Charming

(November 18, 2018 – 1:26 AM)Naeva Lécuyer Wrote: [ -> ]

(November 18, 2018 – 1:07 AM)Aldous Crouch Wrote: [ -> ]— The...fire...dragon? was garbage and I would have rather had a good old fashioned duel. There was a lot of ~social stuff going on without an OTT magical spectacle with no real stakes, IMO.

I was thinking Fiendfyre, tbh. Think about it. Magical beasties made out of fire.

I just think that there's a line between "fantastic" and "let's just throw in ALL THE MAGIC and see what sticks" and that bit hit the latter. Examples of them hitting the former include the packing up of the circus (LOVED) and the boggart in class (ALSO LOVED)

(November 18, 2018 – 1:07 AM)Aldous Crouch Wrote: [ -> ]— If "Aurelius" isn't a ruse (my immediate reaction was "ew wtf" but I could see myself warming to it depending on how it's framed next film) then I think it would be a fun twist if he was the Dubledore to kill Grindelwald and Albus just takes the credit.

This was something I also considered!

Quote:— Leta was fabulous but I understand neither the IC or OOC reason for her death, so there's that.

I keep trying to search for/remember the poem that everyone used to justify why they believed Credence to be Corvus and thought it might explain it away?

Quote:— WHAT EVEN WAS LETA'S JOB?

She was an assistant to the Head of the Dept. MLE, if I remember? I either heard it or read it somewhere :P

I'm so happy that more and more of us Charmers are seeing it so we can all chit-chat. I agree with Kayte that if it isn't just a ruse that I'm gonna have a hard time warming up to Credence as a Dumbledore because of the reasons I mentioned earlier. Though I do adore Credence, so that might help me to warm up to this plot twist.

Jude Law as young Dumbledore was amazing. That series would be amazing. If we don't get a series, I really hope we do seem more of him in the next films. The younger versions of were awesome, the actors did very well portraying young versions of the characters that we've come to know and love. Kayte, you do have a good point with the British aurors having so much weight in France. As I think about it, it does feel pretty out of place if we're thinking realistically.

Grindelwald's speech was scary in how convincing it was. Queenie's choices in the film were so IC accurate honestly. I liked it, it didn't seem out of place like in some other movies that kinda do the same thing with good people joining the villain. Leta's death made more sense to me IC than OOC. I would have loved to see more adult development with her though. Hopefully we will get flashbacks with her or something. I assume that she was also an auror, but could possibly be part of another branch of the Ministry.

I adored the cat creatures in that scene, but they could have been introduced in a more creative way rather than with that creepy lady. We already got Umbridge for creepy cat lady, couldn't we have a nice cat lady that just happened to have dangerous guard cats? At least make said guardian of cat creatures to be less creepy or something.

I have a number of thoughts, some more substantial than others, which I will marshall at a later date but just a PSA that I am shook by the thought of Vinda Rosier and Queenie's relationship as Big G's chief henchwomen. Just a cheerful flapper with a big heart and a French bitch with an amazing hat hanging out in a massive castle, drinking tea from an insistent teapot, maybe opening a pâtisserie together when all of this is over...

I thoroughly enjoyed this! My immediate thought about Aurelius was - WTF JK JUST ADDS TO CANON AGAIN - and then wondered if it was somehow possible that he was Ariana Dumbledore's son, but I've looked at the timeline and she dies in 1899 and he's born in 1901 according to the wiki, so not possible. OR he really is Corvus and Leta was on Grindelwald's side this whole time, lied about it all and sacrificed herself as part of his schemes.

I needed more NEWT adorableness but at least we got some good things out of a darker movie. Did not like Depp as Grindelwald, but what can you do. Jude Law was OUTSTANDING and I fangirl squealed over McGonagall.

Queenie switching sides hurt my soul.

(November 19, 2018 – 2:42 AM)Prudence Browne Wrote: [ -> ]I thoroughly enjoyed this! My immediate thought about Aurelius was - WTF JK JUST ADDS TO CANON AGAIN - and then wondered if it was somehow possible that he was Ariana Dumbledore's son, but I've looked at the timeline and she dies in 1899 and he's born in 1901 according to the wiki, so not possible. OR he really is Corvus and Leta was on Grindelwald's side this whole time, lied about it all and sacrificed herself as part of his schemes.

