Magic, Magic

Perhaps this movie only works if you've known someone with the kind of debilitating paranoia that Alicia (Juno Temple) suffers from. I don't know. All I can say is that I was glued to it from start to finish and I honestly feel that it was masterfully crafted and offers so much more than most people are giving it credit for.

I understand the backlash... it really is NOT a horror movie. But its not a showcase of intangible visual art-house dream-sequence garbage either, which is what I think people might imagine it to be when they read the synopsis. For me, it was never even the slightest bit boring.

If you want to see how mundane situations can be brilliantly transformed into nightmarish experiences for one character, while other characters awkwardly try to deal with it (and often provoke it), eventually watching this dynamic grow to high levels of darkness and intensity, well then this is the movie for you!

I wish more people could look a little deeper and appreciate the many layers and eccentricities of this movie! Like another reviewer mentioned, many of the scenes could be perceived as flat out hilarious. That is, if you can allow yourself to be simultaneously mortified and amused. This movie has the ability to provoke a wide array of CONTRASTING emotions. I've never seen anything quite like it.

It's not a movie for everyone. But if you read this review and still want to watch it, you'll probably think its pretty neat.

The shots are good. The acting is good. The scripts ok. Nothing really happens other than witnessing our lead character, Alicias descent into full blown manic depression and hyoer paranoia.

If youre into deep dark displays of mental breakdowns, then you will enjoy. If youre after a fun film, move along. This isnt for you.

Magic Magic is being pushed as a psychological thriller and horror ..... that is doing this movie a great injustice.

From the very start we know Alicia has an emotional problem and that Sara has an ulterior motive to back out of the trip at the last minute. Just what Alicia's emotional problem is, the viewer does not know and why Sara backs out of the trip into the country side is not made clear. What is made clear is that Alicia is very depended on Sara ---- especially in this foreign country traveling with people Alicia has never met and going to a distant area of Chile.

We do not know anything about theses peoples past so the viewer must go with what is presented to them for insight into their character. For me they came across as just young indulgent unexperienced youths. When they realize Alicia has a few problems they just ignore her issues because she will have to adjust on her own. Sara says she'll be there later and the broken line of communication among the youths will be mended. That doesn't happen.

When the group realizes, too late, that Alicia has greater problems than they are capable to handle, what do they do, they give her pills because thats how modern society treats emotional problems. The problem intensifies with Alicia having taken too many pills and is easily confused .... or is she desperate to fit in with the group? We the viewer cannot tell either, we are equally confused as Alicia. When Sara finally does arrive Alicia has already crossed the line into a state of confusion but Sara cannot see it, at first. When the problem with Alicia becomes dangerous and threatening Alicia is taken to a local witch doctor who's only remedy is the use of ancient indigenous rituals which is useless to Alicia and all involved with her.

This movie is more about the clash of ancient and modern cultural norms in treating someone with obvious medical needs. Here are a group of inexperienced youths raised in a modern world but facing a threatening and dangerous situation with only old world medical practice available to them. They find themselves caught between to conflicting worlds.

As soon as they didn't do anything for those puppies, I was disgusted, and felt they should all just suffer. Despicable kids, none of the charachters had any purpose. This film had no purpose. Just plain garbage!

The American Alicia (Juno Temple) travels to Chile to meet her cousin Sarah (Emily Browning) and they immediately travel to a remote island with Sarah's boyfriend Agustin (Agustin Silva), his sister Barbara (Catalina Sandino Moreno) and their friend Brink (Michael Cera). Out of the blue, Sarah returns to the city and Alicia is left alone with the trio of Chileans that speak most of the time in Spanish. Soon the unstable Alicia is unable to sleep and becomes paranoid; she uses lots of pills and gets in a journey with no return.

"Magic Magic" is a weird and boring movie about a tale of paranoia. There is no story; therefore the screenplay is only a development of the storyline (unstable young woman travels to Chile and becomes paranoid with tragic consequences). The result is a hateful movie with non- charismatic characters, no story, no nothing but waste of time. My vote is two.

Title (Brazil): "Viagem Sem Volta" ("Journey with no Return")