Some films are marked by events and details that have absolutely nothing to do with the film itself. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is one of those movies. Scarred by the death of Heath Ledger a third of the way into the movie, the process could've folded up and gone home. But thanks to the help from Jude Law, Colin Farrell, and Johnny Depp, and the force of nature that is Terry Gilliam, the movie was finished, released, received decent critical reviews, and then basically went away. But now you can enter the world of Gilliam & Co. for two-plus hours, and see what you can make of it, and what you think of Ledger's involvement.

Back in the day, Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) is a monk who makes a deal with the devil, Mr. Nick (Tom Waits), and comes to recognize that he's about to lose his daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole), because of that deal. In the midst of his sadness and shame, Parnassus' troupe stumbles upon Tony (Heath Ledger), another scam artist inneed of salvation. What follows is a mindbending trip through the way that the troupe got where it is... and we end up figuring out the choices that they have in front of them.

The whole process of fantasy and self-exploration comes by way of the mirror in Parnassus' traveling cart. There, people see their own imaginations played out as if they 're real, and in the context of the mirror, they can live or die based on their dreams. Interesting choices are provided (illumination or alcohol, life, or death), and the different people find their own way depending upon what they have in their hearts. But the whole thing is really about a duel between the powers of good and the forces of evil.

See, Mr. Nick and Parnassus have a wager over souls going along, and I couldn't help but consider the dare that the devil lays on the table for God in the book of Job. He's basically betting that Job will "go bad" if God will pull back his protective powers over him, and God allows the devil to test Job over and over again, but Job refuses to give in. The same cannot be said for all the characters here, but the dialogue and interplay is as thought-provoking as the sets and delivery are... strange.

Jump through the mirror if you wish, at your own risk. What you find about yourself while you're there may terrify you, or it may teach you about who you are and what you want to be.