12 Reasons Beauty And The Beast Is Hands-Down The Best Disney Movie Ever Made

This movie reminds audiences not to judge a book by its cover. A beautiful girl like Belle might be expected to end up with an equally attractive mate - even Gaston suggests that this is the norm. Instead, the film flips that script, and Belle falls for the kindly Beast instead. The handsome, but vile, Gaston is shown to be the ugliest character of them all.

The ballroom scene is memorable for a reason. From the enchanting music performed by Angela Lansbury to the breathtaking animation, it’s a triumph in filmmaking. It’s also incredibly sweet, as Belle and the Beast share their first dance and begin to see how they fit together. Like Lumière and company, you find yourself cheering on the happy couple.

Belle stands by the people she cares about. The most obvious example is her father, the absent-minded Maurice. Belle repeatedly defends her father and his intelligence when most of the town calls him crazy. She also defends the Beast when the villagers want to kill him. She doesn't care about how any of this reflects on her; all she cares about is protecting her own.

Unlike some of her predecessors, one of Belle’s defining characteristics is her intelligence. She’s an avid book reader, visiting her local library regularly and wanting to check out books she’s already read twice. She’s also not a damsel in distress – sure, she needs saving once or twice, but she also does her fair share of rescuing. Belle actively chooses to take her father’s place as the Beast’s captive, and she chases after the Beast when he’s threatened by Gaston. Perhaps most importantly, even though she finds love, romance and marriage aren’t first and foremost on her to-do list - what she wants more than anything is adventure.

In this town, being different is not celebrated. Belle is considered weird because she reads, but the villagers tolerate her because she’s pretty. Her father, Maurice, is considered a crackpot because he tries to invent tools that will make life easier for him and his fellow villagers. The Beast is thought to be dangerous because of his appearance. Despite being "different," these characters are the heroes of the film. The story champions enduring life lessons about tolerance and celebrating uniqueness.

The first two minutes of Beauty and the Beast are spellbinding. The haunting music sends chills down the spine as, like the pictures in a storybook, vibrantly colored stained-glass windows tell how the Beast met his miserable fate. The narration sets the tone for the film and the use of stained glass makes it feel like the tale is truly as old as time.