I have been slacking this semester. Although most of my friends can attest to the fact that I am utterly obsessed with tv series and movies, all I have been doing this year is study. This is also the reason why I was a bit reluctant to say yes when my friend asked me to go and see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them with her. After careful consideration, I decided that it was time for me to take a break from the working grind and to indulge myself into the wizarding world I had grown to learn and love through Harry Potter.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a spin-off from the popular Harry Potter series. Newt Scamander is the author of the book with the same title and is used by Harry Potter as one of his textbooks during his years at Hogwarts. The movie, however, has no mention of Harry Potter (he did not exist yet) and tells the story of the man behind the famous book.

The narrative takes place in New York City during the 1920s and expands our knowledge of the wizarding world. It displays subtle hints to what we already know from watching Harry Potter, while, at the same time, offering new insights into everything wizardy entails.

Despite having read J.K. Rowling's other spin-off, Harry Potter and The Curesed Child, I have to confess that I knew nothing about Fantastic Beasts. After ordering my ticket, however, I watched the trailer and immediately got excited.

Reasons I was excited before watching the movie:

1. Eddie Redmayne

2. More magic

3. 1920s New York City

Reasons I was excited after watching the movie:

1. Eddie Redmayne

2. Magic magic magic

3. 1920s New York City

4. The new approach taken to wizardy

5. The subtle hints to Harry Potter's world

6. The cutest couple ever (spoiler alert: it does not involve Eddie Redmayne)

7. The special effects and cinematography

Fantastic Beasts takes what we already know and applies into a whole new situation. The movie is refreshing and never gets redudant. It was interesting to see how J.K. Rowling creates a new storyline after seven books and eight movies of Harry Potter (eight books, if you take the cursed child into account) and fascinates her audience beyond believe. There is so much more to explore in her wizarding world and the world is ready for it.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is now playing in the theaters.