Hi Outposters, and welcome back to Film Club. This week we are talking about Twelve Monkeys. Unfortunately, only three of us did our homework this week. Wrenage has been away on business, and Shawn T is still sulking that his latest movie involving rape didn’t win, so he’s on a one-man protest.
Eggy Matt
This is the first time I’ve watched Twelve Monkeys in a long while and it was a LOT better than I remembered. I loved everything about this movie, the sets, the vision of the future, Gilliam’s directing, and even that once annoying French organ thing they used for the soundtrack was fantastic.
Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt bring their A-game and I think this could quite possibly be my favourite role I’ve seen Willis play. As for Madeline Stowe, I forgot what a smoke show she was! Whatever happened to her?
At the time Twelve Monkeys gave us the idea that someone (or some group) could purposely release a virus on the world seemed a bit farfetched for me. However, as we all just lived through the flu “pandemic” in 2020, perhaps we’ve just had a dress rehearsal for things to come. Twelve Monkeys is way ahead of its time and for me, it’s one of those rare movies that I don’t think could ever be improved upon.
Boba Phil
I have seen this many times and I’m still not sure I understand it fully. This is a good thing though since it means I had to use my brain and still think about the movie now. The question of what is Cole’s reality is really good. Is he stuck in prison from the future or just a mental patient living out a fantasy? It’s a wonderfully deep movie, not like most modern movies, spelling everything out for you.
The cast is amazing, especially Brad Pitt, who earn an Oscan nomination for his role as Jeffery. I love how relevant his ‘crazy talk’ is about the world we are living in now. At the time it seemed like the ravings of a lunatic, but now, he was on the money. Was he right to start the Army of the 12 Monkeys a kill off the population?
Shawn B
Twelve Monkeys is truly a captivating movie. This sci-fi thriller offers a mind-bending and thought-provoking experience like no other time travel movie. The performances of Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe and Brad Pitt bring are all great. The latter I appreciate more now after recently watching Kalifornia.
It definitely has Terry Gilliam fingerprints all over it, especially in the future scenes. The movie’s dystopian future setting is bleak and depressing, much like that of Brazil. It’s a haunting atmosphere that perfectly complements the gripping narrative. Twelve Monkeys masterfully weaves together elements of time travel and mystery, leaving a lasting impression that sparks contemplation. A true gem in the world of cinema.
Livestream
The chaps on today’s livestream will discuss Twelve Monkeys as well as this week’s other news, which includes the topic of musicals… a genre that genuinely makes me want Twelve Monkeys to become a reality!
Film Club: Week 4
A new poll will be published tomorrow and we once again have some quality recommendations from the Outposters added to the list too. Let us know what you thought of Twelve Monkeys, and it’s never too late to recommend a movie for tomorrow’s poll. Remember, DO talk about Fight Club.
Check back every day for movie news and reviews at the Last Movie Outpost
