Movie Review: ****^Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

 We return to the universe of Harry Potter but again before Harry Potter is born.  This movie takes place in the period leading up to WWII.  Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) is on the rise.  He is absolved of wrong doing and is running for leader of the international magical world.  It is up to Dumbledore (Jude Law) and his cohorts to stop him.  This group includes Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), his brother Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner), Lally Hicks (Jessica Williams), Bunty Broadacre (Victoria Yeates), Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam) and the muggle, Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler).  Each has his own reason for being involved.  Kama to avenge his sister's death, Bunty is Scamander's assistant, Kowalski hopes to rescue his girl, Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) and Dumbledore to remove the pact he made with Grindelwald when he was a youth.  Hicks is a new character in this movie and is recruiting by Dumbledore to combat the rising evil.  

Also in the mix is the history of Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller) who is an Obscurus a powerful magical being who formed only under certain emotional conditions.  Turns out Credence is the son of Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth (Richard Coyle).  The plot revolves around the Qilin, a magical creature who can see the soul and suggest who is most worthy to lead.  Grindelwald captured one with the help of Credence, and has killed it and brought it back to life in a manipulated state.  However the Qilin has a twin, that Scamander protects.  How can the surviving twin arrive at the ceremony; and Gindelwald be exposed.  Credence calls him out, and Grindelwald attempts to kill him, while Dumbledore and Aberforth defend.  The crossing curses free Dumbledore from his previous pact.  Grindelwald escapes, but the world gets a better leader.  They all meet again at the Kowalski's bakery shop in New York for the wedding of Queenie and Kowalski, with Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) in attendance who Scamander has missed.

In Theaters: *****Fantastic Beasts: Crimes 0f Grindelwald (2018)

*****Fantastic Beasts: Crimes 0f Grindelwald (2018)  This movie came out for Thanksgiving and I have viewed it three times.  I always love the Harry Potter movies.  Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) is really evil.  Not only is he evil, but he has a special magnetism wherein people like him.  Contrary to that is our team of two couples, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) and then Tina’s sister, Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) and Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) who would make a formidable team but they are all breaking up and at odds with each other.  However in this mess, Queenie is enticed by Grindelwald, and the promise of free love with non-magical people.  Two characters play part in this story from Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, a younger version (Jude Law) and Nicholas Flamel (Brontis Jodorowsky).  In fact it is Flamel who saves they day when the aurors, including Newt’s brother, get over their heads trying to confront Grindelwald.  I love every minute of this.  I even purchased the screen plan and read it again so I wouldn’t miss anything.  Great fun!

Movie review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Fantastic Beasts is the prequel to the Harry Potter.  It is produced and story from J.K. Rowling.  It features the author of one of Harry Potter's favorite books.  Newt (Eddie Redmayne) is a collector of fantastical beasts, which he keeps in his suitcase (magically expandable).  He has traveled to America to release a Thunderbird in Arizona.  However, first one, and then a few more of his beasts get away and cause problems.  Tina (Katherine Waterston) arrest him and takes him to the Ministry of Magic.  She is a disenfranchised Auror and is trying to get in the good graces of the ministry.  However they don't believe her and send her on her way.  Newt befriends Kowolski (Dan Fogler) who is a no-mag (normal person).  They also meet Tina's sister, Queenie (Alison Sudol) and the four make quite a group, and engage in capturing the creatures.  At the same time an obscurus loss in the city, causing great damage and in fact killing people.   This includes a senator.  The head of the Aurors (Colin Ferrel) is very interested in the obscurus, and maintains an investigation outside of the ministry.  Newt and Tina are blamed for the deaths perpetrated by the obscurus, and sentenced to immediate death.  Only with magical creatures, and Queenis's help are the able to escape.
There is plenty of action here, and the creatures are unique and interesting.  They seem to make this movie.  The antics of different creatures are very well done.  I really enjoyed this film.  by the time this film is over, they must erase the memories of the entire town, including Kowolski who is having a romantic relation with Queenie.  However some memories linger in his subconscious.