Neatly balancing brightly sentimental comedy with slightly edgier funny business, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone pulls off the impressive trick of generating laughs on a consistent basis while spinning a clever scenario about rival magicians waging a Las Vegas turf war with a wide multi-demographic appeal. And while it may fall short of working B.O. magic when it hits theaters March 15, the pic — which played well with the opening-night crowd at the SXSW Film Festival — could wind up generating steady biz on a long-term basis rather than pulling a quick vanishing act. Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi are well cast as Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton, childhood friends (and fellow nerd outcasts) who grew up to be superstar magicians with their own permanent performance place inside a glitzy Las Vegas casino. Unfortunately, success long ago went to Burt’s amply hairsprayed head. He and Anton routinely don their spangly costumes, strike their practiced poses, trade their well-worn wisecracks and rotely go through the motions during an act that obviously hasn’t changed much in a decade or so. (Their apt onstage theme, Steve Miller’s “Abracadabra,” becomes an amusing running gag simply through endless repetition.) But despite Anton’s suggestion that they refresh their bag of tricks, Burt is far more interested in bedding groupies — using a meticulously detailed m.o. (including demands for proof of age and a signed release form) revealed in one of the pic’s most inspired sequences — than doing anything that hasn’t already worked with audiences. Their complacency leaves room for a snarky street magician/endurance artist named Steve Gray (think Criss Angel, but with more attitude than talent) to siphon off their audience with self-aggrandizing stunts on and off the Vegas Strip. Hilariously played by Jim Carrey as a condescending showoff, Gray thrives on shocking people with dangerous feats (such as maiming himself and sleeping on hot coals) that Burt indignantly insists aren’t “real” magic. Trouble is, they’re real enough to attract the interest of Doug Munny ( James Gandolfini ), the fabulously rich and mega-egotistic owner of the casino where Burt and Anton perform. When Munny demands that his fading stars attempt something as spectacular as Gray’s risky trickery, they do so — quite disastrously — leading to public humiliation, an acrimonious breakup and the start of Burt’s reluctant journey toward something like personal and professional rebirth. Carell is at the top of his form as the self-absorbed Burt struggles to maintain his haughty sangfroid while trying to convince himself, and everyone else, that’s he’s still a superstar, even as he’s reduced to taking a gig as the resident act at a retirement home for Vegas performers. Fortunately, that’s where the fallen-from-grace former headliner meets a singularly irascible retiree: Rance Holloway ( Alan Arkin ), the same legendary magician who originally inspired Burt to pursue prestidigitation as a profession. With a little help from Holloway — and encouragement from Jane ( Olivia Wilde ), a former stage assistant who proves to be pretty magical herself — Burt is ready to compete against Gray and several others in an audition for a prime gig at Munny’s latest hotel. But what he really, really needs to seal the deal is a reunion with his estranged partner, whose own journey of self-discovery shows that in some parts of the world, people have desperate need of the rabbits magicians pull out of their hats. Former actor turned TV helmer Don Scardino does a bang-up job of unobtrusively maneuvering through stealthy tonal shifts in the free-wheeling script by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley . Some of the standout scenes border on black comedy (including the blunt-force physical gags in the pic’s final minutes), while others rely more on traditionally sunny buddy-comedy humor. But Scardino and his players ensure that there are no bumpy transitions, only a smooth ride. Buscemi is very engaging as the amiably optimistic Anton, Wilde fleshes out a thinly written part through sheer screen presence, Gandolfini attacks his part with infectious delight, and Arkin continues his long run of show-stopping, scene-stealing supporting perfs. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone boasts a brightly buffed technical polish. The trademark trick in Burt and Anton’s act is a stunt partly designed by real-life magician David Copperfield , who appears as himself in a witty in-jokey sequence. Golden oldies and new tunes are efficiently employed in the mood-enhancing soundtrack. Expect to be humming “Abracadabra” for days afterward, whether you want to or not. Follow Movieline on Twitter .
