I was just watching some TV and saw an ad for a new movie called “The Prestige“. Now watching the preview I was thinking it was an ad for a movie that came out in limited release a couple weeks ago called “The Illusionist“, but the more I watched it I realized that it wasn’t the same movie, even though they look uncannily similar. Both movies are set in what I would guess to be the 1910-20s. They both seem to sport that dark earthy feel to the cinematography. And most importantly there is lots of bad ass mustaches, as you would expect in any period piece of the sort. So given these movies seem so similar I’m going to break it down in head to head, battle royal of magician movies.

Direction: Christopher Nolan vs. The guys who produced Sideways and Crash

This one seems pretty easy to me. Christopher Nolan directed Memento and Batman Begins, so he’s definitely got the upperhand in this battle. While Sideways and Crash were pretty decent movies in my estimation, they just don’t stack up to Memento.
Advantage: The Prestige

Lead Actor: Christian Bale vs. Edward Norton

This one is a little tighter of a battle. Christian Bale as Batman definitely earns himself some brownie points. But in all reality he’s got nothing on Edward Norton. There are very few people in Hollywood that have the credentials to matchup to the man that brought the cringeworthy term “Curby” into the mainstream. I can still hear the sound of teeth on concrete in my head.
Advantage: The Illusionist

Secondary Actor: Hugh Jackman vs Paul Giamatti

Hugh Jackman gets points in my book for being Wolverine, but then gets knocked down a few pegs for starring in Kate & Leopold with Meg Ryan. Paul Giamatti gets some kudos points from me for being the voice of The Amazing Screw-On Head and for being the son of former baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti. Where he loses some points is that his dad was the guy that banned Pete Rose from gaining entrance into the Hall Of Fame, which I’ve always viewed as an injustice.
Advantage: The Prestige

Eye Candy: Scarlett Johansson vs. Jessica Biel

This one isn’t even close. Scarlett wins this category hands down. Even though this is about the 100th movie she’s been in in the last month, I’m not complaining.
Advantage: The Prestige

Mustaches

From what I can tell from watching the previews it seems that the facial hair in The Illusionist seems much more prevalent throughout the cast. Christian Bale sports a stylin’ ‘stache in the movie, but looks to remove it at some point along the way, so points have been deducted.
Advantage: The Illusionist

Conclusion

So as you can tell, by a verdict of 3-2 The Prestige has come out victorious in the battle of old-timey magician movies. And if by any chance you weren’t convinced by my verdict, the fact that Ziggy Stardust himself, David Bowie also makes an appearance in The Prestige has to be the tipping point in it’s favour. It is undetermined at this point whether he is still in fact the goblin king in this movie though.

[[tt:the prestige]][[tt:the illusionist]][[tt:christopher nolan]][[tt:christian bale]][[tt:edward norton]][[tt:hugh jackman]][[tt:paul giamatti]][[tt:scarlett johansson]][[tt:jessica biel]][[tt:david bowie]]