huge fan of Ghibli and Makoto Shinkai's works. Although we are absolutely whipped for Belle's design and the soundtracks, we also agreed that the plot is rather disappointing.
So many unexplained plotholes. Like even the most important part: how does the U devices fully work? Who is the creator of "U", why he is being mentioned a lot? Why he made "U"? How can people walk both in real life and VR at the same time? How can Suzu's glare made an angry man, ready to punch, ran with the tail between his legs? And suddenly Kei saying "i love you"???? Did the boys got safe with the police or??
I truly believe that this movie would be better in an animated series instead. Everything feels very rushed, too many still frame that made it looked lazy. But despite all of that, I still like the movie and would rewatch it.. i'll give it 6.8 out of 10 tho
Oh and the Disney employee you mentioned might be Jin Kim. He is the character designer. Also the designer for Frozen and Tangled.
@@geegeegee7 I thought I was going crazy as there were many positive reviews online for this movie, and little to no negative comments about it lol.
I personally don't think turning it into a series would help it. There were too many basic problems in its plot for it to work in the first place. Like I mentioned, Ryuu/the Beast's appearance was where the story started going downhill. Suzu's sudden motivation to find out who the Beast was, was completely opposite to whatever we knew of her at that point. She was someone who was ashamed of her own RL self, and went into U with an alternate identity because she wanted to be someone else. So you'd think that she would be against the whole #UnveilTheBeast movement. But nope, she joined in the masses to try and find out his RL identity. Not once did she consider that, perhaps, the person himself was in the same situation as she was and was in U to escape from real life. And yet, when confronting the antagonist, she makes it sound as though she's in the right when they are basically doing the same thing.
Also, I agree with you about the part about U's creators. They kept hinting at them from the first lines of the film but did nothing with it. I honestly thought Justin (the antagonist) would turn out to be one of the creators because of his cannon and the fact that he's supposedly there to maintain peace, but no? He just turns out to be a random dude with a god complex. How the hell did he even get his authority in the first place?
It honestly felt like their desire to remake Beauty and the Beast superseded the original story. The only reason this movie would have any rewatch quality for me would be its first act, and its music bits. But those alone doesn't make it a good movie. I could just pick out the music bits and watch a collection of those scenes instead.
@@NijiKonohana didn't Suzu actually tried to search frantically for him, only after everyone is trying to unveil him? She had to find him first before the other does so that she can help him get away with everything. And just like her mom, she is an empath so she definitely jumped first in trying to help this dragon who got chased and beaten up publicly in her concert. She knew she had to find him before Justin does too. She definitely knew that the Beast himself doesn't wish to be unveiled, hence her scene with Justin. The reason why the public hates him though, sounds like jealousy excuse: why they hate the winner of a fighting GAME so much they wanted to erase him? Is it because he is an ugly monster?
I definitely see that each element of the story actually got so much potential to work on, but most of them are unfinished. I'm gonna rewatch the movie again in Eng dub because watching it in Japan dub, with both my local language and Eng appeared on the sub totally confuses me 😆
@@geegeegee7 Kind of disagree with you on the first point there. She became interested in his true identity from their very first meeting (she kept thinking "Who are you? Who are you?") without any prompting. You could say she was sympathetic to him being attacked, but if she really wanted to help him, she could have just befriended him as Ryuu/Beast (which she eventually did!), and did not have to go on a huge detective search for his real identity. She should have fought for his right to stay anonymous, something which U was set up to provide, and something which she herself was taking advantage of. Trying to uncover his true identity when he clearly did not want it to be revealed was honestly what pulled me out of it. She herself was in the same situation: she did not want anyone to know she was Bell. So why subject the same treatment to Ryuu? Seeing her freak out over people figuring out who she was WHILST she was trying to unmask Ryuu was hella painful to watch. And that's coming after a powerful first act where we got to relate to and sympathise with her. The writers just decided to pull a huge reverse Uno card for Suzu's characterisation, making her just as bad as the people she was trying to hide away from. It's so hypocritical.
The singing was great! The whole hidden internet celebrity thing was great! The comedy between her high school friends and the romance was great....On the flip side the beast and his subplot was TERRIBLE and completely out of place. The film could have removed his entire arc, and character and it would have only slightly changed the plot and it would have been better off. "Spoiler"...
What father in his right mind would allow his high school age daughter to go across the country and confront an abusive man of an unknown family?! Well Suzu's nonexistent dad does just that after receiving only a couple text messages from her. That subplot also ends is the stupidest way. The angry dad gets scared away, the girl hugs the boys, and suddenly everything is resolved? !! The VERY next scene she is back at home and they all go walking along the river. The End...it made no sense.
It make sense to me by seeing it at a different angle where i do not need everything to spell out for me. Yes i agree the moment is a bit far fetch letting a high school girl going far way alone (but still make some perfectly sense knowing how good and safe Japanese public transport is). The moment is powerful message of reaching to a stranger, give them hope and courage asking for help, the father is not suddenly getting peaceful either, his mood and gradual, anger, threatening, hesistate then panic and cowardly retreat. The brothers ultimate fate is left to the audience imagine and i prefer that way, because the film had show that they are now have hope and have the courage to ask for help from a stranger. Yes, I agree the sub plot can be better, but all thing considered, the message is clear and connected.
@@duoname3 Good reply. I guess i dont have an issue with the concepts themselves. Just wish it was presented in a better way that didn't seem so out there. I still disliked the beast scenes in the YU world. Very cringe to me. But the idea about helping a suffering kid wasnt terrible on further thought. Just needed polish.
The whole movie mostly made no sense.
Suzu can instantly sing when she comes to U, despite nothing except her appearance having changed.
Belle becomes an overnight hit without any advertisement, posts done by her, or the people she sung to having liked her song.
Belle seemingly just has things that other people don't for no reason? (f/e the whale)
Why did the justice guy have sponsors? How did it affect anybody when he lost them? How did he even get his dox beam?
What were those AIs that were at the Beast's castle and why did no one except him have them?
