Disney's newest live-action remake, Beauty and the Beast, is almost here. The movie comes to theaters on March 17, and ahead of that, reviews for the magical movie started to appear online today.
To help you can get an idea for if the movie is worth your time and money, we've collected a number of excerpts from reviews, which you can see below. For more on the movie's critical reception, head to GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
The story is much the same as the 1991 animated original, while the soundtrack features a mix of classic tunes and new ones (and classic songs with new lyrics).
Beauty and the Beast is just the latest live-action version of a Disney animated classic, following Maleficent, Cinderella, and The Jungle Book. More are on the way, including Lion King, Dumbo, Mulan, and Aladdin, among others.
Film: Beauty and the Beast
Release Date: March 17
Starring: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Ian McKellan, Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline
Directed By: Bill Condon
Rating: PG
Runtime: 129 minutes
GameSpot
"Beauty and the Beast is here to ride upon your nostalgia, to sweep you up in its visuals and get you singing along to all the songs that you loved from long ago. It's all new but still exactly as you remember it. Beauty and the Beast is wonderful, but above all, it is--by all definitions of the word--safe." -- Randolph Ramsay [Full review]
Entertainment Weekly
"More than movies or theme parks, Disney has always been in the business of selling magic. I wish there was just a little bit more of it in this Beauty and the Beast." -- Chris Nashawaty [Full review]
Variety
Disney's live-action remake of its 1991 animated classic, starring Emma Watson as a pitch-perfect Belle, is a sometimes entrancing, sometimes awkward mixture of re-creation and reimagining." Owen Gleiberman [Full review]
USA Today
"Unlike last year's The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast marries visual spectacle and sumptuous design work with a better story than its original, casting a spell on old fans and newcomers alike." -- Brian Truitt [Full review]
Polygon
"Despite some of its flaws, Beauty and the Beast is enchanting, wonderful, and captures the heart of what made the original so beloved in the first place. Condon stays true to the themes and styles that made the original so beloved in the first place, but there's also something unique about this adaptation that makes it feel entirely new.
It's the combination of nostalgia and modernity that will appeal to both fans of the original film and those who have never seen it, ushering in an entire new generation of Beauty and the Beast fans. I was concerned about this movie going in, considering how classic the original is, but I walked away from the movie feeling content and humming 'A Tale as Old as Time.'" -- Julia Alexander [Full review]
Collider
"I adore the 1991 Beauty and the Beast, and I had high expectations for the live-action remake. That being said, this isn't a matter of not living up to a classic original as much as there's a lack of consideration for making sure that everything works. There's no reason Beast's CGI makeup should look so awful when you've got Disney footing the bill.
There's no reason the new songs shouldn't be outstanding when you've got Alan Menken back to do the music. There's no reason to add new things if those things don't make the movie better overall. Condon didn't have to stay slavishly devoted to the 1991 film, but most of alterations and changes don't make his version feel fresh. They feel like they're grasping for relevancy." -- Matt Goldberg [Full review]
With Switch now available, Nintendo's support site has been updated with an entire section devoted to the new console. This highlights various small things you might be interested to know about your new system, although the page on Joy-Con issues is perhaps the most important one.
If you find yourself experiencing these issues, Nintendo does recommend ensuring you download the latest system update, but it also has some other tips. These include placing the Switch in the open, bringing the Joy-Cons closer to it, and moving it away from things like other wireless devices and, strangely, aquariums. Should moving it away from problematic devices not solve the matter, Nintendo recommends turning them off, which obviously isn't ideal.
For its part, Nintendo still hasn't responded to requests for comment on the issues from GameSpot and other media outlets.
Elsewhere on the support site, Nintendo details some other things Switch owners may want to be aware of.
Save game data, while stored internally and unable to be moved to another Switch, is unaffected when deleting a game--you're free to do so without losing your progress. Additionally, you have two options when deleting a digital game: deleting and archiving. Deleting works as you'd expect, while Archiving also removes the game and frees up space, but it leaves behind an icon on your Home screen. That allows you to easily redownload it in the future.
