'Bety and the Beast's 'gay moment' may have been much ado about nothg

Contents:

• ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ CAST REACTS TO HAVG FIRST GAY DISNEY CHARACTER AS ONE THEATER BANS FILM
• ALL THE CHARACTERS 'BETY AND THE BEAST' WHO WERE PROBABLY GAY ALL ALONG
• 'BETY AND THE BEAST' FEATUR DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER
• ‘BETY AND THE BEAST’: JOSH GAD PLAYS DISNEY’S FIRST-EVER GAY CHARACTER
• THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDG THE GAY 'BETY AND THE BEAST' SUBPLOT REEKS OF HYPOCRISY
• 'BETY AND THE BEAST'S 'GAY MOMENT' MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHG
• THE BT MOVI TO WATCH THE SUMMERDOG DAYSTHE DAILY BEAST’S BIGGT ENTERTAMENT OBSSIV CHOOSE THEIR FAVORE MOVI TO WATCH THE SUMMER.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED JUL. 26, 2023 9:51AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:32AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THOMAS LEVSON/THE DAILY BEAST/TOUCHSTONE/STUD GHIBLI/UNIVERSAL/ORN/WARNER BROS/SONYTHIS IS A PREVIEW OF OUR POP CULTURE NEWSLETTER THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, WRTEN BY EDOR KEV FALLON. TO RECEIVE THE FULL NEWSLETTER YOUR BOX EACH WEEK, SIGN UP FOR HERE.THIS WEEK:I’M ON VATN! (OH! AH! I READ A BOOK!) MY TEEMED, BELOVED LLEAGU HELPED ME ANSWER A PROMPT: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORE MOVIE TO WATCH DURG THE SUMMER? HOPEFULLY YOU’LL GET SOME GOOD SPIRATN OM THEIR RPONS. AFTER ALL, ’S HOT AS HELL. WHO ACTUALLY WANTS TO BE OUTSI?ARMAGEDDONTHE ONLY RRECT ANSWERS TO THIS ARE EHER MAMMA MIA! OR MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGA. UNFORTUNATELY, CHOOSG ONE IS AK TO PICKG A FAVORE CHILD. (I ASSUME. THIS IS MY SUPER-GAY VERSN OF PARENTHOOD.) INSTEAD, I’LL CHOOSE THE TLE TIED TO ONE OF MY FAVORE SUMMER MOVIE-WATCHG MEMORI. WHEN I WAS A KID, MY WHOLE FAY—NTS, UNCL, S, GRANDMA—SHARED A BEACH HOE FOR A WEEK. OUR BIG MOVIE NIGHT WAS RENTG ARMAGEDDON. AT THE MOST TENSE POT OF THE MOVIE, WHEN THE TEAM WAS ABOUT TO DRILL TO THE ASTEROID, A RAVAN OF FOUR ARY-GRA HELIPTERS BUZZED PAST OUR WDOWS, JT FEET OM THE SAND. ABOUT 20 FALLON RELATIV SHRIEKED SO LOUDLY, ’S A MIRACLE THOSE WDOWS DIDN’T SHATTER. WE STILL DON’T KNOW WHY THOSE HELIPTERS WERE THERE THAT DAY, OTHER THAN TO MAKE THK WE WERE UNR ATTACK WHILE WATCHG ARMAGEDDON—A HILAR MEMORY SO CHERISHED THAT I REWATCH THE FILM AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. — KEV FALLON TOUCHSTONE/GETTY IMAG CLIFFORDBRIGHT, SUNSHY SUMMER IS THE IAL TIME FOR A LIGHTHEARTED EDY, AND NONE BRGS ME GREATER JOY—OR ELICS MORE LGHS—THAN CLIFFORD, DIRECTOR PL FLAHERTY’S 1994 BOX-OFFICE DUD WHICH THE PEERLS MART SHORT PLAYS A SCHEMG, MANIAL 10-YEAR-OLD BOY AND CHARL GROD EMBODI THE SELFISH, KID-HATG ARCHECT UNCLE WHO WDS UP AGREEG TO RE FOR HIM ORR TO IMPRS HIS FIANCé (MARY STEENBURGEN). SHORT’S JUVENILE-VIL PERFORMANCE IS A ONE-OF-A-KD TOUR--FORCE, HIGHLIGHTED BY MORE WEIRDO FAC—ALL BUG-EYED GLAR, V S, AND MENTED EXPRSNS—THAN SHOULD BE LEGAL. GROD’S SMUG, GROUCHY DISDA IS THE PERFECT FOIL FOR SHORT’S ADOLCENT MISCHIEVONS, AND THEIR RAPPORT IS A THG OF ABSURDLY HOSTILE BETY. LOVERS OF DOSRS, TABAS-SPIKED DRKS, AMEMENT PARKS, CHOLATE, HAIRPIEC (“I SAID WAS THE BTT-LOOKG WIG I EVER SAW!”) AND RTO RIDICULONS WON’T BE ABLE TO RIST MAKG AN ANNUAL VIEWG TRADN. — NICK SCHAGERSPIRED AWAYI ULD HAVE GONE WH ANY STUD GHIBLI FILM, AS EACH ONE IS PERFECT FOR EVERY SEASON, EVERY DAY, ALL THE TIME, ALWAYS. BUT I SAW SPIRED AWAY (FOR THE LNTH TIME) RECENTLY, SO I’LL PICK THAT. I SAW AS PART OF STUD GHIBLI FT, AN ANNUAL SUMMER TRADN AT NEW YORK’S IFC CENTER; THE EXCELLENT REPERTORY THEATER SCREENS A NUMBER OF THE ANIMATN HOE’S FT WORKS OM MAY TO AUGT, WHICH IS A TREAT FOR ANY CEPHILE. LIKE MANY GHIBLI MOVI, SPIRED AWAY IS ONE OF THE GREATT FILMS EVER MA, AND S VISCERAL WISTFULNS PLAYS A LARGE PART S SUCCS. MUCH AS SUMMERTIME IS FOR CHILDREN (LIKE OUR PROTAGONIST, 10-YEAR-OLD CHIHIRO), SPIRED AWAY TAK PLACE A LIMAL SPACE. EVERY CH OF THE MOVIE PRENTS FANTASTIL POSSIBILI, AS CHIHIRO EXPLOR A