THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS

You guys may have noticed that I am a great fan of good, old fashioned escapism. I mean let’s face it, we all need it at times. That’s why adults read comics and watch cartoons; that’s why fiction as a genre exists! This is probably why, when I find a film that well and truly transports me to another world I pounce on it and give it a big (metaphysical) cuddle. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is just such a cuddle-worthy film. Springing from the crazy imagination of Terry Gilliam, you would expect nothing less. Plus the film is chock – full of handsome actors (the late great Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell…). If that’s not cuddle-worthy, I don’t know what is, right ladies ? ;)

So, what is the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus about? As with everything Gilliam-related, it’s a little hard to explain and almost impossible to describe but I’ll give it a go. Ok, it’s sort of, kind of a little bit of a take on Dr Faust – but not quite. You see, Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) was actually born thousands of years ago – but a bet with the devil has given him eternal life. It is not turning out the way he had planned. One day, upon coming across the woman of his dreams, he makes another pact with the devil – youth and the chance to conquer this woman. However, he must give the first child from this union to the devil on its 16th birthday. So we find him, traveling the world with his daughter Valentina (Lily Cole) and his two assistants, as a traveling troupe of performers. This is where the Imaginarium comes in – or where you go into the Imaginarium, an imaginary world commanded by the doctor where all ones wishes come true. They have a happy life minus the fact that Valentina is almost 16 and her father is desperate to find a way out of his bargain. Mr. Nick ( the devil) comes up with just such a plan. The first to seduce five souls in the Imaginarium will win. This sounds easy but is actually no mean feat seeing as the Imaginarium is doing, in a word, dismally. But then, Tony (mostly Heath Ledger) comes along. The troupe rescues him from the jaws of death – he is dazed and has completely lost his memory. His mere presence however, will change the rules of “the game” forever…

Now, what of my impressions of the film? Well, it has no great philosophy, it is Hollywood and special effects at their best. And I mean their best. It is no Avatar of course, but it is instead a wonderful imagination, colorful costumes and fantasy worlds and details that Monty Python fans will recognize and squeal with glee about (not a lot of people know this but it also racked up two Oscar® nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. VERY well deserved.) This is good, old-fashioned story-telling folks; done by superb actors too. It is also a good reminder of the powers of the imagination. I would hate to become one of those people who are incapable of imagining, of enjoying a story, of plunging into a fantasy world without 3-D glasses… I am sure that those of you who have watched the film will agree with me when I tell you that it should more accurately be called “The Imaginarium of Terry Gilliam”… Just immerse yourselves. You will emerge re-born. ;)

PUBLIC ENNEMIES

I am rather surprised with myself as I start writing this review. I ADORE this film. It has two of my favorite actors in it. The fact that I have not mentioned it before kinda defies logic. However, blogger doesn’t lie (as far as I know) and I have trawled my previous posts to no avail. So here goes. Well, thinking about it, it sort of makes sense that you will love this film. The leading actors? Johnnie Depp, Christian Bale and Marillon Cotillard. Gangster movie. About a REAL gangster. Director ? Micheal Mann. Have I got your attention yet?

The unlikely hero of this story harking from 1930’s America is John Dillinger (Johnnie Depp). He is an old-school gangster and bank robber and boy is he getting on the police’s nerves… There are many things impeding the police from catching Dillinger: He is intelligent, cunning and an expert at getting away with anything but murder. To add insult to injury – the public LOVES him! In the troubled times of the Great Depression, Dillinger refuses to take money from the people and targets only big banks and corporations, thus making himself some rather powerful enemies. Regardless of public opinion, the FBI is just about sick of being made a fool of by Dillinger. They set their number one man, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) on Dillinger’s proverbial tail. Purvis and Dillinger will start a deadly game of cat and mouse – but this is not all Dillinger has to worry about. The times are, as a wise man will say decades after him “a’changing” and the underworld is adapting to it. The question is will Dillinger, an old-fasioned bank-robber with is “Mol” Billie Frechette (Marillon Cotillard) on his arm be able to adapt as well?

