Story: Maximus (Russell Crowe) is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), and a power struggle leaves Maximus and his family condemned to death. The powerful general is unable to save his family, and his loss of will allows him to get captured and put into the Gladiator games until he dies. The only desire that fuels him now is the chance to rise to the top so that he will be able to look into the eyes of the man who will feel his revenge. Hilarity ensues.Trivia: Oliver Reed, who played Proximo, suffered a fatal heart attack during filming. Some of his sequences had to be re-edited and a double, photographed in the shadows and with a 3D CGI mask of Reed's face, was used as a stand-in. Among the changes necessitated by the death of Oliver Reed was the final scene, as it was supposed to have been Proximo who buried the figures in the sand of the Coliseum. The film is dedicated to his memory.
So, tell me what you think? Did you like Gladiator? Would you have picked another movie as Best Picture? Why?
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4 comments:
I haven't seen many of these movies, just Gladiator and Traffic, so I guess I would have to Gladiator. Long Live Russell Crowe!
Chocolat - A woman and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a small French village that shakes up the rigid morality of the community. Chick Flick. Although I am becoming a Johnny Depp fan, but not in a Brokeback Mountain way, not that there is any thing wrong with that.
Wo Hu Cang Long (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) - Two warriors in pursuit of a stolen sword and a notorious fugitive are lead to an impetuous, physically-skilled, teenage nobleman's daughter, who is at a crossroads in her life.
Erin Brockovich - An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply. Julia Roberts break out (of her shirt) film. She won the Oscar.
Traffic - A conservative judge is appointed by the President to spearhead America's escalating war against drugs, only to discover that his teenage daughter is an addict. This is an ensemble cast film. Crash, nominated this year, uses the same narrative style following several interweaving story lines.
chick flick or not, i'd go with chocolat (even though i bear a striking resemblence to russell crowe). good film, bears multiple watchings, easy to dance to. i'd give it an 85.
ak
I don't know why, but Gladiator didn't impress me. I actually would have picked Traffic over it even though it was pretty depressing.
I can't stand Russel Crow! He's a good actor and all, but man is the guy arogant. I've seen Gladiator and I don't think it deserved the win. My pick would be Chocolat. Loved it, loved it, loved it! But we all know I'm a huge Johnny Depp fan. He didn't really play that big of a part in this movie. He's presence in the movie is in the background (but still well worth it)
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