filmland / By Charlie Myers

Grim Subjects

In fact, sharing Susie’s point of view makes her own reconciliation with death all the more affecting. George Harvey (very effectively portrayed by Stanley Tucci), the neighbor who murders Susie, also becomes more complicated when seen through Susie’s eyes.

As Susie watches her family and friends become eventually stronger, it allows her to finally perceive the world without her presence. The lovely bones of the title are the connections that occurred between people after Susie was gone. There are worse ways of looking at death. Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving disturbing violent content and images, and some language. 135m. At the Broadway, Mill Creek, Minor and Fortuna.

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS: As virtually every film fan knows, Heath Ledger died during the shooting of Doctor Parnassus. As he played a key role, director Terry Gilliam had a decision to make in regard to the film’s future. In the end, he decided to continue by casting Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell to play parts of Ledger’s character, Tony, that had not yet been shot. Some reviewers have seized on this decision as the reason why the film falls short, but I believe the film’s weaknesses have little to do with the recasting.

As fans would expect, Gilliam (who was also the co-writer) produces a film full of fantastical events and wild imagination. The basic story involves Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) and his traveling theatre troupe in contemporary London, which includes Percy (Verne Troyer), a dwarf; Anton (Andrew Garfield), whose specialty is sleight-of-hand tricks; and his daughter Valentina (Lily Cole), who is about to turn 16.

Audience members who go through the troupe’s magic mirror on stage experience wild adventures provided by Parnassus’ magical powers, the result of a bargain made with the devil (urbanely played by Tom Waits) that gave him eternal life, but also indentured Valentina to the devil upon her 16th birthday. When the troupe rescues a hanging man, who turns out to be Tony, the story takes a turn. Will he be Valentina’s salvation?

In Gilliam’s best films, such as Brazil, the chaos of the plot gives way to submersion into his wonderful imagery and imagination. While Doctor Parnassus occasionally achieves that quality, there were also sections that just seem to be missing the magic. The film is still worth the ride, though. Rated PG-13 for violent images, some sensuality, language and smoking. 122m. At the Broadway.

Continuing

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKQUEL. Alvin and the gang meet their female rivals, the Chipettes. Watch the fur fly! Rated PG. 88m. At the Broadway and Fortuna.

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