LilSugar

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus: A Little Too Crazy

BuzzSugar — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 10:30:43 -0800

Not to be confused with that movie starring Natalie Portman and Dustin Hoffman (Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium), The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus is perhaps best known as late actor Heath Ledger’s final role.

You may recall that his death occurred during production, in which case Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law stepped in to finish his role. The good news is that the transition from actor to actor is virtually seamless and works within the story’s construction perfectly.

The bad news? The film is still a bit of an all-over-the-map mess. To hear why, just read more.

The movie follows Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer), an immortal man who runs a circus-style sideshow where he invites people into his imagination via a mirror. Once there, the participants must make a choice - will they side with the devil-like Mr. Nick (Tom Waits), or are they good at heart and will therefore align with Dr. Parnassus?

Dr. P. struck a deal with Mr. Nick years ago that he would hand over his child Valentina (Lily Cole) once she reached her 16th birthday. Now days away, Nick shows up to collect with a proposition - if Parnassus can save five souls from his evil grasp (inside of Parnassus's imagination, naturally), then the doc can keep Valentina. With a stroke of good luck, Parnassus crosses paths with Tony (Heath Ledger), a former businessman with the gift of persuasion.

If all of this sounds confusing, it’s because it is. Imaginarium is positioned as a morality tale, drawing connections to Parnassus as a god who allows free will, but what's the message? The story seems so concerned with being kooky and approaching larger, ambitious themes that it never grounds itself long enough to reach any "aha!" moment.

There are still a few bright spots. Tom Waits is particularly charming as a rascally, mustached Mr. Nick, and Andrew Garfield (as a young man pining for Valentina) has an on-screen charisma that makes him a promising new face to watch. I even appreciated much of the over-the-top surrealist scenery, which shouldn't be surprising given director Terry Gilliam's unique brand of whimsy (the imagery mimics Monty Python in several instances).

You can't blame the guy for having creativity; I just wish that Gilliam used a little more restraint here instead of working himself into a fantasy frenzy. The mumbo-jumbo overshadows even Ledger's performance, which could have been great if given some clearer development. Instead, I was left wishing that his brilliant turn in The Dark Knight had been the actor's swan song.

If you'd like to review a movie you've seen recently, check out the Movie Reviews Group in community. I may even feature your critique on the site!

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Colin Farrell - Love Him or Leave Him?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:30:01 -0800

Is Colin Farrell having a career resurgence? I'm seeing the actor everywhere this week thanks to new release The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus and an uncredited cameo in Crazy Heart (check back later for my reviews of both films). Then I spotted these new pics from the upcoming Peter Weir movie The Way Back, and he pops up in them, too!

I used to have a fascination with Farrell and his Irish bad-boy charm, always cursing up a storm on late-night shows in his thick brogue. For a while he was pretty in demand with big-budget films like Minority Report or Alexander, but over the years, I've seen less of him (perhaps because he's no longer a tabloid fixture). Farrell's a good actor, so I welcome more time with him on the big screen, but I'm still on the fence about how I feel about him nowadays.

What's your take - do you love Farrell in anything and everything? Or are your feelings generally more "meh"?

Love it or Hate it: Lily Cole at New York Premiere

FabSugarUK — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:30:56 -0800

Lily Cole showed off her long legs in New York City last night as she attended the premiere of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. The British model turned actor wore a double breasted jacket with thigh high boots and short shorts. There is definitely an '80s power suit feel to the big shouldered jacket, and she certainly has the legs for such a revealing look. What do you think of her red carpet style?

Inspired: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:00:49 -0800

It makes sense that a movie with "imaginarium" in the title would have some decorating inspiration within. Most famous for being the last movie Heath Ledger made before his death, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus comes out in limited release on Dec. 25. Until then, I'm finding myself moved by all the magical, madcap, carnival-inspired set design. Here's how to put that inspiration to use in your decor.
Source

View Slideshow ›

Buzz's December Movies Preview

BuzzSugar — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

December is always a very big month for movies; with just a few weeks left until awards season starts up, this time is seen as the last chance for filmmakers to show off their biggest works of the year. In the coming weeks there will be no shortage of highly anticipated films and top-notch performances. Let's take a look at my top 12 picks.

