Beauty and the Beast
Recommended. Age: 6+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
A selfish prince is turned into a beast until he can learn to love and be loved. Brave Belle takes her father's place as his prisoner, and slowly the Beast learns to be gentle and kind. The wolves and the angry mob are scary, so it is best for kids about six and up. This is Disney at its best, and the heart of it is sound. A proud man is humbled, a daughter gives herself for her father, and love is shown as a choice to put the other person first. The magic is plain fairy-tale magic. Watch the scary scenes with younger ones.
For parents
G-rated. Decent Films says Kids & Up and Common Sense Media says 6+. The wolf attacks, the Beast's early rages and the mob's assault on the castle can frighten small children, and Gaston stabs the Beast before falling to his death. Expect beer in the tavern, a flirting candlestick and feather duster, and a quick gag with a man in women's clothes. Tell your children the enchantress is a fairy-tale device, not something real to seek out. Worth saying plainly: the Beast is wrong to lock Belle up, and love only begins once he lets her go free. Ask: why did the prince become a beast? Why is handsome Gaston the real monster? What does Belle give up for her father?