Unless you’ve been living at the bottom of Hogwarts’ Black Lake, you’ll know that a new movie, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, hit theatres! I was able to see a prescreening of the movie, so I’ll take this opportunity to tell you why this movie is a must-see for both Harry Potter fans and individuals new to the magical world created by J.K. Rowling. No spoilers, I promise!
How can you not see a movie starring Eddie Redmayne? Answer is, you can’t. Redmayne plays main character Newt Scamander, who travels to New York City from London with a case full of magical creatures. David Yates is the director, who also directed a few of the Harry Potter films. Even though Fantastic Beasts is a wonderful movie in it’s own right, there are glimpses within the magical world that reminded me of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s adventures, in the best possible way. As an avid Harry Potter fan and ultimate nerd, I was worried about my expectations I had for this movie. I knew it wouldn’t be Harry Potter, but didn’t know how similar the movies would end up being. There are continuities that carry over from one magical world to another, making an American magical plot believable. The cast and characters bring humor to their roles, while maintaining the integrity of the script.
As the storyline of Fantastic Beasts occurs before Harry Potter’s, it is enchanting to see the application of magic here in America, as opposed to England. I must admit, I was thrown off at first to see a character wielding a wand while listening to their lack of a British accent. All Americans feeling left out can now rejoice, especially with the news of the existence of Ilvermorny, the American wizarding school. If all of this doesn’t convince you to see the movie, you should look at the ratings from Rotten Tomato and think again! In short, Fantastic Beasts is, well, fantastic!
This specific prescreening was hosted by the Union Programming Council, Associated Students of the University, University Credit Union and Greek Council, with proceeds from the ticket sales going to the Union Scholarship fund. Thanks for making it possible for students to enjoy this movie early!