Why is getting your face revealed even considered like getting doxxed and how would have doxxing the Beast do anything?
etc.
yes very bad message to the audience.... kids - you NEVER travel alone to a dangerous stranger and especially not as a young girl !
i cant believe that everybody in this anime's media room (her friends and even the old ladies) didnt do anythign to stop her or go with her. and her father on the phone was like... ok.... .
wtf anime.
irk? That was a flop. Why didn't two of her mom's friends went there with her? One of them would've gone to the police station while the other would've searched for the kids with her.
This director is something else. Its a great movie and wonderfully directed. Also Studio Chizu never fails to amaze with its mix of animation and CGI tech
Theres a gif of the 3D model of Belle going around twitter, its so impressive what they accomplished with her
If you like the scenes leading up to the castle, I HIGHLY recommend Cartoon Saloon's work: that was them all over. Song of the Sea and Wolf Walkers are my favorite films of theirs.
This video makes me want to see Belle in theater so badly, even though I've decided to cancel my plans to down because of omicron. I really hope I'll get another chance to see it when things are better.
My IMAX theater was basically empty, you’re probably safe tbh
Omicron is a joke. It is basically harmless and makes you immune to all the other strains.
i understand and sympathize, as i am trapped within a similar conundrum
My friend and I were the only ones in our theater lmao. We openly and loudly wept
@@AlonzoTG you are nuts 🤣 😜 my cousin went to the hospital because she got infected and because she didn't get vaccinated she is in terrible condition...
Just watched it yesterday and the animation is really pretty and nuanced, especially whenever Suzu sings, the mouth movements look natural. The backgrounds are amazing, really liked how the lighting looks. The music is also emotional (made me tear up at some parts) and really amazed at how they were able to match the Japanese and English singers.
But, apart from that, I was kind of disappointed and unsatisfied with the story...the first failure and attempt of Suzu not being able to sing was easily resolved, and I thought it was about her getting to sing again as she gets over her trauma, but I guess I was mistaken. Then the beast part came, and I was kind of confused as to why she seems to be so interested in finding out the person behind the Beast. Is it because he ruined her concert?
Then the child abuse thing, which to be honest, felt like it didn't really add anything to the story, and I didn't appreciate how it was portrayed. The dad just running away after seeing Suzu felt comedic for me, what kind of abuser does that? Will that much narcissism crumble after seeing another kid? I know films don't need to be realistic, but it just felt really funny even though the scene was set up to be dramatic and climactic...then the story ends with me having more questions than answers, and not really in a good way.
Overall, it was entertaining but not really something I'd watch again. There's so many subplots that I feel like it made the movie underdeveloped and unfocused. It's good to watch for the aesthetics and music, but other than that it was okay, I guess?
Not really, She can sing as Belle not Suzu.
Also its the virtual world not the real world. Its unknown if she can sing again as herself in the real world.
The problem isn't even the singing, its the question she has: Why did mom saved a random kid than to be with me? Did she love some child than me?
The whole movie is literally about her getting over her trauma. She said she saw the eyes of a kid in the beast. She wanted to help him because he was a hurt soul. And then when she helps a stranger from a bad situation she finally accepts and gets why her mom helped a stranger. The way I see it with the abuser is what I've seen happen. It's like a god complex with abusers. The people they abuse are so scared they can't do anything. Seeing this person stare you down so hard no matter what you do can be terrifying to them. Like Thanos from marvel said, "you feel so desperately youre right, it's frightening, turns the legs to jelly". It's also shown in soul eater, although not a abuser, a big evil is brought down just by the one person who never stood up to him did just that. Sorry for the ramble
I just finished the English version of Belle today and, yes, I cried....a lot- But I was so emotionally connected with Suzu by being a strongly empathetic person myself. All in all I just really enjoyed it and will happily watch it again 💖
Just watched the movie today, the later half of the movie had me in tears but Belle's first song that she sand when she first entered remains my favorite. I think this movie was brutally honest, I loved every part. I can't wait to watch it again later
They have the whole soundtrack on Spotify which I’m so grateful for, “Gales of Song” was amazing.
(Possible spoilers just in case)
I'm definitely on board with the entirety being a beautiful experience. The music and animation were really engaging and is what kept me from not looking away to multitask for once.
Although, there were so many little things that were left unsaid or unclear, to the point where I would've preferred another half to whole hour to truly round off everything that was presented.
(And why did they make an exact replica of the Beast yelling at Belle to leave scene...? Kind of took me out of the moment since it was boarded/staged the same way as the Disney version.)
i've been trying to find a comment about the frame for frame beast yelling scene! It completely took me out of the movie from that point on. I've seen Disney's Beauty and the Beast a thousand times so it was hard to see past the similarities, but at least the music and visuals were beautiful.
@@letmestudie It irked me JUST enough to have to say something. I get they want to reinforce that plot is influenced by this classic story, but then they go and copy/reference Disney scenes?
It's such an odd decision when I would think they want the film to stand on its own amazing merit as it is without hinting at an extremely popular property. I literally didn't think of the Disney film up until that point, which sucks cause that tells me how much it was its own thing and I wouldn't have ever compared it otherwise had they not done that.
(Also, Disney's film is a romance, so copying that and the ballroom scene subconsciously had me leaning that way when it wasn't what ended up developing into.)
@@LizChanFish Yes exactly! You put my thoughts perfectly into words. I went into the film blind, and nothing would've prepared me for such blatant references. I feel like a lot of aspects of the movie like certain character or plot endings were sacrificed in order to steer the film towards a more Disney romance story? Which didn't even have impact at the end? I'm sure there's more meaning behind the choices that were made here but on initial watch it just weakened an already breathtaking original film.
I took a few days to really think about the Beauty and the Beast movie parallel, and I ended up really appreciating it. The castle and the presentation of Beast's sanctuary are clearly based on the children's cartoon. Kai must have seen the movie as a child and really related to the original Beast, down to wanting someone to truly love him for who he is. It was a hopeful invitation from an edgy, abused teen that wanted someone to see through the facade.
