Criss Angel is a renowned magician known for his mind-boggling magic tricks and illusions. His performances often leave audiences in awe and wondering how he does it. One of the aspects that sets him apart from other magicians is his unique selection of magic tricks, which adds to the overall mystery and intrigue of his shows. Criss Angel's magic selection is carefully curated to captivate and engage the audience. He combines a mix of classic magic tricks with innovative illusions that push the boundaries of what is possible. From levitations and disappearances to mind-reading and escapology, Criss Angel can seemingly do it all.
"Once you see it, it’s too late."
La Llorona and The Curse of La Llorona are two films ostensibly about the same figure in Latin American folklore but each film plays to an entirely different audience. La Llorona and The Curse of La Llorona are two films ostensibly about the same figure in Latin American folklore but each film plays to an entirely different audience.
From levitations and disappearances to mind-reading and escapology, Criss Angel can seemingly do it all. What makes Criss Angel's magic selection even more impressive is his ability to incorporate storytelling into his performances. Each trick is carefully linked to a narrative that adds depth and meaning to the illusion.
The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
In 2019’s The Curse of La Llorona, recently widowed caseworker Anna Tate-Garcia (Linda Cardellini) is struggling to balance her grief against the caregiving needs of her children. When she is assigned the case of a mother who has locked her children in a closet in a bid to save them from the murderous spirit, La Llorona (Marisol Ramirez), events are set in motion that ultimately culminate in a showdown between mothers.
In our first scream, La Llorona has managed to breach the entry of the Tate-Garcia household where she has absconded with Anna’s daughter, Sam (Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen). Knowing that La Llorona intends to kill her child, a frantic Anna follows the two into the water where a battle ensues.
On the surface, the screams informing this scene register as a guttural reaction of a mother attempting to save her child from a dangerous situation. But they also stem from an intersection of anger and grief. As the audience, we know that Anna is struggling in her role as a single parent, and part of the emotion fueling this scream is a hybrid of sadness and anger that she alone is responsible for protecting her family. It is an obligation that weighs heavily on her and that prompts frequent doubts as to whether she alone is enough for her children. Interestingly, the complexity of the scene suggests that perhaps she is correct to be worried.
Although Anna and La Llorona have encountered one another previously, this moment marks their first physical interaction. This should be a moment that assuages Anna’s concern over whether her abilities alone as a mother are enough to protect her children. After all, her instinct to race into the water to save her daughter ties into our cultural expectation that good mothers are self-sacrificing. But complicating this scene is the arrival of Olvera (Raymond Cruz), a former priest Anna has enlisted to help her protect her family against La Llorona. As Anna battles underwater to free Sam, Olvera engages in a hybrid of ritual and prayer above the water that culminates in his placing his hand in the water and breaking La Llorona’s control of the situation. In this moment, Olvera reads as the paternal presence to Anna’s maternal one. Previously, Anna noted that her husband was the religious one and Olvera’s status as a former priest makes him the ideal husband surrogate. Anna is only able to save Sam with Olvera’s help and that reality suggests Anna’s worries that she alone is not enough is based on some truth. Her screams are an awareness that she was right all along; she really can’t protect her children alone.
The idea that children fare better in two-parent households is an inherently patriarchal one. But is it an idea that might resonate with horror film fans? Research indicates that in 2014, among young adults ages 18-25, 55% of young men disagreed with traditional gender roles that cast fathers as the breadwinners and mothers as the homemakers, a substantial difference from the 83% of young men who disagreed in 1994. If we consider that this demographic is also the core demographic to which horror films are traditionally marketed, Anna’s enlistment of a husband surrogate potentially reads as approval of traditional gender role norms. It is a curious position for a genre build upon norm violation.
This quasi-nuclear family dynamic also comes into play in our next scream. Alone in the attic, Anna’s two children are stunned when La Llorona appears to them in her human form. Thinking she has finally found one of her lost children, La Llorona quickly resumes her spirit form when Anna and Olvera appear.
