Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Omg, I meant to post in the US Politics thread; I’m so sorry.

What impressed me about Depp's performance is precisely that it wasn't a typical Depp performance (at least the post-Jack Sparrow Depp). Appearance aside, this is a very nuanced performance in how he plays the crowd. It's very similar to Palpatine in the Star Wars prequels, except while Palpatine masked his Large Ham underneath a meek Senator/Chancellor persona, Grindelwald's appeal is precisely that he comes across as sincere in everything he does. He's merciful or cruel, pacifist or violent, when that is the right call. It would have been too easy to play him as a straight hypocrite.

Of the two people I was in the theatre (which aren't as tuned in into entertainment news or movies as I am), one really enjoyed Depp's performance, the other didn't even recognize him.

So...yeah. Frankly, I really disliked his performance at the end of the last movie, but I actually didn't mind it in this movie. Nor would I reduce his role to "power-hungry maniac". I think that he is really believing in what he is doing, it is not just about the power. He is still a maniac due to his lack of respect and love for, well, anyone.

I never believed Depp would play Grindelwald just like he plays Jack Sparrow, the characters are far too different from each other in both writing and setting. I still don't like his hair though, the long hair and beard he had in the first few minutes of the film looked pretty good. Some kudos should go to Rowling for at least keeping the writing for Grindelwald consistent. Depp may have chosen a crazy look for Grindelwald but the dialogue is still calm, seductive, and rarely boisterous.

I don't mind Depp as Grindlewald, but I don't think either he's adding much to the character himself or that the writing isn't playing to any of his strengths.

Which isn't bad, but he isn't particuarly memorable.

I don't think Depp actually chose the look of the character, he doesn't have that much influence anymore. And he (or anyone else in the role tbh) is somewhat hamstrung by the fact the story is meant to be over five movies. The build up at this stage is just too darn slow/confusing.

The last time someone let him choose the look of the character because he did so well in the Pirates films, they got The Lone Ranger.

I thought, today, that there's a good way to ignore these movies. Namely, to remember that they are a different canon separate from Rowling's books. Remember that there are many changes across eight Harry Potter films; the Elder Wand meets a different fate in the movie than it does in the books.

So remember, if one of these films does something silly like making Nagini into a person: these aren't books! Ignore them!

Really? I heard that the Fantastic Beasts films are canon with the books. Just not the film adaptations of the Harry Potter series.

According to this they seem to have a Star Wars Legends-style thing with different tiers of canon. https://www.reddit.com/r/harrypotter/comments/9rnd65/are_the_fantastic_beast_movies_canon_and/e8i8bid/

Nah, they are definitely canon with the movies. We are free to pick whatever we like about them for our head canon, but they don't belong to the books. Which stand proud and untarnished.

I have a sneaking suspicion that somebody at Warner Brothers was not too pleased by this final cut of the movie but it was too late for them to do anything about it. This movie feels quite incomplete at times, feels like important scenes are missing. The editing is also frequently questionable, maybe it's time to hire a new editor for this franchise.

nothing new about that, though.

It's a strange movie where the villain is a gay man trying to stop the rise of the Nazis.

Well, technically, Rowling has been a bit vague on Grindlewald's feelings on the matter. Its left ambiguous if the feelings were mutual or if he was just manipulating the opportunity that presented itself.

Grindelwald is Grindelgone from the films.

Edited by Mizerous on Nov 6th 2020 at 11:47:16 AM

Could we go back to collin farell then.

It is a little weird to lose one of the few things that was praised about the second movie, but to be honest I get recasting the role. Probably for the best.

Honestly Depp was the least of this franchises problems. Him getting kicked out is just one of the many things they need to do to fix these movies; at this point I could see them just putting the third movie on Warner Brothers steaming service because it's box office potential is in serious jeopardy.

After everything that has happened with him and Amber Heard, Its just another kick in his Dick for no reason.

Given Rowling is directly the screenwriter and this year she’s put away all hesitation to mobilize her transphobia financial assets and all, there isn’t really any good outcome for the series successfully or unsuccessfully.

Edited by Tuckerscreator on Nov 6th 2020 at 4:28:15 AM

Getting rid of an erratic actor whose legal problems have overshadowed most of his work for the past few years seems like pretty good business sense, especially considering that Warner is already hemorrhaging money and has two separate toxic workplace investigations going on.

I'd love it if the Harry Potter franchise is dead now. Rowling shouldn't be given even more money to use on her transphobic crusade.

The Evidence that Johnny Depp wasn't erratic at all became overwhelming earlier this year. The Judge throwing out his Libel suit just makes it even stupider.

The ruling of the case for those interested in reading it.