Now You See It…

Summary

Pod Meets World - Episode: "Now You See It…" Summary

Introduction In the May 7, 2025 release of "Pod Meets World," hosts Will Friedle and Johnny Picar delve into the Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) titled "Now You See It…." This episode offers an in-depth exploration of the film's plot, production quality, character development, and overall execution, providing listeners with a comprehensive review enriched with personal insights and memorable quotes.

Overview of "Now You See It…" "Now You See It…" centers around a reality TV competition aimed at discovering the best young magician. The movie intertwines themes of magic, reality TV dynamics, and the struggles of young talent striving for recognition. The hosts discuss the film's premise, highlighting its attempt to blend magical illusions with the competitive nature of reality television.

Plot Summary The film follows Allison Miller, a determined segment producer, and Danny Sinclair, a young magician grappling with unexplained magical abilities. Allison is tasked with finding finalists for the reality show "World's Greatest Magician," while Danny enters the competition, showcasing his unique tricks that border on actual magic. As the competition progresses, tensions rise with the appearance of Max, the enigmatic host with his own hidden agenda.

Key Discussions and Insights

1. Production and Special Effects

   • Will Friedle critiques the special effects, stating, "the magic stuff didn't look great" (03:34), emphasizing the disparity between the film's ambitious magical concepts and their visual execution.
   • Johnny Picar echoes this sentiment, noting, "the effects were not very special" (34:10), suggesting that the low-budget effects hindered the movie's magical authenticity.

2. Character Analysis and Actor Performance

   • The hosts analyze Danny Sinclair's character, describing him as "brooding" and "mysterious" (03:09), and express confusion over his age portrayal, questioning whether he should be depicted as a teenager or an adult.
   • Will Friedle praises the antagonist Max, comparing him to "Willy Wonka," and remarks on his captivating presence (54:12), adding, "Max is just like captivating."

3. Critique of Movie Execution

   • The duo criticizes the film's plot coherence, stating, "the story didn't make a whole lot of sense" (80:35), and express frustration over unexplained magical elements, such as the sudden appearance of a secret vault and teleportation scenes.
   • Johnny Picar highlights inconsistencies in character motivations and plot developments, mentioning, "they didn't have to go through this big elaborate thing anymore" (28:54), pointing out narrative shortcuts.

4. Personal Reactions and Ratings

   • Throughout the episode, both hosts share their reactions to specific scenes, often pausing the movie to discuss confusing or poorly executed moments.
   • In the rating segment, Will and Johnny both assign a 6 out of 10, acknowledging the film's creative potential but recognizing its shortcomings in execution and storytelling (79:53).

Notable Quotes

• Will Friedle on character inconsistencies:

  "How old do you think she was supposed to be here?" (24:39)

• Johnny Picar on special effects:

  "I have a hard time doing it, but I do really like them." (07:14)

• Will Friedle on magical realism:

  "A magician never reveals their secrets." (49:02)

Conclusion and Future Episodes Despite its flaws, "Now You See It…" provides an intriguing premise that blends magic and reality TV. Will and Johnny commend the film for its creative ideas but emphasize the need for better execution and character development. They express anticipation for future episodes, including reviews of "Zombies 2" and other sequels, indicating a continued focus on beloved Disney properties.

The episode wraps up with a playful segment reviewing the movie's elements and engaging in a game called "Tragic Magic," further showcasing the hosts' chemistry and enthusiasm for discussing magical-themed content.

Final Thoughts "Pod Meets World" successfully navigates the complexities of reviewing a niche DCOM, balancing critical analysis with personal anecdotes. Listeners gain a nuanced understanding of "Now You See It…" through the hosts' candid evaluations and shared experiences, making the episode both informative and entertaining.

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Note: Timestamps in square brackets (e.g., [24:39]) correspond to the transcript references for quotes and key points.

Transcript

[Will Friedle]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.

[Chiquis Rivera]

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[Sabrina Bryan]

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[Johnny Picar]

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[Will Friedle]

You'll be like, dip, bite.

[Johnny Picar]

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[Will Friedle]

Hi, Sabrina.

[Johnny Picar]

Hi, Will.

[Will Friedle]

I'm nasally Sabrina. Thanks. That that was a lie. Yikes.

[Johnny Picar]

You're doing great, honey.

[Will Friedle]

You're doing great. Put your shoes on. We're at Grandma's. Great. Thank you, Sabrina. No, I am. I'm ill.

[Johnny Picar]

I know. And my kids are, too. You were, like, right in sync with them. I feel like it's been months of on and off of getting sick, and.

[Will Friedle]

They'Re just getting the same thing. It just keeps coming back around. Right? That's what I have.

[Johnny Picar]

Sinus, like, cough and mucus and just. It's so sad.

[Will Friedle]

It is. We're like walking petri dishes. It's just the worst thing ever.

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, man.

[Will Friedle]

Well, you don't. You know, I have a wife, so you don't have to come and take care of me like you come and take care of your kids. That's very nice. And Susan is amazing. When I'm sick, she's like, get better. And then she just throws things at me.

[Chiquis Rivera]

Perfect.

[Will Friedle]

I'm kidding. She's the best ever. She's just the right amount of taking care of me and get out of bed.

[Johnny Picar]

Hocus pocus of a chicken noodle soup that I swear just make even when you feel like garbage.

[Will Friedle]

Magical.

[Johnny Picar]

So good. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Really? There's also. There's another one like that, too. It's. They call it something penicillin. I forget what it is, but it's like soup penicillin. Really good. Yeah.

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, I. I just call it that because it's like, no matter how crappy you're feeling from being sick, this soup just gives you the goodness. The war. It's the thick granny noodles and veggies and. Oh, it's just so yummy.

[Will Friedle]

I thought it was the same thing with vodka, but it doesn't work that way. I just keep drinking it and I keep getting sick. It's so weird. I'm kidding.

[Johnny Picar]

Well, it's because you got to switch to tequila. Everyone knows that, Will. Everyone knows that.

[Will Friedle]

So I apologize to everybody out there who has to listen to my nasal. Nasal ness. But that being said, welcome back to Magical Rewind, the show that makes you want to grab your friends, your PJs, and that awesome chicken soup that Sabrina makes and go back to a time when all the houses are smart, the waves, tsunamis, and I could breathe through both nostrils. I'm Will Friedle.

[Johnny Picar]

And I'm Sabrina Bryan.

[Will Friedle]

Abracadabra. Yes, that's right. Watch as I pull this brand new episode out of my hat, because we are taking on 2005's magical drama. Now you see it on today's show. Very excited. I was gonna say now you see it, but there's no exclamation point.

[Johnny Picar]

So it's just now you see it.

[Will Friedle]

Now you see it. Yeah, I think it's question mark. It's now you see it. Is it now you see it. Do we? The movie first debuted on the Disney Channel on January 14, 2005, right in the heyday and was filmed in get ready, a new spot for us. New Orleans. Yes, Louisiana. That's right. We left the comfort of Utah and Canada and found a new home base. But things didn't quite, quite go so smoothly as the cast and crew were forced to evacuate right before they started shooting thanks to Hurricane Ivan. And you know, I should tell you right now, if you want to hear more about that story, you're gonna have to go check out our Park Hopper episode because we got to interview the star of this movie, Johnny Picar, and he tells all about it. So I won't get too much more into that. You'll have to go check it out over there because it's a really cool story.

[Johnny Picar]

Pretty wild little journey for them.

[Will Friedle]

Little tidbit. Now, we are always quick to point out stunt doubles when they appear in these movies, but it is worth noting that in this movie, the cast actually did all of their own magic tricks, except for those that obviously use special effects like the floating card trick, which is not possible thanks to that little thing called gravity. Thank you so much, Isaac Newton. Whatever. Even though this movie didn't quite leave a long lasting impression in the world of dcoms at the time, a sequel was rumored to be in pre production. It was going to be called and now you don't, which is a very clever title. But allegedly it came down to Ali Mashaka deciding between that and Cowbells. And we know which one she chose because we already did cowbells here on Magical Rewind. That was my cow noise, thank you very much. Which I can do because both my nostrils are blocked. Thank you. Thank you. Musically, it is worth noting here in the movie, they did get Ally and her sister A.J. of course, the Disney famous singers to cover the song do youo Believe in Magic? Which we hear not only in the soundtrack, but in the film itself. Okay, let's get this out of the way. Sabrina, do you like magic?

[Johnny Picar]

I do. I'm a little of an overthinker, so it is hard for me to go to a magic show and not try to question everything. Question. Watch every, like, oh, you know, oh, that couldn't have been that. You Know the magician. The magician again. That's a double up there, you know, whatever and.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, God, you're a magician's best friend then, aren't you?

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah, I have a hard time doing it, but I do really like them. Like when it's a really great show that's produced really well. I do like going to magic shows.

[Will Friedle]

Have you been to the Magic Castle?

[Johnny Picar]

I was just gonna say the Magic Castle, however, was not one of my favorite shows. It actually was. It was Keely's 21st birthday. We went there.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, was it or was it not?

[Johnny Picar]

Was it not? It was. Place was really cool. Like being there was awesome. The show itself was like.

[Will Friedle]

No.

[Johnny Picar]

Really?

[Will Friedle]

What happened? What kind of magic was it?

[Johnny Picar]

I don't even feel like there really was much of a magic sit. It was just like. It was. I don't know, I mean, it was just not. I was expecting this like, just incredible show and it just was kind of. Regardless, the night was amazing. Being there felt awesome. It was very cool. Really kind of like nostalgic in the sense of like just knowing like the history of this place. But the actual magic show was just like on a really small little stage. Oh, did you do that?

[Will Friedle]

Was it close up? Did you do the close up magic room? Were you all very close to the person who was doing the magic?

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah, it was intimate. I feel like it was just our group that was. Was in there, so it wasn't really that great. I thought it was gonna be a lot better. But being there, it. Besides that just being there was just really cool because you have to have like some. Someone in the group has to be like a member of something.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Member or you have to know one of the magicians or something like that. We're still. The. The Pod meets World crew is gonna. Is still trying to go. So we're trying to figure out a.

[Johnny Picar]

Time to actually go.

[Will Friedle]

It's great. Yeah, it's a ton of fun.

[Johnny Picar]

The bar area is really, really awesome. A thing I remember is because it was Keely and she was the youngest of us, you know, that was her 21st birthday. And I remember she's like, I wanna buy like something really cool at the bar. And I'm like, oh, let's get some whiskey.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. What, you're not a fan of whiskey?

