| Flicks

FLICKS: Now You See Me & Mystery Writers University

Posted on 13 June 2013 by LeslieM

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Of all the summer blockbusters out there, Now You See Me is the most underrated movie this summer. The film features an interesting story, characters with dual motivations and veteran actors like Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine teaching a clinic on how to give subtle, understated performances.

Let’s remove the film’s major flaw quickly … this film about the illusion of magic has too many cinematic special effects. Enhanced by some attention deficit disorder editing, Now You See Me defeats the film’s core assertion about the importance of magic in our lives. Had some of the magic tricks been pulled off in a single frame camera shot, Now You See Me would have become the sleeper hit of the summer.

In the opening sequence, we are introduced to four different characters who become known as “The Four Horsemen.” Atlas (Jessie Eisenberg) is a mouthpiece barker, McKinney (Woody Harrelson) is a “mentalist” who shakes down marriage infidelities, Henley (Isla Fisher) performs death-defying Houdini stunts and Wilder (Dave Franco) seems to have an affinity for death. The four are recruited by a person in a hoodie, who represents the “Eye of Horus” from Egyptian Mythology.

While performing in France, the Four Horsemen steal a fortune from a secure bank. In hot pursuit is Detective Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo), who tracks the Four Horsemen to New Orleans and New York in a desperate attempt to arrest them.

Now You See Me is a great title for this movie. While the over abundance of special effects mar this movie, it is the character development that one comes to appreciate in this fine mystery.

Speaking of mystery, Murder on the Beach bookstore in Delray Beach is hosting Mystery Writers University at the Delray Beach Marriott. This one-day seminar features academic and awardwinning authors teaching classes, as well as doing a book signing. For more information, visit www.mys terywriters.org.

Author/ actress Harley Jane Kozak is flying in to teach a seminar on “Character.” Hopefully, the producers of Now You See Me will consider Harley’s lesson plans in designing a sequel.

Comments are closed.

Advertise Here
Advertise Here