On the subject of backwards compatibility, it won't come as any surprise to hear that you're unable to play old games or use non-Switch controllers. The phrasing of the FAQ answer about this does raise an eyebrow, however, as it suggests it's possible we could see support for older Nintendo system's controllers in the future. "The Nintendo Switch system is an all-new way to play, and will not include backwards compatibility with digital or physical games designed for other systems, and is not currently compatible with controllers designed for other systems."
Other noteworthy things:
If you enter the wrong birthdate and fail the age verification test on the eShop, you have to contact Nintendo support.
As previously reported, the microSD card slot is under the kickstand.
You can format a microSD card from the System area of the Settings menu.
A full list of supported microSD types and speeds is available here.
If you notice any interesting tips or facts in using your Switch, let us know in the comments below!
It's a big day for Nintendo and the industry overall, as the Nintendo Switch arrives today. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime wrote a note to fans in celebration of the launch.
Posted on Twitter (and reprinted in its entirety below), the note thanks fans for their support. Fils-Aime said the Switch--with its hybrid nature--allows console gaming to go in directions "never possible before." He listed off some of the first-party games coming to Switch this year, including Super Mario Odyssey, which he called a "massive new Mario adventure," and said players can expect "great content" from third-party companies as well.
The launch of any new Nintendo system is a special day. But in particular, we can't wait for you to play Nintendo Switch in the comfort of your living room, on the your commute ... or, really, anywhere you want! That's what makes Nintendo Switch so unique.
Over the course of the year, you can play a new game in The Legend of Zelda series, a sequel to Splatoon, and a massive new Mario adventure--not to mention the face-to-face fun of 1-2-Switch, the intense racing action of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the surprise that comes from new franchises like Snipperclips - Cut It Out Together or Arms. And you can also look forward to Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Fire Emblem for Nintendo Switch, and all the great content coming from our third-party partners.
I hope you fully enjoy the journey that you're about to begin. Here's to taking console gaming in new directions--and to new places--never possible before. Thanks for being the best fans. Have fun today!"
The promised reveal of the next content update for Destiny has proven to be more meaningful than expected. Bungie today discussed the "final live event for the Destiny 1 era" and provided details about how Destiny players will transition from the first game to its upcoming sequel.
By and large, it sounds as if your Destiny character won't transfer to Destiny 2 (or whatever it ends up being called).
"Sequels represent the start of a new adventure for every player, with new worlds to explore, new stories to tell, new powers to acquire, new loot to earn, and much more," Bungie said on its website today. "This led us to a decision that would enable us to serve both the game and the player's best interests: Destiny 1 power, possessions, and Eververse-related items and currency will not carry forward. They will, however, remain accessible to you in Destiny 1."
The good news is that your character--at least in terms of the way he or she looks-- won't be abandoned for the sequel.
"We know that, just like us, you have grown fond of the Guardians you've created, so we do plan to preserve your character personalization," it explained. "We are going to recognize the dedication and passion you've shown for this world. Specifically, the class, race, gender, face, hair, and marking selections for all characters that have achieved Level 20 and completed the Black Garden story mission will carry forward."
In addition to carrying over your look, these "veteran accounts" will be given "honors that reflect your Destiny 1 accomplishments."
"We believe this is the best path forward," it said. "It allows us to introduce the major advancements and improvements that all of us expect from a sequel, ensuring it will be the best game we can create, unencumbered by the past. We're looking forward to sharing more details with you later this year for how we will honor your legacy in the future."
Before the sequel arrives this fall, Bungie plans to offer one last live event in the first Destiny. Age of Triumph is meant to be "a fun and memorable celebration that will bring the first major chapter of our Destiny adventures to a fitting close." This will consist of new challenges and rewards.
Age of Triumph will launch at "the end of March." It'll first be revealed through a series of livestreams, starting with one this coming Wednesday, March 8.
