"Your bow is part of the act, as important as a trick you're doing, " Ms. Zimmerman advised a junior who made doves appear out of the air, followed by a weak bow, during a recent academy session at the Castle.

WSJ: Hocus-Pocus 101: Course Casts Its Spell Over Elite Students

Just on the level of sheer spectacle -- and these are movies we're talking about, spectacle is no small matter -- a flick like "Jack the Giant Slayer" has a lot going for it: a perilous daylong climb into the clouds, a castle in the sky worthy of Hayao Miyazaki, waterfalls that drain into thin air and the delightful sight of a 100-foot chef sneezing into his pastries.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS