Fantastic Beasts And Why I Love Them

HI!  Guess what I saw?  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which is based on the encyclopedic style book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling and Newt Scamander.  I've had the book forever and when I heard they were gonna make a movie based on it I was a little confused 'cause it's not a story...it's a list of magical creatures and some cool facts about each one.  While the book was entertaining and fun, not so much movie material.  That being said there was not way on God's green earth that I was gonna miss the change to get some much needed wizarding world magic, especially during this holiday season.

So Hubbin packed me up and hauled me to the movie theatre were I was alternating between apprehension that this all new, unprecedented untold story would not live up to expectations (slim as they were as again the book wasn't really a story) of the great world of Harry Potter and sheer and utter child like excitement of the idea of finally having any sort of magic back after years of nothing.  The movie started...and people it was sheer and utter magic!  Sure it had a few dark moments, and sure it was probably twenty minutes longer then it needed to be and with out a doubt the "revelation" at the very end of the movie was just...dumb...but seriously folks over all the movie was incredible.  It felt like it should be over the top, but as Hubbin said, it was just the right amount for us poor HP starved fans.  A couple of highlights.  It was set in New York in the 1920's which was pretty much the awesomest thing ever as it totally set it apart from Harry Potter and expanded into a full fledged Wizarding World.  We got to see a different era, a different place, different customs, different laws and all seen through a foreigners eyes so that the explanations and confusion made sense.

   The over all story tied directly into the history we learned in HP and gave us a connection to our beloved stories without retelling Harry Potter.  The best part for me however was the sheer number of Fantastic Beasts that were shown and discussed in the movie.  Seriously they actually made a movie off this book.  Mr. Scamander's suitcase filled with so many magical creatures each in their own makeshift habitat made me ache to go live in the suitcase.  Beginning to end with a very few minor considerations, this movie was sheer magic and made this Wizarding World fan so very very very happy.  Here is to the next four movies being as good!  Happy Reading Everybody!