Being a long time Monty Python fan, I thought I was ready for Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium Of Dr. Parnassus but I was wrong. From the first frame to the last, I was taken for a ride I thought could only be produced from the consumption of some really strong brownies or sugar cubes. “What must it be like to be in Gilliam’s head?” I wondered. “Crowded!” I concluded.

While the story isn’t something new, guy vs. devil, the journey was extraordinary. Its probably better not to have a complicated story whilst the psyche is in constant momentum. Cracking open Gilliam’s head is quite enough for the rest of us.

An exhilarating heartbreak was seeing Heath Ledger on screen again. Being reminded of what an iconic loss to the world of cinema Ledger is only added to mesmerizing performances given by Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell. I could never bring myself to see The Dark Knight, but I waited in a line of over 200 people to see this unspeakably brilliant film and I suggest you do the same.

To go on would be to give too much away. Don’t read reviews, don’t take accept anyone’s criticism, don’t even watch the trailer, just see the film and experience imagination beyond your own. And if your imagination is as random and vibrant as Gilliam’s, all I can say is, “good luck with that!” and I hope you find an outlet as soon as possible.

Kim Deisler reporting from AFI
http://www.fest21.com/en/blog/kim_deisler