Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

The movie has two things going for it. The visuals are cool. And the cast is fun. Johnny Depp plays the villain like only Johnny Depp could. That's about it cause the plot is all over the place full of holes and exposition with no payoff. We are introduced to a slew of new characters with familiar names for no apparent nor believable reason.  Remember the name Lestrange? Like Bellatrix? Well the central conflict centers around whether there are more of them. The opening scene is a prison transport gone wrong. But who would be so stupid as to hand over a wizard's wand for prison transport? And you expect me to believe that wizard transportation is so primitive as to be using carriages? Dumbledore has a seen at the mirror of erised, showing his utmost heart's desire...spoiler alert it's Grindelwald. Is this the homosexuality that Rowling has alluded to in interviews? Also what's the deal with Nicolas Flamel? There's a few too many needless references to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

From the wizarding world of Harry Potter comes a prequel that no one really asked for. But it is a pleasantly enjoyable film. Other than a brief mention of Hogwarts and some familiar spells, the film bears no resemblance to the films we know and love from our childhood. This film brings us to the wizarding community in America, under the rule of the Magical Congress which forbids interaction with muggles, or No-Maj as the Americans so unelegantly put it. The costumes and period production design tinged with a magical aura and special effects transport you to another world as the old films used to. The film is self contained, with a clear beginning, middle and proper end. There is no need for a sequel but we're going to get it. Eddie Redmayne is delightful as Newt Scamander. I thought he was already in Harry Potter. I guess he just seems like he was a student at Hogwarts. Call it good casting. 

The Danish Girl (2015)

The Danish Girl is very similar to last year's The Theory of Everything.  Eddie Redmayne underwent a complete transformation for both roles and he is likely to be a contender for the Oscars this year too (though I think his likelihood of winning is pretty low having already won last year).  Both films featured strong female characters (arguably co-leads) to complement Redmayne's--both were played by excellent newcomers to Hollywood.  And both are variants on a traditional romance.

There are stages to Gerda and Lili/Einar's relationship.  It didn't feel like the stages followed a natural progression.  Until the last third or so, it was not clear that Gerda's love for Einar would persevere.  I was expecting Gerda to love Einar unconditionally, but for a large chunk in the middle she does not seem to understand Einar or Lili.  And I don't expect her to get it right away, but I did not find a turning point where it clicked for her.  It appears to the viewer that she uses Lili for financial gain and it is not clear where her feelings and her work separate paths. Where it all changed was the conversation with Dr. Warnerkos. All of a sudden, Gerda became ultra supportive. Maybe it was that she felt guilty for triggering Einar, and finally understood that it was not Gerda's doing, but that is not clear.  And when things turn around, it is Lili that pushes Gerda away.  Lili/Elbe are presented as dual personalities--two people who inhabit the same body with one who loves Gerda and one who pushes Gerda away. Perhaps that is how transgender people were understood in the 1920s, but as far as I understand that is not quite the case.  For example, Lili claimed that she could not paint because Einar was the painter.  But if this was an activity that Einar enjoyed and had success in, then Lili could have done the same.  She should be allowed to live her life normally as a transitioned woman.

I appreciate Danny Cohen's cinematography. He also worked with Hooper on The King's Speech. He centers certain shots, and lets others sit uncomfortably off-center. But I love the artistic choice.  And Alexandre Desplat's score is very fitting. He always composes great works.  The acting is superb. Eddie Redmayne is extraordinary and makes a full transformation into character both into Einar and then into Lili.  His makeup and costumes are very well done and very convincing.  There has been some controversy over the casting of a cis man as Lili Elbe, but I would contend that Redmayne is properly cast as Einar, and then he makes the transformation successfully to play Lili.  Alicia Vikander has had a standout year following her breakout role in Ex Machina.  She is astounding, too, and she does not allow Redmayne to upstage her--after all she is titular Danish Girl, too.

The Theory of Everything (2014)

The most memorable part of this movie is the incredible performances from the two leads, Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones.  Everyone will refer to this as the Stephen Hawking biopic, but do not forget that the screenplay is adapted from Jane Wilde Hawking's autobiography.  Stephen Hawking's ex-wife is just as important and Felicity Jones holds her own.  She plays a strong woman under a lot of pressure tasked with caring for not only her children but her husband requiring all of her attention.  Redmayne transforms into Stephen Hawking, and as his health deteriorates, his speech becomes more difficult to understand.  Eventually, he becomes mute but still communicates his feelings to the audience.  He walks crookedly (which is not easy for a mobile person) up till the point that he requires the aid of a wheelchair. And in the wheelchair, he convincingly plays a man who has lived with ALS for decades.

The adaptation does a good job of explaining the scientific theories to a general audience.  These are not easy concepts, and Stephen Hawking understood that.  His magnum opus "A Brief History of Time" made his ideas accessible for an audience without a scientific background.  The movie has some really beautiful scenes thanks to superb cinematography.   Footage from the early years appears as authentic as possible.   Complementing the cinematography is a lovely score.  Altogether, a tremendous movie.