Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

 

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the first spinoff film from the Harry Potter movies, a prequel to the events of that impressive series. Soon after Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), a magizoologist, arrives in New York in the 1920s, he encounters Mary Lou Barebone (Emily Watson), leader of the New Salem Philanthropic Society, a virulently anti-witch and anti-wizard group. Barebone’s group wants to expose and kill witches and wizards. A mix up of briefcases leads to several creatures escaping from Newt’s magical case. Thanks to the chaos they create, Newt gets accused of being in league with evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), who has been wreaking havoc throughout New York City. Scamander surrounds himself with an intriguing array of friends in his quest: Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), a frantic “non-maj” (non-magical person, or Muggle) baker; Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), a witch no longer in good standing with her community; and Tina’s sister Queenie (Alison Sudol), who has psychic powers. They make an interesting cadre of adventurers. For much of the film, Newt tries to recapture various animals that got out of his briefcase, the cutest of which is the Niffler, a thieving little animal reminiscent of a platypus. Getting to see the imaginative creatures and their quirks is a delight, one of the best aspects of the film overall. There’s also a narrative thread about the Obscurus, a parasite that develops if you suppress your magical powers. Unsurprisingly, Barebone’s family has an Obscurus in its midst. Director of Magical Security Percival Graves (the dashing Colin Farrell) looks out for and tries to protect wizards, and he works with Mary Lou’s adopted son, Credence (Ezra Miller), to get the family away from their monomaniacal mother. By the way, Graves is a suspiciously snappy dresser for a wizard, and he and Credence develop what can only be described as a homoerotic relationship as the film progresses. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has always included a range of sexualities in her books, and the movies have sometimes followed suit. Being well-versed in the Harry Potter universe would undoubtedly help a viewer. Scamander, after all, writes one of the textbooks that Harry will read when he gets to Hogwarts. Otherwise, there are lots and lots of details to keep track of, lots of character names and lots of creature names and lots of terms associated with wizardry and witchcraft. It’s easier for someone like me, who’s familiar with the movies and has read one of the books, to focus instead on the basics of the plot and the outstanding production design, which creates a rather magical world in the midst of early 20^th century New York.

Oscar Win: Best Achievement in Costume Design

Other Oscar Nomination: Best Achievement in Production Design