Pete Messum Reviews...

This is a SPOILER-FREE review of the stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. When I initially read the full published script for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two, I remember feeling very disappointed in the final outcome. What could have been a simpler and more interesting story seemed to be thrown out in favour of dull twists, poorly-handled fan service and a lack of focus. An updated version of the script was published later, and to be honest I'm not sure how many differences there were. It's taken me quite a while to be able to see the show at Palace Theatre in London, and honestly...it's a hell of a lot better seeing it on stage. Firstly, the theatrical production is absolutely stunning. The stage crew have attempted something hugely ambitious (more so than I thought they would, even for a Harry Potter play), and have succeeded in all departments. The main set is incredible in itself, but the way it shifts and changes with differ...

At the very beginning of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald , the new logo for JK Rowling's Wizarding World appears - a reminder (or perhaps threat) of the fact that the Harry Potter series no longer consists of just Harry's story, but now that of a variety of other characters. A spin-off series was inevitable, but Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was a lovely little film in itself: a quirky little adventure film with likable characters, jokes and monsters. It may not have been up there with the likes of the Harry Potter series, but it was never going to be. It didn't feel like an awkward franchise-starter, first-and-foremost, with references to Grindelwald and Dumbledore kept somewhat at arm's length. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald , however, very clearly establishes itself as a franchise film, the follow-up to the previous Fantastic Beasts entry and a prequel to the Harry Potter series, and ultimately falls apart because of it. No...

It was difficult not to feel a sense of trepidation going into the second of J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts series. The first film divided opinion, with many feeling that it was merely a cash-cow designed to milk the Harry Potter franchise dry (which isn't exactly un-true per say), whilst others found it to be a fresh, enjoyable addition to the Wizarding World canon - I myself was among the latter. Regardless of the subjective quality of the first film, Warner Bros, David Yates and J.K. Rowling intend to steady their course in the first trailer for the sequel, The Crime of Jo - I mean, Grindelwald . Aside from the elephant in the room (covered in make-up with a strange voice, because somehow he's managed to make his inconsistency in weirdos bizarrely consistent), Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald looks like an interesting follow-up to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them . Not only are we introduced to a much younger, Jude Law Dumbledore here (whose you...

Today we received our first look at the latest installment in what has been dubbed J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald , and I have to say that I'm very intrigued by this upcoming sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them . Now, a criticism (come on, I'm a fan, you knew there'd be at least one) I have with this announcement is the title: why isn't it Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald ? Why separate the two titles? Seeing it written down in Tweet form seemed a bit odd to me, although when I loaded up the film's official logo, I noticed something. The Fantastic Beasts part of the title is very much a heading to the film, whereas The Crimes of Grindelwald is the actual title of the film. This is obviously what J.K. Rowling would have called it, but because Fantastic Beasts is now a multi-million dollar franchise, the franchise name needs to be maintained. It's a sad but true fact when it comes ...