Magic in the Moonlight

The Côte d'Azur in 1928. Stanley, an English illusionist who performs as a Chinese magician, is called in to expose a young American claiming to be a medium. The trouble is he cannot work out how she does it, and his own rationalism starts to come apart. Colin Firth and Emma Stone lead. Darius Khondji shot it, and that is the least contestable thing about the film: the period, the light and the locations genuinely look beautiful. Critics were cool anyway. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 52 percent and the consensus is blunt, calling it too slight to stand with Woody Allen's finest work. One reviewer wrote that it showed so little curiosity about its own ideas. It grossed 51 million dollars worldwide. Who it is for: viewers who want period design, good clothes and a light romantic comedy. Who it is not for: anyone expecting the ideas to be developed. The film opens the argument between faith and reason and walks away from it, and the age gap between the leads reads badly now.