LAWLS NEW WORLD WHERE HER PARENTS ARE PIGS AND HER BT IEND IS A PERSONIFIED RIVER. TAKE A BREAK OM THE PUNISHG HEAT TO REWATCH THE FILM, THEN GO BACK OUTSI AND APPRECIATE THE BETY THAT IS OUR NATURAL WORLD—AS SPIRED AWAY REMDS TO ALWAYS DO. — ALLEGRA FRANKANY AND ALL MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY MOVIJT LIKE FALL AND WTER BELONG TO NORA EPHRON, I’LL ADM THAT MY SUMMERS HAVE LONG BEEN PROPERTY OF THE OLSEN TWS. IT STARTED WHEN I WAS A KID STUCK AT HOME BETWEEN SUMMER MPS, STG ON IENDS’ UCH AND DRKG THEIR JUICE BOX WHILE WE JOED OUR FAVORE PALS, MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY, SUCH POSH STATNS AS PARIS, ROME, LONDON, AND SYDNEY. HOW ULD WE FET THE TIME THEY TERRORIZED A FRENCH CHEF WH MCDONALD’S, OR THE TIME THEY WOUND UP WNS PROTECTN (?!), OR THE TIME THEY ACCINTALLY STOLE A BOAT BEE OF A UPLE CUTE BOYS? (LIKE SO MANY OF , RORY GILMORE APPARENTLY LEARNED OM THE OLSENS.) WH THEIR MANY MONTAG AND FULL EMBRACE OF LATE-’90S, EARLY-GHTS FASHN (TY SUNGLASS! CAPRIS! BLEACHED HIGHLIGHTS!), THE MOVI WERE AN UNNIABLE STAPLE. NOWADAYS, THEY’RE A BREEZY TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE THAT UALLY ENDS ME LLG AN OLD IEND. — LRA BRADLEY PL ONEAS A MAJOR ROMANTIC EDY FAN, I’VE ALWAYS ASSIGNED DIFFERENT ROM-S TO DIFFERENT SEASONS MY HEAD. CLASSICS LIKE WHEN HARRY MET SALLY AND YOU’VE GOT MAIL LIVE THE TUMN MONTHS, WHEREAS BRIDGET JON’S DIARY AND THE HOLIDAY ARE FOR SIPPG HOT A UNR A FUZZY WTER BLANKET. IN JT THE PAST FOUR YEARS SCE WAS RELEASED, PL ONE HAS QUICKLY BEE MY FAVORE SUMMERTIME ROM-. LONGTIME PALS BEN (JACK QUAID, THE ROM- NEPO BABY OF MEG RYAN) AND ALICE (MAYA ERSKE) AGREE TO BEE EACH OTHER’S GO-TO WEDDG DATE FOR THE SUMMER WHILE ALL OF THEIR IENDS GET MARRIED. THOUGH THGS ARE MEANT TO STAY PLATONIC, THEY N’T RIST THE LOVEY-DOVEY VIB AT EACH DIFFERENT WEDDG. PL ONE IS AS PREDICTABLE AS EVERY OTHER ROM-, BUT WHAT MAK STAND OUT IS HOW LIGHT AND BREEZY IS. A IENDS-TO-LOVERS STORY SET TO BEACHSI PARTI AND REAL ESTATE SONGS— DON’T GET AS SUMMER-Y AS THIS. — FLETCHER PETERSJAWSTHERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHG FEEL-GOOD ABOUT THIS FILM, AND THAT IS WHY I LOVE TO WATCH EVERY SUMMER. IF I N’T WATCH EVERY SUMMER, I AT LEAST THK ABOUT EVERY SUMMER—UALLY AROUND THE FOURTH OF JULY. IT’S A CLASSIC, AND ’S WHY SO MANY OF YOUR PARENTS (PENDG ON YOUR GENERATN) STILL FEAR THE BEACH AROUND THAT TIME OF YEAR. NOTHG SETS YOUR SPE TGLG LIKE JOHN WILLIAMS’ TERRIFYG AND BRILLIANT SRE. Y, THE PRACTIL EFFECTS ON THIS MOVIE MAY LOOK DATED NOW, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, WHAT STEVEN SPIELBERG DID WH THIS MOVIE WAS NO EASY FEAT. HE MA, AS I SAID BEFORE, AN ENTIRE GENERATN SRED OF THE OCEAN WH JT A TWO-HOUR FILM AND A MECHANIL SHARK. ALSO THE TALE OF A SMALL TOWN ERNMENT NOT CLOSG A BEACH AFTER SEVERAL SHARK ATTACKS BEE THEY DON’T WANT TO LOSE TOURIST MONEY DURG THEIR BY SEASON IS A CLASSIC LSON PALISM. ONE THAT KEEPS REPEATG SELF, TOO! ADD SOME EXCELLENT PERFORMANC OM ROY SCHEIR, RICHARD DREYFS, AND ROBERT SHAW (THAT SPEECH!) AND ’S THE PERFECT SUMMER FILM. JT MAYBE WA 30 MUT AFTER WATCHG TO GO THE WATER. — SHANNON O’CONNOR UNIVERSAL/GETTY IMAG STEP BROTHERSIF A MOVIE IS FABULO ENOUGH, THERE’S NOTHG SEASONALLY RTRICTIVE ABOUT : YOU N SLG THAT BAD BOY UP ON YOUR APPLE TV ANY CLIMATE AND ENJOY YOURSELF THOROUGHLY. BUT STEP BROTHERS, THE TALE OF TWO DIPSH 40-SOMETHG FAILUR-TO-LNCH (WILL FERRELL AND JOHN C. REILLY) WHO MOOCH OFF THEIR WASP-Y DOCTOR PARENTS AND JOSTLE FOR DOMANCE UNTIL THEY REALIZE THEY’RE SOUL MAT, IS BOTH ONE OF THE GREATT EDI OF THE 21ST CENTURY AND UNAVOIDABLY SUMMER-D. LET’S BE REAL: SUMMER IS NOT FOR EP THKG, OR FOR VELOPG YOUR SOPHISTITED CEMATIC PALETTE, OR FOR SUFFERG THROUGH AN ITALIAN NEOREALISM SERI AT IFC. (NO OFFENSE BICYCLE THIEV! I STILL LOVE YOU.) SUMMER IS FOR TAKG HALF AN EDIBLE WH YOUR GIRLIENDS AS FLOWER-AGRANT AIR WHIRLS THROUGH THE OPEN WDOW AND CHOKG WH LGHTER, FOR THE THOANDTH TIME, AT KATHRYN HAHN PISSG A URAL. – HELEN HOLMTHE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELG PANTSWHEN I THK