I needed more NEWT adorableness but at least we got some good things out of a darker movie. Did not like Depp as Grindelwald, but what can you do. Jude Law was OUTSTANDING and I fangirl squealed over McGonagall.

Queenie switching sides hurt my soul.

Alternatively, what if he was Ariana Dumbeldore's daughter and she didn't die when Albus thought she did? What if she was like Credence in that she escaped?



jk but really, there's probably some convoluted explanation that J.K. Rowling is prepared to hit us with in the third movie.

ALSO ALL THE APPARITION KIDNAPPING GUYS I LOVED ALL OF IT

My 2 knuts
-I was irked by the Thestral prison carriage at the start - why not portkey, or sidelong - it seems much less secure to load him in a carriage.

- Credence isn't a Dumbledore, Grindelwald just needs someone powerful who can kill Dumbie for him and making him a Dumbledore would do that, although I think Dumbie will offer him a family, and the name, if he wants it in the next film - I have fingers crossed for Aberforth to show up at some stage.

- Credence is a L'Estrange- or will take on the name - there has to be another one knocking about somewhere. Leta can't have been the last and it has to be a boy.

I think what kinda freaked me out was that Grindelwald isn't wrong! He told his followers that if wizards didn't take over there would be another world war - there was - he isn't lying. So now I'm wondering if he genuinely thinks he's doing right by the world and what's in the best interest of muggles and wizards, or if it's all a cynical plot. It would be very easy to fall for this speech, especially given how devastating the first world war was to Europe.

I was SHOCKED that I liked Jude Law as Dumbledore so much -I dont think I've liked him in any other film he's done, but he is delightful as Dumbeldore - perfect in fact. I dont think it could have been better cast.
I do think Depp is too old to be Grindlewald, especially since he and Dumbledore had been in some kind of romantic relationship there is more than 10 years between them as actors - and they looked it - also...FORK Johnny Depp and his abusive ass.

I loved all the magical creatures featured, and would really like a film that's just Newt being Magical David Attenborough - even a short - because those were adorable.

I also Feel SUPER sorry for Nagini , and I think if she had found another parselmouth she wouldn't have fallen in with Voldie. There must be nothing more isolating than a human brain trapped in a mute, unemotive body.


RE: the date discrepancies
Apparently the published screenplay of the film shows some retconning went on, and it could be interpreted that he could be a Dumbledore who was born the year Kendra died, and the ship wreck was 1901, so the dates could work. - but I agree Grindy is lying so its all moot!!

McGonnegall - I think it was meant to be her, she is credited as Minerva, so I think she's meant to be older than she appears in the first films.

(November 19, 2018 – 4:28 PM)Benevolence Montague Wrote: [ -> ]-I was irked by the Thestral prison carriage at the start - why not portkey, or sidelong - it seems much less secure to load him in a carriage.

It was definitely less secure. Also how in the heck did Grindelwald pull THAT off!?! The whole thing!! It's very clear he was under close watch in the prison, which makes me wonder - how did they pull off the swap? How did that random guy bring in Polyjuice? Just. How?!?!?!?!

(November 19, 2018 – 4:28 PM)Benevolence Montague Wrote: [ -> ]I think what kinda freaked me out was that Grindelwald isn't wrong! He told his followers that if wizards didn't take over there would be another world war - there was - he isn't lying. So now I'm wondering if he genuinely thinks he's doing right by the world and what's in the best interest of muggles and wizards, or if it's all a cynical plot. It would be very easy to fall for this speech, especially given how devastating the first world war was to Europe.

I was most shocked at the relatively accurate depiction of WWII. Including the mushroom cloud. This means one of two things. Either that damned skull hookah is a device which can accurately predict the future, or Grindelwald's a seer hiding his abilities by making it look like the skull hookah is doing the things.

