Regardless of age, magic always brings the inner child we always have inside us. We are always left in awe even though we know that most magics are just illusions and magicians have quick hand reflexes. If you want to binge-watch this weekend or during your free time, watch these 12 best magician movies.
Miracles for Sale (1939)
English 1h 11m IMDb
Director: Tod Browning
Stars: Robert Young, Florence Rice, Frank Craven
The Miracles for Sale movie is one of a kind compared to the usual magician movies that always leave its viewers amused and laughing. This movie is about a retired magician named Mike Morgan who had to sell his original illusions to his colleagues.
The plot twist is that he also believes in the supernatural and, at the same time, loves exposing some sham physics. However, this movie is entirely in the crime and mystery genre as the main character found himself involved in some mysterious murder crimes.
Miracles for Sale is a famous movie by the late Tod Browning, and many people highly appreciated his last film. You will enjoy watching this movie because of how well the writers wrote it. Moreso, how the magics and illusions were thought of and executed.
Houdini (1953)
English 1h 46m IMDb
Director: George Marshall
Stars: Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Torin Thatche
This movie is about Harry Houdini, who once started as a wildman in carnivals, but as his skills developed, he eventually made his name in the world of magic. He was considered the world’s most fascinating and charming magician and an escape artist.
A lot of the moviegoers appreciated watching it as it has a vibe of a combination of both classical charm and theatrical charm. Even though it has been more than 50 years, his name is still the standard among all aspiring and existing magicians.
Despite the excellent plot and amusing scenes written and shown, a few viewers were still critical about how it turned out to be a partially fictionalized biography of the greatest escapist, Harry Houdini.
The Geisha Boy (1958)
English, Japanese 1h 38m IMDb
Director: Frank Tashlin
Stars: Jerry Lewis, Marie McDonald, Sessue Hayakawa
Even though this movie was released in the 50s, your kids will definitely enjoy watching it to the point that they would want to watch it repeatedly. It is about a below-par magician who was dispatched to Japan, and while he was there, he got attached to an orphan boy.
The Geisha Boy is a Jerry Lewis film, considered a comic genius; that is loved by many and is a classic movie. The plot was written well with well-timed antics.
Moreover, it is a must-watch movie because it will undoubtedly make whoever watches it giggle a lot. However, some viewers think this will be at its best when it is produced using modern equipment.
Two on a Guillotine (1965)
English 1h 47m IMDb
Director: William Conrad
Stars: Connie Stevens, Dean Jones, Cesar Romero
The movie “The Two on a Guillotine” is about the daughter of a late magician who accidentally murdered his wife while performing a guillotine trick. Hence, the daughter has to stay in his mansion for a week in order for her to obtain all her inheritance.
This genre of this movie is quite different from most movies about magicians because it has a mystery and horror genre.
A lot of people really gathered and watched this movie during the 60s. The movie was highly budgeted, so most viewers appreciated its set and production design, especially the costume. Moreover, the viewers deeply loved and applauded the chemistry of Dean Jones and Connie Stevens.
The Escape Artist (1982)
English 1h 34m IMDb
Director: Caleb Deschanel
Stars: Raul Julia, Griffin O’Neal, Desi Arnaz
“The Escape Artist” movie is about a teenager who wants to follow in the footsteps of his father when it comes to being a magician. The father of Danny Masters is none other than the late Harry Masters, who was renowned as the second greatest escape artist in the history of magic.
Despite the exciting plot, most of the viewers found the movie lacking when it comes to wit and logic. Hence, they somehow find it a bit boring. Despite movie critics, some viewers still applauded how rewarding, tantalizing, and enjoyable the entire movie is. After all, it always depends on the viewer.
The Illusionist (2006)
English 1h 50m IMDb
Director: Neil Burger
Stars: Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti
“The Illusionist” is a screen adaptation of a short story by Steven Millhauser entitled “Eisenheim the Illusionist.” The plot was about a magician who had to use his skills and abilities in order to secure the genuine love of a woman that is way out of his league.
The movie was a hit, and many viewers loved how it was not just about all magic tricks since it had two genres; romance and mystery thriller. The cinematography was astounding, and most viewers appreciated its luxurious costumes and set design that has a theme of the late 19th century.