The second I saw an ad for this movie I wanted to see it, I wasn't disappointed at all. The second I got the art book the other day, I knew this was amazing- they hired a real fashion designer to MAKE THE COSTUMES BEFORE ANIMATING THEM
If the movie could figure out what exactly it wanted to tell you, it easily could have been a top ranked film in earnest.
From the trailer with the opening song of the movie showcasing a seemingly engrossing story, I genuinely thought this was going to be about a girl overcoming her life's biggest tragedy through an alter ego. Thats almost immediately resolved in the first few minutes of the movie just to skip back to how that happened and even that wasnt really fleshed out and instead focused on some quasi beauty and the beast plot that, once again, wasnt fleshed out.
If I ignore all that, and try to pretend the meaning behind the few songs that we got was actually explained properly, then hell yeah its a masterpiece. But I cant...I really only watched for the songs after hearing U and thought there would be quite a few more than what was there, but they were pretty incredible regardless.
Yup that's what I thought too. The Beast part was the weakest part of the movie for me. Everything else was great
I really wanted to see Suzu fight her insecurities. I was willing to see that fight visualized in the beast’s fighting Justice. Hosoda was too hung up on making her a parallel of her mother.
It’s a beautiful movie visually but that’s all it was for me.
Super same, i was hyped and listen to almost all the songs so i was expecting suzu and the plot to be more well writen. Is not bad but some things like the lil brothers open end plot and the not so explained crush dilema of suzu and his friend kinda confuse me while watching it and make the experience a little less great. But like you said, beside that is a cool movie with magical visuals and powerful songs
The movie does’t really explained what Suzu feels. You have to figure out on your own. I rewatch the last song to realised that it was a song for her mother. I thought it was for The Beast, lol. After she finished singing, she has a flashback the moment her mother dies saving a complete stranger. Suzu realised, at that exact moment, she was doing what her mother did. She finally understood why, her mother did so. This gives closure to Suzu. The main drive for the movie is that Suzu was plagued by her mother’s death which is she gave up her life for a complete stranger, instead of thinking about herself or her loved ones.
This movie does have very little monologue, so for people that can’t read in between the lines or scenes will be a bit dissatisfied.
@@bunnyfuzzy7982
Her singing without her avatar was for him, the bulk of the song was very clearly for her mother.
I'm not confused about any of what the movie conveyed. I'm saying they conveyed it very poorly.
Just saw it theaters a few hours ago, and while in some aspects I agree, overall I actually didn't like it all that much. The soundtrack was incredible and about half the time the visuals were strong. But almost every other part of this movie just felt like a hapless mess to me, I don't know. I didn't care about anyone, and there was just a billion plot points most of them went know where or meant nothing. It was a great experience to see it in theaters, but mostly just for the music. (Those two scenes, the final performance and that one in the train station we're really good though, it almost felt like a different movie to me)
I feel like the animation really carried the movie imo. If the movie had mediocre animation instead of the incredible, colourful animation it has, I feel I would not have enjoyed it because the plot really made me feel ????
I think it's a solid movie, but there's too much subplots in the fray; like Suzu's dead mother. I know her mother's death was in relation to her inability to sing freely, but it didn't tie into the victims of parental abuse well. The ending felt odd, it felt like the movie just stopped abruptly. The only time I cried at the end of an anime movie, was Your Name. I still think Your Name holds up in 2021.
THIS i complete agree with every single thing and more that would just turn into a rant but my main grip was the child abuse thing being the most prominent and just ends with her staring at the dad? the whole vr app was confusing to me at this point im not sure if its just me or something because this is one of the few negative response i can find as its hosadas biggest movie in the us and its highly reviewed but i was vastly disappointed
@@oneeyedmedic1802 yeah i actually don't get why the dad somehow stopped being aggressive to his son just because Suzu, a small teenage girl stop in front of them. The dad was down to toss around his kids like ragdolls, why would he hesitate beating up another kid? Esp when they are alone
@@KindaErudite This^
I was laughing in the theatre at this part tbh because clearly no one involved with the story understands abuse. It was a joke to me.
The fact that me and my friends had a whole movie theater to this movie makes me so sad. This movie needs more exposure in my are
a lot of ppl aren't going to the movies rn bc of omicron tho so ya
@@allurajane4979 It’s also because people don’t typically go to anime movies. Sorry, it’s the truth, at least for my area. There’s always only like 1 or 2 other groups or no one, but you and whoever you bring with you. COVID or no COVID. There was 2 other people in the theater I went to. They were together too. That’s okay, I enjoy watching movies in theaters like that personally. It’s just a little sad for anime movies I think. They deserve more than that.
In Omnicron times though it does reassure me it’s safe to go to the theater I guess.
Yeah, it's his first weekend in my country and I'm was looking at ordering tickets for today and literally nobody else ordered tickets, so there is a decent chance I'd be alone in the theater
i think it visualized great how in internet its so easy to find others who have been hurt to bigger or lesser extend and find something to relate in that pain to feel a little less alone.
I just saw it yesterday and I have a few things to bring up. Isn't the deceased parent trope overused and how exactly was the abuse thing taken care of we didn't see any arrest or fostering or even a mental hospital or anything that fully resolves it.
Scrolled way to far to find someone who shared my opinion. What happened to the two boys? Are they ok? Are they still with their dad? You can't just expect the dad to shape up after one encounter.
IKR!! me and my friends were talking about this while we left hte theaters. like what in the world did she do with them?!
