54. The Prestige (2006)

Take a minute to consider your achievement. I once told you about a sailor who drowned.

#54. The Prestige (2006)

Coming in at number 54 on the list of my 100 Favorite Films is the 2006 science fantasy psychological thriller, The Prestige. The Prestige was directed by Christopher Nolan (second of the day) and stars Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale with supporting performances from David Bowie, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, and Piper Perabo.

In the whole universe of Nolan films, I think that The Prestige has the second best twist behind Memento. Interstellar stinks, Inception is too complex, and Tenet is horrifically bad. When it clicks for you in the final fifteen minutes that Bale is playing both Alfred Borden and Bernard Fallon you are left stunned. It’s the way they could pull of their famous trick along with how they killed Jackman character.

I love films about obsession and The Prestige takes obsession and hatred to the next level. These two magicians will go to any extent to beat one another, even if it means they’ll kill each other. I adored the time and effort that went into Bale writing a fake diary to redirect Jackmans character to America and back because he was trying to steal the idea for his trick.