The Genii Forum

I've always wanted to do 1 page of capsule film reviews by myself and Jon Rachebaumer in Genii every month.
Let me hear your opinions!

[ July 29, 2001: Message edited by: Richard Kaufman ]

Well Movie reviews are in most newspapers. What would Genii bring to movie reviews not currently available everywhere else? Do you have a different point of view?

If Im not mistaken, there is at least 1 person with a degree in film on the Genii staff. So I know qualified people exist and we are not just getting the average Joe's opinion.

To me personally I am still going to buy Genii either way. If Genii had reviews I would read them but thats not why Im buying Genii for in the first place. I buy it to read articles related to magic.

[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: Brian Marks ]

Richard,

I think it's a great idea. You can find my longwinded reasons in the "Talk About the Movies" section.

Dustin

I'll be the party pooper and vote no. I don't want to read a regular page specifically about movies in Genii unless they are movies that somehow involve the subject of the performance of magic.

If a new film shouldn't, in your estimation, be missed under any circumstances, the please give us a "heads-up" in Genii Speaks. But a separate movie feature as content each month? That's not why I subscribed, and to me it would not be an added value.

I would feel the same if the "one page of capsule reviews" were devoted to recent developments in any of my own non-magic interests -- of which I have dozens, just in case some of you were wondering.

JMT

Richard: I'm all for a movie column...but I would like it to be at least tangently related to magic...the story, a magician appearing in it, a character performing a card trick, a magician as technical director, a Grover George poster on a wall in some scene, the key grip being Ricky Jay's neighbor's nephew... ;)

Originally posted by Brian Marks:
So I know qualified people exist and we are not just getting the avaerage Joe's opinion.

Actually, you are. Every other month.

Joe

[ July 29, 2001: Message edited by: Joe M. Turner ]

Please spare us the writing of frustrated movie reviewers. I encourage all such interested parties to attempt to find meaningful work in a publication in which one might expect to find film criticism. Please devote this page in Genii to the subject matter implied on the cover -- something to do with conjuring, one hopes.

Then again, perhaps every staff writer on Genii should devote a page to some subject of great personal interest. Then one can only hope the readership doesn't really care that much about magic in the first place.

[QUOTE]"Originally posted by Jamy Ian Swiss:
[QB]Please spare us the writing of frustrated movie reviewers. I encourage all such interested parties to attempt to find meaningful work in a publication in which one might expect to find film criticism. Please devote this page in Genii to the subject matter implied on the cover -- something to do with conjuring, one hopes."

I have to agree with Jamy. Have Genii stick to magic unless some aspect of the movie deals with magic.

[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: Brian Marks ]

Ditto. No movie reviews in the magic magazine.

I would have to agree with all those who have said no. Genii is a magic magazine, and should stay with the subject of magic. If I wanted movie reviews, there are plenty of places out there that I can check.

If there is a magic-related movie (such as the recent "Magicians"), then I see no problem giving a review of it, however this would be a rare occasion, I think. I also don't have problems with magician sightings in movies ("Tom Mullica can be seen in a brief cameo in Finding Forrester...Ricky Jay has a small part in Mystery Men - 'I'm a publicist, not a magician.'") And stuff like that, though they should be kept brief - a simple heads up will suffice.

-Jim

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

How about restauarant reviews? I know how fond you are of TGIF's, Richard, and the finer points of deep-frying might be of interest to the magic crowd, sort of like Frank Garcia's chili recipe.

Matt Field

My understanding of writing or contributing something about films was predicated on the RELEVANCE of the reviewed film to the subject of MAGIC. Sometimes the commentary would address a small aspect in the film or something tangential (as Michael E. says)to the general subject of conjuring. Otherwise I have no interest in reviewing films per se. I would be hard pressed to find principles of cardmanship, for example, in "Meet The Parents" or "Scary Movie X"...On the other (left) hand, if the Tom Cruise film about Jasper M. is ever made, THAT might be relevant in some way?

As it stands, the world of fanzine commentary has grown to outsized proportions. There are millions (or so it seems) film reviewers and film reviews already on the Internet. I'm not sure these reviewers are frustrated (as Jamy puts it)...Why? Because they have an outlet to air their views. Let's face it, on forums (even this one) and Bulletin Boards everybody can be a Pundit-of-Sorts...

