Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Close My Eyes Forever by Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne.

For $30 bucks, you get 7 effects, a DVD with an easy to navigate menu a lot of extreme close ups of Ross's unclean fingernails and some really cool ideas. I highly doubt that Eric Ross will ever be accused of being Mr. Personality. However, he's definitely a nice guy with some very clever ideas. Not all of the effects are 'winners,' but enough of them are that you should consider this DVD - but please folks . . . if you're gonna put out a DVD clean underneath your fingernails before you shoot.

Let's look at each effectThink Ink

Ad Copy: A card is chosen and placed back in the deck. A notebook is introduced and a blank page is ripped out. The paper is dipped into a glass of water (or any beverage) and the selected card appears on the paper in bright color. The piece of paper can be examined before during and after the effect and kept as an unbelievable souvenir.

My Comments: Yep. It's exactly what it says, but why? Why put the paper in water? No reason is given . . . It's a cool yet meaningless effect.

Star Rating: 2.5

Effect Name: Linkage

Ad Copy: Two rubber bands are shown and examined. The bands are held very openly and with no funny moves the bands link. This has got to be one of the most visual rubber band links to date.

My Comments: Super cool and the illusion is very pretty.

Star Rating: 4

Effect Name: Breathe

Ad Copy: This one is spooky. A card is chosen and placed back in the deck. Inspired by how Superman could freeze things with his breath, you blow onto a nearby window and their selection appears in the fog. The greatest thing about this one is that no gimmicks are required.

My Comments: I don't think I would call this spooky . . . you've probably done this yourself on your bathroom mirror. Nothing revolutionary here, but still a decent idea.

Star Rating: 2.5

Effect Name: Xplode

Ad Copy: So visual and so unexpected. A card is selected and lost in the deck. When the first attempt to find the card fails, you instruct the audience to picture their card on the back of another playing card. With a flick the card explodes to reveal their selected card.

My Comments: Not resetable . . . you have do destroy a gimmick each time you perform. Also, the kicker ending was actually pretty weak in my opinion. I think the effect stands on it's own without the kicker. Cool idea with potential.

Star Rating: 3

Effect Name: Wager

Ad Copy: This is a card and bill transpo that gets screams! A bill is borrowed, folded and placed into the spectators hand. A card is then chosen from the deck. Upon inspection of the deck their card has vanished and a dollar bill is in its place. When they open their hand it is revealed that they are now holding their selected card.

My Comments: In a word: Clunky. Some nice principles at work and a couple of nice moments, but the handling was awkward, meaningless and very contrived.

Star Rating: 2

Effect Name: Book Smart

Ad Copy: Mentalism meets magic in a new and fun way. A spectator selects a page from a book, inspects it and notes the page number. A card is then chosen and placed back in the deck. The spectator is instructed to burn that card into their mind. Startled, you say, 'I told you to burn it into your mind, not the book.' When you go to the selected page... their selected card is now burnt into the page.

My Comments: Excellent idea with a lot of potential. I've already thought up a handful of ideas for the concept. Ross's use is kind of cool, but again has no meaning.

Star Rating: 3.5

Effect Name: The Infection

Ad Copy: This truly bizarre effect allows you to thread your ear piercing with a needle and thread and allow a spectator to rip the thread straight through your ear. This is a beautiful performance piece that will make you stand out from the common trickster.

My Comments: If you've got a pierce somewhere that is appropriate to show in public and you like to make your audience cringe, then this is the best effect on the DVD.

Star Rating: 3.5

Overall, I think there is a decent mix of ideas, but I really wasn't impressed with Ross's performance style . . . low-key is an understatement. He makes David Blaine look like the Amazing Jonathan as far as performance energy and personality goes. Many of the effects and performances were very mindless and meaningless . . . yet, paradoxically, the ideas and concepts of the effects were very good. So what's the final verdict?

The trick average is 3. I think I'll stick with that.

Final Verdict:
3 stars with a Stone Status of Gem.