FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM REVIEW

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler
Directed by: David Yates
Distributor: Warner BrothersOriginal Year of Release: 2016Run Time: 2 hours and 13 Minutes

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

It has been 5 years since we last visited the Wizarding World conceived by J.K. Rowling. With the announcement of a new film, based on a textbook that Hogwarts students use, many thought Warner Brothers was reaching too far for sequel dollars. After all, the Potter films are based on novels, novels that not only captured the imagination of the world, but dominated it. How can a textbook be the basis for a film? The one spark of hope for this fan of the franchise came when it was announced that J.K. Rowling would write the screenplay. Fantastic Beasts, the movie? After eight films, why not take one more trip into her wondrous world?

There is one moment at the beginning of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, where you are almost afraid to drop your pessimism. Because before you know it, you are immediately entranced and looking at Rowling’s world with open eyes and wonder again. Can she have done it again? IS this really going to be good? Yes. Yes. And yes.

The spoiler free review is on Action Figure Junkies.com. 

DOCTOR STRANGE – AFJ MOVIE REVIEW

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton
Directed by: Scott DerricksonWritten by: Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, Steve Ditko (Characters)Studio: Marvel StudiosRated: PG-13Run Time: 115 Minutes

**POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD**

The casting of Benedict Cumberbatch was a brilliant stroke for Marvel’s latest comic book adaptation, Doctor Strange. In fact, this may be one of the finest casts for a Marvel Movie to date. Most of the principle actors have either won an Academy Award or been nominated for one. In short, this is an A-list cast for what many fans may consider a B-list character. Dr. Stephen Strange has been in the Marvel Universe (the comic) for a long time. However, his popularity has never been that of Spider-Man, the Hulk, or Captain America. So with no real conception of who should play the part or the need for a stringent telling of his origin, I was ready for what Marvel delivers, a good time.

I got exactly that, a good time. However, I felt that this origin story was really nothing new. In fact, when I left the theater, I was reminded of another superhero film where I had a terrible time, but the origin was practically the same. It was 2011’s Green Lantern. In no way am I saying that Doctor Strange is the trainwreck that Ryan Reynolds jabbed at in his follow up superhero film, Deadpool. In fact, Scott Derrickson (director/ co-writer) and Jon Spaihts (co-writer) got everything right in the film. It’s only that we have seen the whole origin story before. Sadly, we will see it again with the introduction of each new superhero film.

Read the full review on Action Figure Junkies.com.