Torn Too - Daniel Garcia

Torn Too. Daniel Garcia makes sure not to call this Torn 2, as in a sequel, but to have it called the equivalent to Torn Also. It makes sense, because it isn't really a sequel. It's not tearing sections of the card and restoring them; it's only one. The video is full of Daniel Garcia's weirdness and funny jokes. The video is easy and entertaining to watch - even the explanations. It really steps you through everything you need to do. It even provides a little practice session with some good music with a great beat to practice to. This video allows you to see all the angles and as many tips as Daniel can come up with. Honestly, this is an excellent product.

The effect here is that a card is freely chosen, placed in the deck, and it then rises to the top. No one can see how this happens. The reason is explained because the card was marked, or crimped. To illustrate how a crimp can't be viewed by the untrained eye, the card has a corner torn off. It is explained that this type of modification to the card is not noticable to the untrained eye. The torn section is placed either on the spectator's hand or on the table. The tear is shown to be very helpful in finding that card, since it's the only torn card. Then, the little piece of card is placed on top of the torn card, and with a swipe of the thumb the card restores. The deck can be spread to show that there aren't any corners of cards anywhere to be seen in the deck.

Ok, let's break it down a bit more. The effect claims that it is Instantly Repeatable. YES! You can! Strolling close-up magicians, this is one for you! Perform, and when you're ready to do it again - it's ready too!

The handling is simply genius. I've seen other torn cards with a similar technique with the tear, but none as good as the restore (No loose pieces to be careful of). The restoration DOES take some practice. Once you have it down, you will say it is really easy. Daniel Garcia says that if you can spread the cards, that you can do this trick. It's pretty much true. Once you get it down, it's going to be as easy as cutting or spreading cards.

What I really like about this effect is that you can do it with a signed card. All of us card magicians know what kind of treat it is to "prove" our magic. The routine outlined in the video is good. It doesn't quite fit my personality, but modifications are do-able with this. This is definitely an effect I can make my own, and I highly recommend any close-up, strolling magician to get this one. Even if you just perform magic as a hobby for friends and family - this is a must have.

The only downside is that the spectator's can't examine the deck. After such a presentation, they probably won't want to. This is probably a good reason to make sure to spread the cards after performing, so that they can see all the cards spread out. Spreading seems to be enough examination, but if they are grabby spectators, they will find out how this works.

One last thought - again - a portion of the restore DOES take some practice. Don't feel like this will be one of those effects you'll get and perform within 10 mins of getting. There is some initial setup that takes a bit of time, and maybe a shopping trip if you haven't got all the necessary materials. The video does a great job stepping you through everything you need to know for the preparation, performance, and even how to handle the reactions.

Royal Road to Card Magic with Rudy Hunter (4 DVD Set)

Magic books can be hard to follow. You might really delve into a chapter to figure out what it's talking about only to find that the sleight you have learned sucks. Or maybe you aren't doing it right, but based upon the description and the picture it seems like you have it right. Books can sometimes be a bit of a let down.

FORTUNATELY!!! Someone went through all the hard work and put together a video!! YAY!! This is one book I own, and the video is MUCH better than the book. Not often is a movie better than a book, but in this case it is!! It really steps through the book, and for the most part nails everything in the book. The video gives the disclaimer that it left a few things out, but after 4 DVDs you won't notice... haha

Like a foreign language, if you put down the cards for a while, you get a bit rusty. This is a great set to brush up on skills and improve. There are some good tricks in this set. All of them are classic, and whether you're a beginner or not - this is a good addition to your library of magic videos. It suggests to practice along with reading from the book - however I didn't see that necessary.

I recommend picking up this set if you want to master card magic essentials. You really will see your familiarity with the cards, how to handle them, and ways to perform increase through practicing while watching this DVD. It's like having a college course of card magic on video. It's really good.

Flow by Dan Hauss

Wow, this is truly amazing. I really love this trick! Ok, so basically the bottle is turned upside down, and by the magician's "power" the water is kept from coming out of the bottle.

