Sheep Movie Review: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) Spoiler-free

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
16 November 2018
Director: David Yates
Writers: J.K. Rowling, J.K. Rowling (based upon characters created by)
Stars: Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, Carmen Ejogo, Eddie Redmayne, Zoë Kravitz, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Kevin Guthrie, Wolf Roth
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 14min
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy
The second installment of the "Fantastic Beasts" series set in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World featuring the adventures of magizoologist Newt Scamander.

Went to see The Crimes of Grindelwald with my 17-year-old daughter. We've both been waiting all year for this! And we weren't disappointed. This movie sheds light on a lot of Potter-verse history. It got a little confusing at some points trying to keep straight the different subplots and who is related to who but by the big reveal—Plot twist, there is a bigger reveal afterward—at the end, you know what's going on.

The special effects are big and fantastical and best suited for the big screen. And the fast-paced action starts in the first few minutes of the movie. Some of the action scenes get a little chaotic and you don't know where to look, but I would expect any fight involving magic to be a wild ride. I don't remember if this was the case in the first movie but there are a lot of close-ups in this one.

Newt Scamander is one of my favorite Potterworld characters. He is so charming and the actor does a great job with him. Jude Law isn't what I envisioned a younger Dumbledor to look like but I like looking at him so I went with it :) The character Nagini (you can guess what kind of creature she is by her name) is a cool character, but there was no point to her. She just followed Credence around. Nothing would have changed storywise if she had been left out. Johnny Depp as Grindelwald was a good choice. They finally let him play a character with no Jack Sparrow quirks. He does crazy well.

Can't give any details about the plot, but there are old and new beasts and lots of Potter-verse magic.

Holly gives it 5 Sheep

I give it 4 1/2 "Picking sides" Sheep

SharonS

Movie Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Directed By: David Yates (II)
Written By: J.K. Rowling
Nov 18, 2016

132 minutes
Rating: PG-13 (for some fantasy action violence.)
Genre: Action & Adventure , Kids & Family , Science Fiction & Fantasy

Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton The magic of Harry Potter lives on in this Warner Bros. spin-off penned by {J.K. Rowling}, and intended as the first chapter in a whole new fantasy film franchise. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

I've read the Harry Potter books and seen all the movies, but I haven't read the Fantastic Beasts book. So I went into this movie without expectations. I went with my husband, 15 year old daughter (never read the books or seen the movies! I know, right?!) and her boyfriend (big Potter fan).

It started slow...lots of CGI and crazy looking creatures. I felt like they tried to hard, but then it went dark...quick and things got interesting. By the end of the movie I was ready for the next one and invested in the characters. The movie will make you cheer and tear up. The acting was excellent and there is a surprise actor revealed in the end who I assume wil be in the next film. Maybe you've already heard who this is, but I'm not giving it away.

This film is one that is worth seeing in the theater. We saw it in IMAX, but not 3D. You don't have to be a Harry Potter fan to enjoy the story and characters.


Our ratings:
Holly & Hunter: 5 sheep
Don: 4 sheep (because of the slow start)

SharonS: 4.5 "fantastic" Sheep

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two (Harry Potter #8) by Rowling, Tiffany, Thorne

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two (Harry Potter #8)

by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne

July 31st 2016 by Little Brown UK

Hardcover, Special Rehearsal Edition, 343 pages

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Being a skeptic about sequels I ordered this book mainly because I am a closet Harry Potter "groupie". Yes, I read the books in my 50's and have "Pottermore" on my computer favorites!

Besides being a "sequel" the book is presented in script form, written as a read through and directive for scene settings of a play. How can any of those things compare to the addicting words and characters of J.K. Rowling?

Well, it hit the mark for my unquenchable thirst for continuing the saga of Hogwarts and it's favored alumni. I felt an immediate connection to Harry's, Hermione's and Draco Malfoy's children. The story of Albus and Scorpius had a more contemporary feel but I loved the fact that the old favorites were included and given some closure. It took no more than a chapter to adjust to the literary structure and from there my mind assimilated the words easily and went into picture mode. I loved the story and the characters and felt a seamless continuation of the original series.

My only lingering thought is: "How will this go over as a live stage presentation?" A movie? Sure. But a live stage may be a difficult venue to keep the drama and electric charge alive without the special effects. Although I will be in line for a ticket if it comes to a venue near me!

You immediately see Rowling's engaging writing and development of the new characters. I am sure Thorne and Tiffany made the way easy for adaptation to play format. Their biographies show their success in that venue. All should be proud of this addition to the Potter family of books! HP fans...definitely pick this up!

I give this 4.5 "back in time" sheep!

Jeanie G.

http://www.harrypottertheplay.com/