@@darrienhoyle1864 I felt that way too, but I also work as a PCA and in a grouphome. As sad as this sounds, a lot of these cases are not looked into. Even in the case of abuse, there's always a push to keep biological families together. I don't agree with it but that's just how the system operates. From what I can tell, it's just as bad if not worse in Japan. I think we can assume Suzu kept in touch, but even if not the reality of this situation is probably that if anything was done, it was probably just therapy and welfare checks. That's what would happen in the real world, I guess.
i dislike this too. howeverrrr it was more on the mindset i think. The older boy is no longer ‘just enduring it’ he’s going to keep fighting now. still bad but not terrible lol
For me, i understood it as the father was scared of suzu standing up for herself/challenging him so now the dragon/beast in the real world can do the same. Like how suzu can now sing and be like belle even in the real world, the dragon in the real world (may not be physically) is now stronger mentally and emotionally. He was unstoppable in U so i guess deep inside he could be strong and stand up for himself. The dad seemed to feed off of fear anyways so if the kids show that they can stand up for himself like what suzu did, he might back off or do less.
3:52-4:03 This touches on something I find interesting about Hosoda as a director. Everyone thinks of him as a Ghibli alumni, but his directorial style is firmly rooted in his past work at Toei. He's also an understudy of sorts to Kunihiko Ikuhara (Revolutionary Girl Utena, Sarazanmai, Penguindrum), and has a similar emphasis on static but vivid shots.
I've been something of a Hosoda skeptic since Boy and the Beast since that movie and Mirai rubbed me the wrong way; the writing in those films felt very undercooked, in way his previous movies hadn't. I've suspected for a while that Hosoda could really use a writer to tighten up the narratives of his films, as Summer Wars and Wolf Children held together really well.
Don't even get me started on Wolf Children. I have so many problems with how that movie ended.
@@fennecwolfox problems like you genuinely dont like the ending? cuz i love the ending although it makes me wanna punch a pillow every now and then
@@EnaLikes It rubs me the wrong way as someone who's always been pretty outspokenly weird
I understand it's a Japanese thing, but it always spoke to me as 'Peer Pressure: The Ending'
Unlike some people, I watched the film with no expectations, and I was highly satisfied. Critics can stay mad.
I also rewatched it to understand the things I’ve missed and I was pleasantly surprised since it helped explain the story better, and why Hosoda might have felt best to leave some things as they were. I also did some research on Japan’s laws on domestic abuse/police response, and it made sense about Suzu’s actions and decisions. (And probably, the unsupervised travel to Tokyo might have been a cultural thing since JP citizens are known for their independence and discipline at such a young age, plus Suzu had to do it alone because of plot).
It’s not the most blockbusting movie, but it certainly deserves a spot among the classics and I definitely understand the 14-minute standing ovation for it.
I also watched the film without knowing anything ab it and I felt that it's just some pretty looking film with a mediocre plot and poor execution so now I'm even more surprised of the praise it got.
Exactly! Those who were whining don't know cultural things. For sure, those who complain are westerners. They want Japan to adjust to them
I haven't been so emotional due to an anime movie in so long. Belle truly touched my heart, especially the songs. This movie will never get old
The re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast combining with great cinematography of music performance prove how Hosoda-san continues to excel at his craft.
Anime series such as World Masterpiece Theater and films from Studio Ghibli are good examples how to adapt classic novels and stretch its boundaries while remaining to the core.
This kind of media keeps Hollywood out from their league.
It’s supposedly at $1.65m, which is amazing for a small distribution
I didn't get the Beauty and the beast references until I saw them together. I think they did a fabulous job on the symbolism tho, for people who would get it.
while i can certainly understand your take on the Beauty and the Beast spin being weak, i thought it was rather strong
i DO think that its relevance has been dramatically overblown by journalists though; like this film is barely a retelling, if not just a reference.
as for why the characters of belle and the beast care for each other, i think it's very subtly explained in the film near the end, during 'the big scene'. the connection between suzu coming to terms with her tragedy and her otherwise nonsensical care for the beast was so subtle but intentional that it drove home the feel of that entire sequence even harder. if anything, the beauty and the beast angle was entirely about suzu's real life revelations and growth, and not at all about retelling the 'tale as old as time'. GOD this is so hard to talk about without spoilers. hahaha
speaking of, that 'big scene' was the first time i've experienced a room full of people entirely still and silent, almost choking on pure hope and compassion. i don't know if i'll ever get to feel that again, but i'm so happy that i did at least once
an even further layer to this film is how relevant it is to modern japanese culture/society. the country girl becoming a star, finding herself in her art....that's actually becoming a recurring thing in real life, especially in music (Sayuri and Ayuni D from BiSH are really easy examples). one thing i've grown to adore about japanese artists/creators is how much value and attention they place on mediums outside of their own, and Hosoda demonstrates that in spades here
i personally echo the japanese box office in suggesting that Belle is absolutely Hosoda's best film to date, but i'm also in the apparent minority of english speaking people (but still echoing jp sales) with my take that Mirai was his best until now
anyway, you're the youtuber, not me, and this was a great video. sorry for the word vomit, i've just been trying my hardest to articulate my thoughts on this film and i still can't manage it.
Just got back from watching it in theaters and I agree with your sentiment 100%. The beauty and the beast angle is merely the tip of the ice berg of what the film truly has to offer. If I had to summarize this film in one word I’d say it’s pure emotion. Everything from the cinematography of characters to the music captivates emotion that are rarely seen in today’s movies( in the U.S). I might be being a bit bypass but it speaks volumes to how Japanese storytelling is currently better than American storytelling as there is definitely more freedom in creation of said story.
You are spot on!!
If not his best, it is really close (Wolf Children is probably the best, and Summer Wars is a personal fave). That opinion may change with repeated viewings, but the fact I want to watch it again speaks to how little its flaws weigh it down.
I agree it probably is his best film. But i also like the girl who leapt through time just as much. I love them both
@@knightangel2190 hard agree. Watching this film, it made me remember something I once heard about films that are driven purely by emotions, like "they don't give you what you logically or ethically wamt to see, they give you what you emotionally want to see." The further it went on, the more I realized that's what this was.
And it works, because sometimes, you dont need something logically sound or narratively ironed. You just meed something beautiful.
