The Illusionist

Set mostly in 19th Century Vienna, this strikes me as a determinedly old-fashioned film. The setting, the music, the sepia-toned photography, the cinematic techniques like the iris shots that are used frequently, all combine to give THE ILLUSIONIST a vintage feeling. And the plot, with its love lost, regained, and lost again because of a romantic triangle, is also the stuff of classic film. It all works very well, and I enjoyed it quite a bit, even though it's not the sort of movie I usually watch. The pace is pretty slow, which is usually the kiss of death for a film where I'm concerned. But the story was interesting enough to keep me awake and watching, no small feat these days. My plotting ability seems to be slipping, though. I didn't see the big twist at the end coming at all, and I should have.