Don't get me wrong at all.. the method is truly genius! This trick is just not practical unless you perform outside. It also requires some preparation. It doesn't take long to prepare, but it can't be done with other's looking. The video gives you some ideas of how to get into the trick. I really love this video. The only downside is that I can't perform it table hopping or strolling, unless I'm outdoors - and I really don't want to pack a ton of prepared water bottles. This is a good one to show friends and family at a picnic or family event outside.

One good thing about this is that the bottle is absolutely examinable after the effect. They can take it home with no risk of being caught. The replacement "gimmick" is easy to find and easy to replace, and very cheap. This really is a genius "piece of strange" as Paul Harris might put it.

Search and Destroy by Aaron Fisher

I'm not usually disappointed by magic I find on Penguin Magic, nor Ellusionist.com. However, with this piece, wow - I was amazed it is actually for sale. I believe this was produced by Theory 11.

First off. Aaron Fisher loves to talk. He loves to hear himself talk. He also doesn't think you can come up with your own patter/jokes during a routine. Let's put it this way.... The video is about 1 1/2 hours long for about a 5 minute trick. Talk about JIBBER-JABBER!!

Let's just say the "Nowhere Pass" isn't a pass at all. It's not invisible - the spectator does it. He challenges you to find it, and bets you can't. I did - it was easy! Basically, a pass is placing the top half of the deck under the bottom half, or the bottom on the top. The "Nowhere pass" is asking the spectator to cut the cards and complete the cut. I wouldn't call that a pass. I call that a cut! Sorry to give away this important detail. I'm really hoping no one wastes their money on learning the "Nowhere pass" and being disappointed that it is just asking the spectator's to cut the cards.

I'm sure if the whole routine was shown on the demo, that any magician could figure it out. Basically, I figure that Aaron Fisher was sitting down one day, took about 5 mins and made up a cute little trick. Then, thought that he should sell it for $30 and blab about it forever on video. I seriously feel bad for the camera man who had to listen to his garbage for as long as he did.

Honestly, I've sat down and put together better tricks than this, and I'm not selling them for $30! This does not bring anything new into magic. It uses ideas already being practiced. This might be a better piece of magic if the magician actually did the pass invisibly in their own hand. This product may be worth the price if it has about 10 tricks of the same calibre on the same DVD (Hint: Ellusionist.com has the Ninja series DVDs loaded with sleights and effects for less than this).

Save your money, find something better than this. I do not suggest to get it - in fact I recommend steering clear of this! If you want to know how the trick works.. turn two cards upside-down.. one placed a few cards from the top, and the other a few cards from the bottom. Cut the deck, and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. It's not magic I would perform for people who aren't under the influence of alcohol. If they have a working mind, they will see very clearly how this trick is done... HORRIBLE EFFECT!!

Sick by Sean Fields (Coin swallowed, comes out arm)

Sean Field's is an awesome magician, and illusion creator. I really enjoy his work. Sick is no exception. If you've seen Criss Angel perform this effect, you know how devestating the reactions can be. This really can't be performed for the faint of heart.

What I really like about this video are all the tips with blood. Not only does this video give excellent tips, but also gives a fairly good recipe for it.

I love the handling. This is a very deceptive trick. All the motions are covered by larger motions. There is no way anyone will know how this is being performed if you practice and really go through all the preparations of this trick.

The video was entertaining - Sean did jibber-jabber a bit, but it does not destract from the pure awesomeness of this effect. I fully recommend this item for anyone who likes "geek magic." Even if you won't perform it, as a magician it's still cool to know how it's done.

Prohibition - Magic - Cap through Bottle

Prohibition - Watch the video of the effect here!

As I have said before about this trick, this is the best cap through bottle trick I've seen. The method is so clean and easy. Whenever I've performed this trick, people are amazed and have no idea how it is done.

The video is easy to follow and goes through all the ins-and-outs that you need to know for each bottle type. It gives tips on performances, and even shows performances. Each move is broken down to be very simple. After watching the video I was performing within 15 mins of practice.

Cool points about the trick:

The magic is very visual. The cap actually appears to be slammed through the bottom of the trick

The sounds of the effect go in line with what you see. As the cap slides out of the bottle and is smacked on the bottom - the sounds match how it would actually sound, and the visuals along with the sound make the effect very convincing.