Congrats to @NintendoEurope on the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild! Kazuya's here to lend a hand in case Link needs one ;) pic.twitter.com/RQ2FI1sBBC
Pity poor Belle. Of all of Disney's recent efforts to create live-action versions of its classic animated films, it's this booksmart princess that's been saddled with the most expectation. The recent versions of Cinderella and The Jungle Book benefitted from the antiquity of the original movies (allowing its filmmakers more freedom to play around with the source material), but Beauty and the Beast--beloved by everybody and much fresher in our collective memory--has less wiggle room. It was the first animated film ever to have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, dammit, and it was a near perfect movie. Screw with it at your peril.
And so this live-action version of Beauty and the Beast behaves as you think it might: as a faithful reimagining of the animated hit from 1991, with little to distinguish it outside of real actors and occasionally jarring CGI. This makes it sound like a negative, but it really isn't (at least, not entirely). Sticking to a template can be wise, especially when your template is Disney Princess Movie TM. In this case, what it means is that this iteration of Beauty and the Beast is wonderful, filled with lavish visuals, charming characters, and outstanding songs.
It's lush and extravagant, with people in sumptuous costumes swanning about in ornate ballrooms. It's romantic and stirring, stuffed to the bodices with budding love and doomed affairs and unfulfilled passion. Nostalgia is powerful, and it's in full force here, propelling you as you watch this latest version of Beauty and the Beast reveal its updated takes on the songs and characters of the original. This new movie is exactly as you remembered the old one to be, but this time, it's packed with more.
More in this case includes a few new songs created especially for the film, but given how familiar many of us are with the original's soundtrack, it's hard to give the additions--fine as they are--fair consideration. Why pay much attention when the castle's furniture starts singing a new piece called Days in the Sun when you know Something There is just around the corner? Beast's new addition, called Forever More, fares better, if only for the soaring vocal performance of Dan Stevens.
There are also new story details here, including a side trip to Paris that provides more information on Belle's departed mother and their family's previous, happier existence before moving to, as Belle would say, the provincial life. But, as with the new songs, it all feels a little unnecessary. That's the great challenge when remaking a universally loved film; any changes or additions need to be amazing, otherwise they'll just be washed away in the wave of nostalgia for what you already know and love.
So when Beauty and the Beast sticks to vibrantly reimagining the original movie's look and songs, it works, even if it all seems so absolutely safe. You'll undoubtedly hum along as the jovial song Belle opens the movie, even if the radiant Emma Watson's uneven performance still somehow manages to keep the princess a 2D character in a 3D world. It's hard not to swoon as the camera sweeps around the dancing Beast and Belle as Beauty and the Beast swells to its chorus. Be Our Guest is another standout, with this version surpassing the visual extravagance of the original and serving as another reminder that, yes, Ewan McGregor (playing the candelabra Lumiere) can sing. Gaston, too, is outstanding, with Luke Evans as the song's titular meathead and Josh Gad (in an entertainingly camp performance) as LeFou absolutely owning their take on this popular toe-tapper.
But after the thrill of nostalgia fades, there's a lingering sense that despite the charm and joy that suffuses this new Beauty and the Beast, there's also more than a whiff of an opportunity missed. It's been a quarter of a century since the animated film was released, and princesses--even Disney ones--have evolved. Belle--as a bookworm and intelligent woman--was considered a new type of princess back in the 1990s, even if she ended up being a bystander in her own story. The updated, new Belle is just as smart but just as helpless. In a world where the likes of a Nerida or an Elsa have carried the torch for independent princesses, Belle--the smartest of them all--can't stand alongside them. Moana singlehandedly saved a demigod from a lava monster. Belle is still standing on a ledge yelling "watch out" as two men fight.
When Beauty and the Beast sticks to vibrantly reimagining the original movie's look and songs, it works.
But that's just another example of how closely this film sticks to the original. Beauty and the Beast is here to ride upon your nostalgia, to sweep you up in its visuals and get you singing along to all the songs that you loved from long ago. It's all new but still exactly as you remember it. Beauty and the Beast is wonderful, but above all, it is--by all definitions of the word--safe.
