johnspringer-95440

The first installment was slight but mostly fun, although saddled by a lousy ending. The script didn't merit a sequel but the movie apparently made a bunch of money, so here we are. Melanie Laurent and Isla Fisher have been abracadabra'd right out of the story, replaced by Lizzie Caplan and a second Woody Harrelson for no conceivable reason. The plot is both more simplistic and more convoluted than that of the original. Some of the magic tricks are impressive, albeit less so than the ones featured in the first movie. The finale features another deeply silly, unearned character reveal/twist.

Overall this sequel is a downgrade in just about every way from the first one.

Four hitherto-unknown magicians pull off elaborate heists using performative illusions while dogged but hapless investigators try to piece together the hows and the whys. The heists and their explanations are good fun, performances are solid and the movie's tone is reasonably affable. Unfortunately things really fall apart in the finale, with a twist that's completely unearned and completely nonsensical. The ultimate purpose of the heists is simultaneously revealed to be fairly silly and disappointing. In fact the ending undercuts most of what's preceded it, including the altruistic justification that had made the protagonists quite sympathetic up to that point.

This documentary traces the beginnings of Led Zepplin, from the bandmembers' musical backgrounds through the mainstream commercial success of its second album. There are some interesting insights and a few evocative moments. But there are also what seem like fascinating stories that get truncated and glossed over to make way for film of the band performing songs that would become FM radio staples (sometimes multiple versions of the same song.) Things like Jimmy Page's work as a studio musician with the era's biggest bands, John Paul Jones' contribution as an arranger, Robert Plant's homelessness and pre-Zepplin partnerships with John Bonham, the tactics of Peter Grant and much more never get explored in depth because the movie would rather devote its time to showing extensive concert footage.