This past weekend, millions of people got to do something they haven’t done in years and probably thought they never would get the chance to again. They got to see a brand new Harry Potter movie on the big screen. I was lucky enough (and Harry Potter crazed enough) to see a very early showing of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” on the Thursday before it came out. Let me tell you, the movie and Eddie Redmayne were indeed fantastic.
Although “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” isn’t about Harry Potter, it is sort of a prequel that takes place in the same J.K. Rowling-created wizarding world that we have all come to know and love. The story is about Newt Scamander, a magizoologist from London who in his research accidently sets a few of his magical creatures loose around the streets of Manhattan. It takes place in the 1920s, way before Harry’s time, and to the liking of all American fans, the story took place in good old New York City. Of course knowing J.K. Rowling, there is no plot she give us that is to be taken at face value. There is always something more magical and mysterious going on that sets us up for many more years of wizarding fun. The movie had everything: Magic, unimaginable beasts, English accents, New York accents, 1920s fashion, Eddie Redmayne and an appearance by someone you’ve always secretly wanted to be part of the Harry Potter franchise.
J.K. Rowling is known for her unbelievable imagination and story-telling. So when she and David Yates team up, that’s when you know you are in for one hell of a movie. They took our wizarding world and they gave it a whole new life in a brand new era. It was so much fun to see what wizarding life in America was like in the 1920s and to have a look at how Newt Scamander had his beginning. My sweet baby Eddie gave Newt a unique personality that made him such a loveable character. I know I’m not the only one when I say I cannot wait to see more of Mr. Scamander (and Eddie Redmayne) in the next few sequels.
I can honestly say I was pleasantly satisfied with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Being able to dive back into the wizarding world was almost as hypnotic as Eddie Redmayne. And I think I should mention for my movie nerds like me, the CGI was exceedingly above average to say the very least. If you are a full blown Pure-Blood, you will appreciate this movie, the references to things that we already know about and the foreshadowing of events that we have waited so long to see come to life. To my no-maj population (or muggles as the English wizards call them), I suggest you pick up the first Harry Potter book and a copy of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and start reading. You have a lot to catch up on, my friends. Plus, Eddie Redmayne is in it and who in their right mind would want to miss out on that.
