Reply to Topic
You mean the part where there was a big battle. Hard to see that one coming.
The MoFo Top 100 of the 2000s Countdown
→ in Movie Reviews
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
lmao this was a long time ago and I can't even remember if I was actually the one that turned it off. just a funny thing that technically happened. not the only time I turned a Ridley Scott movie off 10 minutes in though.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
If you liked "The Lives of Others", I think you'd LOVE "The Ear" (Ucho)
Full video is available below.
Full video is available below.
__________________
https://www.youtube.com/c/LoyalOpposition
https://www.youtube.com/c/LoyalOpposition
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Why bother putting a movie in if you shut it off ten minutes later?
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Both of these made the MoFo Top 100 of the Millennium List, and both move upward this time. Sideways was #60 on the previous survey while Gladiator was #69*.
*make your own "glad he ate her"/69 jokes, if you must
__________________
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra
X
Favorite Movies
If you can't tell from my avatar, I LOVE Gladiator. At one point, it was my all-time favorite movie. I watched it 5 times in the theater and bought it on VHS, DVD, Extended Edition DVD, and Blu-ray. I bought and read the novel that was adapted from it. I have Gladiator posters. I have Gladiator Pop Vinyls. I love this movie. It's not my all-time favorite anymore, but it is my second favorite and, of course, was #2 on my ballot.
Here's what I wrote about it in my movie log in 2016:
Gladiator (Ridley Scott, 2000)
Imdb
Date Watched: 02/23/16
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching: It's Gladiator.
Rewatch: I've seen it more times than I can count.
When I first saw this movie, I didn't know the names Russell Crowe or Joaquin Phoenix. I knew only that I had a fondness for the old swords-and-sandals epics (particularly The Robe and Demetrius and the Gladiators). I was excited to see a modern version that would feature more nuanced acting, effects that were more sophisticated than a guy rolling around in the sand with a stuffed tiger, and a story that would do away with the religious overtones of those old classics.
What I got was all that and more. This movie is the epitome of many of the things that make me love movies. The costumes, sets, and effects are breathtaking. The score hits just the right emotional notes. The battle scenes are thrilling. There's a hero that you can really get behind. He's handsome. He's noble. He's loyal. He's charismatic. He's strong. He refuses to be broken no matter what is taken from him and yet there's just a little vulnerability to him. Just enough to make him seem human.
And as that hero, Russell Crowe is quite impressive. His imposing physique makes for a believable warrior, yet his eyes and face masterfully convey the inner battle of emotions as Maximus struggles to keep himself together, navigate the devastating realities of his existence, and find a way to avenge those he has lost.
He's matched by a villain who is ruthless, brutal, and unsettling to watch. Joaquin Phoenix brings a frightening level of intensity to Commodus, the sniveling, incestuous and dangerous creep who will stop at nothing to realize his grand visions for himself. Phoenix embodies this character so completely and so convincingly that my initial impression was that he'd never make it as a leading man because he was too damn creepy (which was a shame because he was so damn good).
Ultimately, the two are pitted in a one on one battle that is at once thrilling, heartbreaking and satisfying.
Since this film's release, I've read and heard many complaints. The film plays pretty loosely with history. The dialogue is exaggerated and theatrical. Some of the CGI is obvious. There are some discrepancies between things that are said and things that happen in the film. Rubber prop swords can be seen to bend during battle. A compressed air canister used to flip a chariot is visible. I'll allow that Gladiator is not a flawless movie. However none of these flaws matter to me and it remains a flawless movie watching experience. After sixteen years and countless viewings, I remain just as enthralled by the movie today as I was the first time.
As for Sideways:
Seen: 36/62
My Ballot:
1. Quills (#67)
2. Gladiator (#40)
6. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (#91)
21. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (#63)
25. Surf's Up (One-Pointer)
Here's what I wrote about it in my movie log in 2016:
Gladiator (Ridley Scott, 2000)
Imdb
Date Watched: 02/23/16
Cinema or Home: Home
Reason For Watching: It's Gladiator.
Rewatch: I've seen it more times than I can count.
