The Prestige (2006)

Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman are rival magicians in pursuit of the ultimate illusion, a quest that carries them from London to the American West amid the late 1800s. With Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine, and David Bowie (as Nikola Tesla). Directed by Christopher Nolan. Rated PG-13. (130 min.)

Take a break from Hollywood blockbuster fever with a cinematic selection of coolers that all share a common element: unforeseeable twists, executed with confidence by killer casts.