[Johnny Picar]

I was like 23 years old.

[Will Friedle]

No.

[Johnny Picar]

I like took a sip and was like, oh, God no. What would we just do? That was awful. Can we get like. I probably ordered like a Cosmopolitan or something.

[Will Friedle]

Midori Sour, please.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah, I probably ordered something stupid. Like, I mean, really. But it was just funny because, you know, 21st, and it's like, all right, the baby of the group is 21 now. And we're like, let's get a real, real drink.

[Will Friedle]

And wow, we're very different. Just put whiskey in a glass, bourbon in a glass, or vodka in a glass. I'm good. Anything else gets in the way?

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, now, like Jordan has, I have a tiny bit of a taste for it, but back then, no, I was drinking, like, Cosmopolitans and, like, Lychee Martinis.

[Will Friedle]

All too sweet. People are like, do you want it on the rocks? I'm like, nope, that just gets in the way. This movie, however, does tradition of movies about magic in Hollywood. Some are good, some are bad. We've got the Prestige, the Escape Artist, the Incredible Burt Wonderstone, the Illusionist. And a movie that is slowly becoming a franchise and has almost the same exact name as this movie. Now you see me. But this one stars Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Common, Woody Harrelson. And a third installment of this movie is actually already in the works. And we just heard that apparently it's going to be called now youw See Me, now youw don't, which was originally going to be the title of this sequel. Now you Don't.

[Johnny Picar]

Yes. So crazy.

[Will Friedle]

Very crazy. And as usual, this movie is available to stream right now on Disney. No tricks involved. Swear. You can watch it now before we get into it or listen after we break it down. The good news here is we're never gonna know. So when you see us out in the street and ask, hey, did you watch now youw See it before or after you listen to the podcast? You can say whatever you like that's on you. We're not gonna know if you're lying. That's the best part about it.

[Johnny Picar]

You would never do.

[Will Friedle]

I might. Anytime I meet you, I'm going to be like, hey, did you watch before or after now we ask all the time, did you know anything about this movie before we started our lovely podcast?

[Johnny Picar]

I didn't, but I had been around. 2005 is when I actually met Ali. So I don't even remember if she had had filmed this at that point. So it was.

[Will Friedle]

This was kind of like right when she was going to break. Because I think. And we'll get into this. I believe this was her first.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah, I think so, too. So I was on the earlier side of her career as she was a rising star along with her sister. And this was a movie that I don't even Know, I'd have to really go back and look at the actual dates of if she had even filmed this at this point. But she's just such a cutie patootie. I mean, perfect for the channel.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, yeah, perfect. Yes, absolutely. Disney Channel. I loved this movie. I used to watch this movie all the time growing up. No.

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, I'm sure you did.

[Will Friedle]

Never heard of this movie at all.

[Johnny Picar]

Do you like magic? Were you excited when you figured out, I like.

[Will Friedle]

I like actual magic? I don't. Meaning. Meaning I like, like, Magic Castle kind of magic. The guys in Vegas that are like, I lived in a box for three weeks and didn't eat. That's not magic to me. That's just you living in a box for three weeks, not eating. Okay, so it's like the people that do that, where it's like, I'm gonna catch a bullet. Yeah. But if you're. Hey, make a card. Levitate or. Wow, it is the seven of diamonds. I'm in for that all day.

[Johnny Picar]

Okay.

[Will Friedle]

But. But the kind of crappy magicians, I mean, they're more experimental magicians, I guess, where it's kind of. They're doing things where it's like, I'm going to be buried in ice for three weeks. Like, okay, that doesn't seem like magic to me. That just seems like you're doing something. And by the way, that one guy, Criss angel, all the magic in the world, he can't magic himself up a pair of sleeves. Very strange. Who would you say right now is the most famous magician in the world?

[Johnny Picar]

The first ones that come to mind are the Vegas, like, yeah, Criss Angel. Well, I've seen his show. His show was. Was pretty good. David Copperfield.

[Will Friedle]

Yes.

[Johnny Picar]

For me, just knowing, like, most people know of his show.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, yeah. He's the guy who made, like, the Statue of Liberty disappear and do all that kind of stuff.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah. And his show in Vegas has been there for years. It's been there for so long. So you most likely, if you are, Want to go to a magic show, you most likely, likely have caught his show in Vegas.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, I agree. I would also say. Oh, I mean, it depends. Most famous magician of all time would have to be Harry Houdini, I would think, right?

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. But nowadays, I think it is the Criss Angels and the David Blaine. You know, there's. There's guys like that. So those are those.

[Johnny Picar]

Well, Chris angel had a TV show for a minute.

[Will Friedle]

So did Dave. I think David Blaine has one now. So they're all.

[Johnny Picar]

And Then those guys kind of bringing it to Main street, though you're not having to go to an actual show. You can actually watch tv and watch is making it a little bit more mainstream.

[Will Friedle]

Cool. Yeah. No, I agree.

[Johnny Picar]

But yeah, some of them, you're just like, okay. Especially when it's on camera. Come on.

[Will Friedle]

You can tell a lot of it's.

[Johnny Picar]

Fake to not go. That was a quick edit. Like.

[Will Friedle]

I know, I know it's weird. But anyway, let's figure out our magic here because it's time to visit the Magic Mansion for the synopsis. Danny Sinclair is one of three finalists in a TV contest to find the best young magician. Producer Allison Miller is determined he will win and will stop at nothing to make that happen. Now, Is this the DCOM's first foray into reality TV? I think it is. Is it? Have we seen anything other. Because it's a great idea for reality show. Let's be honest. Find the best kids magician. That's a great reality TV show.

[Johnny Picar]

Sounds like so much fun, but I.

[Will Friedle]

Don'T know if I think this is the first time they ever actually. Because 2005, the early 2000s, is when reality TV really started with, like, the real world and all that kind of stuff is really. What. What did it. Oh, Even Stevens movie. That's right. The even Stevens movie. Talked about their reality show putting all the family on the thing.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah, they were. Yep, yep. And True Confessions wasn't a reality show, but it was her filming her life.

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Johnny Picar]

To add, edit her own reality.

[Will Friedle]

Right. Yeah, there's that, too.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

So they're. They're.

[Johnny Picar]

They're breaking into it.

[Will Friedle]

But yeah, yeah, this movie was directed by a very familiar name for us. Probably not as familiar as Paul Hoen by this time, who's everybody's favorite fan. Everybody's family member at this point, but Dwayne Dunham on the DCOM front. He directed Tiger Cruise, Right On Track, Ready to Run, and some podcast favorites, double teamed and 13th year and Halloween Town. But his biggest industry success came as an editor, where he won an Emmy for Twin Peaks and worked on movies like Bill and Ted's excellent Adventure, Blue Velvet and Star Return of the Jedi. Yikes. The movie stars the aforementioned Ally Machoca, one of the sister pop music and acting duo Ally and AJ as Allison. And this was her first movie ever. She was already a channel favorite on TV show Phil of the Future, where she played Keely Teslow. Dcom wise, she shared the screen with her sister in cowbells, which we've already talked about. But you may know her for movies like Bandslam, which is the one I mentioned was the better version of Lemonade Mouth. Easy a. Or the TV show iZombie. By the way, I just rewatched Bandslam not that long ago. I gotta rewatch Lemonade Mouth because maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Lemonade Mouth is a better version of that. I don't know. Bandslam was really good.

[Johnny Picar]

I would love to see you eat your words. That would be amazing.

[Will Friedle]

Bandslam was really, really good, but Lemonade Mouth, not bad. We'll have to figure it out. But again, they band Slam shows them practicing and becoming a band, which. Which you earn huge points for me when you actually show them how. How they're learning as opposed to just starting to tap on a thing. And then now we're a band. Where would we put Ali and AJ in the Disney Channel hall of Fame? They'd definitely be members. Are they. Are they. Are. Are we giving them Lady. Are they Lady Ali and AJ at this point? Are we there? I don't know if we're there yet.

[Danielle Fishel]

I don't know.

[Johnny Picar]

I mean, they definitely would be a. What would they be like, at least a duchess.

[Will Friedle]

Maybe. Maybe they're their duchess. Okay. They're Dutch, the duchess. Ali and aj Dame Ally and AJ.

[Johnny Picar]

I would say they definitely had a huge presence, but they. Sure, they don't. They didn't come from, like, you know, neither one of these 2D comms are like, oh, the. You know. Right.

[Will Friedle]

This was not High School Musical or.

[Johnny Picar]

They weren't on that highest level. But they're definitely our favorites of fans out there.

[Will Friedle]

Sure.

[Johnny Picar]

We know. As we know. So. But I mean, they were in at the time of this area. And I feel like the theme song that I know we'll get to was a part of these albums that Disney used to put out called Disney Mania. And it was songs from movies of the Disney world that they had fresh artists putting on. And Ally and AJ Were on almost every single one of these Disney Manias, so they were definitely a part of it. They just didn't have a huge show or movie to go along with it.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, that makes sense.

[Johnny Picar]

That was like a blown up one.

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Johnny Picar]

But they were huge presence, for sure.

[Will Friedle]

They're. They're. They're. They're being knighted adjacent is what we would have to say. Not quite there, but they're close.

[Johnny Picar]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

And then we've got Johnny Bakar as Danny Sinclair. Johnny's been seen in dozens of TV shows like American Dreams, Crossing Jordan and Grey's Anatomy. And starred in the ABC Family gymnastics show make it or Break It. And we've got a winner this week in the Dabney Reynolds chair. Oh, man, do we. Actor Frank Langella is. Max Langella played Richard Nixon in the movie Frost Nixon. If you haven't seen it, go see it. It is phenomenal. A role he was Oscar nominated for. And in addition to that, he won four Tonys. He also appeared in movies like Diary of a Mad Housewife, Dave, another great movie, and the Trial of the Chicago 7. And of all the magic tricks in this movie, the one that impressed me the most. Wait for it, people. The DCOM is 89 minutes. 89 minutes. Sure, it's not the target, we know that. But it's real close and on the right side of history. So we will accept 89 and give them a minute if they need it.

[Johnny Picar]

Do not give us a 91 though. Don't you dare.