What is especially interesting about the female screams heard here is how they frame two entirely different experiences of maternal grief. The initial scream comes from La Llorona as she charges toward Anna. Having just mistakenly believed reunification with her deceased children was imminent, La Llorona’s scream is a powerful intersection of grief and anger-fueled in no small part by a desire to lash out at mothers who still have their children. La Llorona’s grief is complicated for the audience because while we see her sadness and yearning as she caresses the face of Anna’s son, we also know that her children died as a result of matricide. There is an implication that she deserves her grief in a way that Anna simply does not. For her part, Anna’s scream is a renunciation of La Llorona’s pain. As the mother for whom the audience is positioned to align, Anna’s grief is acceptable because she did nothing to deserve it, unlike La Llorona.
This issue of which mother deserves our sympathy is then complicated by the film’s explicit privileging of white motherhood. We know that in her human form, La Llorona is a Mexican woman. And we know that the only other mother the film introduces us to is Patricia Alvarez (Patricia Velásquez) who is also a Latina. Like La Llorona, Patricia’s arc is one of a mother who seeks to be reunited with her deceased sons. But unlike La Llorona, responsibility for their deaths, which occur after Anna dismisses Patricia’s fears of La Llorona as a silly folktale and removes the children from her home, does not reside with Patricia. Rather, her monstrosity is connected to her willingness to sacrifice Anna’s children to La Llorona in return for her children. No space of empathy is granted to the character until she reverses her decision and allows Anna the opportunity to save her children, an opportunity previously denied to Patricia by Anna. That the film depicts its two Latina mothers as menacing while casting its white mother as an innocent reflects a significant and deep bias in how North American motherhood is framed in popular culture largely by whiteness.
Coontz, Stephanie, and Virgina Rutter. Council on Contemporary Gender and Millennials Symposium, 31 Mar. 2017, contemporaryfamilies.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/FINAL-CCF-Gender-Millennial.pdf.
Doyle, Nora. Maternal Bodies: Redefining Motherhood in Early America. University of North Carolina Press, 2018.
The Curse of La Llorona. Directed by Michael Chaves, performances by Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, and Patricia Velásquez, Warner Bros. Pictures, 2019.
This storytelling element allows the audience to become emotionally invested in the performance, creating a more immersive experience. Furthermore, Criss Angel's magic selection is known for its high level of technical skill and precision. He is a master of misdirection and sleight of hand, seamlessly executing even the most complex tricks with ease. His attention to detail and dedication to perfection is evident in every aspect of his performance. Criss Angel's magic selection also includes a variety of interactive elements that involve the audience. From selecting volunteers for his tricks to encouraging participation through applause or chants, he creates a sense of engagement that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. In conclusion, Criss Angel's magic selection is a carefully crafted combination of classic tricks, innovative illusions, storytelling, technical skill, and audience interaction. It is his unique blend of these elements that sets him apart as a magician and makes his performances truly mesmerizing. Whether you're a fan of magic or simply enjoy being amazed, experiencing Criss Angel's magic selection is an unforgettable journey into the world of illusions..
Reviews for "Mastering the Mind: Criss Angel's Psychological Magic Selection"
- John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the "Criss angel magic selection". The tricks were predictable and not impressive at all. It felt like I was watching a beginner magician perform. I expected much more from Criss Angel, considering his reputation as a great magician. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this magic selection to anyone looking for mind-blowing tricks.
- Jane - 1 star - "Criss angel magic selection" was a huge letdown for me. The tricks were poorly executed and lacked any kind of creativity. I felt like I've seen these tricks a hundred times before. It's such a shame because I was really looking forward to seeing something unique and mind-bending. I regret spending money on this magic selection and would advise others to save their money and choose a different magic show instead.
- David - 2 stars - I didn't enjoy the "Criss angel magic selection" as much as I thought I would. The tricks were too reliant on special effects and didn't showcase Criss Angel's true talent as a magician. It felt more like a spectacle than a magic show. I was left feeling underwhelmed and wanting more substance. I would suggest looking for other magic performances that focus more on actual magic skills and techniques.