I just saw Belle straight from the theatre, It’s very… magnificent. the casting for this dub was outright accurate. Kylie McNeil is such a talented singer, and I really hope she gets the praise she deserves! Her voice is practically what the original would be like but in English. I also recognized a few voices in there which also kind of got me pumped, voices like ProZD, LilyPichu, Manny Jacinto. The voice actors all did a good job at portraying their characters. A few things I did notice though that the development of some of the other characters was a bit confusin. To me, they were introduced kind of out of no where and I feel I didn’t get to know them enough. Though I liked everyone in the movie, I feel that the only one that was truly being focused on was Suzu (Bell). That might’ve been the point since the movie is titled Bell and would be about Bell’s journey, I just feel that they introduced some tropes that ended up kind of just fading away. Like was there a love interest? Was it Shinobu or the Beast? I wouldn’t say I’m complaining about these parts, but they did confuse me a bit. But Studio Chizu definitely does not disappoint, this movie puts a lot of modern animatic-musical esque movies to shame.
Each song made me cry like a baby (except the opener, that ones just a banger). The soundtrack is incredibly (both sub AND dub, how they managed to find 2 fantastic singers who sound damn near the same in their respective languages is amazing!), and I fully agree that the best scene in the entire movie was that 3-minute train station scene. Funny as hell, also relatable as hell, and the pinnacle of what makes the movie great: characters you can connect with and care about. Also the songs, obviously, GOD THE SONGS AND THE VISUALS-
I already saw it twice in theaters. Love this movie. The only real complaint I can give is that I want more of it to flesh out all of the world it deserved to build. More smoothly show the Biometric scanner with Suzu getting a bruise and the biometric's interpretation of a bruise on Bell so we aren't told those pain like splotches on the Beasts back were bruises (I honestly thought she was making a leap calling them that) and Bell's rise to fame, Justin's tyranny and beef with the Beast as well as my headcanon connection to the Beast's player. Shown the Beast in the fighting ring. The AI's Cristina Vee's character, the choir ladies, the friends, so on and so forth. This movie deserves at least a dozen hours. Not just two. I wanted more so there was more show and not tell. I wanted more of this beautiful movie!
No one was moving after the film ended, we all just sat there and continued to absorb what we had just watched. I MUST see this again.
This movie was so fucking beautiful. Think beauty and the beast meets summer wars with both singers absolutely KILLING IT.
Also, the English dub is really excellent too. Neither the dub or the sub is superior, they both knocked it out of the park.
Hey, dude. I just wanted to say, thanks. The way you put a bit of your own emotional vulnerabilities into this review made it more personal and impactful for me, and I appreciate the hell out of you for doing that.
I finished watching this movie, it was heartfelt and visually stunning. The music was amazing and so unique.
I just watched this movie 3 hours ago and it was so beautiful. The animation was beautiful, the story was beautiful and the music was beautiful. It's a masterpiece.
the addition of the a silent voice soundtrack in the background was great :)
Watched this last night. I thought it had some great comedic parts, especially with Suzu’s best friend. However, Belle just fell flat for me. The music was good as well, but I really found myself checking the time as the 3rd arc dragged on and on. How did Suzu do anything that made a difference? Was beast’s conflict and issues really resolved? I have a hard time believing the source of Beast’s conflict would be gone as a result of what Suzu did, especially with how mentally damaged he was. Many parts of this movie just felt half-baked for me, life it was supposed to be better at certain parts. I’m glad others enjoyed it, but this movie was not for me. Theatre response was lukewarm too, with the person on front of me leaving as soon as the credits started.
Hey can u plz tell me Where can i watch it 🥺
@@milousemilouse1851 In Theatres like i said
@@milousemilouse1851 you can also watch it on HBOmax now ^^
@@milousemilouse1851 zoroto
This movie was incredibly beautiful. The music is beautiful, the story is beautiful, and got me incredibly emotional. I felt like I could relate to Suzu through her songs, and how she feels. Watching it in the movie theaters was absolutely amazing.
Bro, we just got the movie in America and you already made it your profile icon.
Respect.
Definitely agree! I only just saw it yesterday and I absolutely loved it!
I just got to see this in IMAX last night, and I was blown away. Tears were shed🤣
YOUR SO LUCKY!!! i live in the middle of nowhere in Washington and their is none showing where i am. only one found was one but its two hours away ugh
I saw this a few days ago and I got the entire theater to myself and it was the most satisfied I have ever felt watching a movie ever. It was such a beautiful movie and moved me
As the phrase goes, "There's nothing new under the sun". No matter what form of media you watch or listen to, there is always something that connects everything, and whatever story it may be, it's always portrayed differently. It was a great movie indeed.
I watched it in theaters today and I cried 4 separate times for every time Belle sang all of her songs. It was so beautiful and I hope everyone gets a chance to watch this stunning film.
This movie made me laugh, cry, wanted to sing but couldn't because I was in a theater. I will be searching day and night when this gets released on DVD.
Most movies trailers I consider to be a waste of time because I generally know what's to be expected, after seeing the trailer I was completely booked for once in my life for the past 2 years. Everything in this movie made me feel so immersed into the world and I kept rooting for the main character. I came home and immediately dropped to my knees, I've never felt so touched from a movie like that in my life. This is definitely one of the best relatable and beautiful movies I've ever seen in my life.
The singing, music, and sound is, indeed, "soul shattering!"
I took away that she learned why her mom sacrificed herself for a stranger. She saw someone who needed help and was determined.
The movie was incredibly beautiful and the songs were amazing (and now in my playlist) but personally all of the beast stuff just came off very weird and forced. Probably the weakest part of the movie for me. When the movie ended someone behind me was like "they sent a little girl by herself to go resolve domestic violence?" and a lot of other people starting laughing. That whole scene was kinda weird. I see what they were going for but the execution didn't really do it for me. Regardless still an enjoyable movie and I got what I wanted from it.
