Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Rowling magic is back!

'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' is in theaters nationwide

So often these days, once you’ve seen a couple of trailers from a movie you’ve seen the best the film has to offer. This is not the case with David Yates’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”  This prequel to the Harry Potter saga, written by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, has so much more going on beyond the enchanting teaser trailers.

Its 1926, dark wizard Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) has gone underground, and the wizarding world is on alert. English wizard/magizoologist Newt Scamander (Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne) arrives in New York City carrying an enchanted suitcase full of magical creatures. Unfortunately, the suitcase isn’t quite able to properly contain the beasties. A kind no-maj (muggle) named Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) gets dragged into the center of the action when he accidentally switches suitcases with Newt, and unwittingly allows some fantastic beasts loose in the city.

A witch named Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) notices Newt looking suspicious outside of a bank, and decides to investigate. When she witnesses him expose magic to no-majes, she arrests him, and takes him to MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America). She reports to an auror (magical law enforcer) named Graves (Colin Farrell), who’s up to no good. Graves is having secret meetings with an orphaned boy named Credence (Ezra Miller) whose guardian is out to prove that witches are real and living among them. Newt, Jacob, Tina, and her sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) must recover the magical creatures or face dire consequences.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” has the same kind of intensity as a Marvel superhero movie. It’s fast paced, and jam-packed with story and action from start to finish. It sports outstanding cinematography, writing, directing, music, and acting. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is not just some attempt by producers and movie studio to make a bunch of money by trading on the popularity of the Harry Potter franchise. Creativity, vision, talent, hard work, care, and love was put into every aspect of this movie.

Verdict: 5 out of 5 stars, a must see! “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a sensational thrill ride. It is definitely not just for kids, this is a grown up movie featuring grown up characters and story. For more information visit the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” official website and Facebook Page.

Harry Potter marathon during Fantastic Beasts opening weekend

Harry Potter Weekend on "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" opening weekend 

As every Potterhead knows, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens Friday, November 

18. Freeform is adding to the excitement by airing a Harry Potter Weekend. “Fantastic Beasts and 

Where to Find Them” is the title of one of Harry Potter’s school books at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The book was written by wizard/magizoologist Newt Scamander. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” tells the story of Newt Scamander’s adventures in the magical community in 1920s New York City.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is the first film in a five picture deal. Producers and Warner Bros. announced that the movie series will also focus on the story of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald who, along with Albus Dumbledore planned to conquer the muggle (non-magical) world. No word yet on who will play Dumbledore, but Johnny Depp has been cast as Grindelwald, whom Dumbledore split from, and defeated in 1945.

Fans will be able to see “Fantastic beasts and Where to Find Them, and then head home and continue the magic with the “Harry Potter Weekend” on Freeform. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix won’t air during the movie marathon. The TV rights to the fifth movie in the Harry Potter series currently belong to HBO/Cinemax.

“Harry Potter Weekend” schedule (times are Eastern Standard Time, times subject to change by Freeform):  

Friday, Nov. 18:

3:30 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”

7 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

Sat., Nov. 19:

7 a.m. – “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”

10:30 a.m. – “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

2:30 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

5:30 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”

9 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”

12:30 a.m. – “Tom Felton Meets the Super Fans”

Sun., Nov. 20:

7 a.m. – “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

10:10 a.m. – “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”

1:50 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”

5:30 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1”

9 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the deathly Hallows, Part 2”

Mon., Nov. 21:

2 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1”

5:30 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2”

Tues., Nov. 22:

5 p.m. – “Harry Potter and the deathly Hallows, Part 2”

As always, viewers will be able to tweet along with Freeform’s  official Twitter account using  #HarryPotter, and #HarryPotterWeekend all weekend. Freeform will also post some fun content on their official Facebook Page. Visit Freeform’s official website for more information.

    

'J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World Movie Magic, Volume 1' book review

'J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World Movie Magic: Extraordinary People and Fascinating Places' by Jody Revenson.

There are only a couple of weeks to go until the release of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the new movie from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter universe. To add to the enjoyment of Harry Potter fans, Candlewick Press has released Jody Revenson’s “J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World Movie Magic: Extraordinary People and Fascinating Places.” The book is an insider’s guide to all eight Harry Potter movies, plus “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

Revenson tells the story of how production designers, digital artists, graphics designers, hair stylists, set designers, makeup artists, and more brought the Fairyland that is the wizarding world to life on the big screen.  This magical volume features settings such as Diagon Alley and the Great Hall at Hogwarts from the Harry Potter films, and 1926 New York City from “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” It also features beloved witches and wizards such as Harry Potter and Sirius Black from the Potter series, and introduces Newt Scamander and characters from the New York City of the 1920s.

Opening Volume 1 of “J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World Movie Magic” is like opening a magical treasure chest. It’s not only full of beautiful photos and art, it’s made interactive with inserts, a pair of Death Eater masks, flaps to lift, and more. Each character and place has feature pages with quotes from actors about their characters, trivia, and inside information from movie makers about how places and characters were conceived and brought to life through movie magic.

Verdict: five out of five stars, buy it. “J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World Movie Magic: Extraordinary People and Fascinating Places” is a beautiful coffee table style book printed on heavy coated paper with an embossed cover. It’s ninety-six pages long, and has something for everyone ages ten years to adult. It’s a great gift for the Potterhead in your life. It's available online and in book stores now.

Harry Potter Funday Weekend marathon on Freeform

Harry Potter Funday Weekend marathon Oct. 14-17.

