Illusion

If you were disappointed with 'Pride and Prejudice', fell asleep during 'The New World' and tried to get your money back from watching 'Elizabethtown' then you will be very well entertained by illusion. I was hooked about seven minutes into it when Mr. Baines (Douglas) reveals his notion of what romance is in film and literature. 'Illusion' only continues deliver. There are nougats of wisdom spread throughout an aesthetically rich canvas. Whenever there is a brief moment where you feel a line is too cinematically familiar there will be this raw emotion spilling out and for the first time you believe the words, because you feel the pain. The film is thick with visual and auditory nuances that make this movie a must-see-again, (i. e. notice how Cristopher always carries that same wallet in the same pocket and his pants will always be more worn in the same corner). There are mini-movies inside the movie each so different from the other yet with reoccurring themes. Plus, the soundtrack was awesome, even though I didn't recognize any of the songs. Oh, and also Christopher aged seamlessly. Lately it seems as though American film has had yearning for the extreme. As if the only ones worthy of their story being told on screen are those uncommonly brave in extraordinarily difficult situations who decide to take the difficult route. This is a film about average people who are in coincidental but plausible circumstances and who take the easy way out most of the time. These are things we all do. This is a story we have all lived; what makes this story special is that it was told by a spectacular cast and overseen by an incredible director with a vision of where American Cinema should be heading.

This is one of those stories that just adds up. I saw this at the Palm Springs film festival and was of course impressed by Kirk's performance but was impressed even more so by the nature of the story. Based on a french play, the conceit of the piece is clever and resonant. We would all like the opportunity to rewrite something about our lives, this takes that idea and the idea of love showing itself regardless of distance or time to a new level.

I think this is a great piece for families. While the audience I was with was rather old there is nothing in this that would not appeal to anyone who has a father, with whom they might have a difficult relationship or for that matter anyone with a child.

The concept of our lives somehow being recorded by some celestial camera and ready for viewing at Judgment Day is an old one. What distinguishes Illusion is that there is no judgment except the one in your own mind as life on this plane ends.

That's what is happening to legendary film director Kirk Douglas as his life ends. During some dream he's visited by the ghost of a former film editor passed away long ago. And they go to the movies and see a life of his estranged son played by film creator Michael Goorjian and his pursuit of the love of his life Karen Tucker.

In the end Douglas asks for a different ending to the film and some heavenly editing.

Illusions is an ambitious undertaking and while it doesn't totally succeed there's enough there for us to enjoy and appreciate life. God knows we all look back at things we might have done differently, would we could edit out portions of our lives. In fact I'm not sure of an autobiography exists where the author is 100% truthful.

Goorjian and Douglas give wonderful performances. And Kirk did come back to do one more. But I think in many ways this is an epitaph film for him.

This is an outstanding film that will probably be seen by very few people. It is a film festival type movie. That translates in this case to a movie that is thoughtful, well written and performed exceptionally well.

I found this movie and many others like it, including a lot of short films, through the Spiritual Cinema Circle, which I have recently joined. Illusion was on their monthly DVD - Volume 5 2007.

Illusion is a delightful departure from the computer graphics, violence, and sameness prevalent in current popular movies. If you are a true movie buff like me and want to enter the world of very different movies, this is a great place to start.

Are the highlights of our lives inscribed in a great "Book of Life?" What kind of impact do our actions (and inactions) have on others' lives? Can we redeem the past with good works in the present? Can a movie that takes on these deep questions be captivating, entertaining and inspiring … all at once? In his new film, Illusion, director/writer/co-star Michael Goorjian answers these questions with an emphatic yes! Illusion is a love story pairing Christopher Baines (Goorjian) with Isabelle (Karen Tucker) in a dance of thwarted intentions. But it's Christopher's father, Donald, played by the legendary Kirk Douglas in a luminous performance, who may hold the key to their future. Donald, on his deathbed, regrets having forgone love in his life for the sake of his career, his biggest regret being the abandonment of Christopher, his illegitimate son, 30 years earlier. With some "magical" help from Stan (Ron Marasco), a long- deceased favorite film editor, Donald is shown three films -- three visions -- each representing a different period of Christopher's life, each reflecting the impact of his abandonment. In a romantic homage to Capra's classic It's A Wonderful Life, Goorjian masterfully leads us through the yearnings, the dangers and pathos, and the possibilities for redemption that we all face. This is terrific storytelling, a drama of life, love and death, with a tone and texture that lead us all to question, how real and immutable is this life we lead, and how much of it is just a fable, a dream, an Illusion? A treat for heart and soul.