The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Terry Gilliam (2009)

Chritopher Plummer plays Dr Parnassus, a mystic fallen on hard-times. Now the leader of a small, travelling circus troupe he must lure punters through a mirror and into their imaginations, where they will be tested by the Devil (played by the movie's one redeeming feature, Tom Waits). It's difficult to know how they're being tested exactly. There's some lip service paid to the idea of a 'high road' but never any indication of what taking this high road might involve. One thing that does seem to be clear is that Gilliam doesn't want us to think of it as some sort of moralistic division between right and wrong. Oh, and there's something about the redemptive power of our imaginations. Psshaw! Please, Mr Gilliam, please. I understand nothing about the redemptive power of the imagination after watching your movie. (Unless you count the imagination of the art director, who does work rather hard it must be said. ) Instead, we're treated to sketches of scenes, strung together without any clear narrative, and peopled with irritating and loathsome characters who have the emotional depth of children. Stupid children.

Perhaps I'm being too literal and narrow here. Perhaps I'm too dense to appreciate the "shape-shifting morality play about the loss of the importance of “storytelling” (that is, psychologically constructive myth-making) in a society whose primary values are convenience and complacency. All of this is accomplished through a series of lush explorations of identity, desire, and the act of confronting one’s fear of death." But I don't think it's enough for a film to namecheck themes and ideas without actually exploring them! The 'lush explorations' are about as thoughtful as your lower-end selfhelp book.

Plot synopsis for future reference: Mystic makes series of wagers with the Devil. Luring punters into his 'imaginarium' the mystic, Parnassus, attempts to guide them through their imagination without them being snatched away by the temptations and traps set by his nemesis. Along the way Parnassus gains a daughter, but, as the price of one the aforementioned bargains/wagers, he must give her up to the devil on her 16th birthday. Into this little tale wanders a disgraced founder of a children's charity who, on the run from the Russian mob and claiming amnesia, joins the troupe. The devil gives the doctor a chance to save his daughter by 'saving' 5 souls in three days. In the end, the girl escapes and the Heath Ledger character (disgraced philanthopist) turns out to be a pretty terrible guy who gets hanged. Whatevs.

The end.

The City & The City - China Miéville (2010)

Poorly-written winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award. A lovely premise which is undermined both by the disappointing details and the poor, sometimes ludicrously opaque and clunky writing.

As a metaphor for the psychological and physical conditions of living in any modern city, the conceit of having two cities exist side-by-side but in parallel universes seems particularly potent. While being a little obvious, it's the kind of metaphor that science fiction is built on - a device that allows contemporary conditions, concerns and sensibilities to be examined or appreciated in a new light, or at least at some distance. Still, Miéville manages to combine his clunky prose with an overwhelming interest in plot mechanics in a way that diminishes the resonance of the metaphor until it becomes virtually unimportant. We may as well be reading about a detective on another planet, or in another dimension for all squandered potential of the novel's setting. The incredibly smudged and pale characterization (or lack thereof) doesn't help matters. While the plot is skillfully constructed and even manages to be gripping at times, I felt disappointed.

And here's the synopsis for future reference, courtesy of the Wikipedia entry:
Inspector Tyador Borlú, of the Extreme Crime Squad in the European city-state of Besźel, investigates a brutal murder. He soon learns that the victim had been involved in the political and cultural turmoil involving Besźel and its twin city of Ul Qoma. These two cities actually occupy much of the same geographical space, but via the volition of their citizens (and the threat of the secret power known as Breach), they are perceived as two different cities. A denizen of one city must dutifully 'unsee' (that is, ignore, or fade into the background) the denizens, buildings, and events taking place in the other city — even if they are an inch away. This separation is emphasized by the style of clothing, architecture, gait, and in the manners denizens of the cities generally carry themselves. Residents of these cities are taught from childhood to recognize things belonging to the other city without actually seeing them. Ignoring the separation, even by accident, is viewed as a horrible crime by the citizens of the two cities — one which might be worse than murder - incurring swift and fatal punishment by Breach.

Sigh.