(November 19, 2018 – 4:28 PM)Benevolence Montague Wrote: [ -> ]I loved all the magical creatures featured, and would really like a film that's just Newt being Magical David Attenborough - even a short - because those were adorable.

All of this. I want my own Zoumu. GIANT FLUFFEH KITTEH! :D

*clears throat*

I want one.

(November 19, 2018 – 2:42 AM)Prudence Browne Wrote: [ -> ]OR he really is Corvus and Leta was on Grindelwald's side this whole time, lied about it all and sacrificed herself as part of his schemes.

I JUST saw this today #worstfan #momlife #gradlife and this is my favorite theory.

I think it's more likely that JKR just said "lul canon wuts that" and added a fourth Dumbledore sibling that was 1) never mentioned by Dumbledore 2) never mentioned by Aberforth 3) unknown to literally the entire wizarding world since it was never uncovered by Rita Skeeter 4) somehow, for some bizarre reason, was on a random ship to America and just happened to get picked up by Leta Lestrange? There just happened to be two powerful magical babies from powerful magical families rooming across the hall from each other on a Muggle vessel (we know it's Muggle because no one used any magic to save the damn ship) to the US, and Leta conveniently switched the babies like 5 minutes before a shipwreck and then somehow the elf-nurse who had been with the baby every day of its life didn't realize that it had been swapped between that event and when she gave it up in New York (which would have been a considerable amount of time later because that shipwreck did not happen in a harbor and that rowboat wasn't
getting them to shore on its own).

So, yeah, that's probably what we're going to get, but fuck that.

I like this especially because it gives a reason to Leta's totally pointless death, even if we don't know exactly what that reason is yet. Maybe Grindelwald's playing the long con and Leta's death was a way to try and leverage either Theseus or Newt to his side. Or maybe he wanted Leta to get close to Theseus and then die just to emotionally cripple him going forward — he's referenced as a war hero and was apparently a force to be reckoned with the first go-around with Grindelwald.

Another reason this theory works well for me is that Grindelwald would definitely have a motive for lying to Creedence: if he's a disowned Dumbledore, he's got a tangible, personal reason to want to go after Albus Dumbledore whereas if he's Whoever Lestrange he doesn't really have a role in this Grindelwald-Dumbledore conflict and it would take a lot more convincing to get him ready to fight some middle-aged English guy for no reason.

OTHER THOUGHTS:
- Liked the blood pact as a good canonical reason why Dumbledore put off the fight with Grindelwald for so long, besides just angst. Also makes sense as to why he was criticized so heavily for staying out of things because he clearly wouldn't want to publicize the blood pact thing.
- Liked Grindelwald's characterization and his relationship with his henchmen.
- Loved Queenie's plot arch - it didn't really seem in character for her to befuddle Jacob or whatever but if you buy into her starting there, her transformation was really solid and I'm excited to see her continue to develop in later movies. It'll also set up some great angst for her and Tina.
- Liked Newt and his beasts but some did seem a bit shoe-horned in... the cats in the library are one already stated example, some of the circus creatures escaping sort of 'just because' is another one.
- They didn't do shit with Nagini, so I don't really understand why she was there.

OVERALL:
It seems like JKR & co said "Newt and co are really great characters who deserve a sequel, but we don't have a plot for them. Also we could do a pretty epic multi-movie plot arch with Grindelwald but no one is invested in his character/his henchmen yet. How do we combine these two totally distinct movie franchise ideas?" and the answer was "Bring Creedence back to life and retcon him in to someone super important who can tie these two things together and hope everyone just goes with it." I don't dislike Creedence as a character but he was pretty darn dead at the end of FB1, he didn't add much to this movie besides being a McGuffin and I hate where they appear to be going with him.

Would have been better as a FB sequel with a plotline that made sense for Newt and a separate Dumbledore/Grindelwald/war franchise with some Newt & co cameos.

(December 8, 2019 – 9:08 PM)Ophelia Devine Wrote: [ -> ]- They didn't do shit with Nagini, so I don't really understand why she was there.

Absolutely true, and I hope dearly that they give her more attention in the next movie. I was really disappointed with how little we saw and learned about her.