People actually believe that a way has been found for an object to penetrate the glass, but then also know that glass will not allow a solid to pass through it. So it leaves people astonished. I highly recommend this trick!

Loops by Yigal Mesika - Levitate anything!

Most of the magic I buy, I am usually pretty happy with. This particular product was a let down, every step of the way.

First, I opened up the package to see the loops. They were a bit thicker than I imagined. I have used invisible thread before, but these loops were quite easy to see, I thought.

Then, I tried practicing some tricks from the book I purchased along with it. The loops broke! I went through like 2-3 loops just on one trick, and I hadn't hardly done anything at all to break them!

Now, I only had a couple of loops left, so I decided to try a trick I had practiced out on someone. I showed a trick, but the spectator saw the thread just as easily as I had suspected. All the literature says that no one will look for it, since they don't know it is there... but come on - if someone is levitating an object, most people are going to try and notice anything holding it up.

The loops are not invisible, and were quite a disappointment. The dark color showed up easily against the cards I used. Loops are a waste of money. You might find more success with them than I did, but I've seen other's comments in forums about the loops, and a lot of people don't like them. I prefer invisible thread, but - all in all, I'd rather learn some sleight of hand instead.

Encyclopedia of Coin Sleights - Dr. Michael Rubinstein

Coin magic is so awesome, and is a classic to magic. There are a lot of applications to coin magic. Street magic, table hopping, and even stage. Even if you just want to show some buddies at work a trick, coin magic is perfect for that kind of situation also.

To begin with coin magic, you might have learned a few tricks, or bought some basic coin tricks. The Encyclopedia of Coin Sleights volumes are simply incredible. They cover everything that you need to know. As you begin with coin magic, you learn various sleights of hand. The 1st volume is a good review for some things you might have learned elsewhere, but also goes into more things that you probably don't know. Within the first 25 minutes of the DVD, I had already learned some really awesome vanishes, and started to put some things together on my own to create my own trick. Essentially, one thing you can do - even just from the first 25 mins of the first volume, is to show a coin in your hand - Close it, wave your other hand over it, and show your hand empty. The applications of making a coin come out of your hand are ENDLESS!! For instance, I decided that this could be an excellent way of performing the "Coin to pocket" trick, or you could also have the coin appear in any other place you dream of!

The DVDs cover everything from clips to palms, from steals to retentions.. and before you know it - you'll see yourself in the mirror as a professional magician, and just think to yourself, "wow" - You might even gasp out loud! Honestly, there are a lot more sleights in these than you might even be able to imagine that you can perform with coins. I really was awakened by what can be done with coins.

The DVD set is from the 80s, so it is a bit old - but the material is still as strong as ever. The man's voice is pretty boring. There is some tasteful classical music playing in the background. These DVDs are a great resource for any magician who is serious about coin magic. Even though the explanations sound dull, learning the sleights and seeing the application is exciting. This is definitely better than Penguin Magic's "In the Beginning There Were Coins" DVD in some ways. Definitely more sleights covered in the Encyclopedia and there is a lot more time spent on the sleights, so you are sure to be an expert with each sleight after practice.

There aren't a lot of "tricks" or "routines" covered, but you'll see how the sleights work, and you'll have more freedom as you perform. You'll find yourself feeling more confident as people as you to show a magic trick - because you can even make one up on the spot. I would recommend these DVDs.

Sankey - Wrap it up! - Magic Trick

For those who are not familiar with this trick, to describe it would not give it any justice. On Jay Sankey's website he has posted a video of many different applications of this wonderful effect. Check it out at http://www.sankeymagic.com/detail.aspx?ID=48074. And yes, all of those different ways of performing the trick are explained on the DVD!!!

Some of you may be asking, "How good is this really?" Well, Criss Angel thought it was good enough to perform during one of his episodes.

This trick is genius. The concept is simple, and performance is easy. As you can see from the video on Sankey's website, it is very visual. The funny thing is, if you offer the piece of gum to someone, they often don't trust it. They really believe it just came out of your mouth and just wrapped itself! Haha, now that's a laugh, and a good representation of how convincing this effect really is. I dig it, and I think you'll really enjoy this one too. The DVD comes with everything you need to get started, including the gum you'll need to perform the trick. Have fun with it!

