Terry Gilliam Challenge: The Fisher King

The Fisher King (Terry Gilliam, 1991)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Complex Relationships, Whimsical, Grief, Coping

What a beautiful and hilarious story of friendship and redemption. Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges make the perfect odd couple. I thoroughly enjoyed how Terry Gilliam chose to adapt the story of The Fisher King and also how he chose to show Parry's grief and coping from his traumatic loss. Grief is such a personal emotion, different for everyone. An all-around great film.

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Terry Gilliam Challenge: Twelve Monkeys

Twelve Monkeys (Terry Gilliam, 1995)

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Rating: Q=6, P=6 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Fantasy, Adventure, Time Travel, Post-Apocalyptic, Philosophical

Time travel has always fascinated me, but stories and films about it never fail to disturb me. There is something strange and eerie about the idea of getting caught in a time loop and altering time and events. And it's so depressing to think that going back to try to prevent something awful from happening just can't be done. This story takes that to a whole new level because it is post-apocalyptic. Terry Gilliam masterfully adapted the short film "La Jetee," which I watched right after this film. Wow.

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Terry Gilliam Challenge: The Zero Theorem

The Zero Theorem (Terry Gilliam, 2013)

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Rating: Q=6, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Fantasy, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Philosophical

Terry Gilliam never fails to intrigue me. I love that he makes his viewers work to understand what's going on and as you figure things out it becomes a marvelous, surreal ride. Christoph Waltz is brilliant as the tortured-genius Qohen. And both Matt Damon's cameo as "Management" and Tilda Swinton's AI psychiatrist are ridiculous and perfect. I'd watch this again, for sure.

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The Post

The Post (Stephen Spielberg, 2017)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Politics, Journalism, Drama, Historical

What a fantastic achievement by Stephen Spielberg--and so very timely. It's still hard for me to believe how often history repeats itself. In my lifetime, it seems like we've consistently taken two steps forward and four steps back. Freedom of the press is absolutely vital. Especially in this era of information. We need to educate how to discern information and how to stand up for what is right. Films (and other art) like this help--they can make a difference. As the film poignantly states near the end of the film "from the majority opinion: 'In the First Amendment the Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy. The press was to serve the governed, not the governors.'"

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