The holiday season, shows, new projects, and conventions have made for a busy schedule the last few months. I’ve been working so much, that frankly the Paul’s Picks took a back seat in December. Not to mention that sometimes it takes awhile for new items to “grab” me. I’ve never really meant these to be “reviews” of the items but truly a reflection of the kind of material that I would pick. You simply can’t force those selections. Sometimes you have to let them stew.

Regardless, I’m back to start off 2012 with a strong list of personal winners and I think you’re bound to find a few that grab you too! Enjoy...

• Voodoo Doll Prediction: George Robinson the owner of Viking Magic and Collector’s Workshop does not crank out new items. So when a new one does appear, you can bet he’s worked out every detail and fine point. That’s definitely the case with his latest effect the Voodoo Doll Prediction. This is a fun effect that is SUPER simple to do, and guaranteed to get great reactions. The props are very well made and create instant interest in the routine. Lot’s of room for fun with the spectators in the effect. If you like the premise, you’ll love the method.
• Blindsight 2: I was a big fan of the original Blindsight and I still am. Blindsight 2 differs from the original in that this version was designed for the stand up performer. It’s a very strong mentalism effect in which the spectator seems to do all the work and in the end they correctly predict an impossible number of moments. There’s also a lovely climax that puts the spot light back on the performer. This really is a great routine. It may be a little bold for some but it’s well thought out and I can personally attest to how strong it plays. This new version also includes a fun moment with the Stroop Test Chart. One side note, this can still be easily used for close up performances as well.
• Outstanding: As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts I strongly contend that there is no “perfect” method for any trick - just what is perfect for a particular moment, environment, and situation. The person who is appears most “perfect” is the person who is best prepared. When it comes to Out Of This World, I’m prepared. I love the premise and have collected dozens of methods over the years. Robert Mansilla’s method will happily join my arsenal. This is an extremely clever approach to the OOTW with the added bonus of being useable as part of a parlor or stand up show. This plays at chest level and the diabolical handling relies more on subtlety than difficult sleights. I think this is a great solution and if you’re an OOTW like me I suspect you’ll be very pleased.
• Cinch: Shaun Robison is a talented magician from Utica, NY and there’s no doubt that he has some real chops. Shaun also works regularly in front of paying audiences and that means he also has an eye for real world, practical magic. Cinch is a fast, eye popping transformation that makes for a great opener. He covers every detail that you’ll need to master the basic effect, not to mention a number of alternative presentations. It leaves you with a clean bill, so you also open the door to other money effects as well. Good stuff for anyone looking into visual bill changes.
• Speakeasy: If you’ve ever had the chance to see a well executed code act then you already know how powerful it can be. Dan Harlan’s latest DVD reveals his personal two person code and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to learn – and how effective it can be. Dan has really reduced the system down to a very simple approach which allows for some truly remarkable effects. While easy to learn, it will still require practice by both parties to truly make the system move smoothly. Like any code system, I think you’ll have to “live” with this for awhile to achieve real proficiency. If you’ve ever been curious about the topic this will make a great starting off point.
• Destination Box: Jon Allen’s Card to Box has received rave reviews for years and I’m very pleased that we are now able to offer it to our customers.  It’s very well made and its clever design allows you to let the person who signed the card remove it for themselves. It’s large enough to play to a sizable audience and can easily be adapted for other effects including Bill to Box, Headline Predictions, and more. It’s been produced in solid American black walnut and finished with solid brass hinges, hasp, and staple with a legitimate working padlock. All in all a high quality prop that could easily become the feature of your show.