I though the same thing that he said, not only because is a little girl alone, but even her father who lost his wife in a kinda similar situation just leave her go.. idk, i was hoping a diferent reaction from him
buuuuut, its a great movie anyways uwu
ikr! why would they send her off?! to me, the weakest part of the movie was the side characters. the mother's friends barely contributed to anything, the other popstar literally did not need to be on screen at all during the last performance, and Justin.... ooooooooh Justin. I cannot say anything more about how much I hate him. His entire character is so messy and completely stupid. was
@@EnaLikes haha i love your opinion, so much true, maybe more than a movie Belle should be a series for a more elaborated plot. Is difficult to put so much info in only one movie
Or at least be 2 movies, some sagas do that to let the audience crazy and sell more
In my humble opinion. The tie in with everything in the movie is what makes it Hosoda’s best film. Id hate ti disagree with you on that one fact. And the beauty and the beast arch didn’t seem forced to me. It was there for us to understand that who we see ourselves truly matters. The beast saw himself as a beast and thus acted accordingly. Also seeing bell/suzu. Knew the pain he was going through was needed for her to see her own pain and to conect. Sometimes it takes seeing someone eals in pain ti finally snap out of it and make a change. To me all of this movie was woven together for a perpose and spacifly grown together. This one by far is his best. The others are wonderful and great on there own. But this one touches in a way that makes us all want to change. To me that’s why I think it’s the best. To be moved by a movie takes great skill and great story telling. But to be inspired to want to get up and change is magical. I’ve seen a lot of shows and movies not just anime. Not just Disney, I grew up watching the classics(yes even the great black and white movies) (yes even Hitchcock films) and from that take I see the masterful work this is. I’m not saying I’m special everyone has there opinions and why they like things. This is mine 😁✌️
2:20 why subtitles are in Polish- my brain just went *WRRRRRRRR* for a second
I'm obsessed with the songs and been listening them on loop
I want to see this in theaters so bad it hurts, but I've got health issues and absolutely cannot catch the plague 😭💔I wish I knew when my theater would be empty.... OTL
early morning or late night showings on weekdays are your best bet
Good for you the black plague is only in California
I went to a late showing at around 10 and I was the only one in there, I think it’s safe if you find a late showing since most people don’t go to those.
I was 1 of 2 people in the theatre seeing this at a 10pm viewing. You should check online to see the seat reservation chart!
@@kevint4673 I did find a seat reservation chart at my theater, and it only showed 2 people, but obviously it can't take into account people who buy their tickets in person instead of online, right? So I'm not sure how much good looking at it would do, since it can't guarantee that the people you see are the only ones that'll be there at the actual time.
I cried watching this movie....the music and everything was amazing
I watched this movie 3 days after losing my grandmother, I cried throughout pretty much the whole way through, but I left the theater feeling a little better about the future moving forward. I’m so glad I bought the tickets 3 months in advance
I was so glad I never heard anything before seeing it and was even better to see it on a big screen on a old movie theater.
It was such a beautiful anime
Saw it in theaters and bawled by eyes out. There were moments where I was somewhat confused by the choices Hosoda made plot wise, but once you get to the end it calls up together beautifully. Suzu sees the joys and freedoms that comes with kindness, both to others and to herself.
the whole 'A Million Miles A Way' scene was so moving, i loved it 😭
A word that I can describe this movie is "Beautiful". I've watched many movies that were good and were emotionally investing but I dunno why when it came to Belle, it hit me SO differently. I'm a sucker for musicals and I was looking forward to hearing more songs after the first song and I was already that invested in it. But I guess where it really hit me was when Belle first sang Gales of Song (I watched the original Japanese dub) and my gosh, I suddenly felt it was my first time listening to the most beautiful voice ever! Surprise goosebumps are the best and I really felt I resonated with a song for the first time in my life. I know this movie wasn't perfect but to me, all the songs easily managed to overwrite the issues I had that I just didn't care about the story not being perfect. I just wanted to listen to Belle singing. Maybe a minor spoiler but I really resonate with that one part in the movie where "swarms of song" was playing and the people were saying "Still....I can't stop listening to this song..I feel like she is singing to me".. That's EXACTLY how I feel whenever Belle sings. I dunno what sort of magic is this but I'm all for it. I feel peace when listening to Gales of song. To me, it's a song that touches your soul.
I saw this as an ad, I thought it was so beautiful bro. This anime is jaw dropping and I want to watch it! I literally watched through the whole ad which was unusual for me.
Wait what, you mean my video is an ad?
@@Akezura No, I saw an ad of Belle lmao XD
loved the visuals not so much the writing. So many things not explained, unanswered or just straight up weird.
and are you telling me the main antagonists weapon is a green emerald canon that doxxes you lol
Shut up
I know. I get it with a lot of anime.
Yeah this movie's plot holes are gaping.
Just focus on the pretty visuals and songs
They also never really explain WHY he has that ability. Literal just keyboard warriors who assigned themselves the role to keep the peace. Felt like they just wanted to have a reason for her to unveil herself later on
I feel like the Beauty and the Beast element is probably what inspired the film, because I picked up on this shared theme about seeing past appearances. I think the problem is that the story really outgrew its own inspiration. I left feeling like it might've made a better 12 episode series than a movie, as long as it was, there still wasn't enough time to fully develop all the characters and relationships. Still had a fantastic time watching it, though, so glad I got to see it in theatres! My mouth was hanging open for a lot of it!
I've seen this movie in a cinema back in September and I'm so happy seeing so many positive reviews after it's official premiere... "Belle" really deserves it
I watched the dub version the day it was released, and I loved every single moment of it. Seriously, it feels like watching a Disney movie. Susu's avatar literally looks like a Disney character given with the eyes.
Having watched Belle just last night in theater, man, I'm still in tears from the music. Probably some of the best music I've heard in years. I'm sad I can't watch it for the first time again.