OF SUMMER MEDIA, I STANTLY THK OF CHICK FLICKS, OFTEN FEMALE-DRIVEN BEACH READS ADAPTED TO MOVI THAT ARE CRILLY PANNED BUT TREASURED BY YOUNG, FEMALE VIEWERS. BY FAR, THE MOST APPROPRIATE AND ENJOYABLE ONE TO WATCH THIS TIME OF YEAR IS THE SISTERHOOD OF TRAVELG PANTS, WHICH ACTUALLY EARNED CENT REVIEWS. THE 2005 MOVIE, STARRG BLAKE LIVELY, AMERI FERRERA, AMBER TAMBLYN, AND ALEXIS BLEL, FOLLOWS A GROUP OF TEENAGE BT IENDS AS THEY EMBARK ON SEPARATE JOURNEYS DURG THE SUMMER, BUT STAY NNECTED THROUGH A PAIR OF JEANS THAT MAGILLY F ALL OF THEM. IN VAR, FAIAR ENVIRONMENTS, WE WATCH THEM EXPERIENCE HEARTBREAKG (AND HEART-OPENG) LSONS ABOUT BOYS, IENDSHIP, GRIEF, SEX, FAY, AND ULTIMATELY THEMSELV. EACH OF THE GIRLS HAVE EQUALLY PELLG ARCS, MAKG FOR A REHGLY BALANCED ENSEMBLE FILM. BUT LENA’S (BLEL) IS PECIALLY FUN TO WATCH, AS SHE VISS HER FAY STUNNG GREECE AND FALLS LOVE WH A HOT FISHERMAN. IT’S A SURPRISGLY SIGHTFUL PICTN OF WHAT 'S LIKE BEG A GIRL ON THE PRECIPICE OF ADULTHOOD. MOST IMPORTANTLY, REMDS YOU OF THE VALUE OF GIRLIENDS (AND GOOD SUMMER GETAWAY). — KYNDALL CUNNGHAM REAR WDOWTHE SUMMER IS A STRANGE SNA NEW YORK, BOTH TERMS OF WEATHER (CLAMMY HEAT, THUNRSTORMS, SOMETIM PERFECT, ENDLS DAYS) AND MOODS, WHEN THE THEATER OF CY LIFE IS EXTRA-LOUD AND ON DISPLAY. THE TENSE NYC HEATWAVE ALED HCHCK’S PEERLS REAR WDOW (1954) IS, LIKE THE NEW YORK SUMMER, A CHARACTER S OWN RIGHT, ALONGSI JAM STEWART’S PHOTOGRAPHER RECUPERATG AND WATCHG HIS NEIGHBORS AND THEIR SILENT, MOVG LIV (CLUDG THE LADY WHO HAS AN IMAGARY LOVER), AND POSSIBLY A KILLER ACROSS THE URTYARD. AN ASTUTE ANIMATN OF URBAN LIVG, REAR WDOW STILL CUTS CLOSE SKETCHG ISOLATN, NNECTN, AND DISNNECTN. IT IS ALSO A NAILBER OF A THRILLER. IT TURNS ALL TO PEEPG TOMS LOOKG VERTLY THROUGH WDOWS, AS STEWART’S CHARACTER DO; WE AND THE MERA ARE HIS EY AND CURSY AS THE SWELTERG WEATHER, AND TENSN, REF TO RELEASE S GRIP ON THIS NFED MUNY. AND, IF THE MOVIE’S RASTORM DON’T OL YOU DOWN, GRACE KELLY PROVIS A REHG BREEZE ONE OF EDH HEAD’S MOST GEOLY REALIZED MOVIE WARDROB. — TIM TEEMANCALL ME BY YOUR NAMEWHILE I DON’T NECSARILY THK OF SUMMER AS AN “I’VE GOT TO WATCH THIS, OR JT SIMPLY WON’T BE SUMMER,” SEASON (THAT SPERATN IS RERVED FOR THE LR MONTHS), CALL ME BY YOUR NAME IS MY SOLE SENTIAL SUMMER FILM. NOT ONLY ARE THE SWELTERG TEMPERATUR REFLECTED THE FILM’S LH ITALIAN UNTRYSI, BUT THE IALISTIC NAIVETE OF THE SEASON FDS S WAY THERE, TOO. EVERY SUMMER, I TELL MYSELF THAT WILL BE A LIFE-CHANGG THREE MONTHS, AND ALMOST NEVER IS. BUT WATCHG CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, I’M REMD OF THAT YOUTHFUL EXCEMENT, WHICH TEMPERS MORE AS I GET OLR. LU GUADAGNO’S TALE OF ILL-FATED, MANIPULATIVE LOVE IS BOTH RELATABLE AND MELANCHOLIC, AND ENVELOPS YOU THE SAME WAY THAT THE HUMIDY DO WHEN YOU’RE UGHT A SUMMER THUNRSTORM; ’S SUFFOTG, AND STRANGELY BETIFUL. BT OF ALL, THE FILM ENDS THE WTER, AFTER TIMOTHéE CHALAMET’S EL HAS SHAKEN OFF THE SPELL OF THE SEASON, LOOKG BACK TO REALIZE WHAT A MS SOMEONE ELSE MA OF HIM. MAYBE ’S A TAD MOROSE, BUT ’S AN THENTIC LOOK AT HOW WE CHANGE JT AS OFTEN AS THE SEASONS. —COLEMAN SPIL SONY PICTUR CLASSIC MORE FROM THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDIT’S BARBIE WEEK! IT WOULD BE A S AGAST EVERY VALUE THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED WAS FOUND ON IF WE DIDN’T HAVE WALL-TO-WALL VERAGE OF THIS MOVIE. READ MORE.WE WENT TO THE SET OF THE FUNNIT SHOW ON TV TO FIGURE OUT WHY ’S SO DAMN FUNNY. READ MORE.IF YOU WATCHED RUPL’S DRAG RACE, YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT PEPPERMT IS A STAR. THIS NEW SHOW PROV . READ MORE.WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK:BARBIE: WE DON’T LOVE THAT THE BARBIE MOVIE IS OUR ENTIRE PERSONALY RIGHT NOW. BUT WE WON’T APOLOGIZE FOR . (NOW THEATERS)OPPENHEIMER: AN EXPLOSIVE MOVIE. (GET ?) (NOW THEATERS)REAL HOEWIV OF NEW YORK CY: THANK GOD AND ANDY COHEN, THIS REBOOT IS SO GOOD. (NOW ON BRAVO)WHAT TO SKIP THIS WEEK:ZOEY 102: THIS IS A BRNEY HOEHOLD. (THURSDAY ON PARAMOUNT+)KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK. KEV FALLON

