FullReviews Index - page 3
Review: Card Stab (World's Greatest Magic)
This DVD offers seven different and entertaining ways to find a selected with a knife that fall into five categories. It's a great overview and if you're interested in the effect, you'll probably find a method that you can use.
Trick Review: Secrets Of The Octopus Deck Revealed by Bill Abbott
A cool mentalism prop that has the potential for as much if not more impact than a standard tossed-out deck routine, Bill Abbott's Octopus Deck offers an intriguing gimmicked deck. This giant slayer is a complete mind reading routine with three phases. Wait until you get your tentacles on this one.
DVD Review: Color Changing Knives (World's Greatest Magic)
Color changing knives are gimmicked knives that with the right moves, change colors. The trick is visual and easy for spectators to follow. This DVD offers routines by well known pros.
DVD Review: Pure by Peter Eggink
Demonstrating and teaching six routines that he uses in his pro sets, Peter Eggink offers commercial pieces that play well to lay audiences. The routines are solid and entertaining and can form the foundation of a good strolling set. And these close-up routines will work almost anywhere under a variety of conditions.
DVD Review: Captured by James Clark
In Captured, a spectator selects a card and then you bring out a Polaroid camera and take a picture of the spectator. You hand the Polaroid picture to the spectator and as the picture slowly develops, the spectator not only sees his or her image, but a picture of the selected card as well. This is high-impact magic with lots of possibilities.
Trick Review: Wild Poker Trick by Boris Wild
Another poker-related title that capitalizes on the game's recent popularity is Boris Wild's Wild Poker Trick. This effect offers a visual and spectacular transformation where a poor poker hand suddenly turns into a royal flush in spades.
Trick Review: Falling Angel by Christopher Gustin
Falling Angel is a gimmicked card effect that makes it look as if you are removing an angel from the back of a Bicycle-based ace of clubs and placing it onto the front of the card. It's a good effect, but the handling is probably too difficult for a good number of beginning magicians.
Trick Review: ESP Mind Set by James Biss
Here's a great stand-up and stage effect that offers a stunning prediction, a bit of pseudo-psychometry, lots of interaction with five audience members who join you on stage and an intriguing ESP theme. I especially like the strong two-phased ending.
DVD Review: Greg Otto - New Comedy Routines for Magic
Greg Otto is a comedy magician who performs entertaining magic using straight-forward methods. Most magicians will already know versions and methods for the classics that he presents on this DVD. This DVD is notable for its comedy bits and the way that it shows what a worker such as Otto uses in his act.
Trick Review: Snap Shot by Thom Peterson
A fun card revelation where a blurry picture mysteriously develops on a blank card, Thom Peterson's "Snapshot" offers a strong walk-around and close-up effect that leaves a souvenir with spectators.
Trick Review: Bikers by Gordon Bean
There are lots of packet tricks on the market and Gordon Bean's "Bikers" is the finest that I've reviewed. Here, four jokers visually turn into four kings in four phases. And the last card changes as it's held in a spectator's hand.
Trick Review: Puzzle Paradox by Larry Becker and Lee Earle
This is no simple puzzle, but a strong mentalism routine that involves a jigsaw puzzle. Somehow, a spectator’s freely chosen piece from a bunch of random ones is the very piece that's missing from an almost fully assembled puzzle. It's a compelling routine for stand-up or stage that features good audience interaction.
Review: Casino Cut Card by Thom Peterson
Something different, you show a blank card that represents "an old style casino cut card." Like a "wild card" routine, the "cut card" takes on the identity of three freely selected cards. At the end, the "cut card" becomes a mish-mash card that displays parts of many cards. It's a good, if offbeat effect that entertains.
Trick Review: Hypno Aces by David Penn
An impressive packet trick that's easy to learn and perform, four "hypno" cards, playing cards with standard "Bicycle" backs and a hypnotic swirl on the front, almost instantaneously turn into four aces. It's an astonishing change that relies on a couple of basic sleights and gimmicked cards.
Trick Review: Lottery Card by Peter Eggink
An intriguing and offbeat card effect, Peter Eggink's Lottery Card allows you reveal a spectator's selection in an unusual manner. The player's chosen card is turned into a virtual lottery card that allows you rub off a revelation on its back with a coin. It's different, but is probably not a stunner.
DVD Review: Miracles for Mortals Vol. 1, Geoff Williams
I had never before heard of Geoff Williams, but after reviewing his Miracles for Mortals Volume 1, I’m throughly pleased to have discovered his work. This DVD presents some excellent and varied close-up and stand-up effects along with solid advice. Williams reminds me somewhat of Jay Sankey with his quirky humor, technical skills and ability to take effects, improve on them and make them his own. There’s lots to like here.
DVD Review: Miracles for Mortals Vol. 2, Geoff Williams
Geoff Williams’ second DVD, Miracles for Mortals Vol. 2 , is as good as his first DVD. This DVD presents some excellent and varied close-up and stand-up effects along with good explanations and solid advice. Williams is an engaging performer with a quirky sense of humor, superb technical skills and an ability to take effects and make them his own. There’s lots to like.
Review: Kings Fool by Kipp Sherry
To promote your magic business, Kipp Sherry's "Kings Fool" provides you with artwork and everything you need to make and distribute a simple trick that is essentially a business card.
DVD Review: The Naked Zombie Ball by Raymond Crowe
This DVD teaches a routine where you make a silver ball appear to float in the air. However, unlike the usual zombie routine, you don't rely on a gimmick, nor to you employ the traditional foulard. The routine sports two phases, the first with the ball floating from your hands, and the second, where it floats around a small hoop. The DVD also offers an excellent introduction to studying and applying movement.
Trick Review: Magic Bingo by Mark Wilson
As the name implies, "Magic Bingo" is much like conventional Bingo - the first player to get five numbers in a row wins - except for one major difference, everyone who's playing wins at the same time on the exact same number. It's an interactive affair that involves audiences, allows you to emphasize a theme or product and lets you use the Bingo cards as giveaways that have your name and number.
Trick Review: 21st Century Phantom by Oz Pearlman
I frankly didn't have a hint as to the powerful magic to be found within 21st Century Phantom. But I found the incredible effect that lay within to be an audience shocker and pleaser. I've been performing it over the weekend for regulars at my gigs and found that it gets a fantastic response.
Trick Review: Chinese Choice by John Archer
I like Chinese food and "Chinese Choice" offers a fun mentalism routine for stand-up or close-up. I agree with Archer that it's not opening or closing material, but a good mid-act routine that offers lots of audience interaction.
Trick Review: Texas Fool'Em by Larry Becker and Lee Earle
Seizing on the interest in poker these days, Larry Becker and Lee Earle have come up with a strong and entertaining mentalism/prediction effect that relies on a poker theme and props. The decisions on the part of spectators are fair ones, yet somehow, you manage to predict several outcomes in a magazine article.
Review: Super Clipped by Cosmo Solano
This close-up effect is a strong enhancement of a well known, classic trick that we called "The Clipped Card," which is based on an optical illusion. "Super Clipped," which starts as "The Clipped Card," results in a stunning five card change.
DVD Review: Voracity by Corey Burke
This first rate DVD by Corey Burke that offers an eclectic mix of close-up effects with coins and bills, and a routine with miniature (4-inch) linking rings. The tricks are commercial and visual for lay audiences and will also impress your magician friends. There's lots to like.