[Will Friedle]

Don't you dare. We know what's up. And the writer is Bill Fritz, a new name to us. This is the only movie he ever wrote, but is a producer on a totally different type of content now with credits on the Real Housewives of Orange County, Beverly Hills and Miami. He is in the Bravo family now, which is a far cry from the DCOM world. And I'm waiting to see Sabrina on the new Real Housewives of Orange County.

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, gosh.

[Chiquis Rivera]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Will Friedle]

Okay guys, a magician never reveals their secrets, but that doesn't stop us from jumping in to now youw See It. So we open where we open. A lot of times we open with photos, presumably from the movie we're about to watch. Our narrator, Alison, tells us nothing has been the same since the final competition. She's also in her bedroom, I'd like to point out, which is where we start. A lot of these movies. People think Danny ran away and is in hiding. And some think he never actually existed. But she knows he's real. She was there and it was terrifying. Even if she hasn't figured out how it all went down. But she knows Danny Sinclair is real and she's ready to tell us the story. We jump right into an audience filled TV studio. Allison tells us that she was hired as a segment producer to a new reality TV show. A senior producer, Ms. McAllister explains to the group of aspiring producers that they're about to be part of television history. Because this show, World's Greatest Magician, is produced entirely by kids. As people who have worked in tv, I think we can both agree this is a bad idea. Hey, I love the idea of training kids to be producers, but when they're running the show, maybe not the best thing ever. This is a show to find the best kid magician. And it will begin with three finalists. And whichever producer can find those three, those producers get to stay on the show. Allyson eagerly jumps up from the audience, a little too excited, causing some giggles. Ms. McAllister moves on, asking, what's the most important rule in TV? And a very prepared Allison answers correctly, it's to always keep your camera rolling. Ms. McAllister then introduces his group to the show's host, the amazing Mystic Max. Out walks an older man in a suit who explains that 100 magicians between the ages of 10 and 16 became eligible for the show by figuring out hidden messages in an ad that ran everywhere. Only one producer found the message though, and big surprise, it's Allison. She thinks the puzzle was obvious and the room just thinks she's an overachieving know it all dweebo. And frankly, at this point, they're right. That's all we know about her character. And she kind of is a bit of a know it all pushy lady, but it works for her character. We are now back in the studio. Ms. McAllister has divided the producers into field teams. Allyson has cameraman Cedric and a mentor named Paul. They're immediately sent off to their region to find their contestants and try to lock in a finalist. Then we do something which I love, which is my favorite thing. It's just kind of a montage, you know, I'm a big fan of a montage where they're finding these magicians all over the country. One hopeful can't get out of his straight jacket while another kid tries to make his pet dog disappear, but he can't get anything right. Then a girl unsuccessfully attempts a card trick. And another can't get her rings to unlink. It was a wildly bad day. Allison says her contestants were impressively pathetic and knows if she doesn't find someone cool enough to be in the top three, her career would be over before it even started. Started. I have a question for you. How old do you think she was supposed to be here?

[Johnny Picar]

Okay, that question popped up almost immediately. First when I wasn't really like necessarily, I guess realizing that it was kids being producers. And when she's saying, I got a producing job, I'm like, wait, how old is she expected to be right now? Because she doesn't look old, but she definitely isn't in some of the decoms that we're expecting to or we're expected to believe that they're 13, 14. I'm thinking she's like 16, 17.

[Will Friedle]

But she's supposed to be. She's not supposed to be an adult, right?

[Johnny Picar]

No.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, so she's not like a 21 or 22 year old producer.

[Johnny Picar]

No. But when they're in the house, then they're like. And they're staying there. Like they have dorms and stuff. Like that's when I'm like, wait, I'm this. Is she kind of more of an adult in it? But no, there's no way. She, she didn't look at all over the age of 16 or 17.

[Will Friedle]

And they don't nobody. They show parents, but none of the parents are there. It was strange. I was like, are there adults? What's going on?

[Johnny Picar]

You can tell the parents weren't there until the very finale of the show.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, so that. Okay, that was, I thought that was strange too.

[Johnny Picar]

But like, then you do have kind of boarding schools and you do have kind of sleep away camps, but for.

[Will Friedle]

A reality show, I mean the girl, the girl magician has got to be like 12 or 13, right?

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Going from.

[Johnny Picar]

To be unsupervised is a little much.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

They end up pulling up to their last hope's house and their final contestant is Creepily. I love this funny. Is Creepily looking at them from his window. Paul locks the car and they're welcomed by the contestant's parents, Mr. And Mrs. Sinclair, who explain Danny has been very anxious to meet them. Once inside the house, Allison and the team make their way to his room where Danny is blowing up a massive balloon. But when the producers startle him, the balloon quickly deflates and darts throughout the room, knocking stuff Over. All over the place. Danny then introduces himself and starts his audition. He's back to blowing up the big balloon, but it keeps popping. He reveals a dove is supposed to fly out, but his attempts keep failing. And the balloon keeps popping and popping and popping. Danny is very frustrated. This means an awful lot to him. And I thought he got kind of irrationally angry, but I get why. But it was kind of like, I'm doing this. It was like, oh, yikes. Okay.

[Johnny Picar]

The whole movie, he got very, like, aggressive. A little bit like, yeah, okay, let's take a breath.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Abracada. Calm down. That's what I would say to this guy. But he. Yes. He reveals that a dove is supposed to fly out. His attempts keep popping. Danny is very frustrated. Allison understands this means a lot to her, too. He keeps trying again and again, and the balloon will not stop popping. The floor is covered in deflated balloons. There's, like, 20 balloons. The producers eventually leave Danny hanging his head in shame. We're now back at the car. Allyson realizes she's gonna be kicked off the show. She didn't even find a finalist. But just then, mentor Paul unlocks the trunk, and a dozen white doves fly out of the car. Whoa. Cedric got the whole thing on tape. And Allyson thinks she's found her magician. That's so cool. Who is again, as they pan up, looking at them from his window with a fearful scowl. He could just be a serial killer. At this point, we're not entirely sure. Who just leaves broken balloons at every. Every murder site. He's just called Balloo or something. Yes. Very creepy. Allyson goes back and shows the tape to Mystic Max, who is instantly impressed. But another producer, a hater named Hunter, who you could just tell is the guy we're supposed to hate instantly. He smells something fishy. He thinks Allison and Danny worked all of this out ahead of time. He thinks it's a whole scam. And Ms. McAllister reminds everyone that colluding with a contestant is forbidden. Paul stands up for his team. He says he thinks the kid's a real deal. And just like that, Allyson found the show's last contestant. Both she and Danny are in now, on their way to the show, unexplainably traveling in a trolley, which I thought was weird, but then I also realized the timing. And I think they're going a little Harry Potter train, like the train to Hogwarts. I think it's supposed to kind of be symbolic of that. Cause they're, like, on a train to their magic Castle.

[Johnny Picar]

I didn't understand it at all. I also, at this point now trying to figure out, okay, I don't think they're in Utah and I do not think they're in Toronto. I'm trying to figure out where the hell they are.

[Will Friedle]

I understand where the hell they are.

[Johnny Picar]

I don't recognize anything. Not the set I've seen, ever. Yeah, and there are so many trains throughout the. I mean, that's one of my best. Like, we are on trolley number 19 here, Will.

[Will Friedle]

I know. I think this is a Harry Potter thing. I think this is like taking the kids on the train to the Magic Castle is what I think is. I think it's Harry Potter esque. That's what I. Allison is here on the train sharing her thoughts with Dani. She thinks the quote, I'm a disaster who can't do magic bit and then to shock everyone with the doves is the perfect approach on the show to take. She also has costume and gimmick ideas, but Dany seems completely unenthused. Just then, another finalist, Brandon, approaches with a card trick. He has Allison pick a card, then it magically jumps out of his deck. It's a very good trick. But immediately Danny jumps in. He makes Brandon pick a card this time and then flings the entire deck at the trolley window. As the cards trickle down to the floor, a jack of diamonds remains stuck to the window, but is weirdly behind the glass, like on the outside of the car. Everyone is then shocked.

[Hunter]

That's a real magic trick.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, no. I know. I've seen. That's a. That's a. That's a what's his name trick. Does David Blaine does that a lot?

[Hunter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Picar]

What do you mean? That's a real magic trick?

[Hunter]

I'll tell you. Danielle, my wife, was sitting next to David Blaine on a plane. She didn't know who he was. And I'll. I'll do the abbreviated version, but he basically then said, do you want to see a trick? Then he pretended he didn't know what he was doing and fumbled the cards and threw it towards her window, which was closed. Then he said, oh, maybe just open it. And then he opened it. And the card was behind the airplane window.

[Will Friedle]

So, like on the outside of the plane?

[Hunter]

Well, it could be in between the panes. We don't know that answer, but we know that it wasn't on the pane facing her, like, she could not touch the card. And then he just said, nice to meet you, or whatever. And then they just left.

[Johnny Picar]

Left.

[Hunter]

That's it. That's the whole story. And she was like, he's a witch. And just, like, kept walking and didn't know he was David Blaine, which is even funnier. Was just like, that guy just. He truly is a goblin or whatever.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, man. No, I've seen that trick before. I've seen him do that trick before. So I knew it was a trick.

[Johnny Picar]

I cannot wait to have her on the next episode, because I'm gonna have to ask her about that.

[Will Friedle]

That would.

[Johnny Picar]

That would scare the out of me.

[Hunter]

She was scared.

[Johnny Picar]

Be okay with it. I would not. Like, don't you come starting doing magic just out of nowhere to me. Nuh. That's not fair. Let me know what you are. What's your deal?

[Hunter]

Right?

[Johnny Picar]

I will participate and be excited because I, you know, my face would just be, like, shocking on. It'd be very exciting, but that would scare me.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Hunter]

She doesn't remember if she got up for the bathroom. Like, she, at that point had already kind of, like, erased what happened on the plane. So, like, she doesn't know if he was alone there for a while. Like, she doesn't know anything. And so we, like, she carried that around for years, being like, okay, well, I sat next to a wizard or whatever. And then a magician. A magician. Semi recently was like, okay, it's a trick. And then we were like, we never want to know how we did it. Like, we. No one wants to know. I don't want to know.

[Will Friedle]

I could just see. I could see, like, turning and looking at the window, seeing your card outside, then just going like, boo. Yeah, hi. I'm gonna need to move seats immediately.

[Hunter]

Yeah.

[Johnny Picar]

And I would like to check all of my luggage at this point because it's clearly already.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, they were deplaning at this point. Oh, geez. Yeah. Oh, man. Okay. Yeah.

