Daniel, the Wizard (2004)

Great visuals, story delivers no surprises

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

This is the worst movie ever. 1/10 stars. Worth seeing for everyone who loves bad movies.

I have to write this to balance out the 10s. I just saw the movie in the original German. That eliminates the possibility of bad dubbing or a poor English edit. As a "movie" it definitely ranks as one of the worst ever made. It has the pretension of trying to be an art house film but fails miserably. I think to people giving it a 10 (meaning one of the greatest movies ever made!) are voting for the singer not the movie. His preen German fans are voting not as serious movie goers. I can't evaluate his singing talents (not my area of expertise ) but this voting should be confined to only the movie. This is definitely not worth seeing unless you are like me and trying to see all of the worst movies available (a touch of masochism ).

I don't know what this is, if it as documentary, a mocumentary or a fictional story, or maybe a bit of all three. The main character in the movie is the androgynous popstar and runner up of German Idol, Daniel Küblböck, played by himself. The movie showcases several of his performances which I assume to be real. So far it's more of documentary than anything else, then the fictional part breaks in with a wizard running around with a tuba in his hand, and a trio who hate Daniel and plan to kill him. Since these parts are shot in home-video style they might as well be part of a mocumentary about some idiots trying to kill a popstar. Confusion of genre apart, Daniel himself is fiercely annoying with his shrill voice and flamboyant mannerisms. Wikipedia tells us he was voted most annoying person in TV in 2004, and this movie really shows that side of him. A documentary, or whatever this mess is supposed to be, with focus on an incredible annoying pop star is not a niece experience. When the would be killers had Daniel at gun point around the middle mark of the running time, I was so glad we get rid of this awful guy, but they wussied out and as a result of which, I had to suffer through another 40 minutes of him and his grating voice.Since i saw the film in German, without subtitles, I will give it the benefit of the doubt, and award it one point.

Let me tell you a little story: having once worked in a video store, my boss had ordered 15 copies of „Daniel der Zauberer" – two for rentals, 13 to be put into sale. He assured me that this was a wise choice since, at the time, the name Daniel Küblböck was in mouth and ears of many pre-teens and teenagers. Küblböck made second place in Germany's "Superstar"-version ("DSDS") and was groomed to become Germany's version of Michael Jackson; music and persona being as artificial as the tip of Jackos nose. Surely a few handsome bucks would come from the rentals.Need I still mention it? Neither rental copy ever left the store. Not once. After having reduced the price to 50 cents, my boss tried to give the DVDs away for free, causing two copies to leave the store. One customer who took a copy assured me that this was meant as Christmas present for 'that guy dating his ex-girlfriend'; the other copy was taken by a drunk who wandered the adult section and who didn't own a DVD-player.Whatever happened to the remaining 13 copies, you ask? Unless my boss has used them as make-shift beverage coasters, they remain the only films in that shop to carry the label "Free".Is "Daniel der Zauberer" the fabled 'worst movie ever'? Well, sure "Daniel der Zauberer" makes "Plan 9 From Outer Space" look like a Cecil B DeMille picture – but it's by far not the worst film ever. Oh, by no means. Just check out any other Ulli Lommels production, for example "The Zodiac Killer", "Black Daliah", "BTK Killer" or "Green River Killer". They're all god-awful; all bad enough to turn your best friend into your worst enemy.You might wonder why I bother to write a review about such manure: well, it's fun to make fun of movies that are worst than anything you've every recorded with your cell phone.And now you asked me how many points I give and to pass judgement over this film – to paraphrase the "Black Adder": good sirs and madams, I wouldn't pass water over "Daniel der Zauberer".