“Sorry. We call them Muggles.”
In 2012 I did a cinematic advent calendar of twenty four films. These were films that I really liked and have enjoyed at the cinema. This year on a similar theme I will be posting a movie advent calendar of twenty four movies.
The first film was, rather original, it was different to the original Harry Potter series. I loved the fact it was set in the 1920s, it didn’t involve Hogwarts, it didn’t involve existing (lead) characters from Harry Potter.
The film follows Newt Scamander, a magizoologist, as he travels to New York City with a suitcase full of magical creatures. He meets some American wizards and gets into a bit of bother. I loved the magical suitcase and all the animals hidden inside.
The special effects in this film are top-notch and bring the creatures to life in a way that is both believable and enchanting. The performances by the main cast, including Eddie Redmayne as Newt and Katherine Waterston as Tina, are strong and add depth to the characters.
The plot is engaging and fast-paced, with enough twists and turns to keep the audience on the edge of their seats.
I also saw this film been shot when I visited the Harry Potter Studio Tour in 2015. Well I say saw, you could see from the car park that they were filming something at Leavesden Studios, and it involved some city buildings.
However the second and third films almost became too much like Harry Potter, there is a young wizard Newt Scamander, who is fighting a dark wizard, Grindelwald, and is helped (and hindered) by Dumbledore.
Also the two most recent episodes of the film series, in my opinion lost their way and it isn’t too surprising, along with the fact that the series has been mired in whirlwinds of controversy surrounding actors Johnny Depp (Gellert Grindelwald) and Ezra Miller (Credence Barebone), and Wizarding World creator JK Rowling, it looks like a fourth film won’t happen Not surprising that, as the two latest films in the franchise did not do well at the box office, and combine that with the various controversies, we know now that the series (and possibly the franchise) has been killed by the studio.
So for me I still like the first film and I think it was a lovely piece of cinema.