[Hunter]

Landed.

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, yeah. And he probably just, like, kept walking, right? Like, yeah.

[Hunter]

Didn't even. Didn't even talk about it or anything.

[Will Friedle]

He just levitated off of his seat and floated out of the plane.

[Johnny Picar]

That would freak me out. I would hate all of that.

[Will Friedle]

Good story. Thank you.

[Johnny Picar]

But I would have loved it if he was like, hey, I'm this great magician. Can I show?

[Will Friedle]

Well, no, that's not how you do it. That's. It's got to be the shock of being like, wow, I don't have a kitten now. I do, and I'm cat guy. I mean, like, you want to. That's how you got to do it. He's playing the part. Playing the part anyway.

[Johnny Picar]

Some voodoo. Okay. That Is not okay. I'm glad she made it out okay.

[Will Friedle]

Good job. She's fine. He's a magician. But again. Okay. So again, we are back, and Danny is brooding, showing no emotion at all. Allison knows his attitude won't make good tv. Eventually, the trolley or the Hogwarts train gets to its destination, and all the magicians and their production teams arrive at a brick castle, the Magic Mansion. This is a real magic castle vibe, with different older magicians doing tricks all around. The main. Max welcomes the three finalists. A girl named Zoe, our pal from the trolley, Brandon, and our contestant, Dani. Max encourages everyone to think of the mansion as their home. The group follows Max as he talks about the mansion's illustrious history and how it was founded by a magician, Antonio de Milo. He also tells them that while in competition, the magicians can use every prop, every book, and every illusion. They find a thought that makes Danny roll his eyes. Lastly, Max tells everyone to check their pockets for their room keys, which they all find, except for Danny, whose key magically appears in Max's hand. It appears the host is already interested in our young Danny. Oh. Now, on their way to their room with the camera still rolling, Allyson tells Danny they're going to be attached at the hip for the next week, 24 hours a day. But Danny. Oh, he ain't having it. He quickly enters his room. He has stuff to do. Allison is, of course, infuriated. Her job is to follow his every move. She encourages him to be wildly charismatic, extremely competitive, and have a heartbreaking obstacle to overcome. And she says she's found all this from watching reality tv. And all those things are absolutely true.

[Johnny Picar]

Yep.

[Will Friedle]

You. It's. You. Do you find those things where it's like. And this is this. We found this little girl on the street. She was born just a leg, but she can sing. And that's. And it's like, okay.

[Johnny Picar]

It's always about the journey.

[Will Friedle]

It's not, of course, it's finding the characters. Of course, yes. He argues his only obstacle right now is Allison and slams the door in her face. He eventually reopens the door and explains that there are things about him she will never understand. But he promises to try his hardest to win if she just chills out. Allison appears to agree, but she tells us that a deal like this isn't gonna stop her. She needs to know why he's being so mysterious. She sees him as just another puzzle that she has to solve. The next day, Max reveals the magician's first challenge. A basketball appears in Max's hand, then a rope. The basketball appearing in his hand looked a little cheesy to me. Like a lot of the magic stuff was like, it didn't look great.

[Johnny Picar]

It went in and out. It went in and out. Someone was like, oh, okay. And another one was like, oh, that's not very good. Yeah, Y.

[Will Friedle]

Then a rope appears. He also throws in a broom, a 10 gallon aquarium, and a bed sheet, which ominously floats down onto the broom. The magicians have exactly 30 minutes to make an illusion using just those items, so they quickly get to work. Their respective production teams document every single move. And instead of panicking with his items, Dany just sits down and thinks. Which, of course, is worrying Allison. She reminds him to be captivating, and he responds by wanting to leave. He wouldn't have come if he knew he'd be stuck with her this entire time. Allyson argues she can only try to help him. Whatever it is, they can work it out. But Dany insists she can't help. He just wants to cut the chit chat so he can focus on his trick. And then we're thrown right into the world's greatest kid magician TV show. Max reintroduces the premise with some big David Copperfield esque graphics. And Zoe's up first. She walks out dribbling the basketball and covers it with the sheet, making it disappear, then reappear floating on her side, then hovering on top of the sheet. The group applause and Max gives her a 7 out of 10, which I thought you did pretty darn good. Then it's Danny's turn. He tells Allison he has no idea what he's gonna do. He saunters up on a stage, places the basketball and broom and the rope into the fish tank, and then blocks the aquarium with the sheet. He says everything will disappear. And Brandon heckles him. There's no way he can do that. But when he does drop the sheet, the broom is now standing up in the aquarium, which is now surprisingly filled with white fluff. And the ball is orbiting the stick tethered around the rope. Max is again impressed. And obviously this kid is a witch.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

At this point, we realize sums up.

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, man. And irritating for poor Ally. Come on, Seriously. Allison's got all these, like, visions for him, and he won't take any. Any bit of advice.

[Will Friedle]

A little pushy. She's a little bit pushy.

[Johnny Picar]

She is pushy. But he has zero, like, desire to be better. He just is like, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I'm just.

[Will Friedle]

Cause he doesn't want. He's just trying to find out who he is. He doesn't want to be a good magician. He wants to find out if he has some kind of weird mag wizard disease or something. That's why he's there. Hunter argues, of course, because Hunter's a dick, that nothing actually disappeared, and that's what he promised. And what is all that white stuff anyway? We find out it's actually real snow, and Hunter and Brandon argue he was supposed to only use the five original objects, and rules are rules. Max likes the trick, but technically agrees, so he gives Danny only a 3 out of 10. Next up is the real piece of crap, Brendan, who declares he needs an assistant. Max suggests Danny, and though he's annoyed by the idea, Brandon joins him on the stage. Brandon calls this trick, quote, the Clean Sweep. He makes Danny hold up the sheet like a curtain in front of him and announces, and now for the most of me. And then he goes silent. What happened? Danny peeks over the sheet, then drops it. Brandon is gone, and Danny is a little startled. He looks to Max and they share a moment that's interrupted by a scream. It's Brandon holding the broom, but now he's tied to a spinning wheel, yelling for Hunter. He looks very spooked. Everyone applauds and the trick gets a 10 out of 10. But we get the feeling that this was not planned or in his control at all. Danny stares at Max, once again forcing the young magician to storm off the stage. Allyson follows closely behind. She wants to know what's going on here. She thinks he's hiding something and she can't work with his secrets. He says he needs to sort all this out by himself. And he walks into the house of mirrors. She continues to follow him. She wants to know how Brandon ended up on that wheel. He offers no help and completely disappears into the reflection. Later that night at the mansion, Allyson and Cedric are sneaking around trying to find a trapdoor to explain Brandon's trick. But then they hear something. It's Brandon the Hunter, also looking for a trapdoor. Allison busts them and says she knows Brandon had nothing to do with the trick and she's going to prove it. The next morning, Max welcomes everyone to their new challenge. Each contestant will get a wand bearing a famous magician's name. Zoe gets Alexander Herman. Brandon gets Harry Blackstone, and Dany gets Harry Houdini. They must now research their magician and perform the legend's most renowned trick. And this seemed like a lot to me. It's like you're a kid, go do Harry Houdini's greatest trick ever. That seems like a. Like a big challenge.

[Johnny Picar]

They're starting to lose me at this point. Will. I just love that your spot.

[Will Friedle]

You're like, ugh.

[Johnny Picar]

It just was like, oh.

[Will Friedle]

How many times had you stopped the movie by this point?

[Johnny Picar]

By this time, I'm on like five or six. Not yet.

[Will Friedle]

Really? You've already stopped the movie this many times?

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah, yeah. Actually, the little bit of drama, the little bit of drama that happened where all of a sudden he's now. When he took over the, you know, was supposed to be the person that was being a volunteer and then he kind of took over. Then I was kind of like, ooh. But then it was like, how are. Now we're going to try to see him do a Houdini? No, no, no. I think we need to do something a little bit easier. I love that you just.

[Hunter]

Ugh.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Brandon and Zoe immediately start practicing amongst other roaming magicians. But Allison can't find Dany. She explores the mansion, finding a library that looks like a centuries old church where Danny is studying inside. He's not looking up Houdini tricks at all, though. He's focused on something else. He says every book or website he's read about the magic mansion talks about secret rooms and hidden chambers. But what he's finding now is all so basic. And so Allison has an idea. They need to find all the books that have a specific symbol she notices on the COVID She thinks that's the key to figuring all this out. So the duo take to the shelves. Once these marked books have been retrieved, the duo starts stacking them strategically, eventually creating two serpents out of the engraved covers. Danny recognizes it from a map he found and figures out if they find the symbol in the mansion. Then they find the secret room. And just like that, this new duo, plus Cedric, of course, and his camera are off to find it.

[Johnny Picar]

And I am in. I'm back in.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, now you're back in. Now it's national treasure. I am back in.

[Johnny Picar]

Now we have totally veered away from magic altogether.

[Will Friedle]

I am back in the game. We got Sabrina back. They're good.

[Johnny Picar]

That's so true. I was like, ooh. Okay, now I'm intrigued. Let's see.

[Will Friedle]

They are now deep in the dark, lower levels of the mansion, frantically searching and finding hidden passages, dead ends and flocks of bats. And just when it's getting a little too scary, they find the symbol. It includes a Latin phrase that Allison translates, leading them to turn a stone For a secret door. We now know she speaks Latin, and it's never mentioned before or after in any way, shape, or form, ever at all, ever again. She just knows Latin. The secret door leads to a clandestine room filled with candles in a large vault. And Dany immediately cracks the vault open. And when they say here, okay, first of all, nobody mentions that there was candles burning the whole time. Who was down there to light the candles, maintaining them?

[Johnny Picar]

Maybe they were. Maybe they were.

[Will Friedle]

Maybe they were magic.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah, I guess. I don't know. So that's the first thingless candles.

[Will Friedle]

The second thing is he goes to the vault door and turns it this way, turns it that way, turns it this way, and it opens. And she goes, how did you do that? And he goes, with lots of practice. Never mention that again. Is he a safe cracker? Was he prepared for this specific vault?

[Johnny Picar]

But then the thing gets turned again.

[Will Friedle]

I meant the big wheel. The big wheel.

[Johnny Picar]

Not the big wheel. Not the big wheel.

[Will Friedle]

The big wheel. No, the big wheel. When he's cracking. When he's cracking. The. The actual vault.