‘BETY AND THE BEAST’ CAST REACTS TO HAVG FIRST GAY DISNEY CHARACTER AS ONE THEATER BANS FILM

The st of Disney’s Bety and the Beast is “very proud” to feature the first-ever gay character s remake of the 1991 classic, they told reporters at the Los Angel premiere on Thursday, March 2.

But is a nice, exclively gay moment a Disney movie. The Henagar Drive-In theater DeKalb County, Alabama, announced on s Facebook page on Thursday, March 2, that will not be showg the film bee of the gay character.

ALL THE CHARACTERS 'BETY AND THE BEAST' WHO WERE PROBABLY GAY ALL ALONG

We will ntue to show fay oriented films so you n feel ee to e watch wholome movi whout worryg about sex, nudy, homosexualy and foul language. The highly anticipated live-actn remake of “Bety and the Beast” will feature a gay character for the first time Disney's history, acrdg to the film’s director.

Director Bill Condon said an terview wh Attu, a Brish gay magaze, that LeFou, the goofy sikick of the film’s ma villa, Gaston, will fd his own subplot by explorg his sexualy. ” Condon promised the film will have a “nice, exclively gay moment” at the the LGBTQ have been advotg to see themselv reprented Disney films. Those g were advotg for givg the lead character Disney’s blockbter h “Frozen” a female love tert the news of LeFou beg Disney’s first gay character, however, was met wh mixed reactns.

It’s certa as the sun — Josh Gad’s character Bety and the Beast is gay. As for the unrwhelmg “exclively gay” subplot, though? That is the extent of the so-lled gay subplot.

'BETY AND THE BEAST' FEATUR DISNEY'S FIRST GAY CHARACTER

There was a great al of ntroversy six years ago when Disney announced that the 2017 live-actn remake film of Bety and the Beast would feature the "first openly gay moment" any Disney film.

Lyrics such as "We don't like/What we don't unrstand/In fact sr /And this monster is myster at least" powerfully skewer the nventnal fears and stigmas aimed at LGBT+ people, particularly at the time when the AIDS crisis was beg blamed on the gay muny and homophobia was beg exprsed publicly and celly. The town that Belle om seems acceptg of crossdrsg and gay romance, and Cogsworth and Lumiere's dg is replaced wh a "naggg" wife for the former.

