Mini Film Review – Belle

I have just watched Belle; and it was Amazing! Directed by Mamoru Hosoda, and starring Kylie McNeill, Manny Jacinto, and Paul Castro Jr.; Belle is an Anime science fantasy movie inspired by the 1756 French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. The film follows shy high school student Suzu; who has been living in the shadow of herself for many years; but since joining the giant virtual social media world of U; she has become a global megastar, although the world only knows her as Belle. Going into Belle, it’s easy to get lost in the film’s visuals, as the outside world is painted differently to the virtual one, creating nostalgic visions of what it was like watching Akira for the first time. Much like Akira, the film’s plot can be a hard one to follow as it seems to flip and flop and go down several aisles of interest, diverting from one thing to another. BUT! It’s well worth sticking around for; as Belle becomes something AMAZING! The visuals captivate your eyes; but the music captivates your heart; creating songs which Disney can only dream of ever creating! The songs are just so powerful, and grip you from start to finish. The story may flip and flop, but eventually, it gains traction, and goes down a surprising route, which is so brutal and true; and it’s scary to see a film like this choose that path, and represent that real-life trauma! But it doesn’t let go, until justice prevails. And as the film reaches it’s epic conclusion, it first creates an epic moment of transcendence, at which point, you will struggle to hold back the tears welling up in your eyes! It’s such a beutiful film; visually, musically, and truthfully, as it uses a virtual world to help people find their inner strengths; and tells them how to bring it out! It’s Epic; in every sense of the word Epic!