[Johnny Picar]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

And they never mentioned that again. So apparently, he's also a vault.

[Johnny Picar]

Someone goes all to all this trouble, am I right? That, like, you would think there would be some type of bodyguard somewhere, someone roaming the area, or some kind of a magical.

[Will Friedle]

Like, you have to get through this is where I thought it's like, okay, maybe you have to get through a couple magical things to get in. Like, do something like, magic your way in, dude, as opposed to just you have to turn the handle. You know, it's. You shouldn't be able to get into this magic vault as easily as getting into a porta potty on the street. And that's what it seems kind of what's happening. So, yeah, very strange. But the safe that they go into, which Danny opens by opening it, is filled with safety deposit boxes and a table and chairs in the middle of the room. Now, you have to admit, this was awesome set design.

[Johnny Picar]

That's part of why I was really in. I'm like, this set that they're working at is rad.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. This was, like, national treasure stuff.

[Johnny Picar]

This is cool. Yes. Like, it started to go like, ooh, I love this. This is starting to get very interesting for me visually and, like, kind of storyline.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Danny can't believe they finally found the magician D. Milo's secret library. Cedric, who's been a real scaredy cat through this whole process, pushes the button again, and a small acid trip graphic sends them right back to the general library, where they started. Yep. Actual magic. Nobody really mentions that either. They just go, wow, what happened? You teleported. You want to maybe have a little bit of a conversation about that? But no, like, wow, that's crazy. Let's go back to the reality show.

[Johnny Picar]

But they go back and forth with this. Like, they go into one area and then boom, they're in like this. Like, they don't have to go through this big elaborate thing anymore.

[Will Friedle]

They found it.

[Johnny Picar]

It was easy.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

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[Sabrina Bryan]

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[Michael Tura]

If you've been following the show, you know how passionate I am about financial literacy, particularly when it comes to our community. For me personally, I was one of those people who, like many of us, weren't taught about finances. You know, my parents didn't know. My. My grandmother didn't believe in credit cards. Money was under the mattress, right? And of course, my mom inherited zero financial knowledge. So I think what a lot of people don't realize is just how important this period of your life is, because for me, yeah, I'm making more money than I was before. But now this is the time where I can become somebody who creates generational wealth. Or I just sort of end up being in the same hamster wheel that we've been in for generations.

[Sabrina Bryan]

At this point, like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. State Farm Proud sponsor of my Cultura.

[Danielle Fishel]

Podcast network, Tucson is a city that stays with you. The food here isn't just a meal, it's a legacy. And whether it's the kick of a chiltepin, which is a very hot pepper for those of you who don't know, or enjoying a Sonoran hot dog after a night out on the town, every dish has a story to tell. And beyond the culinary journey each neighborhood offers a glimpse into a rich tapestry of cultures blending into the Sonoran Desert. Tucson isn't just a getaway, it's a journey into heritage and a community that feels like home. Learn [e-mail] Bebop are you still quoting.

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[Will Friedle]

Now they're just in time for the challenge. Zoe presents her Alexander herman trick, pulling three rabbits out of a hat and scoring six out of 10. It's Brandon's turn for the Harry Blackstone trick, where he makes a light bulb levitate and scores an impressive 8 out of 10. And now it's Danny's turn to replicate Houdini's legendary feat of making an elephant disappear. He presents his elephant, which happens to be Brandon in a costume with another kid as the legs. The group laughs as the quote unquote elephant walks behind a curtain and causes a commotion. And when the sheet falls, Brandon is now dangerously riding a mechanical bull and his partner's flung across the stage. It's such a mind blowing and dangerous feeling trick, everybody is visually taken aback. Now regrouped, Hunter's trying to convince Ms. McAllister that Danny should be kicked off the show. Danny won't reveal how he did the trick and everyone thinks he's a scam artist. So Hunter, of course doing what you do in a normal situation floats the idea that the wunderkind actually has magical powers. That's what he says. He's like, here's why he should be kicked off the show because I think he's a wizard.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And everyone's like, huh, Interesting. Follow that up, Hunter. It's like, wait, what?

[Johnny Picar]

It is not like he's an 11 year old saying this. Hunter, by the way, does look over the age of 18.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, yeah, Hunter's 35. Exactly.

[Johnny Picar]

And you're like, you didn't even hesitate to say that. Hunter, Hunter, think about what you said.

[Will Friedle]

Think about what you just said. Hunter. I think he's actually a wizard. Like, oh, good call.

[Johnny Picar]

Okay.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. There are some things in life people just can't explain. Now painted into a corner, to save himself from being kicked off the show, Allyson asked Danny to tell the group, how did he manage the mechanical bull trick so they can all just move on. But Danny's had enough. He admits he has no idea how he did it. These things just happen. And that's when Max walks in. He applauds the answer. Thinks Danny is using the aw, shucks thing as a gimmick. Max suggests as the president of the Worldwide Skeptics Society, which sounds like a really great thing, but I doubt they even meet much. I wouldn't do it. Get it. Thank you. That he put together a group of experts to decide what's really going on here with. With the offer on the table. Danny looks very concerned. Thank you. I'm glad you got that.

[Johnny Picar]

I know that's really good.

[Will Friedle]

I'm glad you got that. Later. All of the experts have arrived, but Alysson can't find Dany anywhere. She eventually finds him once again in Demil secret vault library. He thinks no matter what happens with the panel, it won't end well for him. Allison argues it's been great tv. But Danny admits he's just a freak. Three years ago, he was walking to school when he saw a skateboard in a store window that he wanted, and two seconds later, it was under his feet. He's been trying to figure out what's been wrong with him ever since. It's been terrifying. And the reason he doesn't have any friends. The experts will either recognize the gift and have him poked and prodded by the government, or he'll just be called a fraud. Allison says she knows the feeling of being an outcast. Okay, it seems like a stretch to be like, yes, you might be a magical magician. I know what you're going through. And Danny shakes his head yes. She agrees, because she's also a weirdo. Allison suggests he just needs one person to believe in him, and that person could be her. She could help explain everything to the panel, and they might finally have all the answers that he needs now. Did you think she liked him? Was this. Was this starting to get flirty? I didn't. I didn't get. Were they going for like relationshipy stuff?

[Johnny Picar]

That's when it started to get blurry for me. First it felt like this was a working relationship. They both were irritated with each other, you know, Then it started to being like her messaging that she was sending to him was like being his friend and being, you know that. But then it started to get like, wait, is there feelings behind this friendship? You know, it started to get kind of blurry, but it wasn't very obvious, so it was hard to figure out what are we working with?

[Will Friedle]

And just from her it seemed like. It didn't seem like he was throwing it back. It was just from her.

[Johnny Picar]

She could have paid him dust so fast in this movie. Cause he was not nice to her.

[Will Friedle]

Wait, what?

[Johnny Picar]

Like ever?

[Will Friedle]

What did you just say? What is that?

[Johnny Picar]

Pay him dust.

[Will Friedle]

What does that mean? That's awesome.

[Johnny Picar]

Like kick rocks. It's the same thing as like, you know, pay him dust.

[Will Friedle]

Like pay him no mind.

[Johnny Picar]

Like pay him dust mind. Yeah, that's what it is.

[Will Friedle]

I love that. Using that every day. That's the coolest.

[Johnny Picar]

Kind of an old one. It probably just. I think it probably aged me a little bit.

[Danielle Fishel]

Wow.

[Johnny Picar]

You know, it's cool.

[Will Friedle]

Never.

[Johnny Picar]

Never even magical rewind. I get to be young.

[Will Friedle]

Yes, you do. This is our job. I love that. And so with that, Danny now sits in front of a panel of experts. Two scientists and a self proclaimed psychic. They interrogate him and he answers honestly about his special powers. Though they're obviously very skeptical. Except for the psychic, she is very much on board. Max tells Danny to put up or shut up. And Danny, though reluctant with the help of the psychic, lets his powers come to to him. He eventually levitates out of his seat, which impresses the room. But Max has seen enough. He touches Danny's shoulder and slowly brings him back down to earth. Max says the chair is a device invented by a Scandinavian magician. It's been locked away in the mansion's storage until now. It reappears after Danny has been snooping around downstairs. Max announces that Danny is just a magician after all, but very clever one. Danny runs off with Allison following closely behind, calling him a liar. But Danny stands by what he said. He didn't lie. He thinks Max doesn't want him to expose his real powers, so he rigged the chair. For some reason, Allison thinks he's full of it, but might also have a crush on him. We don't really know. She feels fooled and set up to make him the star of the show. He denies everything and she calls off Their friendship. Wow. We're now back to narrating. Allyson says the panel agrees that Dany was just a normal kid magician, but that meant he's still legally competing in the grand finale challenge and a shoe in to win. Allyson wasn't gonna give up her job either. They're just gonna keep it purely professional, which he was doing the whole time anyway. But she was crossing it anyway. No more friendship. Should they just have been boyfriend and girlfriend or romantically linked or something?

[Johnny Picar]

That's how I always prefer. Give me a little bit of a rom com in there, and I'm definitely gonna jump on board. Way more than magical rom coms.

[Will Friedle]

Great.

[Johnny Picar]

Yes. Well, especially thinking, like, if this is just a friendship and you're allowed, you know, like. Like there's no more, like, deeper feelings there. It's weird to think that you would let this guy push you around. Not that you should. If there's feelings. I'm sounding crazy now, but, I mean, it's just weird that, like, she would, I don't know. Not like I said, not just, like, sign him off, like, yeah, you're a douche. And I don't. I don't like how you talk to.

[Will Friedle]

Me, like, not kick dust in his face or whatever you said. Yes. I love it. I love it. We are now back at the mansion. Allyson is angry again, but Cedric knows Danny is at least a very good magician. I mean, how did he get those doves in their truck? Allison says, wait, I can answer that. She pulls out some footage from that day. She thinks it'll show him doing something that shows him rigging the car, but instead, it just shows the doves appearing out of thin air. And what could have just been a bad Disney special effect at the beginning of the movie actually proves that Danny created animals out of nothing. It's a miracle. Miracle. It's pronounced miracle, but I wanted to see if you're all still with me. Allison runs to Dany's room, then the secret vault, but Dany isn't there. She roams the halls, eventually landing on some muffled chatter. She eavesdrops through a vent, and it's Max and Danny talking about his powers. Max says he has the answers that Dany's been looking for. Allyson records the conversation on her camcorder as Max says he understands Danny's powers. He is a wizard himself, and he thinks Danny might be one too. Max created the show to bring out one more great sorcerer, and it worked. Now, this is where I was, like, great idea for a decom so far, the execution to me hasn't been great.

