The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus [PG]

The choice is yours. What would you prove if you had all eternity? Enter the imaginarium, be seduced by its pleasures, make the choice, and see Heath Ledger in his final role.

A true Australian citizen would have to watch this movie simply for the fact that it was the last film the legendary Heath Ledger worked on. R.I.P Heath.

You may or may not remember that this film was announced ages and ages and ages before it was finally released on the big screen. Sadly, the reason for this is that Heath passed away halfway through filming and in order for the movie to make it to cinemas, there had to be some tweaking and tampering. That is why there are three different actors who play Heath's part when he's inside the imaginarium. Basically what they did was write it so that the imaginarium changed the look of your face and fitted it accordingly depending on the visions and alternate reality you were experiencing in the imaginarium. Yes people, it's one of those movies.

Doctor Parnassus has been making wagers with the Devil for a while, gaining immortality in the process. However, his immortality has come at a price. As soon as his daughter, Valentina, turns 16, she will belong to the Devil. Ah, but the Prince of Darkness has come up with another wager so all hope is not lost. If Parnassus can persuade 5 souls to lose themselves in his imaginarium, then Valentina can be free.

I will be honest and say that this is one of those movies that you sort of don't mind the first time you watch it. I saw it in cinemas and I didn't mind it. The only reason I bought it was because it was Heath Ledger's last role and it had such an amazing cast of eccentrics, that it would go against my character to NOT have it in the collection. In order to understand its true genius, the film needs to be watched over and over again. It's made up of many layers and every time you watch it, you discover a new layer and gain a new appreciation for the whole thing.

Christopher Plummer plays Parnassus. You can tell that immortality is a curse by the amount he drinks in this movie. Here's a lesson kids, NEVER wish to live forever.

Musician Tom Waits plays St Nick or the Devil Himself. I love Tom Waits. His theatrical style of music makes him a perfect candidate for this flick. He just looks so at home amongst the theatrical costumes and the eccentric characters.

Joining the Christopher and Tom are:

Lily Cole as Valentina. Feisty and romantic. Possibly the most beautiful woman on screen.

Verne Troyer as Percy. A bossy man of small-stature who keeps Parnassus' wages in check.

Andrew Garfield as Anton. A clever magician with a strong love for Valentina.

And of course, Heath Ledger as Tony. A charming man who seems to be marked for death. He spends the better part of the movie trying to regain his memory.

Johnny Depp plays Tony when he first enters the imaginarium.

Jude Law plays Tony upon his second entry into the imaginarium

And Colin Farrell plays Tony whilst in the imaginarium for the third time.

The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus is a unique film. Visually pleasing, and definitely something you will want to have seen at least once. However, despite the PG rating, I would not recommend this film for children younger than 14. There is a surprisingly fair amount of language in it, including the words sh** and f***. I say this because I have had customers who are quite cautious about what sort of language gets used around their children.

Aside from that, I enjoyed The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus, it had the right amount of suspense, drama, comedy, and romance to please anyone.