But not as hypnotic.

Brazil is an amazing movie, but Gilliam is always distractingly manic.

Blade Runner is graceful. The pacing, the characterisation, the imagery, and especially the music make it almost as much of a ballet/opera as a movie.

It's not just science fiction, it's Wagnerian.

i liked brazil, but it, blade runner, and 2001 weren't nearly as good as delicatessen. delicatessen is so darkly funny and deliciously memorable (ha).

city of lost children, which came a little later by the same directors, is my all-time favorite in that dystopian future genre. it's probably a top 10 movie for me. plot, characters, the world you get sucked into, all top-notch. plus, you get the "brain in a vat" years before the matrix (which is also miles better than blade runner, 2001, and brazil).

Brazil is everything.

I've never seen Delicatessen but if it's like these other films, I'll check it out. Anything I need to know (culturally, or whatever) to fully appreciate it?

If you like Brazil, I would also recommend The Zero Theorem. It's sort of a spiritual successor to Brazil AFAIK. It's maybe not as memorable and iconic as Brazil, though, but worth at least one watch.

Brazil was a good movie, but, was far too unapproachable and would not make my top 10.

I've never seen (or even heard of) delicatessen. Looks interesting, I'll check it out.