I’ve been a Harry Potter fan since I read the first book, long before they started talking about making films. After all, I love Fantasy, and Harry Potter is one of the greats. The funny thing is that by the time the Film franchise was nearing the end I was getting fed up with it. I can’t even say why, it was just getting a bit too much. So when I heard about this film I was a bit dubious, still my kids wanted to see it so see it we did.

And I have to say that I absolutely loved it! Here are some of the reasons:

1) It recaptures the wonder.

Watching this I had some of the feeling that I had when I first read the books. This was partly because of:

2) It is set in a new world.

or rather, the new world, I.e, the USA, New York in 1926 to be precise. This gives a new opening into the magical world and adds in the whole roaring twenties culture. It works really well, especially for someone like me who lives all those old black and white gangster films.

3) It is a film of contrasts.

From moments of genuine wonder and touches of humour to the dark edges of human nature there is a good range of light and dark.

Finally:

4) It has Eddie Redmayne in it, who is quite brilliant!

My only regret was having to return  to the real world. Lincolnshire in December can be a dreary place with not much in the way of Fantastic Beasts.

Fantastic Beets though, that’s more like it. We’ve got sugar beet, beetroot, turnips, mangleworzles…