‘BETY AND THE BEAST’: JOSH GAD PLAYS DISNEY’S FIRST-EVER GAY CHARACTER

They're not talkg about the overall film, which is gettg great reviews (three out of four stars om USA TODAY) and breakg box office rerds wh a $170 ln but, the hight ever for March and the seventh-hight of all unrwhelmed reactn has been to the so-lled "exclively gay moment" the film, which has ed ternatnal ntroversy sce director Bill Condon first mentned an terview wh Attu the terview, Condon said the character LeFou (Josh Gad) would be portrayed as gay. The "gay moment" that Condon was referrg to is a blk-and-you'll-miss- shot the film's fal sends. "If nobody had said that #LeFou had a 'gay moment'  #BetyAndTheBeast, I really don't thk would've even been a thg, " wrote one Twter er.

"Watched the new #BetyAndTheBeast movie last night, hontly don't unrstand what the outrage (about) there beg a gay character was (about), " wrote another. "Bt part of my day was when half the theater clapped and cheered when the gay uple me on screen #BetyAndTheBeast, " reported one dience who supported the film appld how much money was able rack spe reported "boytts. "Though the moment was well-received or unrwhelmg to many dience members, there were some the LGBT muny who thought the reprentatn of a gay character did not go far enough.

THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDG THE GAY 'BETY AND THE BEAST' SUBPLOT REEKS OF HYPOCRISY

Also LeFou is not gay enough, " one Twter er sentiment was shared by some LGBT crics and wrers.

"Disney n pat self on s back all wants for turng a villao buffoon that was d as gay the origal film to a morally ambiguo buffoon who is more obvly gay, nfis a teapot, and tri out dancg wh a man, " wrote Vulture. "Although I adored the movie overall, part of my tratn wh is that I had hoped for more out of Condon’s 'exclively gay moment, '" The Huffgton Post explaed.

The Problem wh LefouWhy Disney’s first gay character is a flop. Wh Emma Watson, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen and Le Evans jog the st of big-name actors, hype for the picture was all the way, wh only a few weeks before the premiere, Disney announced that the film would feature their first gay character, though arguably their villas have been queer d for s.

'BETY AND THE BEAST'S 'GAY MOMENT' MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHG

However, the proclamatn of their “first” gay character is also odd, sce Disney already had a lbian uple the TV show “Good Luck Charlie.

” Nohels, “Bety and the Beast” would feature the first gay character a major motn picture.

But then people found out who exactly the gay character would the clock and the ndle stick? Lefou isn’t exactly the ial character the gay mass have been beggg for, but he’s better than nothg, right? It mak sense that Lefou is love wh Gaston sce the entire town is ridg on his jock, but is that somethg gay kids should fantasize about?

