Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Director: David Yates
Year Released: 2016
Rating: 1.5
Monster-tamer Mr. Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in New York with a trunk full of freaky creatures (the trunk also doubles as workshop ... or something) and it just so happens some horrible monster is destroying the city ... as one might expect, the Magic Police (led by Colin Farrell) blame mousy Newt and want him - and demoted investigator Tina (Katherine Waterston) - dead. I shouldn't have to do it but I'm going to level the same exact criticism I had of the Harry Potters at this: it isn't so much a "movie" as the process of watching "actors" and "actresses" looking at CGI - it's so consumed with bringing out this new gizmo or goblin (and having everyone react with wonderment) it's basically expensive Show & Tell. There really is no 'dilemma' Rowling can't cheaply write her way out of, is there?