I just watched this movie and I agree with everything you said in the video! I think this is the first movie after probably A Silent Voice that actually had my crying entire last 20 minutes. I think the moment Shinobu tells Suzu that she was able to make her feelings known to Yei was exactly what I felt. I didn't really get the whole reason why she cared for the beast but I COULD FEEL IT and I think that's the real beauty of this movie and aw man I think I'm gonna start crying again :')
i just came back from the cinema. in my country we dont get much anime movies on cinemas, this is the first time i was able to watch another animation movie besides disney. i want to be an animator and director, and im sure many people wants that too, im so glad they played it in the cinemas. so you can tell this movie LITERALLY opened a new world for me and many people where im from, because we dont have many options, especially for animation. i really liked the movie
Which country?
I saw the English dub in theaters and besides some of the writing being a little cheesy, I loved it! Been listening to the soundtrack non stop. I wanna go back and watch the sub version too and experience the magic again 🤩
I just got back from seeing this in theaters and it was AMAZING. Bell’s voice is beautiful. I don’t usually watch dubbed anime, but the English cast was fantastic.
The last anime film that I saw in theaters was The Secret World of Arrietty back in 2014, so I don't really watch much of anime films nor anime as a whole. But Belle was that one film that really intrigued me about seeing since the trainer come up as a TH-cam ad. I saw it a few days ago with my friends and by the end of the movie we were all crying and loved the movie. Especially me when A Million Miles Away had started playing, I was quietly singing along to it and eventually it led to a complete breakdown because I've listened to the song millions of times before watching the movie so actually seeing what's happening and knowing the context of the song made it worse for me emotionally. To me this movie was a whole new experience than to what I'm used to seeing and it really made me reflect on who I am as a person. This is why I think Belle is honestly a masterpiece of a film and maybe the best film I've seen in 2022 as of now
I've got to say that this is my first anime movie watched in theater, and it was a mesmerizing experience. Yeah, it might have a simple and trending plot; however, the film has heart, and the animation was state-of-the-art. This movie sees, fixes and takes advantage of the 3d(CGI)/2d animation where plenty of anime movies in the last couple of years struggled. The Soundtrack is magnificent. Whatelse can I say? It's a phenomenal film.
In addition, I was nearly Alone in the theater, and truly this movie deserves more attention in the mainstream.
This movie had me sobbing, it was absolutely beautiful.
Belle has fire music :)
I actually liked the insertion of the Beauty and the Beast story for a few reasons. I think Suzu saw Dragon as a reflection of herself. In the film, she talks about how the other children turned away from her because of her grief, and she saw a similar situation with everyone ganging up on Dragon, treating him like an outsider. In the process of playing out the fairy tale, she learns from his fierceness, and it helps her to learn to take her compassionate nature and make a stand in the real world. In some ways, it's a stronger version than the Disney version because rather than being his captive, she's someone who is actively trying to give him the very same chance to be understood that she craves from others.
I think to an American audience, the way it was played out was more subtle, which is more typical of Japanese writing compared to American writing, where things tend to be spelled out more to the audience. It's more show than tell in this film. It's not shoehorned in, but rather presented as an analogy for the struggle of isolation that comes with trauma, and how important it can be to share one's vulnerabilities with people who understand while working through the healing process. U isn't just an immersive digital virtual reality, it's a fantasy land that reflects the users' inner worlds. Our inner worlds are made up of stories we use to identify ourselves. Some of those are our memories and innermost fantasies, and some of those are the stories that exist in the real world that we relate to because they resonate with us.
I've been to cartoon Saloon's studio in Ireland and spoken with their producer, and I've got to say, their work and animation is absolutely beautiful. I've watched all of their films and its just something about their aesthetic that brings their movies to another level. As soon as I saw the trailer for tis movie, I knew it was gonna be another banger.
I just came out of watching it at the cinema, was absolutely gorgeous!
Fantastic movie! I just saw the dub a few days ago, and I thought it was better than "Summer Wars". The animation of the 'U" verse (?) was SO complex. Sad, wonderful, and victorious. I cannot wait to see the sub and hear Kaho Nakamura's singing. BTW...nice to see you again, after HolMat! Hope to work with you again next year!
This movie absolutely immersed me in it. It didn't hurt that I was absolutely the only person in the large theater on a Thursday. Jaw dropping. Beautiful. And yes, cinematic. All encapsulating of such a wonderful movie. I didn't know when it would end, and I didn't want it to!
I don't go to the theater often, but when I saw this movie I knew I had to, and it was Incredible. I mean nobody moved until the credits were over. I loved the repeating theme of helping someone you don't know, even if the transition to the Beauty and the Beast story came on a little fast. The train station scene had me stomping down my giggles so I didn't disturb the other people watching. I kept looking towards my sister to see if she had any reaction but she was just transfixed the entire time. It was amazing.
Wonderful video! Belle is my favorite Hosoda film and an absolutely transcendent experience. I disagree that the Beauty and the Beast narrative was forced in, it felt by the end like an instrumental part of the films themes. It was messy as hell though, and though I have my criticisms of this film, I can’t wait to buy it and watch it a million times.
Watched it and finished it about an hour ago. It was visually pleasing and the songs were beautiful but I found the story poorly done. Scenes were like roughly patched together and underdeveloped. It was just disappointing when I reached the end, I’d give it 5-6 stars out 10.
Same, it spread itself too thin, I think. I couldn't really connect too much with the characters. The pacing is also really weird. It's super disappointing because the message was subverting and had a lot of potential, and ofc I was looking forward to Mamoru Hosoda's work.
@@James-ek3il i didn't understand why the beasts castle was "hidden" from the rest of U. Are there no admins on this program? The U is not the internet.
i mean if you really think about it they never actually explained what you do in U besides float around and wait for pink haired girls to sing. And what are the odds that the beast so happen to be a Japanese kid only a few hours away. Would Suzu have flown to Uganda if he was African? and Shinobu.. why bother throwing that half hearted awkward love
story in there. If there's things i hate in movies it's when things aren't fleshed out or properly explained.
@@James-ek3il Totally agree with what you’re saying, it could’ve been so much more. Been waiting for the USA release since it’s teaser, which is like 9-10 months ago or more (Can’t remember). Wish I could of been part of the crowd that found immense joy with the film, but I can’t find it in myself to have that kind of connection towards it. At least with the songs I can continue to listen to and enjoy that.