THE BT MOVI TO WATCH THE SUMMERDOG DAYSTHE DAILY BEAST’S BIGGT ENTERTAMENT OBSSIV CHOOSE THEIR FAVORE MOVI TO WATCH THE SUMMER.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED JUL. 26, 2023 9:51AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:32AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THOMAS LEVSON/THE DAILY BEAST/TOUCHSTONE/STUD GHIBLI/UNIVERSAL/ORN/WARNER BROS/SONYTHIS IS A PREVIEW OF OUR POP CULTURE NEWSLETTER THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, WRTEN BY EDOR KEV FALLON. TO RECEIVE THE FULL NEWSLETTER YOUR BOX EACH WEEK, SIGN UP FOR HERE.THIS WEEK:I’M ON VATN! (OH! AH! I READ A BOOK!) MY TEEMED, BELOVED LLEAGU HELPED ME ANSWER A PROMPT: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORE MOVIE TO WATCH DURG THE SUMMER? HOPEFULLY YOU’LL GET SOME GOOD SPIRATN OM THEIR RPONS. AFTER ALL, ’S HOT AS HELL. WHO ACTUALLY WANTS TO BE OUTSI?ARMAGEDDONTHE ONLY RRECT ANSWERS TO THIS ARE EHER MAMMA MIA! OR MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGA. UNFORTUNATELY, CHOOSG ONE IS AK TO PICKG A FAVORE CHILD. (I ASSUME. THIS IS MY SUPER-GAY VERSN OF PARENTHOOD.) INSTEAD, I’LL CHOOSE THE TLE TIED TO ONE OF MY FAVORE SUMMER MOVIE-WATCHG MEMORI. WHEN I WAS A KID, MY WHOLE FAY—NTS, UNCL, S, GRANDMA—SHARED A BEACH HOE FOR A WEEK. OUR BIG MOVIE NIGHT WAS RENTG ARMAGEDDON. AT THE MOST TENSE POT OF THE MOVIE, WHEN THE TEAM WAS ABOUT TO DRILL TO THE ASTEROID, A RAVAN OF FOUR ARY-GRA HELIPTERS BUZZED PAST OUR WDOWS, JT FEET OM THE SAND. ABOUT 20 FALLON RELATIV SHRIEKED SO LOUDLY, ’S A MIRACLE THOSE WDOWS DIDN’T SHATTER. WE STILL DON’T KNOW WHY THOSE HELIPTERS WERE THERE THAT DAY, OTHER THAN TO MAKE THK WE WERE UNR ATTACK WHILE WATCHG ARMAGEDDON—A HILAR MEMORY SO CHERISHED THAT I REWATCH THE FILM AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. — KEV FALLON TOUCHSTONE/GETTY IMAG CLIFFORDBRIGHT, SUNSHY SUMMER IS THE IAL TIME FOR A LIGHTHEARTED EDY, AND NONE BRGS ME GREATER JOY—OR ELICS MORE LGHS—THAN CLIFFORD, DIRECTOR PL FLAHERTY’S 1994 BOX-OFFICE DUD WHICH THE PEERLS MART SHORT PLAYS A SCHEMG, MANIAL 10-YEAR-OLD BOY AND CHARL GROD EMBODI THE SELFISH, KID-HATG ARCHECT UNCLE WHO WDS UP AGREEG TO RE FOR HIM ORR TO IMPRS HIS FIANCé (MARY STEENBURGEN). SHORT’S JUVENILE-VIL PERFORMANCE IS A ONE-OF-A-KD TOUR--FORCE, HIGHLIGHTED BY MORE WEIRDO FAC—ALL BUG-EYED GLAR, V S, AND MENTED EXPRSNS—THAN SHOULD BE LEGAL. GROD’S SMUG, GROUCHY DISDA IS THE PERFECT FOIL FOR SHORT’S ADOLCENT MISCHIEVONS, AND THEIR RAPPORT IS A THG OF ABSURDLY HOSTILE BETY. LOVERS OF DOSRS, TABAS-SPIKED DRKS, AMEMENT PARKS, CHOLATE, HAIRPIEC (“I SAID WAS THE BTT-LOOKG WIG I EVER SAW!”) AND RTO RIDICULONS WON’T BE ABLE TO RIST MAKG AN ANNUAL VIEWG TRADN. — NICK SCHAGERSPIRED AWAYI ULD HAVE GONE WH ANY STUD GHIBLI FILM, AS EACH ONE IS PERFECT FOR EVERY SEASON, EVERY DAY, ALL THE TIME, ALWAYS. BUT I SAW SPIRED AWAY (FOR THE LNTH TIME) RECENTLY, SO I’LL PICK THAT. I SAW AS PART OF STUD GHIBLI FT, AN ANNUAL SUMMER TRADN AT NEW YORK’S IFC CENTER; THE EXCELLENT REPERTORY THEATER SCREENS A NUMBER OF THE ANIMATN HOE’S FT WORKS OM MAY TO AUGT, WHICH IS A TREAT FOR ANY CEPHILE. LIKE MANY GHIBLI MOVI, SPIRED AWAY IS ONE OF THE GREATT FILMS EVER MA, AND S VISCERAL WISTFULNS PLAYS A LARGE PART S SUCCS. MUCH AS SUMMERTIME IS FOR CHILDREN (LIKE OUR PROTAGONIST, 10-YEAR-OLD CHIHIRO), SPIRED AWAY TAK PLACE A LIMAL SPACE. EVERY CH OF THE MOVIE PRENTS FANTASTIL POSSIBILI, AS CHIHIRO EXPLOR A LAWLS NEW WORLD WHERE HER PARENTS ARE PIGS AND HER BT IEND IS A PERSONIFIED RIVER. TAKE A BREAK OM THE PUNISHG HEAT TO REWATCH THE FILM, THEN GO BACK OUTSI AND APPRECIATE THE BETY THAT IS OUR NATURAL WORLD—AS SPIRED AWAY REMDS TO ALWAYS DO. — ALLEGRA FRANKANY AND ALL MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY MOVIJT LIKE FALL AND WTER BELONG TO NORA EPHRON, I’LL ADM THAT MY SUMMERS HAVE LONG BEEN PROPERTY OF THE OLSEN TWS. IT STARTED WHEN I WAS A KID STUCK AT HOME BETWEEN SUMMER MPS, STG ON IENDS’ UCH AND DRKG THEIR JUICE BOX WHILE WE JOED OUR FAVORE PALS, MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY, SUCH POSH STATNS AS PARIS, ROME, LONDON, AND SYDNEY. HOW ULD WE FET THE TIME THEY TERRORIZED A FRENCH CHEF WH MCDONALD’S, OR THE TIME THEY