[Johnny Picar]

Not to mention Max is just like captivating. Yeah, I know, but you know what it is?

[Will Friedle]

I mean, this is, it's Willy Wonka. It's putting out five golden tickets to get kids into the chocolate factory to see who he's gonna give the chocolate factory to. So at this point it's like, I'm looking for other wizards. So I created a wizard competition. Great idea for a dcom. Like, again, wasn't perfectly executed, but I was like, good idea. Yes, yes. So Max created the show to bring out one more great sorcerer. And it worked. Danny doesn't get it. If he's so magical, how come he can't control his powers? Max tells him he's young and untrained, but all that's going to change. He'll help him harness his powers, just like his mentor, Antonio de Milo he did for him, so he can do it for Danny. With that, Max makes a small knight in armor walk on the table and ask Danny to do the same. He tries, but much like the special effects here, which weren't very special, he can't nail it. It didn't look good. Max coaches him and eventually he gets it right, leading to a more skilled fight between the two figurines. Danny's knight eventually loses and it flings a mace or flail, thank you very much, across the room, almost hurting Max. It wasn't perfect, but Max assures him, hey, don't worry about it. This is what mentors were for. And he gifts him a big magic emerald ring that couldn't have been bigger if it was a giant super bowl ring that will harness his powers and make sure nothing unexpected happen. I mean, this is some bling bling ring. This is a huge ring.

[Johnny Picar]

Giant, giant, giant ring.

[Will Friedle]

Danny is relieved as a stone glows on his finger and Max suggests he go get some well deserved rest. And once Danny has left, Allison keeps secretly filming as Max is joined by Paul, Allison's mentor. They agree Danny has a lot of potential to be even more powerful than either of them. They have to keep an eye on him. The ring will control him for now, especially since he won't be able to remove it himself. And that's when their evil plan is exposed. Max says by this time tomorrow, Danny's powers will be all his, just like he did with DeMilo. Oh no. A magical Allison can't believe what she's just heard. She hurries to Danny's room to talk to him, but Paul intercepts her and sends her off to bed. The next day, Allison, followed by Cedric and his camera, finds Danny juggling in the front yard. She tries to warn him about Max, but again, Paul is nearby. And when. I mean nearby, I mean six inches away from them in a really weird way and very suspicious. It was like he's just, like, there, like, looking over the. Looking over the thing.

[Johnny Picar]

He hadn't been. I mean, how much have we seen, Paul?

[Will Friedle]

Not too much since.

[Johnny Picar]

Since they found Danny right the very beginning of the movie. It wasn't like he was always there. It was.

[Will Friedle]

He'd pop in here or there, but certainly not to where he's like, he's gotta keep an eye on them, but, man, he's real close.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

She, of course, wants to talk to Dani alone, but he's happy to be in the final. And he's also happy to be making real friends. For the first time ever, he feels like a normal kid. But Allison still finds a nearby private spot and tells him what she heard Max say. Danny doesn't believe her. That doesn't make any sense. But she says she has proof. She grabs her camcorder and runs to Ms. McAllister's office. Why not just show him right there in the camcorder, which is what camcorders could do back in the day, but anyway. And just as she's about to start the tape, in walks Max. He is certainly interested in this conversation. He grabs the camcorder, pulls out the tape and starts to rub it like a creep. He proceeds to put it in a tape player, but all the footage has disappeared. Allison can't believe this. She knows it was there. She begs Ms. McAllister to help, but they chalk it up to her behavior on the stress of being a reality TV producer. Max suggests they send her home immediately for her own mental health. Allison tries to fight back, but Ms. McAllister agrees. Allison tears up, and Max seems satisfied. Now she's packed up and leaving. When Danny catches up to Allyson, she's clearly upset, but Danny reminds her she didn't have proof. He doesn't think Max is out to get him, and he's finally happy. She says it would be more important if someone accepted him for who he is. But his final trick is making his only ally disappear. I thought it was Ally. Not Ally, but whatever. And then she boards that really weird trolley. Now on her way home, she is still bothered by one thing. If Antonio de Milo had founded the Magic Mansion and was Max's mentor, then what happened to him? This is what she needs to solve she jumps off the weird trolley and starts researching at a local library. She learns that D. Milo was killed by his own magic prop when it fell on him and crushed his skull. And then she sees the picture of him in his coffin. By the way, his skull and head look totally fine in the picture if he was crushed. Totally. Okay, I guess. They magiced up a new skull and he's wearing the same gigantic emerald ring. She knows if she doesn't get that ring off Danny's finger, he will also die during the big final performance, she has to get back to the mansion immediately. And over at the mansion, they're getting ready to film the big final. Even Danny's parents are there. It's good to know that he has parents again. We see a cabinet being wheeled onto the busy stage. It's a delivery for Danny. Ms. McAllister tells Hunter to find the magicians and make sure they're ready. Meanwhile, Danny is confused. He's asking Max if the ring stifles his powers and how will he be able to pull off this trick? Maybe he should just take off the ring until the contest is over. Max tells him not to worry about it, Just go out on stage and Max will do the rest. He wants Danny to trust him. But it seems Danny is becoming suspicious. It's time for the big show now, people. And finally we learn how Allison has made it to the mansion. She was hiding in the cabinet, much like the way Malfoy got some of the Death Eaters into Hogwarts through the vanishing cabinets. Thank you. If you know, you know. That's how she got in there. No one knows how she got in the cabinet. No clue. No need to explain. The movie's almost over and it's all about magic. She crawls out just as Max takes the stage. Tonight, the world's greatest kid magician will be crowned. And Brandon is up first. Brandon is dressed like a member of Panic at the Disco and does some rave moves holding lights. They're just lights. Brandon proceeds to pull a huge stick out of a paper bag and transitions into some cool card tricks. And then nearby, Hunter catches Allison sneaking around and tries to take her to security. But she sprints away into the house of mirrors, making it impossible to find her. We're now back on stage after Max introduces the second finalist, Zoe, who, by the way, is the only contestant where every single time he introduces her says she's from Philadelphia. He doesn't say where anybody else is from most of the time, but it's always Zoe from Philadelphia.

[Johnny Picar]

I didn't Catch that.

[Will Friedle]

It is very strange. Hunter lets him know that Allyson is in the mansion. Backstage, Danny is leaving his dressing room when Allyson finally catches up to him. She tells him about how de Milo died because of the ring. She tells him he is in real danger, but he doesn't want to take the ring off. It's finally made him feel normal. Ms. McAllister yells out, One minute till showtime. Allyson begs him not to go out there. She cares about him, and Max doesn't. But in the end, he does take the stage as the final contestant. Still wearing the ring, Max introduces the trick. Danny is going to lift 1000 pound lead weight over his head all by himself. Not a great final trick. There's nothing really magic about it. Don't the guy. Couldn't you just have the guys who bring in the thing and put it down fake that it's a thousand pounds?

[Johnny Picar]

It's, like, made out of foam, right?

[Will Friedle]

How would anybody know? It's kind of a like, I could do that magic trick anyway. Yes. He's gonna lift it over his head all by himself. Danny looks very nervous. He reaches down and grabs the weight, but nothing. And the crowd, as they do for children all the time, boos. So he tries again. It's harsh. Seriously. The crowd is now laughing and heckling him as he tries a second time. It doesn't work. With one last try, Danny finally lifts the weight, and the audience erupts in applause. He gets it over his head and is very proud. But then he lets go and the weight just floats above him. Danny bows and the weight rises higher and higher, confusing Danny completely. Max appears in control. Eventually, Max points to the weight, and it comes crashing down on the stage, just missing Danny, who jumped out of the way. Danny tries to pull off the ring to no avail. And Max tells the audience that Danny deserves another chance. With that, the cabinet Allison was hiding in is wheeled onto the stage, and a stagehand motions that Allyson should get back into it. So devilish. Max pulls a sword from the box and stabs it through the cabinet, almost slicing Allison in half. The finalists and the crowd are getting a little uncomfortable with this. So was I. He stabs the cabinet again, and Allison screams. Danny runs to open the door, but she's no longer in it. Max says it's time for Danny to focus on the trick, but Dany reopens the cabinet, and Allison's there. She's back inside. The audience loves it, not sensing this whole thing is involving their impending deaths. Dani and Allison bow, and she simultaneously Removes the ring from his finger. Danny announces his final trick, which he will do with his mentor, Max. It's becoming a chicken game between the two magicians. In turn, Max dangerously flings Danny up into the air, and even the audience knows something is up. Danny starts spinning around out of control, and Allison yells out for the ring. It's the final piece of the puzzle. So while rotating Follow me here, people, gets a little strange. Danny grabs the ring from his pocket and nose dives towards Max. So I guess Max wasn't holding him up anymore or his power broke through, throwing the ring on the host's finger at the last second, right before he crashes, causing an explosion. The audience, including Danny's parents, gasp. What the hell just happened? When the smoke clears, Dany appears and bows to a standing ovation. Allyson joins him, and they do a curtain call together. And he kisses her hand. We're back in the present day with Allyson as a narrator. She tells us that it is the most incredible experience anyone could have imagined. Paul must have taken the ring off Max because every single showtape had mysteriously disappeared. But then someone made them magically reappear in her room. And once Danny realized that Max was still out there, he went into hiding to perfect his powers for when they meet again. He's getting stronger every day. She says she's not even allowed to know where Danny's hiding. But then in the background, we see a bowl of popcorn floating in the air. Allison grabs it and admits she might know where he is. And just like that, we get another acid trip transition. And Allison is cuddling with Danny on a park bench. And now they're. They're dating. They're together. Are they married? Who knows? But I do know that is the end of our movie. It was a journey. It was a journey I was happy to be on.

[Isaac Newton]

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[Sabrina Bryan]

Making smarter financial moves today secures your financial freedom for a second tomorrow on my Cultura Podcast network. We believe this too, by sharing money management tips that help you realize your dreams. Like on our show Life as a Gringo with DJ Dramos.

[Michael Tura]

Many of us grew up and like I started the podcast earlier, saying for me in my family, one of the biggest points of contention was finances. And I know as I gotten older I made it a promise to myself to say I don't want to relive that. I don't want finances to be something that stresses us out. I don't want to be living in fear of the. The shoe dropping, so to speak.

