Terry Gilliam

The Monty Python guy responsible for the big cartoon foot, his movies are just as collagy.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974) -- Co-directed with Terry Jones. Though I'm not really a fan of Monty Python, this movie has lots of moments that make it worth watching (and many that make it worth shutting off--including reprises of the moments that make it worth watching). The worst thing about the movie, of course, is the fans who recite all the lines. If you're watching this for the first time, I recommend doing it alone so as not to be annoyed.

Jabberwocky (1977) -- One of those movies I liked when I was in more artistic and open moods as a younger person. Don't like so much now.

Time Bandits (1981) -- No one can deny that Terry Gilliam has interesting visual ideas, but that's about it. The non-visual ideas he has are potentially interesting, but he tends to ruin them or forget them or not follow through with them. In this movie, for example, Evil is most interested in computers, gadgets, and the latest technology; it's a statement that's just that: a statement, but not an argument or anything that convinces us why these things are so bad (especially since this is a special effects movie). Kevin's parents get blown up at the end from touching Evil. Is this supposed to be funny? Sad? What? Anyway, the movie is episodic, with little historical adventures that seem okay while you're in them (Robin Hood, Agamemnon, etc.), but then they're over and we're on to the next random thing (some giant with a ship on his head, an ogre with a bad back, etc.). Most of these scenes could be cut and it wouldn't matter. Even the Supreme Being "plot" amounts to nothing at the end. It's not even a deus ex machina, just a... deus. Some funny bits, probably fine for nondiscrimination kids, but another Gilliam failure for me.

Brazil (1985) -- I guess if you like this movie, you like Terry Gilliam, and I guess I just don't like Terry Gilliam too much. I didn't think this was bad, but it just had that Gilliam weird sloppiness that I don't care for.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989) -- Another messy Gilliam picture. Not too bad I guess.

The Fisher King (1991) -- Boo hoo. Gilliam gets a bit more serious and it puts me to sleep.

12 Monkeys (1995) -- After it was well-established that I wasn't a big Gilliam fan, I watched this one anyway, but shut it off after maybe 30 minutes.

Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas (1998) -- Although Johnny Depp is fun to watch for a few minutes, a movie about tripping out on drugs (and nothing else) can only hold my attention for so long, so I shut it off after a while.