*Spoilers in my reply for those who haven’t seen Belle yet* The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Wolf Children are still my favorites by Hosoda. I enjoy his other films, but I get exactly what you’re saying. As visually stunning as ‘Belle’ was, something about the story and the relationships between the characters felt underdeveloped by the end. When compared to Wolf Children and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, the connection between Suzu and her family/friends and the Beast felt weak. I was SOBBING by the end of Wolf Children and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time because we really became familiar with each character and their relationships. I still don’t fully understand why Suzu was so cold towards her concerned widower father (who was ALSO grieving and wanted to be close to Suzu), why Suzu was friends with Hiro who just constantly put her down and practically used her, why Shinobu didn’t make more of an effort to be Suzu’s actual friend rather than her distant surrogate mom, why Ruka and canoe guy were given a dragged-out awkward scene (it was kind of funny, but random and felt more like filler than relevant comic relief), why Peggy Sue kept getting screen time as well (I thought she was going to have more of a role or impact on the plot with her more-than-few appearances), why Belle and the Beast were suddenly SO interested in each other (almost romantically), which kind of ended up going nowhere (I was disappointed because I was expecting a strong romance between them. I really didn’t see a spark between Suzu and Shinobu at all). I was also expecting some sort of twist because the film kept giving off that vibe with the repetitive “WHO is the Beast??” mystery. It just turned out to be a random boy in a bad situation (the romantic build-up/tension between Belle and the Beast felt a little odd after it was revealed the Beast was a kid). I hardly saw a connection between anything or anyone. I guess there doesn’t always have to be, but that’s usually how stories work, and it ties everything together. There is typically a reason for certain events, characters, etcetera, but ‘Belle’ seemed to ignore that, which resulted in it feeling incomplete and lacking by the end. I was blown away by the animation, Belle’s character design, and the songs (which definitely deserve a 10/10), but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed after such a long, anticipated wait. I didn’t hate ‘Belle.’ I definitely liked it, but not quite as much as I hoped to. I know Mamoru Hosoda has the potential to create really powerful stories and characters. I think he focused more on the songs and visual aspects in this film, which turned out amazing. The story, characters, their relationships, and motives definitely felt a little neglected though.
Yeah, the ending is kinda disappointing because it left a bit of detail about a few things...
Still, it's a beautifully made movie with a great & touching songs...
I watched this at a local cinema like 1 month back? And the room we were in was empty, so it was really easy to hear everything and my whole family got sucked into it, it was immaculate honestly!
Not gonna lie, I was appalled that no one showed up to watch it at the theater when I went (well, I shouldn’t have tbh we’re in a pandemic) because it was such an amazing movie. The music, the visuals, the story, everything just amazed me. I saw this because of you and it really did not disappoint.
I just saw this today and my god, it's such a beautiful movie. I'm going to see it as many times as I can, whether subbed or dubbed. I do not care. I just want to watch it again so badly
Honestly I was so hyped for this movie, I was already in love with it from the soundtrack and animation and visuals but when i went to see it, I came out feeling it was the worse of mamoru hosoda's movies (and i'm a fan of his). The story didn't mesh well together, like you said, especially with the forcing of the beauty and the beast story into it when you get the 2nd half ofthe movie. And the way the climax was handled seemed so lackluster and irresponsible considering the sort of situation its handling. With that I gave it like a 6.5 out of 10 on account on the beautiful music and visuals but as the days go on and i really start thinking on the plot and characters, it truly dropped down to a 4.5. I like the idea behind Belle, and the story behind the beast but it was not executed at all well. It astounds me that this got a Fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes. I'm still upset that i can't like this movie.
I agree. I love mamoru hosoda's movies, but it seemed odd to me to have the beauty and the beast trope incorporated, only to find out it wasn't romance and was instead in reference to something else. The ending also felt rushed, and many times the characters felt overly emotional to me, as a means to get across the story. i couldn't bring myself to like the characters much because of this, but the music is definitely phenomenal (:
This is exactly the review I was looking for- you put into words what I've been struggling to express. Gorgeous and encapsulating artistic and auditory experience, especially in theatre! But the story... fell flat, to say the least. It tried to balance too many plot points, none of which were very strong to begin with. The movie as a whole was a 4/10 for me.
Edit: Also, I just wanted to take a moment to complain about Belle's final performance. She's revealed as herself- she is allowed to be herself. Stunning moment! And then they re-transform her into Belle with the red flower dress? What the heck! Ruined the whole point of her being able to sing as herself!
@@megmvm definitely. Defeated the whole purpose of the movie to turn her back into Belle. Like I know Belle's design is beautiful but please stick to the theme of the story your building 😓 There were just a number of things like that, that really stuck out during the movie that were so glaringly obvious that, it just made the movie going experience lackluster
Agreed bro, people are focusing on the visuals way to much and I think everyone is overlooking the plot. Finally a legit review where someone isnt deluded into thinking the plot was good bc they were so overwhelmed by good music and visuals. Movie was pretty mid
Aside from the musical numbers, Summer Wars is just a superior version of Belle.
Thanks for not spoiling any important parts of the movie by still selling it perfectly. I'm using your video to convince my friends and bf to watch it :)
went to see belle with 2 of my friends and was super shocked to find that the theater was empty, especially considering that i live in a relatively big city that usually has a pretty good showing for other anime films (weathering with you, ghibli reruns, etc). genuinely one of the best experiences ive ever had at a movie!! besides everything mentioned here, just being in there with 2 of the boys just yelling at the screen and standing up to dance with the music was SO much fun
I just got back from seeing the film.
*It was f%#%$%#$ worth it.*
now that I think about it I never really saw a anime that has disney like singing to it (my impression on seeing the trailer). those idol animes dont count to me.
It feels like Disney and Anime. From the singing, It's amazing!
HAHAHAH when the League thing popped up my heart jolted because I thought I had to quickly click "ACCEPT!"