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Michael Tura]

You know, hiring somebody to do credit repair for me, that was a gift that I gave myself that allowed me to then get my first apartment, get my first car under my name, then eventually buy my own home. Like these are all things that are possible for all of us. We just have to educate ourselves and put in some of the hard work.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. State Farm Proud sponsor of my Cultura.

[Danielle Fishel]

Podcast Network Tucson is a city that stays with you. The food here isn't just a meal, it's a legacy. And whether it's the kick of a chiltepin, which is a very hot pepper for those of you who don't know, or enjoying a Sonoran hot dog after a night out on the town, every dish has a story to tell. And beyond the culinary journey, each neighborhood offers a glimpse into a rich tapestry of cultures blending into the Sonoran Desert. Tucson isn't just a getaway, it's a journey into heritage and a community that feels like home. Learn [e-mail] Beep.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

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[Will Friedle]

Can we do some real reviews? Sabrina?

[Johnny Picar]

Of course.

[Will Friedle]

I think this week I have the one star review and it is by somebody named. I think it's Zorax E6375 or it's Zoraxy. I don't know. And here's the review. I'm sorry, but this movie is horrible. I'm a magician, so I was really excited about this movie, but it was so not entertaining. Just thinking about that last in quotes trick. That wasn't a trick at all. If a real magician tried that in a show, at best he'd get a little applause, maybe even booed. Horrible. Wow. That is. That is. That's one from one magician to another. That was a pretty harsh review there, Sabrina.

[Johnny Picar]

I know.

[Will Friedle]

What do you got?

[Johnny Picar]

I would think, though, if you were somebody who was really into magic, this.

[Will Friedle]

Wouldn'T be your favorite movie.

[Johnny Picar]

It wouldn't be your favorite.

[Will Friedle]

This wouldn't be your favorite movie.

[Johnny Picar]

I wouldn't have represented your micro world very well.

[Will Friedle]

I agree. I agree with that 100%.

[Johnny Picar]

Is it unamid again?

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, Unamit again.

[Johnny Picar]

This is our five star from UNAMID. Good. Here to say Johnny Picard is hot.

[Will Friedle]

With 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 T's.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah, he's hot. He was cute in this movie. He was giving you a little. Little bit of. What is it? I don't know. He was that mysterious.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

He's got the magic thing.

[Johnny Picar]

The magic. His hair looked like Good Charlotte. Ish.

[Will Friedle]

Okay. Like an emo magician a little bit. Yeah. I felt like, you know, it was working for you.

[Johnny Picar]

It worked great. I felt for this movie. He was such a cute and really great. He was just cast very well for this.

[Will Friedle]

Did we find a teen heartthrob for you? Would he have been on your wall? No. Still wouldn't have been on the wall?

[Johnny Picar]

No. For this movie, we're thinking he was cast perfectly.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, I agree. But we're gonna find it. We're now coming to Sabrina's favorite part of the program, as we always do, our feature game from producer Jensen. This one is called Tragic Magic. Much like Antonio de Milo in the movie, magicians sometimes die under mysterious conditions. We will get the name of a magician and a list of possible reasons for their death.

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, my gosh.

[Will Friedle]

Yikes. We have to guess which is correct. 3 out of 5 win.

[Johnny Picar]

This has to be all made up. There's no way. I just.

[Will Friedle]

I'm guessing, knowing producer Jensen, he loved deep diving. The tragic deaths of magicians.

[Hunter]

Yeah, this is one of my hobbies.

[Will Friedle]

That's what I figured. All right, so our first one is a Magician named Chung Ling Su. Did he, A, die after accidentally being cut in half during a trick gone wrong? Jeez. B, accidentally drown in a locked aquarium during a trick gone wrong? C, get shot and killed from a gun malfunctioning during a trick gone wrong, or D, die of lupus?

[Johnny Picar]

I'm gonna go with B.

[Will Friedle]

You know what's funny? I'm gonna see, I was gonna go with B too, but now I know it's gonna be wrong because you picked it so fair. I'm. Oh. But I think it's gotta be right because it seems like the one that would happen. I'm gonna stick with B. I'm gonna go with B with Serena.

[Hunter]

Terrible strategy. It's C. No, gotta stay with your original strategy there.

[Will Friedle]

Damn it.

[Johnny Picar]

Don't ever pick with Sabrina.

[Will Friedle]

What are you thinking? Okay, number two. A magician named Charles Rowan, AKA Carr the Mysterious. Did he, A, die after being run over by a car during a trick gone wrong? B, fall in a bed of spikes during a trick gone wrong? C, catch the plague from a volunteer during a trick gone wrong, or D, die of meningitis? I'm picking first this time. I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say B, fall on a bed of spikes during a trick gone wrong?

[Johnny Picar]

B. I'm going with B. Oh, well.

[Will Friedle]

Now it won't be right.

[Johnny Picar]

Yep. But that is honestly what I thought.

[Hunter]

You're right about that part. It's A, run over by a car.

[Will Friedle]

Run over by a car.

[Johnny Picar]

I thought that was too obvious.

[Will Friedle]

With A, his name is Car the Mysterious.

[Hunter]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Johnny Picar]

I mean, a car would be involved. That'd make sense.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Hunter]

You name yourself and sometimes it becomes true.

[Will Friedle]

Yikes.

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, man.

[Will Friedle]

So we gotta get all three right to win our next magician, Joseph Burris. Did he, A, get stabbed by a former assistant who was injured during a trick gone wrong? B, get crushed by concrete during a trick gone wrong? C, die from complications after eating 35 rocks during a trick gone wrong or D, die from polio. Go ahead, Sabrina.

[Johnny Picar]

I'm gonna go with dying from polio.

[Will Friedle]

Wow. I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say c, he ate 35 rocks. Why would you.

[Hunter]

That's my favorite one I've ever made up. B, he died from car concrete.

[Johnny Picar]

Damn it. If I would have stuck with B, we lost.

[Hunter]

35 rocks is great.

[Will Friedle]

Hey. Because it was so weird that it was like.

[Johnny Picar]

It's got weird.

[Hunter]

So specific.

[Will Friedle]

It is. All right, I apologize. May this person rest in peace if I butcher this name, which I will. But our. Our third magician is Janaka Basnake.

[Hunter]

That's what I have it as.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Okay.

[Johnny Picar]

Wow.

[Will Friedle]

Did Janaka Basnake. Did he, A, die while buried alive by his family during a trick gone wrong? B, bleed to death after being shot by an arrow during a trick gone wrong? C, suffocate while beat. This is the worst game.

[Hunter]

Oh, me. I think it's kind of fun, actually.

[Will Friedle]

C, suffocate while being strangled by the world's strongest man during a trick gone wrong? Or D, die from scarlet fever? Okay, I'm going first with this one. I'm gonna think because magicians do this a lot, I'm gonna say he A, died while being buried alive by his family during a trick gone wrong. Sabrina.

[Johnny Picar]

Bleed to death.

[Will Friedle]

Where's Bleed? Oh, an arrow.

[Hunter]

It was A, buried by his family. They opened it back up and he was dead.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, my God. That's awful. Yeah. Ugh. Okay.

[Johnny Picar]

How did they leave him in there? What the heck?

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, who knows? Number five, Washington Irving Bishop. Did he, A, die after falling off a stage during a trick gone wrong? B, crash his car into a warehouse while blindfolded during a trick gone wrong? C, get burned alive when pyrochemicals blow. Oh, my geez. Ah. Blew up during a trick gone wrong? Or D, die from whooping cough? Oh, these are terrible. Producer Jensen.

[Johnny Picar]

C, burned alive. That seems like the worst way to go.

[Will Friedle]

I'm gonna. I'm gonna agree with you. I'm gonna say it's C. It is.

[Hunter]

C. He was burned alive by his own pyro. You guys have a great day. Okay?

[Johnny Picar]

Stay safe out there, Jensen.

[Hunter]

Have a great day.

[Will Friedle]

Thanks, producer Jensen. Yikes. Oh, can we pick this up a little bit? Can we do a little Sabrina Seas, which is a lot happier than how these random people died.

[Johnny Picar]

Yes. And, you know, one of the things. I think it just has to be said because. Because there's so many moments where he gave it. But Max looked like a Sean Connery, like, double song.

[Will Friedle]

Exactly. Let's do some magic.

[Johnny Picar]

Yes. And it was regardless. I mean, he is an incredible actor in his own right, but I absolutely. Frankly, every time he was on screen, he captivated me. I just. He was. I didn't care. What. What? Ridiculous. Even with the next one, which is my. The knights fighting. How awful that looked.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, it looked bad.

[Johnny Picar]

It was so bad. But it didn't matter because he just holds it and, like, anytime they shot to him, it was like, fine. Yeah, you're good.

[Will Friedle]

You're good.

[Johnny Picar]

But it was. I do have to say that part was so weird. Because, you know, with it being the Disney Channel, you're not expecting it to be these great like, like, you know. Yeah, the effects are not.

[Will Friedle]

You don't have 300 million dollar effects. It's not gonna work.

[Johnny Picar]

But I am now. You have just pulled me into this. You need to have some kind of rules here because now I'm needing like, what. How were they working the nights? Like it. You could sort of see over the camera a little bit that they were like flicking their fingers back and forth.

[Will Friedle]

It was like weird and Danny's like fighting and it was.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah, the whole thing was weird. It was. The visual effects didn't need to be better. They just needed to give the actors something better to do to control those nights. That was just a little. Whatever I skipped over Snake Puzzle. I'm in. Let's go. I'm ready to go.

[Will Friedle]

I love that Snake Puzzle. You got me at Snake Puzzle.

[Johnny Picar]

The Paul character bothered me a lot and we mentioned it just a tiny bit. Was he the one? There was. We never really talked about it while we went over through the movie, but there was a point where they do one of those like, like, you know, creeper in the back of the theater.

[Hunter]

Okay, I'm willing to step in here. I'm willing to step in here. So I know exactly the scene you're talking about. I left it. I, I basically thought, I think that that's the rival magician. But it's shot so poorly that you can't see. I know. I think it's the rival magician. I think it's, it's Hunt. It's basically Hunter's magician.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, it's Brandon.

[Hunter]

Brandon.

