Film Illiterate, wherein the proprietor records movies seen, and sporadic progress through assorted lists of the "best". Originally started after regretfully renting something forgettable for the third time. I've forgotten what, but never again! A tedious endeavour since 2005. Hello. 🙂
A return to the world of Harry Potter, this time with an original screenplay by J.K. Rowling very loosely based on her charity mini-encyclopaedia Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Magical animal rights activist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in a New York beset by mysterious attacks.
Harry Potter and friends were always the least interesting part of the Wizarding World, and (unsurprisingly) Fantastic Beasts feels both true to the universe and original (North American magical society is rather different than British), and with rather better actors. If it's guilty of anything, it's of cramming in too much -- but the cast are delightful and the result endlessly watchable.
I'm delighted to hear it's the first of five films because it's easily the best Harry Potter film yet.