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Worth a look mate. It has popped up on Prime, so i thought i'd give it a go.
I got in for free at my cinema. I agree with you on everything you said, @LeonardPine it was overly tense at times. As for the actual point of the movie, I would say that America is at a similar point right now. In more ways than one. If we keep doing what we (and namely our political figures), are going to turn on each other. It’s sad but true. Next week, will truly be a test for my country. Finishing with the movie, it seems we all have different viewpoints and stories to tell about what could happen if we (and our political figures and ideas), don’t find some common ground at minimum.
1. Brazil (1985)
Brazil is an incredible cinematic experience in just about every respect. It is the ultimate all-in-one package of a movie, containing hilarious comedy, biting satire, explosive action, intense mystery, and whirlwind romance all at once. The story is perfect, the characters and acting are glorious across the board, the imagery is relentlessly stunning, and it earns every second of its 2+hour length for being so consistently awesome. There is really nothing else I have ever seen quite like Brazil, and though Terry Gilliam made several other great films, it stands out as his most brilliant artistic achievement - a rewatchable, spectacular film that everyone should see.
2. The Fisher King (1991)
Most of Gilliam's movies have fantasy elements involved, but The Fisher King is his most realistic movie, with everything fantasy-oriented being symbolic and figurative rather than literal. Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams are fantastic in the movie, and I found myself feeling sympathetic for almost all the characters. Everyone had their own story happening, and the convergence of them always felt organic and engaging. There is mercifully some comedy involved here and there, because mostly it is a very sad, bleak story that made me very emotional and heartbroken at multiple points. It contains my favorite scene of Gilliam's filmography, when Henry Sagan remembers the horrific tragedy of losing his wife while running through the streets in a panic and eventually getting attacked by thugs. I have rarely seen a film present both the ugliness and beauty of humanity so well at the same time as I have here. The Fisher King is a masterpiece for my money, and certainly one of Terry Gilliam's finest moments as a director!
3. 12 Monkeys (1995)
I found 12 Monkeys to be quite an excellent film in just about every respect. While there is some humor here and there, it is one of Gilliam's more serious pictures overall, and that seriousness is done effectively, particularly with the gut-wrenching ending that is hinted at throughout the whole movie. The drama, science-fiction, and action elements were all on-point, and the acting from Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, and Madeleine Stowe was terrific. The story is the most complex of Gilliam's movies, but it is captivating and held my attention the entire way. I do not really have any complaints about this one - just an awesome film all around that I would recommend to everyone!
4. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
The first few minutes of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas are some of the funniest I have ever seen in a movie, and the film overall is probably the funniest of Gilliam's catalogue. Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro are simply superb as the leads, and they impeccably deliver or assist with the bulk of the movie's humor, which is varied in being both subtly spoken and wildly acted out. The plot is pretty loose, which makes sense given the film clearly goes for feeling like a crazy drug trip from start to finish. Other than feeling a bit repetitious (I feel like the movie would have been served better with a shorter length), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a great time, and one of the most purely entertaining of Gilliam's offerings.
5. The Zero Theorem (2013)
One of my less popular Gilliam opinions is that I highly enjoyed The Zero Theorem and think it is one of his best movies - definitely my favorite of his later career. Christoph Waltz gives one of the best performances of any Gilliam movie as Qohen Leth, beautifully acting out the awkwardness, timidness, frustrations, and deeply hidden but palpable caring side of the character. Mélanie Thierry, Lucas Hedges, and David Thewlis also all do an excellent job. I found myself very sympathetic towards everyone in different ways, and the plot was simple but intriguing, filled with philosophy and intensity. At times, particularly towards the end, it can be a little pretentious and awkward, but I still think The Zero Theorem is a very entertaining, gripping feature that deserves more love from the masses.
6. Time Bandits (1981)
Though my #6 and #7 spots are basically interchangeable, I decided to give the edge to Time Bandits this time. This early 1980s gem is funny, scary, satirical, and adventurous, and just a fun time all around. The characters are all very entertaining and memorable, particularly Sean Connery's Agamemnon; I had wished that Kevin could have gotten to stay with him in his time like he had wanted. There is a healthy amount of humor, nightmarish visuals, and different settings that keep Time Bandits consistently enjoyable and interesting. The ending left me with mixed feelings, but like they say, it is about the journey and not the destination!
7. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is pretty classic Terry Gilliam fare, filled with quirky humor, eccentric characters, and imagery that is bizarre, frightening, and beautiful all at once. Though all their time is brief, I enjoyed the appearances of Robin Williams, Sting, Jonathan Pryce, and Oliver Reed all very much. I will admit that I found the first two-thirds of the movie to be significantly superior to the last third, as the affair loses a fair amount of steam by the end. Some pacing definitely could have been improved, and I would have liked to have seen more moments of Baron's past like the Grand Turk sequence (the best part of the film in my opinion), but still, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a fun, colorful film that deserves its praises.
8. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
I feel like it might be controversial to rank The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus this high, but I did really like the movie in spite of its flaws. The large amount of CGI can be rough at times, and the delivery of the exposition is pretty sloppy, but there is a lot of enjoyment I got out of this. Tony Shepard is a really excellent, personality-filled character, played wonderfully by Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. The climax in the movie of his reckoning is trippy, suspenseful, and brutal. The other characters and actors are mostly good, too. While some elements are dated and not nearly everything works perfectly, I enjoyed the story and fantasy value of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus a lot, and I consider it to be one of Gilliam's stronger post-1990s films.
9. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
I am sure that I will catch plenty of flak for ranking the legendary Monty Python and the Holy Grail this low, but rest assured, I do not hate the movie. For me, this is one of those beloved classics that I personally consider good but still overrated. While plenty of the jokes were indeed terrific, there were still plenty of others that did not work so well for me, like the cat abuse (admittedly, it is over the top and unrealistic in its presentation, but the idea of it still bothers me). There is also the matter of the abrupt, unsatisfying ending. Though I cannot understand for the life of me why so many people consider this "the greatest comedy movie of all time," I do think Monty Python and the Holy Grail is still a fun little medieval romp with solid rewatchability and memorability. Good for Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones to have put out such an adored classic, but I do think Gilliam has done several better movies.
10. Tideland (2005)
I would say that Tideland disturbed me more than any other Gilliam film, and it is definitely one of his most different and dark efforts. Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Tilly were excellent in their roles, but sadly both get very limited time. Jodelle Ferland as the young protagonist, Jeliza-Rose, is certainly an impressive performance, and the audience naturally feels a lot of sympathy for her and the awful things that she has to go through in the movie. I will admit that I was bored for several stretches in Tideland, and it is a pretty unpleasant viewing experience in some ways that are not necessarily complementary. Though I wish the pacing was better and that there was a higher entertainment factor to it, I will say that Tideland is a bold, memorable movie that definitely stands out among Gilliam's work in just how unsettling it is.
11. The Brothers Grimm (2005)
The Brothers Grimm was a frustrating movie, because it has some really cool concepts, but also a whole lot of poor execution. The CGI effects are exceptionally ugly, the comedy is more miss than hit, and all the characters feel underdeveloped. I especially would have liked there to have been better work on the brother dynamics of Will and Jake Grimm; there is some effort there, but it simply should have been better, especially the so-so chemistry between Matt Damon and Heath Ledger. I did particularly like Monica Bellucci as the nefarious Mirror Queen, with a classic evil fairy tale scheme to benefit herself, and also just the various fairy tale elements that ensure the film still has a little bit of magic to it. I think with a significant amount of touching up, The Brothers Grimm could have been a great film, but as it stands, it is a mixed bag and a big wasted opportunity for a superb, live-action fairy tale epic.
12. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)
Gilliam's most recent movie was regrettably one of his most disappointing and dull ones for me. Though I tried, I just could not get into the plot of this one, and I found the schtick of Javier thinking he is really Don Quixote to get old very fast. I did not find any of the characters to be particularly likeable, and only a handful of the many attempted jokes landed for me. There were a few interesting scenes and ideas in here, but on the whole, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote felt a bit one-note and overly long. I hope that if Gilliam's next planned feature, The Carnival at the End of Days, is to be his last, that he will go out on a high note with it - at least higher than with The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.
13. Jabberwocky (1977)
I consider Jabberwocky, Gilliam's first solo directorial effort and second film overall, to be the nadir of his career. Following up Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Jabberwocky feels like a pale imitation of it, being another medieval-set, spoofy-type comedy, but not being a fraction of as funny or interesting as it. Too many gross-out gags, unlovable characters, and less imagination and creativity than the usual from Gilliam all contribute to sinking this movie, unfortunately. There is not much else to say except that I found Jabberywocky to be pretty forgettable, and definitively the weakest and least unique entry in Gilliam's filmography.
Regarding his films, my own favourite still remains 'Time Bandits', I also really enjoy 'Baron Munchausen', and I actually like 'Jabberwocky' a lot. I saw 'Brazil' in the cinema and loved it then, but a recent watch I found it hasn't aged well! I have mixed feelings about 'The Fisher King' as I love Jeff Bridges, but found Williams annoying! '12 Monkeys' is interesting an has a great cast, and I was dying to see him finally make 'Don Quixote', but the film that came out was awful! In the end I think Gilliams finest hour is that tragic documentary on his failed attempts to get that movie made 'Lost in La Mancha'!
My personal favourites are Time Bandits and Brazil. I think both of these encapsulate Gilliams obsessions.
The Fisher King is an excellent film, but i do have some problems with it.
Baron Munchausen and 12 Monkeys have moments of brilliance but are mainly just OK. I have no inclination to revisit them.
I'd say Holy Grail is more of a Monty Python film. I believe Terry Jones co-directed with Gilliam.
This movie is mostly boring.
I think you need to be drunk (or similar) to enjoy this.... 🍺🍻
Did you watch it on youtube ?
1. A complete unknown
2. When harry met sally
3. Casino Royale 1954