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Magic never works the same way in movies that it does in person, which is not to say that it doesn’t work in movies. It just takes a different kind of finesse, typically relying on editing and effects rather than the time-honored principles of misdirection and distraction. For those who weren’t fortunate enough to catch Derek DelGaudio’s solo show “In & of Itself” during its 20017-18 Off Broadway run — or at Los Angeles’ Geffen Playhouse, where it debuted a year before — director Frank Oz has fashioned a stand-alone film version for Hulu, and to DelGaudio’s credit, the essence of his act remains intact, sparking awe, introspection and tears of connection, even when watched alone.

Not all the tricks translate, nor do they need to, since DelGaudio has shrewdly constructed the experience around the theme of identity, revealing deeply personal elements of his own history in such...

Ron Howard may well end up being the first person to figure out how to turn one of Neal Stephenson’s books into a film. That is very good news in general. Stephenson is one of my favorite working authors, and each time he releases a book, I find myself living in his world for a few months. I just recently went back and read Snow Crash for the first time in a long time, and it’s amazing how clearly he found his gift even just three books into his remarkable career. I remember reading Snow Crash and immediately thinking, “There are going to be filmmakers fighting to make this thing.” I also remember thinking that Stephenson’s imagination was so far out that it would take civilization decades to catch up with him. I had no idea he was more of a “right-around-the-corner” tech prophet, and when you...