Attention all witches, wizards, squibs, and muggles, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is FINALLY in theaters!
I know, it's been a long time since we last hit the theaters to see a new film from the wizarding world, and it couldn't have come any sooner.
I had the pleasure of going to see this film on opening night, and was proudly among the first in line. Needless to say, it was amazing.
Whether you grew up with Harry Potter, or you are just the average muggle, you absolutely need to make the trip out to see this film, and here's why:
1. You don't need to have a background of Harry Potter knowledge to enjoy this film.
This movie centers around an entire new set of characters that takes place decades before the Harry Potter books and films took place, so you really don't need any background knowledge on the wizarding world. However, if you're a Potterhead, then of course you will love this film even more.
2. The wizarding world is in fact larger than our beloved Harry Potter.
While I love the characters in the original books and films, it is really cool to see that this magical world is larger than just our favorite characters. There's a history that we never knew about, and there were other threats to this world long before Lord Voldemort ever came into play.
3. The film takes place in New York City, as opposed to the United Kingdom.
It's pretty interesting to see an entirely different society in this world, and to see the cultural differences between American wizards and U.K. wizards. Example: no-maj is the American equivalent to muggle. I prefer Muggle, but that's just me.
4. The main character isn't a Gryffindor.
In the original films, almost all of the "good" main characters were Gryffindors. With the exception of a few, such as Luna and Cho, we really only got to know students from Gryffindor House. While this film does not take place at Hogwarts, the main character, Newt Scamander, is a Hufflepuff. It's really refreshing to have the main character not be a Gryffindor, because this different kind of personality adds a whole new dynamic. The only other Hufflepuff we really got to know before this is Cedric Diggory, who was only briefly in the series. Newt is a wonderful character, and coming from a Ravenclaw, this movie almost makes me wish I was a Hufflepuff... Almost. But hey, wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.
5. Eddie Redmayne himself is just exquisite.
As I just said, Newt is a really great character, and Eddie Redmayne does an outstanding job bringing him to life. Eddie Redmayne has performed excellently in a number of films, such as The Theory of Everything and The Danish Girl. I fell in love with him when he played Marius Pontmercy in the 2012 cinematic version of Les Misérables. His voice is amazing as well as his ability to show emotion in ways that are so perfectly human and beautiful. Thank the old gods and the new for Eddie Redmayne. (Oops, wrong fandom).
6. The fantastic beasts themselves are pretty amazing.
The creatures in this film are beyond adorable. They are so captivating that you can't help but grow attached to them. They are also creatures that we haven't seen before. My personal favorite is Pickett the bowtruckle. But you will also meet other creatures such as an erumpent, a thunderbird, a murtlap, and a niffler. Truly magnificent.
7. Overall, it's just a really great movie... Even for non-magic folk.
The story, the setting, the characters, and the plot are all very fun and just SO magical. I had high hopes for this film, and it did not let me down! I can guarantee I will be first in line to see the next one, and can't wait to see where this series goes. If somehow you haven't seen the trailer yet, here it is!
