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"The Doctor is Out in "Imaginarium""
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A 2009 fantasy film directed by Terry Gilliam.
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As you probably can tell, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is one odd movie. I think it's worth checking out, but I'm not yet sold on it. The plot is essentially a fairy tale of a man who made a bet with the devil He and his traveling troupe possess a mirror into a bizarre world in which people are forced to make a choice between good and evil.
+1
Visually, the film is stunning. It contrasts the drab reality with the vivid colors of the mirror world. The movie also does keep you engaged because it is so different it's tough to predict what will happen.
The plot has obvious religious and philosophical overtones which at times are interesting. However, sometimes the plot becomes so odd and convoluted that it's tough to follow. Viewers are just asked to accept crazy notions such as a hidden mirror world and drastic personality changes. Unfortunately, the first half of the film starts off clear enough, but it seems like it just twists itself into knots by the end. I still don't quite get why certain characters did certain things at the end (which I won't discuss for fear of revealing spoils).
The acting overall was good, not great. Chris Plummer and Lily Cole were particularly good. Sometimes it seemed a bit forced though. I particularly didn't like the actor who played Satan (Tom Waits), who comes across as a bored salesman.
Overall worth checking out if you like different movies, but not great.
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FM_ALEX
November 22, 2010
An odd film indeed, I liked the acting here though.
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More The Imaginarium of Doctor Parn... reviews
I knew very little about this film when I went to the theaters to see it. I had seen a couple of previews online, which got me excited. The movie looked very promising. I expected a fantasy/science fiction adventure with performances that were going to blow my mind away. Instead, I left the theater feeling disappointed and confused. I kept asking myself, "Is that it?" The special affects and computer animated scenes were truly exceptional. When characters … more
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As much as I admire the style and finesse Terry Gilliam brings in his filmmaking, I find that his final product in direction is more or less a hit or a miss. I loved “12 Monkeys” and “the Fisher King” wasn’t too shabby as I can remember. I was however real disappointed with “The Brothers Grimm” that I avoided “Tideland”. Well, I gave Gilliam’s latest movie a shot since the reception is somewhat of a mixed bag and a lot of people … more
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I liked the premise of the movie. Basically, a deal with the devil is struck and that when the deal maker's child(ren) reached 16 years old, they became the property of the devil himself. In turn, the deal maker would have immortality. There is a great case of characters in this movie: Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrel, Jude Law and Heath Ledger (in his last film where he passed during the filming and was covered by the previously … more
Comments (2)
Compliments (24)
Terry Gilliam remains one of the more idiosyncratic and creative writer/director/producer phenomenons in the business. His ability as an illustrator and as a satirist date back to his college years at Occidental College in Los Angeles where he daily startled students and faulty alike with his broad but biting and well groomed antics. For this viewer THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS is one of his strongest forays in the field that can only be described as the Gilliam Genre. He combines a superb … more
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Compliments (12)
This film was hard to understand but it was enjoyable. I liked the charachters and the magic
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A fantastic movie and a tribute to how great the late Heath Ledger truly was.Do not do drugs before watching.
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review by newtonooi.
July 01, 2010
If there is one thing the British are good at, that would be making very original movies, and none excel at this better than Terry Gilliam. Their latest release is this combination of drama, fantasy, action and comedy. Starring a cast of many famous actors, this movie is probably the biggest release so far for the red-headed beauty Lily Cole. Like all of Gilliam's movies, this one deals with fantasy but is ultimately about relationships, and what one does for love and friendship. Unlike Gilliam's … more
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This movie was very disappointing!
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I love Gilliam's work & I'm a fan of all the actors, but this left me cold. The effects are great, but as Ledger's last film it's a letdown.
Comments (2)
Compliments (3)
Quick Tip by devora.
February 02, 2010
So this is what psychedelic adventures are made of! Great visuals, but story was hard to follow.
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Compliments (3)
About the reviewer
Dominic J Nardi (FreeDom4)
Ranked #41
Ranked #41
I am a recent law school grad with an interest in Southeast Asia legal issues. Unfortunately for my checkbook, ever since high school I have been addicted to good books. I have eclectic tastes, although … more
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About this movie
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a 2009 fantasy film directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown. The film follows the leader of a travelling theatre troupe who, having made a deal with the Devil, takes audience members through a magical mirror to explore their imaginations.Christopher Plummer, Tom Waits, and Heath Ledger star in the film, though Ledger's death one-third of the way through filming caused production to be temporarily suspended. Ledger's role was recast with Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell portraying transformations of Ledger's character Tony as he travels through a dream world.
The film's world premiere was during the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, out of competition. The UK release of the film was scheduled for 6 June 2009 but pushed back to 16 October 2009 due to its successful premiere at Cannes. The film was given a limited release in the US on Christmas Day 2009 and a wide release on 8 January 2010.
Director:
Terry Gilliam
Genre:
Sci-Fi,
Fantasy
Release Date:
January 2010
MPAA Rating:
PG-13
DVD Release Date:
April 27, 2010
Runtime:
123 minutes
Studio:
Sony Pictures Classics
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