Movie Buff's Reviews: fantastic beasts and where to find them

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Saturday, December 3, 2016

“FANTASTIC BEASTS” EARNS A MAGICAL HALF BILLION DOLLARS WORLDWIDE, P231.17-M IN PH

Press release

The much-anticipated return to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World,

directed by David Yates and starring Eddie Redmayne,

crosses $500 million worldwide after just two weekends in release.

On the heels of topping the box office in its opening weekend, the widely acclaimed magical adventure “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” surpassed half a billion dollars at the global box office on Tuesday, November 29, following its second weekend in release. The announcement was made November 30 by Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Audiences everywhere have flocked to theatres, eager to experience the new era in the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. To date, the film has earned $161 million domestically and $344 million internationally for a global box office cume of $505 million and counting. “Fantastic Beasts,” which is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, has also received praise from critics everywhere.

(In the Philippines, the film has grossed an outstanding P231.17-million in only 16 days, and still climbing.)

In making the announcement, Kroll stated, “We are thrilled by the success of this new adventure, which is also the start of an exciting new franchise for the studio. With ‘Fantastic Beasts,’ the brilliant J.K. Rowling has created an immersive story with timeless themes that are resonating with both critics and audiences in every corner of the world. We congratulate her, our director David Yates, the wonderful cast and everyone involved in the film on this milestone.”

Jeff Goldstein, President, Domestic Distribution, said, “Anticipation grew exponentially in the weeks leading up to the release of ‘Fantastic Beasts,’ and now with the film in theaters we are seeing strong word of mouth and repeat attendance, which should carry the film through the holiday season and beyond.”

Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution and Growth Initiatives, added, “The enthusiastic global response to ‘Fantastic Beasts’ proves once again that the appeal of the wizarding world transcends language and borders. We, too, foresee strong holds through the holidays and well into the new year.”

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, decades before Harry Potter and half a world away.

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident … were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is now playing nationwide in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

“FANTASTIC BEASTS” FINDS P126.42-M IN JUST 4 DAYS

Press release

MANILA, Nov. 22, 2016 – Magical creatures, new heroes to root for and a jaw-dropping big reveal lured audiences back to a new era of magic.

"Fantastic Beasts" cast

The wizarding world of Harry Potter triumphantly returned to Philippine cinemas as Warner Bros.’ “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (view review here)” opened at No.1 with a spellbinding P126.42-million in only four days for the Nov. 17-20 frame. This was announced today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. Philippines.

The Harry Potter spinoff posted the Biggest November Opening Weekend for a Warner Bros. Film All-Time surpassing 2005’s “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’s” P105-million bow.

The solid opening of “Fantastic Beasts” has launched a new franchise for Warner, justifying an expansion of the series into five films. Reviews are generally positive.

In the U.S., “Fantastic Beasts” debuted to a boisterous $75 million, and likewise got off to a roaring start at the international box office, taking in $143.3 million for a global total of $218.3 million.

Next weekend will see big launches in the key markets of China and Japan. A projection towards the $800M mark seems possible if it holds up moderately well in coming weeks.

Back in the Philippines, top-grossing cinemas are led by SM Megamall (P5.56-M), SM Mall of Asia (P5.28-M) and SM North EDSA (P4.99-M).

They are followed by Trinoma (P4.22-M), Power Plant (P3.34-M), Greenbelt 3 (P3.17-M), Glorietta 4 (P2.44-M), SM Cebu (P2.33-M), Alabang Town Center (P2.23-M) and Shang Cineplex (P2.20-M).

Performing significantly well are Ayala Cebu (P2.13-M), Greenhills Theatremall (P2.08-M), SM Ilo-ilo (P2.06-M), SM Aura (P2.04-M), Gateway (P1.96-M), U.P. Town Center (P1.94-M), Uptown (P1.91-M), Bonifacio High Street (P1.87-M), Eastwood (P1.79-M) and SM Bacolod (P1.59-M) .

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, decades before Harry Potter and half a world away.

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything,” “The Danish Girl”) stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is now playing nationwide in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Monday, November 14, 2016

COLIN FARRELL, EZRA MILLER PLAY DARK ROLES IN “FANTASTIC BEASTS”

Press release

Golden Globe Best Actor winner Colin Farrell (“In Bruges”) and fast-rising star Ezra Miller (upcoming “Justice League”) play pivotal characters in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” which takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.

Farrell stars as Percival Graves, the enigmatic Director of Magical Security at MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), while Millers plays the painfully withdrawn Credence Barebone who is not only a complete outsider to the wizarding community, but is the adopted son of the founder of the New Salem Philanthropic Society (NSPS), a vehemently anti-magic organization that is an enemy to MACUSA.

Defining his role, Farrell says, “Graves is very high up on the chain of command in MACUSA. He is basically the head Auror, whose job is to uphold the safety and security of the magical world and to contain anything that could potentially be detrimental to wizardkind. He is very powerful and incredibly driven and highly skilled with a wand.”

MACUSA is intent on the protection of the North American wizarding world, which they believe is dependent upon the enforcement of the Statute of Secrecy. “Graves has his own ideology about the segregation between wizards and No-Majs,” Farrell shares. “The fact that wizards have been repressed and forced to live in the shadows eats away at him. To him, it’s an injustice. Even those at MACUSA don’t know much about Graves, and I enjoyed the degree of mystery about the character.”

The actor says he was drawn to “Fantastic Beasts” from his first reading of J.K. Rowling’s screenplay. “It was just so imaginative and provocative; there was a kind of poetry and symmetry to everything. And while the story is fantastical and set in the 1920s, it is also grounded in a truth that is very relevant today. So on the one hand, the film is a huge departure from reality, but there are also significant human themes explored in it. First and foremost though, it was total blast for me.”

