I don't think movies and magic can be usefully compared. It's like comparing juggling to literature They are quite different artforms.
However, if I had to say what one key emotion was paramount as a movie's aim, I'd day it depends upon the genre: so a horror film should seek to evoke either fear or dread more than anything else. If it doesn't, it could be argued to have failed as that type of film.
It seems to me that astonishment should be the primary aim of magic.
If some other emotion is the primary goal then it seems magic isn't the best tool.
I think causing astonishment is paramount. It's possible to imagine a magic act where there are highly amusing anecdotes but the tricks are lacklustre, and where 70% of the time of the act is dedicated to storytelling and only 30% to effects. In that case, I'd say they likely majored on the wrong thing and chose the wrong performative tool (magic) for their goals. But I guess we disagree. Which is fair enough 🙂
"Astonishment" is ephemeral and difficult to define. It comes and goes quickly. People forget about it. But no one forgets a powerfully emotional moment.
Another magician pointed out to me that that entire ending is essentially a big "pick a card, was this it?" trick but he elevates it to an entirely new level. I love I&OI so muchOne of the absolute best pieces of magic I've ever seen is the ending to Derek Delgaudio's In and Of Itself. Actually that whole show is just an excellent example of what emotional power a magic show can have. It's funny, it's heartfelt, it's scary-by-proxy (when he's talking about his experiences as a child), and yes, it's astonishing when he does his reveals. But the thing I think about regularly (like multiple times a week) is the ending. Yes it's amazing, but more importantly it's profoundly empathetic and connecting. No one is reacting to the fact that he's naming the right things, they are reacting to feeling seen and understood.
"Astonishment" is ephemeral and difficult to define. It comes and goes quickly. People forget about it. But no one forgets a powerfully emotional moment.
Shock, awe, wonder, astonishment - these are all distinct emotions and not really interchangeable.
I suppose it can be difficult to describe other emotions as well, but when you say "happiness" very few people are confused by that. If you say "astonishment" I would argue that a lot of people have never put thought into what that is, if they've even felt it at all.
Most magic tricks on the market provoke surprise, maybe laughter, but not astonishment. Contemporary magic is focused on displaying a supposed impossibility because most of the magic industry has decided magic and impossibility are interchangeable. They are not.
A good magic show will evoke many emotions. Astonishment will be included in that range of emotions but it doesn't have to be the focus at all. It really depends on the goals of the show.
I agree with all of this except the statement that 'a good magic show will evoke many emotions.' It may or may not. An intense, but singular, experience of deep astonishment is better (IMHO) than a smorgasbord of low level emotions. Quality is better than quantity here. There is something to be said also for purity of intent and focus and delivery in art, as well as richness and complexity. Both can be good.
Something without importance or significance.How are you using the word trivial?
I suspect all magic is trivial.
Most attempts to make magic non trivial make it less astonishing and less entertaining, I think.
Example of a trick that provides intense astonishment, also being pure in focus:
A bare presentation/use of an Invisible Deck as prediction effect