[UPDATE] The video, titled "Exploration and Discovery," has been released--watch it in the embed above.
BioWare explains in the video that Andromeda has more than 100 planets to discover; a "handful" of these can be landed on. Each has its own story, characters, and challenges, BioWare says.
The video also covers one of your main forms of travel: the Nomad. This vehicle can be upgraded with things like turbo and better handling, among other things.
Additionally, this video talks about the "forward stations" that you'll find in the world. When you find one, you can use it as a fast-travel point. You can also change your loadout or summon your Nomad at the stations.
The original story is below.
The next entry in Mass Effect: Andromeda's ongoing video series will be published today, March 3, BioWare has announced. The video will focus on the "exploration" element of the much-anticipated game. While you have to wait a little while longer to see the video, a teaser is available now.
"At its heart, Mass Effect: Andromeda is a game of discovery and exploration. The choices you make and the places you go; that you blaze your own unique trail through Andromeda," the narrator says in the teaser, which contains footage captured in-engine. Take a look:
Humanity needs a hero to blaze a trail through a new galaxy. Tomorrow you'll get your first look at exploration in Mass Effect: Andromeda. pic.twitter.com/HahI2LXPrk
Producer Michael Gamble teased, "Of all the '101' videos, this is my favorite. Hint: it has big, beautiful works. Full of mystery. And space crab-scorpions."
You can see the previously released Andromeda gameplay videos here.
New Line Cinema, the movie studio behind The Lord of the Rings, has acquired a pitch for a Wizard of Oz horror film. According to The Hollywood Reporter, writer Mike Van Waes came up with the idea for an original story that takes place in the magical world created by L. Frank Baum.
The movie, which is reportedly in the "early development stages," is said to connect to Baum's novel in some way. It was famously adapted for 1939's movie The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland.
There have been a number of Wizard of Oz adaptations over the years, the most recent of which was Disney's Oz the Great and Powerful, which starred James Franco. The popular Broadway musical Wicked began in 2003 and is still running today around the world.
Bear in mind that all New Line has done is acquired Waes' pitch, meaning it is very early days for the project, which is not guaranteed to ever come to fruition. There is no word at all on what the story is. Maybe it'll have something to do with those evil flying monkeys.
New Line is no stranger to horror movies, as it produced the Conjuring films, which have been box office hits. One of its high-profile upcoming films is an adaptation of Stephen King's killer clown book, It.
Are you interested in a Wizard of Oz horror movie? Let us know in the comments below!
A new clip from the upcoming French-language cannibal movie Raw has arrived. The minute-long video shows main character Justin (Garance Marillier) awaking in the night to find her skin is covered in a horrible, itchy rash. This appears to be a reaction to a hazing ritual that her character takes part in for her introduction into a nontraditional veterinary school.
She comes to the school as a vegetarian, but eats raw meat for the first time (including a rabbit kidney) to fit in with her classmates. This sets off a dramatic series of events where Justine gains a desire for human flesh, among other other things. The video is captioned, "What are you hungry for?" (via Collider).
Raw, which will see a limited theatrical release in the US starting on March 10, is rated R for "aberrant behavior, bloody and grisly images, strong sexuality, nudity, language and drug use/partying."
The 98-minute movie received a lot of buzz at various film festivals last year. According to The Hollywood Reporter, multiple audience members at a Toronto Film Festival screening for Raw passed out due to the film's content and an ambulance had to be called for them.
It is the first movie from writer-director Julia Ducournau.
This newest clip follows previous ones released over the past few weeks. You can watch them below, but be aware that they contain graphic and disturbing scenes, so you may not want to watch at school or work.
Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker character was only briefly seen in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In this year's The Last Jedi, he is believed to have a larger role. Now, The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams has spoken up to praise Hamill's performance in the new film.
Abrams, who is a producer on The Last Jedi and presumably has seen an early cut, told the New York Daily News (via AV Club) that Hamill is so good in The Last Jedi that he should be in the mix for an Oscar. "I think we are all going to be very upset if he does not win an Oscar, and no one more upset than Mark," Abrams said.
