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Must See: Twelve Monkeys

Must-see movies are futuristic classics that shouldn’t be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That’s why we’ve rated them 1-5 on the patented “crunchy goodness” scale. Written by James Rocchi.

Title: Twelve Monkeys

Date: 1995

Vitals: Reluctant draftee Bruce Willis is sent up and down the timestream, hurled out of a virus-ruined future to try and find an antidote in the past. But is Willis hunting for the cure, or creating the cause? Terry Gilliam’s re-make of Chris Marker’s La Jetée is crazy-slippery stuff, and one of the best time travel movies ever made.

Famous Names: Terry Gilliam (Director); Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Madeline Stowe (Cast).

Crunchy Goodness: 4

Stunt Casting: Brad Pitt over-plays his role as a wild-eyed nutbar who Willis keeps running into; surprisingly, it earned him an Oscar nomination. …

Bang for Your Buck: Gilliam’s vision of a dead tomorrow — some of the most exciting pure visual work he’s given us since Brazil.

Life Lesson: Trust anyone you meet in an insane asylum implicitly.

Peter Stack’s San Francisco Chronicle Review

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