Last night, I caught the latest film from director Christopher Nolan, The Prestige. This man has yet to make a movie I haven't liked. Memento remains #2 on my list, Following and Insomnia were both great (though the former has increased in my esteem over time, while the latter has dimished somewhat), and his Batman movie was the only one of the five I found remotely likeable.This movie has continued the streak. It's definitely top 100 material for me. I'm not sure I'm going to settle it in an exact spot until I've had time to think about it a little more, or until I've seen it again. And I do want to see it again, in the theater, quite soon -- I can't even recall the last new movie I saw that I'd even dream of going to the theater twice to see. But for now, The Prestige is hanging out right around #80.
This movie is meticulously crafted. Every single frame is an inseparable part of the whole. Every scene is integral, and gains meaning upon reflection. Every move of the characters and development in the plot informs the overall themes of obsession and sacrifice. The acting is outstanding -- one of the reasons I most want to see it again is to be better able to watch for nuances in the performances that I missed while studying the plot so carefully the first time around.
And yes, that plot. It's an incredibly well constructed story. Like Memento and Following, this movie is not presented in chronological order. Piecing together that exact chronology here is considerably trickier than it was for either of those movies, but it's absolutely right for this twisted tale -- like a magic trick of its own. You're clearly meant to figure out certain upcoming events in the story ahead of time (and you do), while other bits are hidden from you (and I, for one, did not anticipate them). The film truly rewards active viewing, thinking while you watch. It's not a movie to sit back and let wash over you.
And since no other movie this year has cracked my top 100, you know where this is going. It is the best movie I've seen this year, and it gets an A. I can't recommend it highly enough.
2 comments:
I have yet to see this movie, but it's next on my short list of "movies to see absolutely."
(Those of you who know my connection to magic will understand why.)
A fellow magician wrote a review of the film on a magic forum I visit regularly. Movie reviews are not the usual fare for those forums, but this one was welcome, naturally.
The guy concluded his review with "I give the movie an Ace!" which I thought was pretty clever. :)
FKL
Though some of the messages the movie has about magic are secondary to the major themes, The Prestige does have some interesting things to say about presentation and showmanship, and about what makes a magician "good."
I'd definitely be interested in your reaction to it all, once you see the film.
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