The Last Jedi opens in December. No trailers have been released yet, but that could happen at the Star Wars Celebration event in April, as Lucasfilm has teased some "surprises" for the show.
It also stars Laura Dern, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis. Carrie Fisher filmed her Leia scenes for the movie before she passed away in December.
Nintendo has explained its digital Switch game policies for the first time, revealing that multiple user accounts may access the same downloaded games on one system. The publisher also confirmed that you'll be able to play any games you own on more than one console--including a friend's.
"Digital games that you purchase are tied to your Nintendo Account, but everyone on your active Nintendo Switch console can play them," the company states on its Switch support page.
Accessing your games on a second system requires an extra step, but it's nothing too taxing: "If you want to move your digital games to a different system, you can deactivate your current console, then use your Nintendo Account to access the Nintendo eShop on the new console. The new console will automatically become the active console for your Nintendo Account, and all of your digital games can be played on the new system."
If, say, you wanted to access a game for the afternoon on a friend's Switch, it's easy to reactivate your own device as your active console: just deactivate your user account on your friend's system and log in again on your own. All users on your device can play your games, but only while that device is listed as your active console, and Nintendo is quick to assure that only you can access your account funds when purchasing content from the eShop. Nintendo goes on to confirm that physical games are not tied to any one account or device.
Unfortunately, save files can't be transferred between devices--so while you can play your games on a friend's Switch, you won't quite be able to pick up exactly where you left off. There's also the fact that you can only deactivate a console from the device itself, not remotely--so if your Switch is stolen the only way to stop the thief from playing your games is to contact Nintendo.
As part of its ongoing reveals, Undead Labs has published the latest piece of concept art for the upcoming zombie game, State of Decay 2.
Posted on the game's website, this new art, which is "super early" and not representative of the game, is pretty creepy. It shows zombies tied to stakes, left to suffer. Snow and shorter trees are seen in the image as well, meant to show that this scene takes place at higher elevation.
"This was an early idea where we explored using color to try to evoke the feeling of a higher elevation," Undead Labs said. "We were also debating the idea that some humans might utilize zombies in less-than-savory ways."
New concept art for State of Decay 2 has been released on a weekly basis for a while now. You can see the concept art that Undead Labs released in the six previous weeks here, here, here, here, here, and here. Next week's concept art will be the last of the weekly reveals.
With the launch of Ghost Recon: Wildlands coming up next week, Ubisoft today put out a new trailer that showcases the game's PC version. The footage on display in the video was captured on a Geforce GTX card; you can toggle the settings to watch at 60 FPS and with a resolution of up to 4K.
Shown off in the video are a number of technical features that help the game look better such as HBAO+ (for better-looking shadows), volumetric lighting, and "turf tech" that makes grass look more lifelike and respond authentically. Additionally, Wildlands uses Nvidia's capturing tool, Ansel, to let players record and share their gameplay.
Ubisoft also explains in the video that Wildlands has an uncapped frame rate, as well as "dozens" of video options and presets. For more, check out the PC requirements and specs here.
The Transformers spinoff focusing on Bumblebee has found a director. It has been reported that Travis Knight, director of this year's Oscar-nominated Kubo And The Two Strings, will helm the 2018 release.
As reported by Deadline, this will be Knight's live-action debut. Kubo And The Two Strings was his first film as director, but as president of the Laika animation studio he has overseen such acclaimed movies as Boxtrolls, ParaNorman, and Coraline.
The Bumblebee film was first announced early last year. Paramount are planning a new Transformers movie every year until 2019, and former studio boss Brad Grey has previously stated that the Bumblebee film would be made on a lower budget than other films in the series,
"There are characters in the Transformers universe that can be and should be made into their own movies," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "We will make the next movie with Michael [Bay] and go right into a Bumblebee movie, which will be at a lower cost."
The latest movie in the franchise, Transformers: The Last Knight is released in June. It stars Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Duhamel, Stanley Tucci, and John Goodman. Check out the trailer here.
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