Criss Angel

Criss Angel is a familiar face in Las Vegas. The illusionist filmed his "Mindfreak" A&E television show throughout the city and his two productions at the Luxor (Believe and Mindfreak Live) ran for a combined ten years. Angel has now switched venues and upped his game with a new show at Planet Hollywood.

Criss Angel MINDFREAK mixes technology, personality, music and the star's best tricks and stunts. It's a fast-paced show with more than 75 illusions packed into 90 minutes. Highlights include a nail-biting straitjacket escape and a mind-boggling example of levitation. The show is a true spectacle, mixing in contortionists and scary horror movie elements with live music and chest-pounding EDM. It also has more video screen surfaces and moving lights than any theatrical production in the world. The pyrotechnics and 3D mapping are especially impressive.

While Criss Angel's previous run at the Luxor received mixed reviews (especially an early version of Believe that played up a partnership with Cirque du Soleil), this new production gets everything just right. It's an engaging show that will leave you wondering "how did he do that?" long after the curtain call.

Even the location is an upgrade. Planet Hollywood is in a more centralized location on the Strip and an easy walk from the Paris, Bellagio, Cosmopolitan and Caesars Palace. Criss Angel MINDFREAK runs Wednesday-Sunday at 7 p.m. (VIP upgrades include a personal escort into the theater, laminate, photo and meet-and-greet with Criss Angel.) The venue, now dubbed the Criss Angel Theater is dark Monday and Tuesday. Tickets begin at $69.