There’s a new Pope in town, and he’s chosen a name I rather like. Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina is the first Pope Francis in the history of the papacy. He’s also the inspiration for a trending Twitter hashtag: #ReplaceMovieTitlesWithPope Tweets. From one Francis to another, here are my five favorites so far: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Pope #ReplaceMovieTitlesWithPope — Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) March 13, 2013 The Great White Pope. #ReplaceMovieTitlesWithPope — Dave Coulier (@DaveCoulier) March 13, 2013 #ReplaceMovieTitlesWithPope Mean Popes….”ummm you can't pray with us.” http://t.co/8IHE1LrPiz — ☺MATT☺ (@Mattheewwc) March 13, 2013 #ReplaceMovieTitlesWithPope The Pope Wears Prada— Charlie Moss (@_CharlieMoss) March 13, 2013 #ReplaceMovieTitlesWithPope Pope Floats, South Pope Bigger Longer And Uncut, Dont Tell Pope The Babysitters Dead, Teenage Mutant Ninja Popes— Mike Jurkowski (@MikeJurkowski) March 13, 2013 Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Katie Holmes has lined up her first acting gig PTC. Post Tom Cruise . According to The New York Times , the actress will take on a role in a Broadway production of Dead Accounts , coming on board the play as a woman residing with her parents in Cincinnati and trying to get her life together. The comedy is penned by Smash creator Theresa Rebeck and stars a total of five characters. No word on the other actors yet. Holmes, who also appeared on Broadway in 2008, is expected to make her Great White Way return some time this fall. While she’s advancing her professional life, new reports claim Katie’s ex is working on his personal life; i.e. finding a new soulmate. You may be up, Yolanda Pecoraro !
Unfortunately for the music industry and society, Spencer Pratt’s hip hop aspirations fizzled because of talent and financial limitations a little over a year ago. Luckily for his 14 fans, the Great White Nope sings AND raps on a track leaked this morning. “I Get Doe” is an ode to foolz getting paid. And misspelling words. The tune was recorded in mid-2009, and like the rap song we brought you Tuesday, ” Ain’t No Thang ,” it’s beyond bad and must be heard to be believed. Spencer Pratt – I Get Doe “This is the second song I did after I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here , and we called it I Get Doe, which is slang for money,” Spencer Pratt told Radar . Pratt goes head-to-head with both his critics and the show that launched his “career,” lambasting both with hard-hitting, racy lyrics like this opening bit: “Spencer Pratt… b!tch. I bet you think because you saw me on the TV that you know my whole life story. Let me tell you something you might not know.” “F**k what you talkin’ about, b*tch I get doe.” Amen.
Seven years in the actual assembly and about 50 more in the making, The Illusionist is a labor of love that achieves an increasingly rare phenomenon in feature animation: timelessness. Eager to brand their efforts with some new shiny technology or unparalleled verisimilitude, animators often turn to of-the-moment developments, and their films mark that moment as a result. And yet a growing number have either stuck with or retreated to a kind of slow animation, trusting story and style to carry the day.
American Idol cynics bug you with revisionist history. They caw, “I mean, Idol gave us Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, but they also gave us ( sniff, cackle ) Justin Guarini.” The butterscotch Afro was tired, sure, but hear this: Guarini’s talent has always stood for itself, and American Idol wouldn’t have been compelling in its inaugural season without him. Now, he’s finally getting his comeuppance on the Great White Way.
The shark fin is in the water … the Great White is hungry for celeb MEAT. So Spencer Pratt proclaimed this morning. We’d say the guy needs to get a hobby instead of talking smack on Twitter all day, but who are we kidding. He makes life more entertaining, and calls it like it is. Two weeks ago, we saw Kim Kardashian nude in Harper’s Bazaar, embracing her “all natural” body. BS, says Spencer. He Tweets: “Kim K how am I supposed to believe that about you be all natural … when I know who your doctor is? On your tv show u said u were … HUGE LIAR!” “Kim K – difference between posing and being a poser! Maybe Reggie found out you were both? Ouch ! How was euro hoe u flew to bang?” USELESS vs. USELESS : Spencer seeks to knock Kim down a peg . Cheap Cristiano Ronaldo shot aside, we see where The Hills star comes from. If nothing else, Heidi Montag is unabashedly who she is … unlike hypokrite Kim. Naturally, this being Spencer Pratt. He did not single out Kim alone today. The man is an equal opportunity trash-talker. Other Tweets from the man today: On Hayden Panettiere’s new haircut : New home tree barber cut her hair. On Lindsay Lohan: Lindsay don’t tweet sh!t and snort sh!t @ same time On Lindsay again: Fired from her upcoming role … a role on Jerry Springer? On Samantha Ronson: Sam Ronman the conman… You used Lindsay LOANED like cheap toilet paper. YES DUH Lindsay is angry! Lindsay does not eat pu$$y for nothing! There you have it, ladies and gentlemen.
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