Presto (2008)
English 5m IMDb
Director: Doug Sweetland
Stars: Doug Sweetland
Presto is a Pixar animation movie that kids will absolutely enjoy watching. The film is about a magician named Presto and his rabbit named Alec.
However, the plot twist here is that whenever Presto forgets to feed Alec, he eventually finds out that his partner rabbit, too, has a few magic tricks that could deceive him. Presto is one of the best and funniest movies that Pixar produced. Even though it was just a short film, it was well-written and exceptional.
Guzaarish (2010)
Hindi, English 2h 6m IMDb
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shernaz Patel
Guzaarish is about a magician who became paralyzed after an accident that changed his entire life. Due to frustration, he signed a petition to the court appealing to end his own life. He thought 14 years of suffering as a person with quadriplegia due to unsuccessful stage performance was already exhausting.
It is an Indian film that most viewers love because even though it is a bit tragic, it was shown in the movie as a glimpse of a magician’s grandeur days. It is pretty sentimental. Thus, we are warning you already that you might tear up while watching this movie.
Oz The Great and Powerful (2013)
English 2h 10m IMDb
Director: Sam Raimi
Stars: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz
The Oz The Great and Powerful movie, released nearly a decade ago, is about a small-time or unpopular circus magician who was brought into an enchanting property of Oz and was forced into some kind of power struggle amongst the three witches.
This journey enabled him to use his knowledge about magic and illusion, which made him the great Wizard of Oz and has also helped him develop his character. A lot of viewers loved the film as well as its plot and its cinematography.
The viewers also highly appreciated its computer Generated Imagery or CGI works. Though there may be quite a number of people who enjoyed the overall approach of the film, there are still a few who did not like modernizing the classic since it is actually an adaptation of a classic tale.
Now You See Me (2013)
English, French 1h 55m IMDb
Director: Louis Leterrier
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Common, Mark Ruffalo
Now You See Me is one of the best magician movies people loved and enjoyed watching, which is why there is no doubt that it had a sequel. The movie was well-thought and well-written as it centered around a group of magicians that usually rob a bank.
The main cast were called to be “The Four Horsemen. ” They are pretty good illusionists. The cinematography was excellent, and at the same time, the CGI trick shots were really astounding. The viewers loved the magic tricks and illusions shown in the film.
In addition to this, there was not a scene that you would find boring, especially when an all-star cast portrayed it. Despite its good reviews and popularity, there are still people who still look for some substance, essence, and depth in the whole plot. But regardless, it still generated a considerable amount of income worldwide.
An Honest Liar (2014)
English 1h 30m IMDb
Director: Tyler Measom, Justin Weinstein
Stars: James Randi, José Alvarez, Penn Jillette
An Honest Liar is a documentary film about the career and life of James Randi. He is a famous stage magician who eventually turned into a scientific cynic of the paranormal. The film centered around the investigation of Randi about faith healers, con-artists, psychics, and alike.
A lot of viewers watched the documentary movie, and most of them were his fans who appreciated his honesty. Moreover, the viewers loved the fascinating and comprehensive documentary about a man who was once deceptive and eventually came to his senses by having true self-awareness.
Now You See Me 2:You Can’t Look Away (2016)
English 2h 9m IMDb
Director: Gary Leva
Stars: Lizzy Caplan, Jon M. Chu, Bobby Cohen
Since the first movie was a huge success, there is no doubt that 3 years later, the sequel of “Now You See Me” was released. The “Now You See Me 2: You Can’t Look Away,”. However, it got a lower IMDB rating compared to the first movie.
It is a kind of movie sequel that no one ever thought would not be as blockbuster as the first movie. Though, there are still various reasons to love this film, especially since every scene and trick helps you get hooked and anticipate what comes next.
SUMMARY
These 12 best magician movies are a few of the many ones on the list that you can binge-watch during your free time and bring out the inner child in you.
It makes us feel a bit nostalgic, remembering how we used to always be in awe of magic and illusions back when we were kids. Watching movies such as these almost somehow helps you take your stress away, especially when you feel under the weather lately.