Combustible Celluloid


New movie reviews, DVD reviews, interviews, and all things film.

 
Home | Archive | About | Blog | Lists | Links | E-mail me | Sign up for my weekly newsletter! |  
 



Dark Shadows ***
Darling Companion **1/2
God Bless America ***
Marvel's The Avengers ***1/2
ReGeneration ***
Sound of My Voice ***
The Pirates! Band of Misfits ***1/2
The Raven ***
Safe **1/2
The Lucky One 1/2*
4:44 Last Day on Earth **1/2
Blue Like Jazz **
The Cabin in the Woods ***1/2
Damsels in Distress ***1/2
Lockout **1/2
The Three Stooges ***
The Turin Horse ****
We Have a Pope **1/2
American Reunion **
Goon ***
More
 



Bird of Paradise
Maniac Cop
Miss Representation
Mother's Day (2012)
Murder Obsession
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie
Underworld Awakening
The Vow
Clueless
Haywire
Hit!
Men in Black
New Year's Eve
The Red House
More
 

Film Features

Peter Lord
Abel Ferrara
Nicholas Sparks
Whit Stillman
Sean Hayes
Terence Davies
Peter Lord Interview
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Taika Waititi
Will Ferrell
Interview: Ewan McGregor [SF Examiner]
Interview: the 'Project X' stars [SF Examiner]
Interview: Oren Moverman
Interview: Rachel McAdams
Interview: Ti West
Interview: Elizabeth Banks
2011: The Year's Best Films
Year's Best DVDs and Blu-Rays
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards
The Decade's Ten Best Films: 2000-2009
My Top 100 Films [Updated]
My Top 60 Directors [Updated]
Christmas Movies
Essential Halloween & Horror Movies
Cult Movies
More Features and Interviews
 

Film Books

Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, by Alonso Duralde
Not Quite a Memoir: Of Films, Books, the World, by Judy Stone
James Agee: The Library of America Collection, by James Agee
Just Making Movies, by Ronald L. Davis
More Books
 



Home
Reviews A-C
Reviews D-F
Reviews G-J
Reviews K-M
Reviews N-Q
Reviews R-T
Reviews U-Z
 

The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

 
SEARCH MOVIES / CELEB

Advanced Search

 
 
© 1997-2012 Combustible Celluloid



The Prestige (2006)

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Believing in Magic

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy The Prestige on DVD

Christopher Nolan's fifth feature film is a return to form and an escape from the expensive, junky explosions and chase scenes of Batman Begins. Yet it still maintains that film's delicious, dark psychology. It's also a grand step up from this year's similar The Illusionist, which utilized CGI tricks for its sleight-of-hand sequences. The Prestige gives us tricks that look real, at least until it delves into areas of science fiction best left unexplained. Young magicians Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) become rivals after an accident during an underwater trick. They not only try to one-up each other's tricks, but they also try to sabotage one another. Most of the action revolves around the "Transported Man," in which the performer disappears and re-appears at the other end of the stage in just a heartbeat. Co-written with the director's brother Jonathan Nolan, The Prestige utilizes a complex editing style that calls to mind their earlier triumph Memento, jumping around in time, but remaining perfectly clear. The director retains his exemplary skill with actors, achieving some of the finest ever by Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Piper Perabo and especially David Bowie in a tiny, pivotal role. The film begins to teeter slightly as it reaches its climax; it takes too long to unveil the many twists and surprises, but up to then, this is impeccable, enormously invigorating filmmaking.

AskMen.com: The Prestige

DVD Details: Buena Vista has released this film on DVD, and it's very much worth seeing more than once. Extras include a "director's notebook," which is a 20-minute multi-part making-of documentary that consists of some behind-the-scenes footage and an interview with Nolan. There's also a collection of stills, posters and other photos. On the main menu, you can click on one of four icons to change the spinning "magic" image.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Samantha Mahurin, David Bowie, Andy Serkis, Daniel Davis, Jim Piddock, Christopher Neame, Mark Ryan, Roger Rees, Ricky Jay
Written by: Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, based on a novel by Christopher Priest
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and disturbing images
Running Time: 128 minutes
Date: October 20, 2006

Home
New Movies
New DVDs & Blu-Ray
Features
News
Search Reviews
Classic Movies
Film Books
Gallery
Links
About
Contact
All scribblings © 1997-2012 Combustible Celluloid