David Stone The Real Secrets of Magic Vol 1

First of all, David Stone is simply amazing. He has won the FISM award, and as you watch his performances you can see why. He has a smooth way of presenting magic and teaching it. If you're not familiar with FISM, it is basically the Olympics of Magic.

This DVD is really good because it shows the performances in front of people on location, instead of in a studio. He is at a restaurant, or at a party. The party may have been a studio, but it was done well to give the feel of real people viewing real performances.

I really like how the video gives tips on finding gigs, and how to make sure you will be sufficient for the gig. It gives guidelines of how many magicians should be at a gig depending on the number of guests.

David Stone is French, so there is a strong accent. Some people say it is hard to understand him, but I found no problems with it. The explanations have great music, and no words. You get to watch the sleights of hand, and he shows the exposed view - and makes sure to get the point across without using any words. This style of teaching is really good. Coupled with the music, it is like practicing with David Stone, and in a way meditating. I find practicing magic to be a form of meditation.

The video is well done, the magic effects taught on this DVD are very good. They range from the easy self working tricks, to difficult sleight of hand tricks. So even the beginner will benefit from this DVD and it can help one advance into more difficult material.

The effects on this definitely produce that "WOW" factor people are looking for. People are definitely astonished by the effects I've shown from this DVD. The DVD definitely gives real world advice from a professional and helps you feel that you can accomplish your goal of becoming a professional magician, if you so desire. I highly recommend anything from David Stone.

Masterminds Volume One by Criss Angel (Quarter Through Soda Can) (DVD)

In season 1, Criss Angel performed a trick on the street where he borrowed a quarter, and borrowed a soda can. He then had the spectator sign the quarter and apparently slam the quarter through the sealed soda can. He shook the can, and you could hear the quarter apparently on the inside of the can. Then, he opened the can, and poured out the contents. The quarter was left behind inside the can. The quarter seen through the opening has the spectator's signature.

I orginally saw this trick performed by Wayne Houchin on his website at http://www.waynehouchin.com/. I was simply amazed by his display of sleight of hand, and wanted to learn the trick for myself.

When this was going to be released by Criss Angel I couldn't wait for the secret to be available. I was all hyped up! The video measured up to all of my expectations, and the trick is easier than I thought it would be.

The DVD is put together well. There are performances, step through explanations, and tips given by both the creator of the effect and Criss Angel. The only thing I couldn't stand about the DVD is how Criss Angel came off in the video. Of course on his show he is the expert magician, and it's cool to see his personality on his show, but on this DVD it came off like he was saying, "I'm better than you," to Wayne. The fact is, Wayne created the effect - and Criss needed to know how it was done from Wayne. I think Criss should have had a bit more humility and gratitude, but - oh well.

The DVD teaches the effect very well, and if you can see yourself putting a quarter into the soda can right in front of the specatators, then you'll have fun with this one. Keep in mind that if you get this, you'll need to be prepared to perform the effect by pouring out the soda. So prepare either to do it outside (where you can pour the contents on the ground) or have a glass to pour the liquid into.

This effect definitely has "wow" factor, and is a great find. The price is worth it for sure, especially when you experience the reactions from this gem. It's a ton of fun! I would recommend this DVD for sure.

Psi Series Banachek DVDs

The Banachek Series is AWESOME!!! Seriously. I only have volumes 1 and 2 so far, but I am likely to get them all eventually.

Each volume starts out with the performance. As I watched the performance I was even starting to believe that Banachek could read minds, tell future events, and cause things to happen by the power of his mind.

The performance time is about an hour, then he goes through each effect, and each part of his routine in meticulous detail. He explains the ins and the outs, and how to pull things off in a way that are convincing. He explains how to avoid pitfalls and what NOT to do. Each effect is VERY powerful. There are a lot of DVD series that just have filler material and a few tricks that are good, but Banachek doesn't have a bunch of filler tricks.

You may not find yourself using all the material yourself, but if you're going to become a professional - or if you ARE a professional, he basically is giving you a full performance in each DVD. You could practice and have yourself a full show - hand picked and packaged up personally from Banachek himself.