[Johnny Picar]

But he was, but he. That the person that was on screen looked like blonde. Like, I know a point where when they showed the, the previous mentor for Max and him being blonde, I was like, wait, is there a go? Are we introducing ghosts?

[Will Friedle]

I know.

[Hunter]

It's shot so poorly. It's so funny you remember that scene because it's. I, I like thought about it and was like, do I even mark this? But I didn't mark it because it doesn't come back to play, by the way.

[Johnny Picar]

That's what I mean.

[Hunter]

Like we never seen it is Will. It's when they're looking for the trap door.

[Johnny Picar]

Oh, right.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, yes. And they're. Yes.

[Johnny Picar]

Towards the back of the theater, up high, there's someone who's like snooping on them. And I don't know why, but I, I, I. By the end of it, it was like my questions were, I Thought possibly, yeah, it was Hunter's magician.

[Hunter]

Could have been Danny. But again, the shot is so poor, you cannot see who it is.

[Johnny Picar]

Could it have been Max wound it?

[Hunter]

No, I don't think it's Max.

[Johnny Picar]

It was younger and it wasn't as big of a character. Like the built. He wasn't tall enough to be Max. But then it was like when I saw the. The. The picture of the previous mentor and he had like, blonde hair. I'm like, wait, do we have a ghost hat?

[Will Friedle]

Oh, so you thought it was D. Milo. You thought it was D. Milo de.

[Johnny Picar]

Milo was coming back as. I don't know, whatever. And then I thought. Then I ended up going, oh, it must have been Paul, because then Paul started, remember, just randomly towards the end, popping up.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Johnny Picar]

Like he just kind of. Whatever.

[Will Friedle]

Creepily close.

[Johnny Picar]

Also, there was a moment too, when Allison is going to see if he's in his room after the chamber. He just saw. Heard Max's plan, saw Paul runs to the chamber to see where. Or he runs to his bedroom to wake him up. And then Paul comes up and this is after the shot before there's like multiple people walking around the hallway. And he's like, like, hey, it's time. What are you doing up? I'm like, there's people. She's up like every 7:30. Everyone's around outside.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, God.

[Johnny Picar]

So, yeah, Paul kind of that whole part had me a little confused. And I didn't really love that the special delivery with Hunter and her didn't. I didn't think it was her. I thought this was going to be some kind of trap Max was putting into his. That that was like, gonna be the demise of him. So when it ended up being her, I did think, oh, what? That was a good, good twist.

[Will Friedle]

Good twist. Buzz, they had you back again.

[Johnny Picar]

Yes. Yep. There we go. And that was it. And then the last part was. There was a shot that was what takes the movie to go into being that. Not the best Disney movies. And it was her watching the show in the back corner with her head in between the blue velvet curtains. Like, she's just sitting there. Like, no one can see my head with my bright blonde curly hair just poking through watching. That was like, couldn't she.

[Will Friedle]

It's a little Disney.

[Johnny Picar]

There was certain things with this movie that pulled you back very dis. Didn't allow it to be what Disney usually does, which is a great movie that kids also like. You know, the whole family can. Can jump.

[Will Friedle]

I agree.

[Johnny Picar]

I agree.

[Will Friedle]

Thank you. For Sabrina sees now of Course we're gonna rate our film. Let's do one out of 10. It's worked for us in the past. I think it'll work for us in the future. But this time we're gonna do one is the worst and ten is the best. That's what we're gonna do.

[Johnny Picar]

I think we're doing that every time.

[Will Friedle]

What? No, that's ridiculous. Our options this week are one out of ten bad kid TV producers. One out of ten trunk doves, Overachieving, Know It All Dwibos. One out of ten David Blaine card tricks on Danielle Fishel. One out of ten unexplained trolleys. Surprise. Latin skills, Scandinavia magicians. One out of ten acid trip transitions or one out of ten magician? You go ahead. What would you like to pick there, Sabrina?

[Johnny Picar]

I think that I can't get past that Danielle Fishel story that would freak me out and will probably be in my dreams a few times in the next week until I get to have a conversation, make sure she's okay.

[Will Friedle]

There you go.

[Johnny Picar]

We're gonna have to go. David Blaine card trick.

[Will Friedle]

You got it.

[Johnny Picar]

Daniel Fishel. The longest one.

[Will Friedle]

We've the longest, but it's necessary. I think I go first this week, do I not?

[Johnny Picar]

Yes, you do.

[Will Friedle]

Okay. This was a movie. That's my review. This was a movie. It wasn't great. It wasn't awful. Again, the acting was fine. The story didn't make a whole lot of sense. Yeah, the magic didn't really make a whole lot of sense. It was a great concept that was not executed particularly well at times. You know, the idea of a reality show, a wizard doing a reality show to find another wizard. It's a great Disney concept. It's a great idea. Bringing in the reality show concept during the early 2000s. Great idea. It just wasn't hugely executed. Right. That being said, it also wasn't awful by any stretch of the imagination. That's why I think I'm being fair when I give this six David Blaine card tricks on Danielle Fishel.

[Johnny Picar]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

What do you think there, Sabrina?

[Johnny Picar]

I'm gonna match your six. Six David Blank hard tricks on Daniel Fishel for me as well. I thought the same again. I thought that. You know what I honestly wish that they dove into a little bit was the chemistry between these two actors. Me, they were so cute and adorable together. Both of them great actors on their own stand that I think that would have brought a little bit more, especially for me with being a rom com lover. And then you add in just a little bit of Magic. I would have been sold so much.

[Will Friedle]

That would have been the sequel. I bet you that would have been the sequel.

[Johnny Picar]

Would have been the rom com version of Shame. It did it because I really think that it would have added a lot to the movie. I did think several of the tricks here with the special effects were pretty good, you know, done well. You know, the Night One was not great but again they could have done like you said, the execution of giving the actors something a little bit more specific to do probably would have made that. Cause again, I don't think you watch Disney movies for these great special effects.

[Will Friedle]

No, of course not. And you know what you're getting into.

[Johnny Picar]

Exactly. And so I just think there was times where there was Mrs. And it kind of of didn't really matter one way or the other. And like I said, it took me a little bit longer to watch. I didn't get. I didn't. This wasn't a movie I watched from the start to the end. I didn't watch it straight through because of that. But there were good parts like I said and we had the, the. Some of it was very creative and I loved getting that puzzle piece. Her being such a puzzle person.

[Will Friedle]

They could have done more with that stuff.

[Johnny Picar]

Yes. And oh, the last bit was. There was just. And I'm gonna dock it down just a little bit. I would have probably gone at 6.5 but there were just too many. Damn. Were everywhere in this movie. If they weren't on screen, you heard them in the background. Anytime they were on outside, those trolleys were passing by.

[Will Friedle]

Trolleys. Well, it's Hogwarts. That's what I'm saying. It's Hogwarts. Did you like anything from the trolley, dear? So thank you so much for joining us. Our next movie, oh, it's a big one. And we're bringing in a special guest. Yes, we're going back to sequel town. For us it is the follow up installment to the Zombies franchise. We're doing zombies 2 everybody. And we're gonna be joined by one of its biggest fans. My Pod Meets World co host and bestie Danielle Fishel is gonna be joining us. I cannot wait. I'm so excited for that. It's available to stream right now on Disney. So go ahead and jump in right now to watch zombies 2. I can't wait. We're gonna start doing some of these sequels. I really can't wait. Can't wait for Cheetah Girls 2. There's so much I wanna watch. But before that we're keeping it Magical with the guests. We've talked about this. Yeah, you're gonna be very happy because Johnny Picar, we talked to him a little about. Now you see it. And he gave us the super low down. Why don't you listen to a little bit of the conversation? Were you a fan of magic before you got this. This role, or was this a world that they kind of opened up for you? Opened it up. Yeah, I. I was a fan of it, but I didn't study it or try to learn magic.

[Hunter]

You know, maybe the simple card trick.

[Will Friedle]

Here and there that you see your friends doing. But no, I was always fascinated, but I'm still fascinated by it. And when they hired this magician, the teacher, he took me out to, like, the Magic Castle, all these really cool places, and I was just floored. He was so much fun to talk to. It was great, wasn't it?

[Johnny Picar]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. So make sure that you are subscribed to the Magical Rewind feed on your favorite streaming services. That way you don't miss out on Johnny or any of the other amazing Disney guests we've had on. And for more info, you can follow us at Magical Rewind Pod on the Instagram machine now. Daniel Fischl zombies 2 next time. Time you gotta join us. Bye.

[Chiquis Rivera]

Hey, what's up, guys? This is Chiquis from the Cheekies and Chill podcast. And you know, I was thinking, buying a home used to be a huge headache. You had to go to a bunch of different places for listings, for pre approval, for financing. It was exhausting and confusing. But now Rocket is putting everything you need in one place. Rocket.com a single, seamless homeownership platform to help you find, buy, sell, finance, even refinance your home. There's only one destination that has everything you need all under one roof. Every home at one address. Rocket.com, the new home for all things home ownership.

[Johnny Picar]

Hola. Todos tiennen que provar los nuevos ma crispy strips. The McDonald's es pollo echo para dipping. Hablamos de pollo empanisado jugoso Yun poco picante Esta tan rico que tienes supropia Salsa la Creamy Chili McCrispy Strip Dip Escremosa Dulce y Picante a la Vez Dip Mordisco Dip mordisco Riquisimos o puedes poner las cual quiera de nuestra salsas Porque es pollo echo para dipping Nuevos McCrispy strips solo in McDonald's.

[Will Friedle]

Life's a match. You don't have to fight alone. Hey, It's Freddie Prinz Jr. And in the ring, the best partners are the ones who step in when you need them the most. That's exactly what State Farm agents do.

[Johnny Picar]

When it's time to file a claim.

[Will Friedle]

They help you handle the unexpected with.

[Johnny Picar]

Confidence and care, whether online, over the.

[Will Friedle]

Phone or in person. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Danielle Fishel]

Tucson is a city that stays with you. The food here isn't just a meal, it's a legacy. And whether it's the kick of a chiltepin, which is a very hot pepper for those of you who don't know, or enjoying a Sonoran hot dog after a night out on the town, every dish has a story to tell. And beyond the culinary journey, each neighborhood offers a glimpse into a rich tapestry of cultures blending into the Sonoran Desert. Tucson isn't just a getaway. It's a journey into heritage and a community that feels like home. Home. Learn [e-mail] Viva.

[Will Friedle]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.