View Slideshow ›

London and Rome Host Film Stars Including Honest George

PopSugarUK — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:58:33 -0700

Several actors walked the red carpet this weekend at the London Film Festival and Rome Film Festival. Nicholas Hoult, Tom Ford, Colin Firth and Matthew Goode looked handsome in their suits at the premiere for A Single Man in London, and the capital also saw the premiere of Viggo Mortensen's The Road. Helen Mirren was in Rome for the The Last Station, and Terry Gilliam and Lily Cole were also in Italy for The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus premiere. Director Jason Reitman was in London for the premiere of Up in the Air on Sunday, having joined George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis for the Rome premiere the night before! As part of his promotion for his films, George has opened up about his relationships and growing old:

On relationships: "I’ve had some absolutely great relationships and some not so great relationships. I’ve been in some relationships where I’ve felt terribly alone. Just because you’re with someone it doesn’t mean you’re incredibly happy and complete. I’ve had some easy and natural, made-sense breakups as well as some rough ones. I deal with them the same way we all do: I’m successful with some and not so successful with others."
On getting older: "I’m kind of comfortable with getting older because it’s better than the other option, which is being dead. So I’ll take getting older. It’s an interesting thing to be able to watch yourself grow older on screen. I was watching Up In The Air and I thought, ‘Jesus, who’s the old, grey-haired guy?’ And it was me."

George also revealed he played a prank on Matt Damon to make his pal think he was gaining weight, and is working on a prank for his next victim Brad Pitt!

To see more pictures from the weekend, including Ben Kingsley, Rose McGowan, Viggo Mortensen, Jason Reitman, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick, just read more.

View 40 Photos ›

Images include: George Clooney, Elisabetta Canalis, Helen Mirren, Colin Firth, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Goode, Tom Ford, Ben Kingsley, Rose McGowan, Lily Cole, Terry Gilliam, Jason Reitman, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Viggo Mortensen

Terry Gilliam Talks About Heath Ledger's Last Role

PopSugarUK — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:32:31 -0700

A new poster for The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus has been released and director Terry Gilliam has also revealed more details about Heath's state of mind during filming, saying:

"Heath was just so full of ideas and fresh dialogue and so unbelievably fast and inventive. He was still, in some sense, speeding from playing The Joker, which had liberated him in a way that he had never experienced before. He was always telling me 'I am doing things in scenes that I didn't know was inside me. I cannot believe it'."

I'm so excited to see the film when it's released in the UK on 16 October, what about you?

Which Lipstick Colour Do You Prefer on Lily Cole?

BellaSugarUK — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:30:00 -0700

At last night's London premiere of the The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus, English model Lily Cole, (not to be mistaken for a relative of Cheryl Cole) arrived on the red carpet wearing bright red lipstick, a look we don't often see on her. Just last week in Paris, she was spotted in a casual looking, creamy pinky-blush coloured shade, and at last season's Paris Fashion Week, she donned pale, shimmery pink lips and dark smoky eyes. Vote below to let me know which lipstick look you think looks best on Lily.

Will You See or Skip These October Movies?

PopSugarUK — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:00:00 -0700

As the leaves start to change colour and the nights get darker, I start to look forward to cosying up inside the cinema. This month sees the release of a good range of films to entertain us, from comedies and romances to animations, 3D re-releases and dramas, as well as two hugely anticipated movies. Click through and vote to let me know whether you'll see or skip each of these October releases.

View Slideshow ›

PopSugarUK's October Must Haves

PopSugarUK — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 -0700

October sees the release of some great DVDs, a couple of exciting solo albums, and an eagerly anticipated film on our big screens. I'm also looking forward to the release of a couple of TV/film book tie-ins too. Check out what I'm excited about this month, and let me know your must haves too!

Source

View Slideshow ›