It is unfortunate that all big budget films cannot be as good as 12 MONKEYS. But alas is that not what makes these once in a while films so special? Obviously director Gilliam is a rare talent, a treasure. But even for him 12 Monkeys outshines nearly everything else he's ever done. (And that says a lot. Brazil after all is another incredible film.) But this movie has two things going for it that ale it rise to the very top of the top. #1 it features a stellar cast who all equally deliver fantastic performances. This is Bruce Willis at his peak -- before he sold out and went all Die Hard, when e still cared about being taken seriously as an actor. Same with Brad Pitt. Many attribute this film as the first time Pitt showed the world that he truly was an actor and not just another pretty face. (He further proved that point in Fight Club and many others through the years -- Money Ball, Tree of Life, et al.) and then there's Madeline Stowe. Besides the stellar acting though 12 Monkeys accomplished something even more important: it gave us the opportunity for future films such as Memento and Inception. 12 Monkeys not only featured a non-linear approach to time travel, it did so erratically boldly dynamically and unapologetically so, allowing future filmmakers, like the aforementioned referenced Nolan brothers, to feel safe stepping even further out on those limbs. 12 Monkeys opened that door and so many others. This is a film you can see over and over and still see something new in it AND be moved by. A classic by all standards.

Terry Gilliam's stunning feature-length adaptation of Chris Marker's short film LA JETEE is full of mind-bending surprises, yet still touches your heart thanks to the superb cast. Gilliam's flair for the phantasmagorical works with the script by David and Janet Peoples to play with your head as much as it does with poor James Cole (Willis at his most Steve McQueen-like -- better than McQueen, even!), a time-traveling convict from the future who literally doesn't know whether he's coming or going as a team of scientists keeps sending him back to the wrong eras while trying to prevent a 1995 plague that's deadly to humans but harmless to animals. Willis, the justifiably Oscar-nominated Brad Pitt, and Madeline Stowe as a well-meaning psychiatrist give some of the best performances of their careers. Even Paul Buckmaster's tango-style score is haunting. This one's a don't-miss!

A convict from the year 2035 is assigned a mission in order to win parole. He is sent back in time by a group of scientists to try and discover the source of a fatal plague that wiped out most of the human race. A plague which did not kill animals. In his travels he discovers mysterious graffiti announcing the arrival of the Army of the Twelve Monkeys.

Terry Gilliam has always been an interesting film director and visual stylist even when some of his movies are uneven. With 12 Monkeys he perhaps produces his most wholly satisfying work. It's a consistently compelling mystery within the framework of a time-travelling sci-fi narrative. It's a fairly complex story, so attention is demanded of the viewer. This is perhaps the chief strength of the film, however, as the labyrinthine narrative is one that benefits from multiple viewings. There are still some elements of ambiguity even at the end, so it's a film that actively encourages discussion.

There's a good cast too. Bruce Willis was on a bit of a run in the mid 90's and this is one of the great films he appeared in at the height of his powers. On the other hand, it's one of the first films where Brad Pitt was allowed to display his acting chops and show that he was a lot more than just a pretty face. While in visual terms, it's as interesting as you would expect from a Gilliam movie; although not as phantasmagorical as some of his more personal fantasy features. In 12 Monkeys he was a director for hire but it's not immediately obvious. Perhaps the distance this gave him actually helped instill some discipline that made the whole more cohesive on the whole. Whatever the case, this is an excellent sci-fi film with a compelling central mystery.