These DVDs contain all the powerful material I've seen him perform, and also material I've seen other mentalists perform. This is an excellent series, and I highly recommend it. This series definitely has "wow" factor. People who you perform for will think that you may actually possess the ability to read minds, foretell future events, or that you might have special mental powers.

After performing some of the effects taught by Banachek, people ask, "What if I would have ..." I just respond, "the answer to that question is going to bug you all day, isn't it - but you really had a free choice, and could have answered any other way you'd like."

The methods are genius, and the impact is powerful.

Free Choice by Peter Duffie - Trick

I hadn't heard of this trick until I bought it. I read the description and I decided to go for it. It was less than $10, and the trick seemed pretty cool.

So this is what the trick is all about. You have 4 kings. There are also 12 blank cards. The kings are placed face down in a row, and you ask someone to deal 3 cards on top of any of the kings. Then the rest of the cards are dealt on top of the rest of the cards. Each stack is shown to have 1 king and 3 blanks. Then, from each stack of cards the king disappears and is replaced by a blank card, which ends up being in the stack the spectator chose. In the end, all of the kings end up in the same stack miraculously.

This is a great trick. There isn't a video for this available, so the instructions are all text. At first I was a bit confused by the instructions, until I actually followed the instructions with the cards in hand. Then, I saw how easy it was. After practicing the trick a few times I was ready to test this out on some family. This trick takes some practice, and depending on your skills of magic you might find it a bit difficult - but don't be discouraged. This is definitely a great effect to know and show!!

Honestly, I have a lot of fun with this one. The vanishes of the kings look good, and the cards all really appear to be blank. The only downside with this trick is it is not examinable by the spectator. This effect really has wow factor, and people have no idea how it could be done. For this reason they will want to see the cards, but you won't be able to. So when I finish each vanish, I put that stack of cards away, one stack at a time, then allow them to see the last 4 kings no problem. Since the other cards are out of sight, they are also out of mind.

Sankey's Greatest Hits

Are you looking for some really good magic? Look no further!! If you don't have Sankey's Greatest Hits, then you really should go out and buy it.

Jay Sankey is known around the globe for his incredible jaw dropping magic. His magic is simple and easy to perform. This 3 DVD collection is full of all of his greatest hits, hence the name. I have this set, and I watched the performances. I couldn't wait to learn the secrets!! Once I started learning the secrets, I practiced until I was ready. These tricks are some of the hardest hitting effects I have performed.

One of my favorite from this DVD set. Ask a spectator to choose a card. The card is shown, and placed under the spectator's hand face up. A different card is shown, then the backside of the card is burned. The card is then felt on the hand of the spectator to be warm from the heat of being burned. Then, with a magical word or gesture, the card no longer is burned... but the card that the spectator has had under their hand face up, now is burned on the backside.

I have performed the routines and effects from this DVD set, and I have to say- WOW!!! Absolutely great magic, and great reactions. I have not been unhappy with anything from Sankey, except for Airtight, but even then - I was happy with the effect and knowing the secret, I just didn't have any practical use for it.

The great thing about Sankey, is you will learn some concepts in magic from him, and see his tricks he has created with these concepts. Then, you'll find yourself using these concepts making up your own tricks. Get anything Sankey, in my opinion. I have always been happy with his videos. His greatest hits combines all the BEST stuff, but then again.. his stuff is so great you really need to get everything anyway.

Pros: Lot's of the tricks shown in here are great for table hopping, and require little or no setup

You'll see how the tricks are performed and then broken down into easy bite-sized pieces

Difficult sleights are gone over in extra detail, and even slowed down

Cons: some tricks require some practice, but what good magic doesn't require any practice

Art of Astonishment

I have to admit, that when I first received my Art of Astonishment books, I wasn't very happy with them. The wording was strange, the pictures awkward, and it was hard to follow exactly what I needed to do. I put the books down for months.

I later picked them up and found that they weren't a total waste. Not many of the tricks in there, in my opinion, are all that great. I have no idea why the price of these books is so high. Maybe I need someone to show them to me individually.

