The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Terry Gilliam, 2009)

This will be chiefly remembered as Heath Ledger's last film, for all that Gilliam proclaimed it as one of his best. It's not; it does contain quirky characters aplenty and some marvellous imagery, but there's little a Gilliamophile hasn't seen before.
Ledger's completed scenes are segued quite neatly, by means of transitions into the fantastical world behind Doctor Parnassus's portal-like mirror, into Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell as the same character, and Christopher Plummer as the aged Doctor, a sort of a senile carnie crossed with a weary Christian God, tormented by Tom Waits's poker-player of a Satan, provides a cosily eccentric centre rather reminiscent of Peter Cushing in his odder Amicus productions roles.
Despite these elements, it's all too disjointed in the end to linger in the mind, lacking the psychological depth of, say, Brazil, whilst remaining perfectly serviceable as a fairytale - Gilliam still has more imagination in his little finger than most fantasists have in their entire souls. More focus would have been welcome, though.

6/10