Freeform’s next Funday weekend starts Friday, Oct. 14, and this month’s Funday is a Harry Potter Weekend. Harry Potter fans can share in the magic by visiting Freeform on social media. Follow Freeform on Twitter and Facebook. Tweet along and post on Facebook while watching the Harry Potter movie marathon. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix won’t air during the Funday weekend because the TV rights for the fifth movie in the series currently belong to HBO/Cinemax.

Harry Potter fans can visit Freeform’s Funday app site and download the app for a more interactive experience of the Potter magic. Use the #FUNDAY on social media when posting. This Funday, Freeform is looking for Harry Potter themed selfies.

Harry Potter Funday Weekend schedule (all times are U.S. Eastern Time):

Friday, Oct. 14:

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” – 3:30 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” – 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 15:

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” – 7 a.m.

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” – 10:30 a.m.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” – 2:30 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” – 5:30 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” – 9 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 16:

“Tom Felton Meets the Super Fans” – 12:30 a.m.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” – 7 a.m.

“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” – 10:10 a.m.

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” – 1:50 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” – 5:30 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” – 9 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 17:

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” – 1 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” – 4:30 p.m.

Enjoy Freeform’s Harry Potter Funday Weekend event to celebrate the countdown to J.K. Rowling's “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” which debuts in U.S. theaters November 18. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” stars Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, a magizoologist who travels the world collecting specimens of magical creatures. He is author of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” which is used as a text book at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when Harry Potter is at school. Harry’s friend Luna Lovegood married Newt Scamander’s grandson Rolf sometime after the defeat of Lord Voldemort. The new movie tells the story of the English wizard’s adventures in 1920s New York City.

  

Autumnal Equinox: A fairy holiday

August Malmstrom (1829-1901)

The Autumnal Equinox marks time at which the Sun crosses the celestial equator, it’s one of those special in-between, or “’tween” times when humans might see fairies.  The equinox takes place today, Sept. 22 at 10:21 a.m. EDT (or 14:21 UTC).  The word equinox means “equal night,” from the Latin words aequus (equal), and nox (night). It’s the time when Summer fades into Autumn, and day and night are of equal length. Of course, in the southern hemisphere today is Spring Equinox day.  

Equinox days happen twice each year, in the autumn and in the spring. At the moment the equinox occurs on these magical days, the sun appears to cross the equator. It’s an “In-between” time, a time when the invisible magical veil between the mundane human world and the magical world of Faerie thins. During these “in-between” times, when the veil is thin, fairies might cross over into the human world, and humans might cross over to Faerie.

Beware, though, because Faerie can a dangerous place, and humans who go there are forever changed. In addition, liminal, or “in-between” times themselves can be dangerous. So, venture with caution and don’t be too quick to seek out the fairies. Fairies are not humans and don’t share human ethics, culture, rules, or morality. They can be tricksters, too.

Be cautious and respectful, they may let you see them. Celebrate the day by inviting like-minded friends over for a bonfire and leave some raw, unseasoned nuts, seeds, or fruit for their fairy feast. Always be kind to animals, nature, and fellow humans, and the fairies may make an appearance.     

'The Pressed Fairy Journal of Madeline Cottington' book review

'The Pressed Fairy Journal of Madeline Cottington' by Brian and Wendy Froud. Copyright 2016, Abrams Books.

Fairy artist Brian Froud says that he’s spent most of his life pursuing undeniable proof of the existence of fairies. Just after midnight of January 1, 1990 he received a mysterious envelope containing a scrap of paper with some pressed flowers and what appeared to be a squashed fairy. He soon received more of these fairy pressings, and his life has never been the same since. It turns out that the pressed images were actually psychic impressions left behind by the fairies, and no fairies were harmed in creating the images. In fact, the fairies enjoyed it, and began competing to see who could leave the most artistic or most outrageous impression. After receiving more and more documents about the creator of the pressed fairy images, Lady Angelica Cottington and her family, and their interactions with the fairies, Froud published “Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book” in 1994. The book became an international best seller, and is still in print.

Brian Froud has since published three other volumes about the Cottingtons, as well as a 10 ¾ anniversary edition of “Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book.” Now, Brian and his wife Wendy Froud present “The Pressed Fairy Journal of Madeline Cottington.” Madeline Cottington, or Maddie C., is a young descendant of the Cottingtons who grew up in the U.S. knowing nothing about her ancestors or their relationships with the fairies. She does see “floaty things” around her which also begin to appear in photos of her.

After her family moves to England she begins to find evidence of the family secret. Her search for the truth leads her to Cottington Hall, her ancestral home where the mystery of her family’s relationship with the fairies is gradually revealed to her. Eventually, she finds herself being drawn out of the mundane human world, and into the world of Faerie. In the end, she must make a difficult decision, but is she deciding for herself, or has her destiny been decided for her all along?

This new book features fairy art by Brian Froud, along with a foreword by the artist and text by Wendy Froud. It’s full of quirky dark humor, mystery, and even tragedy. The story is told through Maddie’s journal entries, old family notes and letters, photos, and pressed fairy images. It’s on the dark side, so it’s not for children. This ninety-six page hard cover volume is a coffee table book printed on heavy coated paper. It features ninety-six color illustrations and includes a bee tattoo and a paper hat.

Verdict: 4 stars. Diehard fans of Brian Froud will want to add this to their collection of his works. It’s not on the same order as his classic book “Faeries” from 1979, but those who enjoy his darker works and the previous books about the Cottingtons will like this one. This darker story is in keeping with the upcoming Halloween season. “The Pressed Fairy Journal of Madeline Cottington” is published by Abrams Books, and will be available in stores and online beginning September 27.