With this possibly being the case, I bought the Art of Astonishment 1 DVD. Apparently, Paul Harris was intending on doing a video for all 3 of his books, but later changed his mind. Even the tricks on the DVD aren't all that spectacular.

The tricks are really for the extreme lay person, who completely doesn't understand magic nor misrepresentation. Any spectator who has a solid head on their shoulders and is good with problem solving will be able to figure out pretty much all of the tricks. Only a few gems are contained within these books.

I would not go as far as saying that the effects are worth the cost of the book alone. Not even close. But what I will say is, that the effects ARE worth the amount of money you'll lose if you get the book, read through it, pick out the good tricks, and sell the book again on eBay.

Some of the good ones are performed by Wayne Houchin, but there are others that you'll find to be pretty nice. I've performed some of the tricks I've learned out of the book and I have not gotten caught. One of my favorites is a blackjack hand. Where you apparently give an ace to the spectator, but in the end the ace is in your hand, and they are left with a bad hand of blackjack.

There are some other nice effects, but - to anyone contemplating purchase of this series.. honestly, put that money towards something better... like David Stone's DVDs .. ANY OF THEM! For the price of all 3 Art of Astonishment books, you should be able to buy all of David Stone's DVDs. He's got some great ones.

Coin Magic in General

Alright folks, coin magic. Beginner magicians often dread it, and don't pick it up for a while. With good reason. When I first started learning magic, I was buying self working tricks. As a kid, I learned some cheap card tricks, but my best magic was made of plastic. At least I thought it was the best. It was the easiest to perform, and the device had some locking mechanism that would not allow the spectator to learn the secret of the effect.

Here is the thing with coin magic. Let's say you're at work and someone has seen you perform some really awesome stuff, but you don't have anything on you. You may have some things in your wallet, or other minor tricks... but they've seen those already. What do you do? Ask them if they have a coin. You'll be set, if you've learned some coin magic.

For a beginner learning any kind of magic at first, one might not feel that they will really get away with it. What I mean is, the secret is often so basic that some really don't think anyone will be fooled by their performance. This is one reason I didn't pick up coin magic at first. I was fooled by it, but I only really saw the magic on TV or online. I figured that if I showed the same tricks I was fooled by, then others who would see the tricks live would know what happened.

Here is my review of coin magic in general. IT IS SO WORTH LEARNING!!! I didn't realize it at first, but coin magic is not only fun but can really knock some people's socks off!

So you might see a performer take a coin, and place it in their hand. They snap their fingers and it disappears! They show both hands empty. The performer closes one hand and snaps his fingers with his other hand.. and TADA!! The coin is revealed to have reappeared.

Once you learn the trick, you might think - oh, I couldn't do that!! The sleight of hand is too hard! Some might also think that they will not get people to believe that a coin is really gone using the methods they learn.

Tips of advice - practice!! Remember what you've read, watched, heard about how psychology is related with magic. Act like what you are trying to appear happen is really happening. Those who practice in front of a mirror or with a video camera will be able to see what they look like as they perform the trick. Get the routine down, and you'll be amazed at the kind of reactions people give you for simple coin magic.

Another tip is to start learning coin magic with a video. Whether it be Jay Sankey's Revolutionary Coin Magic or Jay Noblezada's In the Beginning There Were Coins. When you watch the video of the secrets, you will see how the professional magician holds their body, moves their hands, and uses gestures to make things appear more convincing. There are other wonderful coin magic DVDs. I'll be reviewing a couple of them in other posts.

After watching the videos and learning the basic sleights of hand, pick up a coin magic book. This will review the sleights of hand, help you become familiar with the words they'll be using in describing other sleights of hand, and tricks to perform applying the sleights you have learned.

Coin magic really sets you aside as a better magician. It gives you more of a repertoire, and will give the spectator more than just card tricks. Card tricks are cool, but it is best to perform varied material. Plus, when a magician learns coin magic, they'll start to see other applications for the sleights of hand - and before you know it, you'll be creating magic with other ever-day objects. People may start to believe that you possess real magic!

Saw

The effect is to make thread apparently penetrate your neck. Then, with a snap of the thread, it comes right back out - with no harm to your neck. Very visual.