Fortunately, there are only about 15,000 magicians who can possibly add to the babble. So far, this forum currently has a few hundred possible commentators and the QUALITY of the postings are way above average...

Keep up the good work.

Onward...

As somebody who hasn't visited a cinema for over 20 years I'm sorry to say that I no longer have any interest in all these modern 'Starstudded' films!! My interest died with some of the 'great'(IMHO) actors and actresses like Cary Grant, Bette Davis and more recently, the late great Jack Lemon.
I must admit that 'Leonardo de Thingy' and 'Kate Winsomeying' mean virtually nothing to me, Not to mention 'George Somebody'!!
Perhaps my, undoubted, bias is due to the fact that I am a retired DRAMA Teacher!!
Sorry to be a 'Grumpy Old Man'.....stress 'old'!!
Please, let's stick with the Magic. :(

[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: Wallace B ]

Wallace,
You might not be so grumpy if you'd get out of the house and go to a movie occasionally. To think that the world stopped producing fine actors, directors, screenwriters, and so on 20 years ago is nuts. Recommendations for good films on request (alas, not to be found in Genii). Just don't order popcorn. At a minimum of $7 for popcorn and a small drink, you might stay grumpy after all.

Wallace, I would highly recommend the film Waking Ned Divine. It takes place in your part of the world and is quite funny.
Also, I would suggest that Anthony Hopkins is right up there with the great film stars of the past, and that his performances in Remains of the Day and Howard's End stack up against any work that any actor has ever done. Rent them and see!

I love movies. I practically grew up at the movies. My mom used them as a cheap babysitter ("Here's a dollar, go watch Babes in Toyland until the theater lets out."). I wrote a book on the subject of lowbrow and B movies (Incredibly Strange Films). I love reading various reviews, arguing about films, and writing about films.

Having said all that, I must say I concur with the others here that Genii isn't the place for movie reviews. I think the section in the forum here is better suited to explore the subject.

I do, however, think that alerting readers to films (at the movies, on video, and on TV) that contain things that would be of potential interest to magicians is a good idea (e.g., Rounders, and The Croupier).

Jim

I think that I had better expand my 'movie' comment!
To start with Bangor is a small seaside town which only boasts one cinema which shows only the 'latest', eg The Mummy 2, Jurassic Park X etc.
On the other hand UK TV does show many films such as Waking Ned, and the E M Forster films so I may not visit the Cinema but we do see and enjoy many more recent releases and indeed not-so-recent releases.
In my youth years ago I must admit that we were inveterate cinema goers, three or four times a week but I'm afraid that the old bones have got a bit too stiff to 'galivant' much nowadays! ;)

[ July 31, 2001: Message edited by: Wallace B ]

This would be great PR for Ricky Jay. It seems like every time I tune to ET or go see a movie his name pops up. :)

I agree completely with the NO side.
May be Richard wants to create a new magazine dedicated to the film industry, but pleaae, no movie reviews in Genii, unless the movie is directly related to magic.

It's definitely out of place in the magazine. In the forum, if a few guys feel like discussing movies, it's no big deal to scroll down half an inch, which will take about 0.000004 seconds. On the other hand, if a brother magician tells you something about a movie, it has a different meaning than if anyone tells you. It's cool to be able to discuss stuff with magic friends. The problem is if I decide to bring up baseball and then someone else bird-watching. If I had to vote I'd say no for the magazine and why not for the forum.

[ August 06, 2001: Message edited by: Rafael Benatar ]

[ August 06, 2001: Message edited by: Rafael Benatar ]

I say no to movie reviews, but I must confess to having a personal reason. My wife is a movie nut and meticulously clips and files hundreds of movie reviews from scads of publications. I just don't need another source of information on this topic. Besides I like my niche media well-defined.

There's a broader point, however, that I'd like to make. Magicians who think of themselves as competing in the marketplace aginst other magicians are pretty narrow-minded in my view. I've always maintained that the competition isn't the other magician, but rather the dancing bear.

A lot of corporate magic gigs, for example, will also book someone reading fortunes or doing a handwriting personality test. A lot more consumers are spending their entertainment dollars on Broadway or at the movies than down with us freaks at Monday Night Magic.

Movie reviews? No. Coverage that provides some relative perspective on magic's share of the entertainment pie? Yes please.

With a fairly uniform voice the members of this board have voted NO to movie reviews in Genii. The topic is now closed.
Thanks for your opinions! :)