My Rating: 3.72/4 (aka Worth your time)

One line summary: A magician in Vienna weaves illusions for his true love.

The Deets: I was surprised to stumble on this one last night as we browsed for the right movie to hit the mood. My first thought was what happened to Ed Norton? And my next thought was whether it’s a ripoff of Nolan’s “The Prestige” — turns out they were both released in 2006; I guess magic was in the air that year. I won’t compare the two, because while they share a general subject matter, their souls are different — this is ultimately a beautiful love story set in 18th century Vienna; its themes are grand and its story small. I really enjoyed the lush setting and period piece costumes and texture. Coming off his success in “Sideways,” Paul Giamatti is great here as the narrator and inspector who seeks to uncover the secrets of Norton’s slick illusions. When it ends you smile and think that they don’t make smart movies like this anymore, where the main goal isn’t to shock or teach us, but simply to entertain.

Perfect for: When you’re in the mood for some movie magic.

Where to watch: Sometimes Amazon Prime delivers and this is one of those times.

Food pairing: Roast chicken, potatoes, and green beans, but don’t ask me why.