Saw is absolutely brilliant. I love the simple nature to the effect. It is easy to perform, and the reactions are wonderful. I love how there are different applications to use the effect. This was such a great trick, Criss Angel himself performed it on one of his episodes, but instead of using a Life Saver, he used a ring. I love how you can swallow a lifesaver and apparently retreive it through your neck with a thread. Excellent work! The setup is easy, and performance is totally easy, and people freak out - so it definitely hits hard!

The only con to this trick would reveal the secret, so - I won't actually do that. BUT, regardless of this one downside, the excitement of the reactions is well worth the downside.. which is minor, and solution to it is provided with the DVD.

Stigmata - Wayne Houchin

Ok, so this is a really fun effect. I love the video and the different versions you can use. The direct mind reading effect is hit or miss, so I don't recommend using it. One save I might recommend is to have them select a number 1-10, and whatever number they say - if you are wrong, then have them select a card from the deck... the amount of cards down as the number they select, but force the card that has the number you had predicted they would think of.

Anything from Wayne Houchin is awesome. He's an excellent performer and great with details as he explains his effects. I showed this to co-workers the next day after learning this, and people literally FREAKED OUT. People were talking about it the rest of the day. People said things like, "I know that this is just a trick, but this really blew my mind.. I have to remind myself that this is just a trick"

If you don't have stigmata yet, I would recommend getting it as soon as possible, since the reactions are amazing. If you like this type of magic, I also would recommend any of Banachek's videos.

Pros: practical magic that you will actually use

apparent mind reading with a few different methods

easy, step-by-step instruction

very nice video quality

definite "wow" factor

Cons: There really aren't any that I can see except for the direct reading method. If it works, then people really do freak out, but if it doesn't work - you are left trying to dig yourself out.

Melting Point

Melting point has a really great demo online. I love the demo, and it really made my mind spin with application before I bought the trick. Especially when the demo showed a starburst passing through glass. When I received this item, I quickly opened it up and popped the DVD in the player, and found that the instructions were all in TEXT on my TV screen. I was thinking, "what's up with THAT!" I thought I was missing something, but the instructions were in text, and you gotta read fast. They show what they're talking about in video, but that is a bit fast. I was used to having explanation videos break down each step, and evaluate each part. Receiving hints and tips with each step in the process. This video pretty much sucks. The trick itself, though, is pretty cool. After you get past reading the explanations and seeing short clips, it all comes together. The only problem I have with this DVD is that the method really requires a glass table. I was so frustrated because I didn't know anyone with a glass table, and the nearest thing I had was some plexiglass. So if you get this, make sure you have a glass table to practice on. Other than that, the method is pretty sweet, and if you have a PK Ring, you'll find ways of applying the method to many other glass items to make things apparently pass through them. Even though I didn't have a glass table, I really enjoyed learning the secret to this. Is the secret worth the cost, I don't think so. But they sure did a great job including a free gift, so it isn't a total loss. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more if I had a glass table like the one they have in their demo. This became a bookshelve piece; one hardly used... except the coins that came with it, I found very useful with my PK ring, so again - not a total loss!

Wiregrams

Ellusionists.com is the only place I have seen Wiregrams. This product is basically a piece of wire that when you apply heat, it turns into a shape. The same it changes into is a type of card. For instance, a trick you could do is have a spectator choose a card, and have them return the card to the deck. Tell them that you will put the cards away and while you do, have them hold on the wire and concentrate on that card. Explain that the wire is a special mind reading wire, and that as they concentrate the wire will absorb the brain waves, and interpret them. You could even say that if they avoided the card in their mind, than inversely the card would still be found by this wire. When they are done, and you've pattered enough about the wire, take the wire back and pull out a lighter. Apply the flame from the lighter to the wire, and it will start to move on its own. The wire will then resemble the selected card!

Wiregrams are really fun. People literally freak out when they see the wire move all by itself. They can even be the one holding the wire, and you can hand THEM the lighter. You don't need it back, because there is no sleight of hand - you are not manipulating the wire at all. This is a great product, and the price is very low, and you can reuse the wire again and again. This is a great piece of magic to add to your repertoire, I highly recommend them.