Max and Magic Movies

[Travis]

Not sure if this belongs in 'Buzz', but I suppose the moderators can relocate it, if necessary.

I just listened to Max's audio clip in the current digital issue of Genii and he mentioned that there are no recent movies that deal with the subject of magic admirably.

I'm curious, Max (should you happen to read this), if you weren't fond of The Illusionist or The Prestige. I realize those films were some 7 or 8 years go, but relatively recent.

[Max Maven]

Glad to know that someone is listening to those audio columns.

While The Illusionist and The Prestige both had some good moments, and both had nice costumes, production design, and other fine technical achievements, both of them (to me; obviously, these are subjective judgments) failed to understand the deeper aspects of theatrical conjuring.

Such films tend to come across as musicals created by the tone deaf.

[Richard Forster]

How about Is Anybody There? (Michael Caine) or the animated film The Illusionist (from 2010, rather than the 2006 film)?

[Richard Kaufman]

I keep telling Max that lots of folks listen to his audio columns, but he doesn't believe me.

I hated hated hated The Prestige. It's the only movie Nolan has made that was bad (and it was the screenplay that sucked).

I loved loved loved The Illusionist. I disagree with Max that it was tone deaf in regard to magic, but that's what makes the world go round.

[Chris Aguilar]

I enjoyed both The Prestige and The Illusionist. It probably comes down to expectations. While some might be expecting "deeper aspects of theatrical conjuring", I was satisfied to enjoy a bit of nice drama for a few hours.

[Andres Reynoso]

Yes, I think a lot of people listen and enjoy Max's audio column. I am included.

I enjoyed both The Prestige and The Illusionist, but definitely The Illusionist is much better. I haven't watched the animated Illusionist.

Another film that I enjoyed a lot and produced some buzz here at the forum some months ago is Hugo. While not deals directly with magic, the story is related with our field. In fact I knew very few about Melies before watch the movie. I should add a thank to Genii and Kino for the Georges Melies footage included in the Bash swag bag.

[MaxNY]

Trailers for " Now You See Me" are out...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaavRAV8a0A

[Travis]

Thanks for your input, Max.

Richard, you hated The Prestige? Why? I'll go on record and say that I think it's one of Nolan's best films. I liked it a lot. I hadn't read Priest's novel before seeing the film, though I did after. The film really goes quite a different direction than the book, so to me they were almost like two different stories.

[erdnasephile]

I disliked The Prestige because (to me) every character was completely unlikable. I didn't feel I could root for or even empathize with any of them.

[MManchester]

I keep telling Max that lots of folks listen to his audio columns, but he doesn't believe me.

Love Max's audio, but it's too bad we can't download the tracks. I would like to burn it to CD to listen during my commute or add to my MP3 player when I go for a walk. I assume concerns about uploads to file sharing Web sites is the main reason.

[Richard Stokes]

I also enjoyed Max's audio report.

Even the film's title 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone' sounds off-putting.

Given the intense competition in movie land and the diminishing likelihood that any screenplay, no matter how well written, will ever be adopted, one would expect that the majority of films that somehow get made ought to be lemon-proof.
On Darwinian grounds alone, those films that make the cull should be extraordinary...
However, I'm surprised at how many mediocre films come into existence, despite the selection pressure.

PS I quite liked David Tennant (ex-Dr Who) in the recent remake of Fright Night, playing a Vegas Show Magician, parodying Russell Brand.

[Bill Mullins]

Didn't William Goldman (who wrote "Magic" with Anthony Hopkins, and "The Princess Bride") say, in reference to picking good scripts, good directors, good casts, etc. in order to make a good movie, "Nobody knows anything"?

[Dustin Stinett]

I disliked The Prestige because (to me) every character was completely unlikable. I didn't feel I could root for or even empathize with any of them.

That is my issue with that film as well. The only character worth a hoot was Tesla, and I was gob smacked when I saw (when the credits rolled) that it was David Bowie.

I loved "The Illusionist" (the Edward Norton one). I believe it did a fine job of representing magic. I think that the imagery was to be taken from the point of view of the onlooker; their recollection of the effect and how they might describe it to someone else.

I have not yet watched the animated film of the same name (yes, I know the story is different).

And Max, for what it's worth, the first thing I go to each month in iGenii is your commentary.

[Chris Aguilar]

PS I quite liked David Tennant (ex-Dr Who) in the recent remake of Fright Night, playing a Vegas Show Magician, parodying Russell Brand.

He was a bright spot in that otherwise dismal remake.