Somehow, we have two movies about obsessive 19th-century magicians in theatres at once.

Besides that obvious broad parallel, both movies also function as "magic tricks" themselves...the endings reveal that they've been playing you the whole time, and the answers were always right in front of your nose.

Anyone else seen both of these? Which did you like better? I honestly really enjoyed both of them. Edward Norton (Illusionist) and Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale (Prestige) gave excellent performances.

BUT...I think The Prestige comes out on top for me. I LOVE that they brought Nikola Tesla into the picture (he was a fascinating wizard in his own right) -- and he was played brilliantly by David Bowie. It could be the best "cameo" performance I've ever seen. Not only that, but you have a reliable-as-ever performance by Michael Caine, and Piper Perabo (a personal crush) has a bit part. Andy Serkis (CGI actor for Golum, King Kong) has an in-the-flesh part, and does quite a good job.

It's interesting that magicians could capture the nation's attention and fill a performance hall back then (somewhere besides Vegas, that is--that David Copperfield nonsense doesn't count ). David Blaine is really the only truly astounding magician I can think of today...not for his Houdini-like escape acts, but for his actual "magic"...but I'm going off on a tangent.

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Whatever. Harry Potter could totally kick both their asses!

I didn't see the Illusionist, but caught The Prestige last weekend and found it pretty enjoyable. As always, Christian Bale's performance was top notch and the twist was pretty cleaver even if I did figure it out a bit before it was actually revealed. Not the best thing Christopher Nolan's done, but worthwhile nonetheless.

Of Nolan's four major pictures, it's my favorite actually. Maybe "Memento" was more of a "feat" of directing, but as far as the source story material, and actors involved, "The Prestige" was by far the most enjoyable for me.

I didn't feel short-changed like I do with most twist movies. It will be interesting to see a second time, too -- certain scenes will have a lot more emotional weight to them.

I liked both films, though I would say that THE PRESTIGE is the better of the two films.