Brazil (1985)

[Garrdor]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088846/

Another worthless 'classic' from Terry Gilliam

So, the creator of such treasures as... well... hmmm (does Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas count?) made this movie called Brazil. I read VERY good things about it on IMDB and Rottentomatoes, as well as other sources. I heard from pretty darn legit sources that it rivals Blade Runner as far as production value goes - and rivals/surpasses ANY of David Lynch's mind-boggler trip-out films. I picked it up at Blockbuster about a week ago. I viewed it yesterday.

Let's just say - Battlefield Earth was better. The Garbage Pail Kids Movie was better. CATWOMAN was better!!!

Terry Gilliam has proven himself to be a faux movie guru, once again. It was probably the worst 2 1/2 hours of my life. The camerawork was AWFUL. I felt like I was watching Batman Forever with all of the 'omg disturbing slanted angle camerawerk lawlz'

It was embarassing to watch. Terry makes a VERY VERY desperate effort to make the film as artsy and unique as possible. The production tried extremely hard to confuse people and make them feel uncomfortable. It reminded me of Tideland, actually... which was, in fact - directed by Gilliam as well.

This movie is NOT even CLOSE to Blade Runner or ANY trip-out/scifi films of even cult fame. The fact that this movie has an 8.0 out of 10.0 on IMDB really frightens me. I understand now that there's a gang of black beret/shades wearing individuals who camp the site spamming 10/10 stars out of sheer obsession of immortalizing the filmmakers that understand their super special/unique/artistic way of thinking.

I don't really think of myself as an authority on movies. I just watch them constantly. Maybe one or two (or more) a day if I get a chance. It's always a near-religious experience for me. I take it all in and block everything out and totally absorb everything the movie throws at me. I tried SO hard to like this movie. I REALLY enjoy the genre that this film poses itself as.

Even though he was behind the so-so Monty Python movies, It is my oppinion now that Terry Gilliam is the worst writer/director on the face of the plant. Michael Bay is a close second, but thats a different story.

Please do NOT pick up this blasphemous movie if you cherish any movies that have any true/legitimate meaning and purpose behind their artistic direction(s).

...bottom line:

FUCK THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!
*VOMIT*

[superwalrus]

I've never heard this movie compared to Blade Runner or anything by David Lynch... but Brazil was actually a great movie. The rest of Terry Gilliam's stuff has been crap but oh well.

I think you have to understand where Gilliam is trying to go... he basically pegged exactly what many people feel about their lives in the modern world... trapped by family, working in the hellish middle management that is stuck on the details, the destruction of human creativity, and the longing for real love. It is a nightmarish look that really does a good way of highlighting the dangers and pitfalls of modern life.

Walrus

[Finglefinn]

Time Bandits ftw!

[Garrdor]

"How about some necrophelia?"

*main character lunges foward in slow-motion onto bed screaming in joy -- the terrible sound clipping*

Well I'm glad somebody.. uh, liked it. I understood what it was trying to convey within the first 5 minutes of the film. Yeah, yeah - how dramaticly broken our modern fast-paced society is. How unachievable happiness is when the world is... omg such a crazy place! That's ALL I got out of it.

But that's a theme I see all the time.

I just didnt' like the 'I'm da man at artistic themed film' approach Terry had - and has had with ALL of his movies. He dont' get da street cred, meng.

[Partha]

It was really very revolutionary in 1985, Garr. What the emo kids did to death in the early '00s was damn near psychotic 15 years earlier. Your attitude is as bad as someone ripping Metropolis for having lame special effects.

[Garrdor]

Lol,

I'm not discrediting it's production value and use of special effects. I'm discrediting it for being an overrated sophisticate film, much like 12 Monkeys. There's no effing way I'm going to argue that Gilliam and his productions are in any-way hokey when it comes to visual expertise. It's just poorly translated. My fiancee said it best. "He takes great visual ideas and butchers them on another level."

[Ddrak]

You didn't like 12 Monkeys either?

[Garrdor]

I thought the idea of the time/event loop was pretty facinating, just poorly portrayed (go figure). I thought the movie's all-around design and style was great. The movie itself - the dialogue, the overall 'feel' was lost. I thought Brad Pitt's char was corny too :-p

[Rsak]

Brazil is a great movie. It deserves the accolades it receives due to what it was, when it came out, and how it told the story.

The problem with movies is they rarely are timeless classics. They are powerful and effective because it captures a undercurrent of the public at the time of its release, but when viewed 20 years later it doesn't have the same effect on the next generation.

[Garrdor]

The movie's all around feel was only missing the feline-negro from Red Dwarf, to me.

But then again, I was born the year it was released. (OMG I M A BAYBAY)

[Finglefinn]

But then again, I was born the year it was released. (OMG I M A BAYBAY)

/nod