WOUND UP WNS PROTECTN (?!), OR THE TIME THEY ACCINTALLY STOLE A BOAT BEE OF A UPLE CUTE BOYS? (LIKE SO MANY OF , RORY GILMORE APPARENTLY LEARNED OM THE OLSENS.) WH THEIR MANY MONTAG AND FULL EMBRACE OF LATE-’90S, EARLY-GHTS FASHN (TY SUNGLASS! CAPRIS! BLEACHED HIGHLIGHTS!), THE MOVI WERE AN UNNIABLE STAPLE. NOWADAYS, THEY’RE A BREEZY TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE THAT UALLY ENDS ME LLG AN OLD IEND. — LRA BRADLEY PL ONEAS A MAJOR ROMANTIC EDY FAN, I’VE ALWAYS ASSIGNED DIFFERENT ROM-S TO DIFFERENT SEASONS MY HEAD. CLASSICS LIKE WHEN HARRY MET SALLY AND YOU’VE GOT MAIL LIVE THE TUMN MONTHS, WHEREAS BRIDGET JON’S DIARY AND THE HOLIDAY ARE FOR SIPPG HOT A UNR A FUZZY WTER BLANKET. IN JT THE PAST FOUR YEARS SCE WAS RELEASED, PL ONE HAS QUICKLY BEE MY FAVORE SUMMERTIME ROM-. LONGTIME PALS BEN (JACK QUAID, THE ROM- NEPO BABY OF MEG RYAN) AND ALICE (MAYA ERSKE) AGREE TO BEE EACH OTHER’S GO-TO WEDDG DATE FOR THE SUMMER WHILE ALL OF THEIR IENDS GET MARRIED. THOUGH THGS ARE MEANT TO STAY PLATONIC, THEY N’T RIST THE LOVEY-DOVEY VIB AT EACH DIFFERENT WEDDG. PL ONE IS AS PREDICTABLE AS EVERY OTHER ROM-, BUT WHAT MAK STAND OUT IS HOW LIGHT AND BREEZY IS. A IENDS-TO-LOVERS STORY SET TO BEACHSI PARTI AND REAL ESTATE SONGS— DON’T GET AS SUMMER-Y AS THIS. — FLETCHER PETERSJAWSTHERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHG FEEL-GOOD ABOUT THIS FILM, AND THAT IS WHY I LOVE TO WATCH EVERY SUMMER. IF I N’T WATCH EVERY SUMMER, I AT LEAST THK ABOUT EVERY SUMMER—UALLY AROUND THE FOURTH OF JULY. IT’S A CLASSIC, AND ’S WHY SO MANY OF YOUR PARENTS (PENDG ON YOUR GENERATN) STILL FEAR THE BEACH AROUND THAT TIME OF YEAR. NOTHG SETS YOUR SPE TGLG LIKE JOHN WILLIAMS’ TERRIFYG AND BRILLIANT SRE. Y, THE PRACTIL EFFECTS ON THIS MOVIE MAY LOOK DATED NOW, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, WHAT STEVEN SPIELBERG DID WH THIS MOVIE WAS NO EASY FEAT. HE MA, AS I SAID BEFORE, AN ENTIRE GENERATN SRED OF THE OCEAN WH JT A TWO-HOUR FILM AND A MECHANIL SHARK. ALSO THE TALE OF A SMALL TOWN ERNMENT NOT CLOSG A BEACH AFTER SEVERAL SHARK ATTACKS BEE THEY DON’T WANT TO LOSE TOURIST MONEY DURG THEIR BY SEASON IS A CLASSIC LSON PALISM. ONE THAT KEEPS REPEATG SELF, TOO! ADD SOME EXCELLENT PERFORMANC OM ROY SCHEIR, RICHARD DREYFS, AND ROBERT SHAW (THAT SPEECH!) AND ’S THE PERFECT SUMMER FILM. JT MAYBE WA 30 MUT AFTER WATCHG TO GO THE WATER. — SHANNON O’CONNOR UNIVERSAL/GETTY IMAG STEP BROTHERSIF A MOVIE IS FABULO ENOUGH, THERE’S NOTHG SEASONALLY RTRICTIVE ABOUT : YOU N SLG THAT BAD BOY UP ON YOUR APPLE TV ANY CLIMATE AND ENJOY YOURSELF THOROUGHLY. BUT STEP BROTHERS, THE TALE OF TWO DIPSH 40-SOMETHG FAILUR-TO-LNCH (WILL FERRELL AND JOHN C. REILLY) WHO MOOCH OFF THEIR WASP-Y DOCTOR PARENTS AND JOSTLE FOR DOMANCE UNTIL THEY REALIZE THEY’RE SOUL MAT, IS BOTH ONE OF THE GREATT EDI OF THE 21ST CENTURY AND UNAVOIDABLY SUMMER-D. LET’S BE REAL: SUMMER IS NOT FOR EP THKG, OR FOR VELOPG YOUR SOPHISTITED CEMATIC PALETTE, OR FOR SUFFERG THROUGH AN ITALIAN NEOREALISM SERI AT IFC. (NO OFFENSE BICYCLE THIEV! I STILL LOVE YOU.) SUMMER IS FOR TAKG HALF AN EDIBLE WH YOUR GIRLIENDS AS FLOWER-AGRANT AIR WHIRLS THROUGH THE OPEN WDOW AND CHOKG WH LGHTER, FOR THE THOANDTH TIME, AT KATHRYN HAHN PISSG A URAL. – HELEN HOLMTHE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELG PANTSWHEN I THK OF SUMMER MEDIA, I STANTLY THK OF CHICK FLICKS, OFTEN FEMALE-DRIVEN BEACH READS ADAPTED TO MOVI THAT ARE CRILLY PANNED BUT TREASURED BY YOUNG, FEMALE VIEWERS. BY FAR, THE MOST APPROPRIATE AND ENJOYABLE ONE TO WATCH THIS TIME OF YEAR IS THE SISTERHOOD OF TRAVELG PANTS, WHICH ACTUALLY EARNED CENT REVIEWS. THE 2005 MOVIE, STARRG BLAKE LIVELY, AMERI FERRERA, AMBER TAMBLYN, AND ALEXIS BLEL, FOLLOWS A GROUP OF TEENAGE BT IENDS AS THEY EMBARK ON SEPARATE JOURNEYS DURG THE SUMMER, BUT STAY NNECTED THROUGH A PAIR OF JEANS THAT MAGILLY F ALL OF THEM. IN VAR, FAIAR ENVIRONMENTS, WE WATCH THEM EXPERIENCE HEARTBREAKG (AND HEART-OPENG) LSONS ABOUT BOYS, IENDSHIP, GRIEF, SEX, FAY, AND ULTIMATELY THEMSELV. EACH OF THE GIRLS HAVE EQUALLY PELLG ARCS, MAKG FOR A REHGLY BALANCED ENSEMBLE FILM. BUT LENA’S (BLEL) IS PECIALLY FUN TO WATCH, AS SHE VISS HER FAY STUNNG GREECE AND FALLS LOVE