BuzzSugar

What to Rent: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 08:30:00 PDT

Before you bank up your rentals for this weekend, consider these new releases. One is sweet, the other is totally trippy - and both are available for your viewing pleasure starting today.

It's Complicated

Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin play Jane and Jake, divorced parents who reignite the old flame in secret and stir up old feelings. Things really get, er, complicated when Jane begins seeing her nerdy architect (Steve Martin), and a love triangle is formed. Streep, Baldwin, and Martin are a delight to watch on screen, and they take this premise beyond typical rom-com schlock. But also rent it for John Krasinski who turns his supporting role as Streep and Baldwin's future son-in-law into a scene-stealer. DVD extras include a commentary track and featurette.

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

In what is perhaps best known as Heath Ledger's final performance, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a whimsical morality tale about a group of circus-type performers who welcome visitors into one man's messed-up mind. Christopher Plummer plays the title role alongside Ledger and an ensemble made to look like the late actor, including Jude Law, Johnny Depp, and Colin Farrell. The cast is solid, but the story itself is a confusing, tangled mess. Even so, you can't do much better when it comes to interesting visual details to ogle, thanks to the creative mind of director Terry Gilliam. DVD extras include a deleted scene and interview with Ledger.

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The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus: A Little Too Crazy

Lauren Bradshaw — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 10:30:43 PST

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

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 PST

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"?

Inspired: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:00:49 PST

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.

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Buzz's December Movies Preview

BuzzSugar — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:00:00 PST

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.

New Full Trailer For Dr. Parnassus Is Nuts

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:45:09 PDT

About midway through watching the new international trailer for The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, I realized I was holding my breath. It's such an unusual-looking film, I don't know which words to use to describe it except to say that it left me feeling excited and a little uneasy. The story is about an immortal doctor (played by Christopher Plummer) with a magical mirror who must give up his daughter (Lily Cole) to the devil (Tom Waits) on her 16th birthday. Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell all play a masked supporting character named Tony.

The movie will be released in the UK on Oct. 16. There's so much eerie, whimsical beauty in this movie, you should check it out for yourself

First Look: The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

BuzzSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:30:38 PDT

As director Terry Gilliam says in this teaser video, his fantastical movie The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus is "full of magic and wonder, the stuff of dreams." Now having caught a few clips from the movie at Comic-Con (and you can check them out after the jump), I think that's even putting it mildly. This is a lush, dark, whimsical and chilling film that I think we'll feel more than just watch.

Most people know this movie as "Heath Ledger's Last Appearance," and after his death, three high-profile actors (Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell) stepped in to complete his role. As for the actual plot, it follows an immortal doctor (played by Christopher Plummer) with a traveling theatrical group and a magical mirror who must give up his daughter (Lily Cole) to the devil (Tom Waits) on her sixteenth birthday. Ledger/Depp/Law/Farrell play a masked supporting character named Tony (after Tony Blair).

In San Diego, Gilliam explained some more about the movie and Ledger's involvement:

I don't think it's ever happened before that a main actor dies, and three A-list actors come in and take over his part. It tells you how much they cared about him. It was unbelievably brave and foolish. There was no time to prepare. We had Johnny for one day, three and a half hours. He just came in and did it. I'd shown them some clips of some of the stuff that Heath had done. I didn't know that it was going to work, but it did.

There's so much luck involved with this movie. . . . Each one of the choices that were forced upon us improved the film. I've been saying Heath co-directed it - he forced me to do all these things differently, to make a better film than I was making.

The movie opens in the UK Oct. 16. The clips are cool to watch, so to check them out,

Link Time! 2/24

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:30:04 PST

In honor of this year's big Oscar-winning movie, Slumdog Millionaire, here are some suggestions for planning a menu of delightful Indian dishes. - YumSugar
Speaking of Slumdog, know who's not a fan? Salman Rushdie. - Paste
Could any actress have a comeback like Mickey Rourke? - Cinematical
Could any other British series have a successful American remake? - TV Squad
I am seriously digging both this new video and the song itself by Pet Shop Boys, "Love, Etc." - Stereogum
Could the bad economy save the sitcom? - Vulture
The future is uncertain for Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, the movie that includes Heath Ledger's final performance. - MTV Movies Blog
Watch the very awkward video that explains Will Smith's "boom goes the dynamite" line at the Oscars. - Monkey See

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Colin, Jude and Johnny Pay It Forward to Matilda Ledger

LilSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:00:07 PDT

The lil girl who lost her daddy to a tragic death last year will benefit from the loving gift of three other fathers. Heath Ledger died of an accidental prescription drug overdose in January and his will had not been updated to include his two-year-old daughter. The late actor was in the midst of filming The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus so three actors -Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell - stepped in to finish playing his role. Beyond making good on Heath's acting commitment, the men, who are all fathers, donated their salaries to the child.

Flynet and Bauer–Griffin and Source

Jude Law Picks Parnassus Over Blueberry Nights

PopSugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:11:58 PDT

The last time we spotted Jude Law, he was living the good life down in the Florida Keys, but it was back to business for the actor in Vancouver yesterday. He's getting ready to start filming The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus to help finish Heath's role that sadly got cut short. He's also got his new film My Blueberry Nights hitting theaters in limited release tomorrow, but Jude skipped the NYC screening last night. Sounds like he's committed to honoring his lost friend, even if it means making a few sacrifices.

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