The Prestige and the Illusionist

[Gail Simone]

TWO movies about old-time magicians?


And they're both great?

HAPPY ME!


Gail

[ChthonicSpirit]

My sister pestered me incessantly until I went and saw The Prestige. Afterwards I was glad she had. :)

[saintsaucey]

The Prestige was awsome. i haven't seen the illusionist but its got ed norton in it so it can't be too awful bad

[Cam63]

Wahroonga's doing OK for himself.

I'll even forgive him for Van Hell-sing.

[Lunar Daydreamer]

The Prestige didn't even make it to the multiplexes here, clearly refusing it and chosing to show the likes of Beerfest instead :rolleyes:

Likewise I had to travel to a neighbouring City to see the fabulous Pan's Labyrinth, which was showing at only one of their multiplexes, but had been showing for weeks. When Gem and I went it was on its second or third week and the theatre was *packed*. So much for subtitled films not doing good business.

[hellokittykat]

I was in line to buy tickets for 'Borat' and then my husband suddenly yells from the concession line 'Hey Kit! Get tickets for 'The Prestige' instead!'.
'What the frag is that?' I asked.
I didn't hear his reply and I wasn't that high on seeing 'Borat' to begin with so I just got tickets for 'The Prestige'.
I'm so glad that we saw that instead. It was definitely something that I would have wanted to see if I had know it was out.
Great movie!:)

[Cam63]

It's original title was " Look At What These Tricky Buggers Can do. "

[NickG]

I had read The Prestige long before I saw the movie so I kinda knew about the ending. I liked it, I mean yeah the book was better but, the movie was still pretty good and my sister seemed to like it (which is good considering it was her b-day present). I haven't had a chance to see The Illusionist yet, anything with Jessica Biel I am almost predisposed not to be a fan of, she's a nice enough person, I am just not crazy about her acting.

[Scottsdale_Saint]

i actually preferred the Illusionist to the Prestige. both movies were very well constructed and the acting was excellent in both, but the Prestige was so relentlessly dark that it was difficult for me to enjoy. i'm generally not a fan of Biel's acting but she was excellent in the Illusionist.

[TCJohnson]

I was enjoying the Prestige until they introduced Sci-Fi elements to it. I thought it would have been a better story if they didn't have real "magic" in it.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Hugh Jackman is pretty much the only person who had really no career before the X-Films to come outta the X-Franchise as a bigger star . The moment Jackman did Kate & Leopold I sorta knew his career was on a path.

I never got to see The Prestige but I am so gonna rent it. I heard it was a great film with Bale.

[TCJohnson]

Even with the problems I had with the plot, all the performances in The Prestige were fantastic. Even Andy Serkis who had a bit part did a great job. David Bowie, Michael Cain, Scarlett Johnansen....everybody in the film was great.

[singoalla]

I loved the Prestige. Brilliant, and even though I read the book it was still surprising.

That, and Bale is the Hawt!

[Shonzi]

I was enjoying the Prestige until they introduced Sci-Fi elements to it. I thought it would have been a better story if they didn't have real "magic" in it.

Yeah, this is what kept me from liking the prestige as much as the illusionist. my suspension of disbelief was at one level and all of a sudden they wanted it at a different level and it didn't go, so it felt silly. the illusionist however maintained the same level required the whole movie. Acting in both movies was phenominal but the drowned jackmans were just too much for me.

[Rik Levins]

i actually preferred the Illusionist to the Prestige. both movies were very well constructed and the acting was excellent in both, but the Prestige was so relentlessly dark that it was difficult for me to enjoy. i'm generally not a fan of Biel's acting but she was excellent in the Illusionist.

I agree. The only problem I had with Prestige was that there were no likeable characters in it. Both of the protagonists were obsessive assholes. Still, it was an excellent movie and I'm now halfway through the book (which seems so far to be almost a completely different story, although the secrets are the same.)

Norton's character in Illusionist, on the other hand, was a guy you could root for, and the ending was almost completely satisfying...(see below).

I was enjoying the Prestige until they introduced Sci-Fi elements to it. I thought it would have been a better story if they didn't have real "magic" in it.

Well, actually, the Illusionist kind of did that, too. Even though they gave a "sort-of" explanation, when the police figured out how his "spirit" trick might have been done, it was obviously WAY more sophisticated than that. I don't believe even present-day technology could duplicate his effect, and it certainly couldn't have been done in the 1800's.

But, hey, that's a minor quibble, and overall both movies were highly enjoyable.