M-Net is where the magic lives, and this Sunday night we mean it more literally than ever. Your Sunday night movie, Now You See Me 2, features three of the stage musicians from the first film, drawn into an exciting new heist.
Adding Daniel Radcliffe to its already spectacular cast, we can’t wait to see what tricks the magicians have up their sleeves the second time round. In honour of the movie, we look at a few other magical gems.
- Dr. Strange
It seems like no movie list these days can escape some mention of a Marvel superhero, and topping our list (thanks to the alphabet) is Dr. Stephen Strange. A neurosurgeon, this medical hero becomes a Marvel hero when a car accident renders his hands useless, sending the determined doctor on a new path that soon sees him casting spells and trying tricks. Look out for him in the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok.
This movie is not solely about a magician. Composed of different stories, all told through music, one of its most famous is undoubtedly the The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Based on a symphonic poem by Paul Dukas (in turn based on a poem by Johann Goethe) it follows the magical mishaps of a hapless magical apprentice, played by Mickey Mouse.
- Harry Houdini
We’re talking about the man not the movie. One of the most renowned illusionists in the history of magic, not only were countless movies inspired by his life and work, he made several movies himself – featuring his elaborate escapes, of course.
- Now You See Me
Sporting a (dare we say it) magical cast, this heist thriller cum Robin Hood flick follows four stage magicians (played by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco) who use their talent to pull the wool over the eyes of corrupt business moguls. Depleting the latter of their ill-gotten gains (i.e. their moola) through their shows, they hand the money back…to the audience members.
Missed the first movie? Watch it on Sunday 18 June at 18:04, before watching the sequel at 20:05 on the same day, on M-Net.
- Oz: The Great and Powerful
Fans of Dorothy and her adventures outside Kansas will be quite familiar with the title character she’s obsessed with meeting in Oz. In this film, however, we get a closer glimpse of how the wizard – in this film a circus magician named Oscar Diggs – landed in Oz.
- The Illusionist
There are two magician-based movies with this title (for all we know there are even more) and we decided to include them both. The 2006 version, starring Edward Norton as the title character, is a romance about a magician who competes with Crown Prince Leopold for the affections of a lovely lady. The 2010 film of the same name is also a romance, this time an animation about a performing magician travelling through Scotland, who soon falls for a girl who thinks his magic is real.
- The Mad Magician
Vincent Price was a horror maestro, and this 1954 horror features the icon as a magician on the path of revenge. And when said magician’s act includes buzz-saw tricks, you know things won’t end well.
- The Prestige
Featuring daring tricks of the trade, this Christopher Nolan directed magical number focuses on the bitter rivalry between Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman's warring magicians.
Check out the LallaLand interview with the cast here.
Magic not your deal? We have two other Sunday night movie selections for you.
On M-Net Movies Premiere at 20:30, South African director Gavin Hood helms the Kenya-set British military thriller, Eye in the Sky.
On M-Net at 22:50, a cab driver is embroiled in a complex kidnapping case in French film, Stop Me Here.
Which movie will you be watching this weekend? Share your selection on social media using #SundayNightMovie.