WH A HOT FISHERMAN. IT’S A SURPRISGLY SIGHTFUL PICTN OF WHAT 'S LIKE BEG A GIRL ON THE PRECIPICE OF ADULTHOOD. MOST IMPORTANTLY, REMDS YOU OF THE VALUE OF GIRLIENDS (AND GOOD SUMMER GETAWAY). — KYNDALL CUNNGHAM REAR WDOWTHE SUMMER IS A STRANGE SNA NEW YORK, BOTH TERMS OF WEATHER (CLAMMY HEAT, THUNRSTORMS, SOMETIM PERFECT, ENDLS DAYS) AND MOODS, WHEN THE THEATER OF CY LIFE IS EXTRA-LOUD AND ON DISPLAY. THE TENSE NYC HEATWAVE ALED HCHCK’S PEERLS REAR WDOW (1954) IS, LIKE THE NEW YORK SUMMER, A CHARACTER S OWN RIGHT, ALONGSI JAM STEWART’S PHOTOGRAPHER RECUPERATG AND WATCHG HIS NEIGHBORS AND THEIR SILENT, MOVG LIV (CLUDG THE LADY WHO HAS AN IMAGARY LOVER), AND POSSIBLY A KILLER ACROSS THE URTYARD. AN ASTUTE ANIMATN OF URBAN LIVG, REAR WDOW STILL CUTS CLOSE SKETCHG ISOLATN, NNECTN, AND DISNNECTN. IT IS ALSO A NAILBER OF A THRILLER. IT TURNS ALL TO PEEPG TOMS LOOKG VERTLY THROUGH WDOWS, AS STEWART’S CHARACTER DO; WE AND THE MERA ARE HIS EY AND CURSY AS THE SWELTERG WEATHER, AND TENSN, REF TO RELEASE S GRIP ON THIS NFED MUNY. AND, IF THE MOVIE’S RASTORM DON’T OL YOU DOWN, GRACE KELLY PROVIS A REHG BREEZE ONE OF EDH HEAD’S MOST GEOLY REALIZED MOVIE WARDROB. — TIM TEEMANCALL ME BY YOUR NAMEWHILE I DON’T NECSARILY THK OF SUMMER AS AN “I’VE GOT TO WATCH THIS, OR JT SIMPLY WON’T BE SUMMER,” SEASON (THAT SPERATN IS RERVED FOR THE LR MONTHS), CALL ME BY YOUR NAME IS MY SOLE SENTIAL SUMMER FILM. NOT ONLY ARE THE SWELTERG TEMPERATUR REFLECTED THE FILM’S LH ITALIAN UNTRYSI, BUT THE IALISTIC NAIVETE OF THE SEASON FDS S WAY THERE, TOO. EVERY SUMMER, I TELL MYSELF THAT WILL BE A LIFE-CHANGG THREE MONTHS, AND ALMOST NEVER IS. BUT WATCHG CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, I’M REMD OF THAT YOUTHFUL EXCEMENT, WHICH TEMPERS MORE AS I GET OLR. LU GUADAGNO’S TALE OF ILL-FATED, MANIPULATIVE LOVE IS BOTH RELATABLE AND MELANCHOLIC, AND ENVELOPS YOU THE SAME WAY THAT THE HUMIDY DO WHEN YOU’RE UGHT A SUMMER THUNRSTORM; ’S SUFFOTG, AND STRANGELY BETIFUL. BT OF ALL, THE FILM ENDS THE WTER, AFTER TIMOTHéE CHALAMET’S EL HAS SHAKEN OFF THE SPELL OF THE SEASON, LOOKG BACK TO REALIZE WHAT A MS SOMEONE ELSE MA OF HIM. MAYBE ’S A TAD MOROSE, BUT ’S AN THENTIC LOOK AT HOW WE CHANGE JT AS OFTEN AS THE SEASONS. —COLEMAN SPIL SONY PICTUR CLASSIC MORE FROM THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDIT’S BARBIE WEEK! IT WOULD BE A S AGAST EVERY VALUE THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED WAS FOUND ON IF WE DIDN’T HAVE WALL-TO-WALL VERAGE OF THIS MOVIE. READ MORE.WE WENT TO THE SET OF THE FUNNIT SHOW ON TV TO FIGURE OUT WHY ’S SO DAMN FUNNY. READ MORE.IF YOU WATCHED RUPL’S DRAG RACE, YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT PEPPERMT IS A STAR. THIS NEW SHOW PROV . READ MORE.WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK:BARBIE: WE DON’T LOVE THAT THE BARBIE MOVIE IS OUR ENTIRE PERSONALY RIGHT NOW. BUT WE WON’T APOLOGIZE FOR . (NOW THEATERS)OPPENHEIMER: AN EXPLOSIVE MOVIE. (GET ?) (NOW THEATERS)REAL HOEWIV OF NEW YORK CY: THANK GOD AND ANDY COHEN, THIS REBOOT IS SO GOOD. (NOW ON BRAVO)WHAT TO SKIP THIS WEEK:ZOEY 102: THIS IS A BRNEY HOEHOLD. (THURSDAY ON PARAMOUNT+)KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK. KEV FALLON

Bee straight kids get to see Belle and Beast nquer prejudice and fall love, gay kids should get somethg ak to this as well. “Bety and the Beast” was already hyped, but wh crics already talkg about that creepy Belle doll and Watson’s take on the inic yellow gown, as well as the live-actn trend general, the movie need an extra ’s why wasn’t a cince that Lefou’s reveal as a gay character was announced so close to the release date. “By reprentg same-sex attractn this short but explicly gay scene, the stud is sendg out a msage that this is normal and natural – and this is a msage that will be heard every untry of the world, even untri where ’s still socially unacceptable or even illegal to be gay.

Bee havg the villa’s sikick as your “normal and natural” gay reprentatn isn’t gog to be a bean of hope or a persuasive argument for gay rights untri where the LGBT+ muny is stigmatized or outlawed.

In other words, Disney is reelg viewers wh the promise of seeg substantial gay characters.