film criticism by maryann johanson | celebrating 25 years: 1997–2022
It certainly is MORE than the first movie: more incoherent, more confused about who its protagonist is, more crammed with contrivance and coincidence. Even the title is more nonsensical this time.
The cinematic equivalent of Trump and Brexit as awfulness brought upon ourselves. Incoherent and cheap-looking. There are no heroes, and everything is broken.
Forget about magical creatures: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them could use some help finding itself, and in figuring out who its protagonist is.
A cold, sterile film, bereft of the spirit and danger Gustave Flaubert’s groundbreaking novel demands.
There’s way too much crass and crude for this third outing in the series to do much beyond stoke juvenile disgust with human bodily functions…
The British Film Bloggers Circle — a new organization of which I am a member — has announced the winners our first annual awards…
Saw this one this morning at a London Film Festival press screening. Not the cheeriest way to start a week.