One of the intrigues surrounding the prominent wizard Percival Graves is why he has taken such a keen interest in Credence Barebone. Farrell observes, “Credence is someone who seems lost and always on the outside looking in and that makes him especially vulnerable to Graves, who obviously believes Credence has some insight or information he needs. He gives Credence a sense of belonging that is lacking in his life, but his motives are questionable at best.”

Colin Farell(left) and Ezra Miller(right)

Cast as Credence, Ezra Miller adds, “Their relationship in the film becomes quite disturbing because it has an element of manipulation that is tangible. It’s an interesting dynamic because there is a certain amount of ambiguity about who is good and who is bad and you won’t really know until all the chips have fallen. That is one of the amazing dimensions of J.K. Rowling’s writing—the understanding that all of the dualities of good and evil don’t necessarily exist apart from one another. There are many sides to every person. I think fans will be extremely tickled to discover some of the familiar threads that run through this film, but it’s its own entity and very much its own story.”

Miller, it turns out, is in an excellent position to comment on his fellow fans. “I have been obsessed with J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World since I was seven years old,” he reveals, “so I am very well-versed. Getting to actually step into this universe was the fulfillment of my dreams more than anyone can imagine.”

“Ezra is a big fan of Jo’s world and was determined to be part of this journey and this film,” director David Yates recalls. “As an actor, he’s fearless, curious and open, and brought a lot to the process as well as to the set in terms of energy and ambition. He captured Credence in a way that was both haunting and moving.”

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters.

The film opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident … were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens across the Philippines on Nov. 17 in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

EDDIE REDMAYNE GREETS PH, LEADS MAGICAL CAST OF “FANTASTIC BEASTS”

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, in Warner Bros.' “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” which takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, decades before Harry Potter and half a world away in America.

The casting of “Fantastic Beasts” began with the character of Newt Scamander, whose visit to New York becomes far more eventful than he ever imagined. Producer David Heyman says that Eddie Redmayne was the filmmakers’ first and only choice for the part. “He is quintessentially British, and an actor for all times who can play a character from any time. Eddie is brilliant at getting under a character’s skin and exploring every detail of a role, yet all that effort is invisible. All you see here is Newt—an outsider who is somewhat knotty but winning and engaging, someone you immediately invest in.”

Describing his role, Redmayne says, “Newt is most comfortable around beasts and is seemingly content to be on his own in the company of his animals, which are the be all and end all of his life. What I love about Newt is his passion; his only agenda is to teach the value of these creatures to the rest of the magical world, which considers them dangerous because they could give away the existence of wizards.”

Challenging the status quo, “Newt believes that with proper education, wizards could come to appreciate how magnificent these animals are and learn to coexist with them,” says Redmayne. “At the beginning of the film, he’s spent a year in the field, traveling around the world doing research for his book. Along the way he’s rescued some of these endangered species, which he keeps in his case, containing a wondrous plethora of terrains. He has amazing empathy with his creatures, although he’s not particularly good with humans. But through the people he meets on this journey, he starts to realize there has been a hole in his life.”

Not long after arriving in New York City, Newt meets three people who will change everything: a witch named Tina Goldstein; her younger sister, Queenie; and, most surprising of all, a No-Maj (a non-magical person) named Jacob Kowalski. It isn’t long before these strangers find a common bond and form an uncommon friendship. Redmayne offers, “Newt essentially stumbles onto them, and throughout the film, their growing camaraderie becomes an essential element of the story.”

“The friendship that develops between the four of them is the most important thing in the movie,” screenwriter J.K. Rowling declares. “It’s always the relationships between the characters in my stories that carry you through.”

Katherine Waterston, who plays Tina, observes that the way these four strangers come together is almost instinctual. “It can be lonely being an oddball until you find other oddballs. Their friendship is not a mere byproduct of the extreme set of circumstances they go through together; it is their common experience as outsiders that draws them to one another.”

“They aren’t caricatures,” insists Alison Sudol, cast in the role of Queenie. “There is a genuine humanity to each of these characters. The things they face are not unlike the things we face in our own lives, but it’s seen through a wizarding angle in a very interesting way.”

Yates adds, “Jo has always been interested in outsiders—people who are misunderstood or who are slightly out of kilter with the rest of society.”

Perhaps the ultimate outsider is Jacob, who is the only one in the foursome without magical powers. Dan Fogler, who plays the role, shares, “Even though ‘Fantastic Beasts’ is an adventure that runs the gamut of action and humor, and with gigantic sets and effects, they did an amazing job honing in on the relationships and the chemistry between these characters. I think audiences will really see themselves in these people…these quirky misfits who form this little team.”

Yates reveals that finding the chemistry began in the audition process. “We started with Eddie as Newt and then built the world around him. It was a bit like putting a band together,” the director laughs. “Eddie flew to New York with us and we auditioned lots of Tinas and Jacobs and Queenies with him in a room. Over a 48-hour period, he did the same scenes over and over again with different people, and out of that process we found our core cast—four actors who all bring something different to the movie in interesting ways that complement one another.”

Redmayne says the results were worth it. “The film revolves around this quartet of people who start out moving in completely opposite directions and end up cohered as friends. It was wonderful getting to work with three such brilliant actors as Katherine, Alison and Dan. We were all bound by this sense of responsibility: we all love the ‘Potter’ films and the world that Jo created for this film and just wanted to do the characters proud.”