When I first saw this movie, I didn't know the names Russell Crowe or Joaquin Phoenix. I knew only that I had a fondness for the old swords-and-sandals epics (particularly The Robe and Demetrius and the Gladiators). I was excited to see a modern version that would feature more nuanced acting, effects that were more sophisticated than a guy rolling around in the sand with a stuffed tiger, and a story that would do away with the religious overtones of those old classics.
What I got was all that and more. This movie is the epitome of many of the things that make me love movies. The costumes, sets, and effects are breathtaking. The score hits just the right emotional notes. The battle scenes are thrilling. There's a hero that you can really get behind. He's handsome. He's noble. He's loyal. He's charismatic. He's strong. He refuses to be broken no matter what is taken from him and yet there's just a little vulnerability to him. Just enough to make him seem human.
And as that hero, Russell Crowe is quite impressive. His imposing physique makes for a believable warrior, yet his eyes and face masterfully convey the inner battle of emotions as Maximus struggles to keep himself together, navigate the devastating realities of his existence, and find a way to avenge those he has lost.
He's matched by a villain who is ruthless, brutal, and unsettling to watch. Joaquin Phoenix brings a frightening level of intensity to Commodus, the sniveling, incestuous and dangerous creep who will stop at nothing to realize his grand visions for himself. Phoenix embodies this character so completely and so convincingly that my initial impression was that he'd never make it as a leading man because he was too damn creepy (which was a shame because he was so damn good).
Ultimately, the two are pitted in a one on one battle that is at once thrilling, heartbreaking and satisfying.
Since this film's release, I've read and heard many complaints. The film plays pretty loosely with history. The dialogue is exaggerated and theatrical. Some of the CGI is obvious. There are some discrepancies between things that are said and things that happen in the film. Rubber prop swords can be seen to bend during battle. A compressed air canister used to flip a chariot is visible. I'll allow that Gladiator is not a flawless movie. However none of these flaws matter to me and it remains a flawless movie watching experience. After sixteen years and countless viewings, I remain just as enthralled by the movie today as I was the first time.
Seen: 36/62
My Ballot:
1. Quills (#67)
2. Gladiator (#40)
6. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (#91)
21. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (#63)
25. Surf's Up (One-Pointer)
__________________
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Critics
Critics thoughts on our #40, Gladiator...
It currently has a 77% Certified Fresh Tomatometer score among critics, and a 8.5/10 score on IMDb (with 1,400,000 votes).
Roger Ebert gave it ★★ and said:
Critics thoughts on our #40, Gladiator...
It currently has a 77% Certified Fresh Tomatometer score among critics, and a 8.5/10 score on IMDb (with 1,400,000 votes).
Roger Ebert gave it ★★ and said:
"This is more like Spartacus Lite. Or dark. It's only necessary to think back a few months, to Julie Taymor's Titus, for a film set in ancient Rome that's immeasurably better to look at. The visual accomplishment of Titus shames Gladiator, and its story is a whole heck of a lot better than the Gladiator screenplay, even if Shakespeare didn't make his Titus the only undefeated champion in Roman history."Meanwhile David Stratton, of SBS, said:
"The journey of Maximus, from triumph on the battlefield through despair and degradation in slavery and then to a final epiphany in the Colosseum is an exciting one - and Russell Crowe plays the character with considerable toughness and authority."As for our MoFo reviewers, @The Rodent said:
"the best Roman Epic to be put to screen. Though seriously inaccurate, it's still very well written and exciting and the choreography is brilliant... and quite rightly, won 48 of the 119 Awards it was nominated for."And @Iroquois said:
"It's too inconsistent a film to truly be considered a classic, Best Picture win be damned (did the Academy want another Braveheart or what?). Definitely fun in parts, to be sure, but when its ambition outstretches its reach then there's a problem."
__________________
Check out my podcast:
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Critics
Critics thoughts on our #39, Sideways...
It currently has a 97% Certified Fresh Tomatometer score among critics, and a 7.5/10 score on IMDb (with 187,000 votes).
Roger Ebert gave it ★★★★ and said:
Critics thoughts on our #39, Sideways...
It currently has a 97% Certified Fresh Tomatometer score among critics, and a 7.5/10 score on IMDb (with 187,000 votes).
