I rarely like to go to a movie in the theaters since the cost is so high, and I prefer to watch at home anyway. In fact, I don’t watch movies or shows very often because it takes up time that I’d rather spend in other ways (usually reading or writing, as you may have guessed).
Still, I make exceptions for certain movies, especially when I think they will be better on the big screen, and I have therefore seen all of the Harry Potter movies in the theater, including, today, Fantastic Beasts 2 The Crimes of Grindelwald.
I loved it, of course, plus it was a chance to do something as a family—-though I confess that sitting next to people to watch a show never really strikes me as actually spending time with people, though I suppose it’s good when you don’t know what else to talk about. The kids enjoyed it, though they liked the first one better, perhaps because this one did not resolve but rather intensified central conflicts.
I left a little sad because during my workout yesterday I watched comedian John Oliver’s piece on authoritarianism on Last Week Tonight. I literally teared up after watching that segment, and I felt sad today after encountering similar echoes in the movie, though I have to say that the authoritarian figure in the Fantastic Beasts 2 seems smarter and in some ways subtler than the ones rising up around the world.
I find myself often wondering why we have to keep fighting the same fights over and over again. Heck, we are still trying to convince some people the world is not flat. But democracy is not a destination but a journey. Here’s hoping we keep moving to a better place.
reader. writer. 