25 Best Romantic Movies on Amazon Prime Video for Valentine’s Day
By Reed Gaudens
19. Beastly
Release Year: 2011
Written By: Daniel Barnz
Directed By: Daniel Barnz
Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Pettyfer, Mary-Kate Olsen, Peter Krause, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Neil Patrick Harris, Dakota Johnson, Regina King
If you remember 2011’s loose take on the classic fairytale Beauty and the Beast for anything, let it be that it co-starred Mary-Kate Olsen (yes, of the Olsen twins) in what would become her final credit as an actress. Better yet, the erstwhile Michelle Tanner played an excellent villain.
Beastly, based on Alex Flinn’s novel of the same name, follows Kyle (Alex Pettyfer), the aggressively conceited son of a news anchor. He bullies Kendra Hilferty (Mary-Kate Olsen), not realizing that he messed with the wrong witch. Kendra casts a spell on him that strips him of his good looks, and if he doesn’t find someone to love him by spring, he’ll remain beastly forever.
Although he locks himself away, Kyle falls for Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens). Do the two grow close and break the curse? Well, it’s a tale as old time. Through well-known beats of romantic fantasy, Beastly relays the message that love doesn’t judge what’s on the outside but what’s on the inside.