Roger Ebert gave it ★★★★ and said:
"[Alexander Payne] finds plots that service his characters, instead of limiting them. The characters are played not by the first actors you would think of casting, but by actors who will prevent you from ever being able to imagine anyone else in their roles."Meanwhile Charles Taylor, of Salon.com, said:
"Makes you feel like you're trapped at dinner with a wiseass who's trying to convince you what a sensitive guy he is."As for our MoFo reviewers, @rauldc14 said:
"Payne has a way of having his actors say the right things at the right time, especially in this film... The funny thing about the film is as a non-wine drinker it actually still makes it appealing to you. The sense of atmosphere that Payne creates in the film gives it a very adventurous touch."And @MovieMad16 said:
"Good film to see if you like Road Trips with character driven stories. Wonderful acting, score, writing, direction and above all, an interesting find. See it if you can."
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
I like Gladiator, but it's not a favourite. I find the story and characterizations a bit shallow, but it's hard to fault Ridley's craft or the lead performances. I did not vote for it.
X
User Lists
Seen both, both are worthy of the countdown...but didn't make my list.
Gladiator (2000)
I'd only seen this once and that was first run in the theater years ago. At that time I loved it and I've been wanting to rewatch it for the longest time. And so I finally did in an HoF...
...and I was surprised that I didn't love it the second time around. I don't have any real problems with the movie and it was fine for what it did. It's just that in all those years my movie taste has changed considerably and what I once liked in movies, I no longer do.
Gladiator delivers on visual spectacle and fight sequences, as one would expect from a Ridley Scott film. But I've never been into action movies or martial art films so the fighting sequences were meh for me, especially the opening fight scene. I hate that filming style of reduced frame rate, fast edits and close ups, it makes me dizzy. That technique is used to shoot a lot of fights in movies and it just feels unsatisfying to me.
This time around I actually rooted for Joaquin Phoenix to win! Sure he was insecure, manipulative and incestuous...and that made him very interesting. Joaquin rocks his role and was the most intriguing character in the movie.
Sideways...I've been meaning to rewatch this as I've only seen it once. I thought it was pretty solid back when I seen it. Glad to see it hasn't been forgotten.
Gladiator (2000)
I'd only seen this once and that was first run in the theater years ago. At that time I loved it and I've been wanting to rewatch it for the longest time. And so I finally did in an HoF...
...and I was surprised that I didn't love it the second time around. I don't have any real problems with the movie and it was fine for what it did. It's just that in all those years my movie taste has changed considerably and what I once liked in movies, I no longer do.
Gladiator delivers on visual spectacle and fight sequences, as one would expect from a Ridley Scott film. But I've never been into action movies or martial art films so the fighting sequences were meh for me, especially the opening fight scene. I hate that filming style of reduced frame rate, fast edits and close ups, it makes me dizzy. That technique is used to shoot a lot of fights in movies and it just feels unsatisfying to me.
This time around I actually rooted for Joaquin Phoenix to win! Sure he was insecure, manipulative and incestuous...and that made him very interesting. Joaquin rocks his role and was the most intriguing character in the movie.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Marks another for me...
1. Moon (2009) - 48th
.
8. Sin City (2005) - 47th
.
11. Million Dollar Baby (2004) - 57th
.
13. Cast Away (2000) - 69th
.
20. Unbreakable (2000) - 62nd
21. Gladiator (2000) - 40th
.
22. Watchmen (2009) - 87th
23. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - 63rd
.
1. Moon (2009) - 48th
.
8. Sin City (2005) - 47th
.
11. Million Dollar Baby (2004) - 57th
.
13. Cast Away (2000) - 69th
.
20. Unbreakable (2000) - 62nd
21. Gladiator (2000) - 40th
.
22. Watchmen (2009) - 87th
23. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - 63rd
.
__________________
Rodent's Reviews: Delivering The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly In Film
Rodent's Reviews: PART DEUX!
Rodent's 1950-Present Sci-Fi And Futuristic Fantasy Movies
Rodent's Reviews: PART DEUX!
Rodent's 1950-Present Sci-Fi And Futuristic Fantasy Movies
Resident Evil: Retribution was my one-pointer
X
Favorite Movies
No votes. As the review quoted by Thief should indicate, I have mixed feelings about Gladiator. I think it's two thirds of a good movie - it kind of loses me after the "my name is Maximus" scene and I feel like I'm marking time until it ends, but up until that point it's a pretty fun sword-and-sandals kind of ride. Sideways is fine - definitely hit around the time I was looking to get into Serious Films and works well enough, but I remember feeling fairly ambivalent about it the last time I watched it so yeah.