First of all, if you thought that with quadruple Oscar® nominee Michael Man at the helm, you had nothing to fear – you would be right. The film is a good quality, old-fashioned gangster movie and it’s a movie about the real men all films in this genre were based on. Dillinger’s story is particularly fascinating seeing as it combines this fact with the changing times and the dynamics in the underworld, a place we all assume has “laws unto itself”. Actually no, it changes with the times and those who can’t adapt are left by the wayside just as with everything else… I have heard the film being described as a “guys movie” yet I’m not sure I agree… I mean yes, it’s a gangster movie but the bizarre relationship between Purvis and Dillinger – very equally matched enemies here – is interesting to watch for any lady who likes a bit of action in her movies. Plus of course, there is the fact that both Depp and Bale are drop-dead gorgeous (I’m being candid here, come on now…) And last but not least, there is the love between Dillinger and Frechette as portrayed by Depp and Cotillard. As you can imagine from actors of that caliber you will be reaching for tissues.

In short, Public Enemies very successfully combines a fascinating period film with breath-taking action. You will enjoy it – no matter what your tastes are =)

FINDING NEVERLAND

I was browsing through last-weeks posts and all the mention of Peter Pan and Johnnie Depp put me in mind of another little gem. It is yet another true story, not a very well known story yet a story well worth knowing… It is the true life story of J.M. Barrie, the writer of the novel Peter Pan and the events that inspired the creation of the classic we all know and love today…

Scottish playwright James Barrie (Johnnie Depp * SIGH…* ) has just suffered a dismal failure with his latest play. He is also lacking terribly in inspiration, a condition fed by the depression brought on by his failure… Inspiration comes to him in the surprising form of beautiful and fragile widow Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet) and her four young sons. Barrie turns out to be an excellent playmate and father figure to the boys. He becomes especially close to Peter, one of the younger boys (acted by child prodigy Freddy Highmore). Peter is troubled, misses his father, has an extraordinary imagination and does not want to grow up… Despite criticism from Sylvia’s mother (the multi-award winning Julie Christie) and Mary, Barrie’s wife (acted by Radha Michelle - hmm, I never knew I was such a fan of hers, I seem to write about one of her works every week!!) Barrie spends more and more time with the family. It will inspire him to write his greatest work ever. If he can only convince the producer Charles Frohman (Dustin Hoffman) it’s a viable business venture that is…

First of all, with such a stellar cast, the film can only be so bad if you see what I mean =) But in fact, director Marc Foster is not to be sneezed at either; his works you may have heard of include Monsters Ball, Stranger than Fiction, The Kite Runner and Quantum Of Solace… This is most definitely a successful work: the film was nominated for a total of 7 Oscars ® including heavyweights such as Best Motion Picture, Best Leading Actor (Johnnie Depp - *SIGH*) and Best Writing. (Ok, so in the end it only won Best Achievement in Music but the other fields were actually worth a mention!!) The film also trails a very long list of nominations for prestigious awards such as Golden Globes and BAFTA’s, so I feel that even those of us who in later years have begun to shy away from mainstream cinema should feel confident to “dip a toe in” so to speak. I mean, come on guys, so many juries, they can’t all be wrong /stupid / corrupt!

And besides, even if you are completely anti mainstream, didn’t you read Peter Pan (or even better, have it read to you, like I did) when you were younger and love it? (And if you didn’t read / have it read to you I am genuinely sorry about that. If you did and didn’t like it, well, chances are you’re reading the wrong blog mate… really…) Ehm, so you did love it, right? Aren’t you just the teensiest bit curious as to what the real Peter Pan was like? I am really sorry to disappoint you guys but he did actually grow up – here’s his Wikipedia page. I always find the real stories behind these great works fascinating (same with the extraordinary life story of Lewis Carrol and his creation of Alice in Wonderland for instance). Maybe it’s this fact that endears the film so much to me. It is still a beautiful, touching film.