MYST POST 1: Now You See Me

 

 

Director of "Clash of the Titiains", Louis Leterrier returns to his roots with his new action movie "Now You See Me" starring Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Morgan Freeman. Opening up the movie with the individual stories of a cocky street magician (Jesse), his former assistant (Isla), a once-famous mentalist (Woody), and a slight-of-hand artist (Dave). During each of their shows, a stranger in a hoodie slips each of them a card with a date and a New York address on it. A year later we are in present day at a show in Las Vegas where the group is headlining under the name The Four Horseman. As the big finale, the group picks a audience at random, or so the audience thinks so, to be transported to his bank in France in a elaborate illusion.The next day the Four Horseman is brought in by the FBI to be questioned about a robbery at the bank featured in their act the night before. The movie goes on with more stunts the group pulls that returns the money that was stolen from the public by a greedy investor to the rightful owners. The movie ends with a plot twist that the FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo) investigating their case was actually the one pulling the strings.
I liked the movie and found it entertaining every second it was on the screen with never a dull moment. The illusions make you wonder how they were performed, making you forget you are watching a Hollywood movie and transporting you to Las Vegas, in the audience of the Four Horseman's show. It was also interesting that the script had Morgan Freeman as a ex-magician who explains to the FBI agent how the group performed each trick. There is a love story within the action filled movie between Mark and his assistant in the case. The movie ends with a cute scene between Mark and his love throwing a key into the river in France locking away their love and secrets forever. The last line leaves an open ending for a possible second movie.
I would give this movie a 3/5 for its ability to keep you on the edge of your seat for the complete duration of the movie. Also I appreciated how the love story that was intertwined was very subtle, really only popping up within the last five minutes, making the movie a true action movie not a romance. 

Review of the Reviews

       Critics MaryAnn Johanson and Peter Rainer both wrote a review of the movie The Big Year starring Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Steve Martin. MaryAnn's review was a positive review focused on the plot of the movie and the use of its comedy. She gives the full plot story in detail, explaining the objective of the movie and the back stories of all the characters to help setup the tone of the movie. MaryAnn states that the use of the comedy was well thought out and was "human-scaled" compared to the slapstick comedy in most movies nowadays. MaryAnn also focuses on the actors and how they truly performed the characters in the movie well and made them believable. http://www.flickfilosopher.com/2011/12/the-big-year-review.html
Peter Rainer on the other hand had nothing nice to say about the movie. Admitting that he thought birdwatching was a meanwhile past time, he was unsure if it was the best idea for a movie script and this movie surely didn't change his mind. Peter's review focused on how director David Frankel and screenwriter Howard Franklin were unable to pluck our heartstrings and tickle our funny bones at any point in the movie. http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Movies/2011/1014/Steve-Martin-Owen-Wilson-and-Jack-Black-star-in-The-Big-Year-movie-review 
       Having seen the movie, I would have to agree to agree with Peter's point, "experts at neither tickling, plucking, nor draining". The movie, for me, didn't really strike and emotion or feeling while watching it. The movie was just average and the plot didn't stand out as extraordinary or rememberable. I also do agree with MaryAnn's point, " their comedy small and human-scaled rather than broad and slap sticky"' The movies comedy was very realistic and were small jokes that could be made by every day people.
       If I had never seen the movie, based just on the reviews, I would be more convinced by MaryAnn's review. Her review was more convincing because she gave a full explanation of the plot and the characters. Also she explained in depth exactly all the points she thought were what made the movie special. Also, she made a great point of the alternative meaning in the movie, the birdwatching was a metaphor for people watching. She also foils the characters giving new life to them and understanding to the movie. MaryAnn's review was very detailed and convincing in the positives of the movie The Big Year.
       If I were to write a review on The Big Year, I would certainly include the comedy aspect and the alternative meanings in the film because knowing the metaphors help viewers to appreciate the movies script and plot so much more. On the other hand though, I would include that the movie is intended to make you laugh, cry a little, and feel sympathy for the characters but the movie doesn't covey the emotion very well. I would also mention that the movie is about three men roaming across America tracking birds, trying to be the one with the most unique birds on their list at the end of the birdwatching season.