Appreciate the link, but it doesn't appear to have English subtitles.
If you liked "The Lives of Others", I think you'd LOVE "The Ear" (Ucho)
Full video is available below.
Full video is available below.
__________________
Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0
I really just want you all angry and confused the whole time.
X
Favorite Movies
I used to really love Gladiator with all the big action epic spectacle and stuff. But somehow I’ve started the movie like three times in these past years and never finished it. Don’t know what it is. I’m sure one of my coming rewatches will be more successful. It’s got plenty of great stuff about it.
As for Sideways I’ve seen it and really liked it. I don’t remember much about it though and generally Alexander Payne is not one I really love. Non of his films has really wowed me. Sideways is the one I’ve liked the most though.
As for Sideways I’ve seen it and really liked it. I don’t remember much about it though and generally Alexander Payne is not one I really love. Non of his films has really wowed me. Sideways is the one I’ve liked the most though.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
Have seen so far: 21 - Gladiator - Decent movie but not a fan favorite of mines
Have not seen so far: 45
Have not seen so far: 45
__________________
Moviefan1988's Favorite Movies
https://www.movieforums.com/communit...?t=67103<br />
Welcome to the Dance: My Favorite 20 High School Movies
https://www.movieforums.com/communit...02#post2413502
Moviefan1988's Favorite Movies
https://www.movieforums.com/communit...?t=67103<br />
Welcome to the Dance: My Favorite 20 High School Movies
https://www.movieforums.com/communit...02#post2413502
X
User Lists
If you pretend Drew Barrymore voices on the the characters you'll love it!
As for the last four, I've seen Sideways and Before Sunset once each. Enjoyed Sideways a lot, but I really wanted to love Before Sunset and didn't. I remember liking it but being disappointed. I adore Before Sunrise and was a big fan of Linklater all through the 90's, but Sunset just didn't hit me right. Maybe I wanted too much? Maybe I was in the wrong place? Maybe those days are just gone? I remember virtually nothing about it (and the few moments I think I do I'm not sure about) but I think Sunrise will always be the one for me. It's the most romantic film I've ever seen.
I saw The Lives of Others a couple of times when it came out and thought it was magnificent. I'm confident that it'd have been on my list but I've not seen it since (as will be the case with virtually everything I've seen on this list unless you're all cool enough to have Black Dynamite on the list... Which we all know you're not
) so I'm only judging on distant memories.Gladiator. Well, I'm glad it's here for MV. Wish it were higher for her, too. But my feelings on the film are fairly well known (TL DR - It's average but technically good). Though, who knows? 20 years later? Maybe things will have changed? Yeah, I doubt it, too.
__________________
5-time MoFo Award winner.
5-time MoFo Award winner.
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
I think that Gladiator is a solid film. I enjoyed it and recommend it as a viewing experience. I know others here (and Roger Ebert) think it's junk. My problems with it are that some of the battle scenes (especially near the beginning) are filmed way too darkly, the computer f/x are obvious and unlike others, I had no emotional investment in the story or characters, no matter how hard the film tried to pull me in. Even so, I think it's a very entertaining film with a good cast.
Sideways has plenty of laughs and heart with a quartet of wonderful central performances. Didn't vote for either.
Sideways has plenty of laughs and heart with a quartet of wonderful central performances. Didn't vote for either.
__________________
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page
X
Favorite Movies
X
User Lists
I didn't love either Gladiator or Sideways when I saw them in the theaters but I admit that in the case of Sideways at least I may not have been in the right mood to receive it. Will I watch them again? Maybe, but life is short, and movies are apparently getting longer.
X
User Lists
I actually didn't think Gladiator would make it, especially not placing above Before Sunrise or any Pixar movie that had a chance. I've seen a lot of criticism for Gladiator from places like this. Typical movie criticisms: too long, not enough plot, yadda yadda. I disagree. I never once felt that it was drawn out, and the drama of the movie is nearly perfect. Not enough to make my ballot, but a good reason why I love Ridley Scott.
X
Favorite Movies
X