Number 1:
Gladiator (2000)
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen
Oscars (Winners in bold): Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Screenplay
Why this made the list: We are gonna have to do this again, and I will say that I own this movie and rather enjoy it, yet here we are again in a situation where everyone raves like it’s the best thing ever and I just don’t see it. People make this out to be one of the greatest epic’s of all time on level with ‘Spartacus’ and the like, when really it’s just a glorified action movie with an above average performance from Russell Crowe.
There is an issue with my generation of trying to lift up movies they like and think are cool to the point where they are thought of as a “great” movie. Let me assure everyone that it takes more than popularity to make a movie “great.” Now, people will bring up the fact that it won best picture, but I submit that winning best picture does not equate to greatness, especially considering 3 of the movies on this very list were former winners. Time usually tells and time has told that this movie is just a solid action flick. It helps that technically it is sound with solid costumes and production design, but look at the rest of Ridley Scott’s movies: Alien, Black Hawk Down, Kingdom of Heaven, Robin Hood, etc. what do you see as a common theme? All of these movies are enjoyable and well made (except for Kingdome of Heaven and Robin Hood) but they are just solid, above average action flicks, to which Gladiator is no different.
I am sure most people will disagree with me on this one but I am sticking to this that ‘Gladiator’ is the most overrated movie of all time. Enjoyable and well made it may be, but great it is not. Gory action and cheesy one liners don’t equate to greatness in my book. That is all.
I totally agree with you here. I took four years of Latin and any time we had a substitute we had to watch Gladiator. If you know your Ancient Roman history then this movie is difficult to watch. I find Ridley Scott to be overrated as it is. Alien is great, so is Black Hawk Down, but Kingdom of Heaven, Robin Hood, and American Gangster, no thank you.
ReplyDeleteGood to know somebody agrees with me :) Your right though, he made some good films but overall he is slightly overrated and only makes average films most of the time. By the way, you right for Aint it cool news? I have been going to that site for years, that is pretty sweet!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I write under the pseudonym Lyzard. I actually do comic book reviews oddly enough, even though I'm a film student. It's because my first internship ever was with Dark Horse Entertainment so films and comic books have become integrated for me.
ReplyDeleteI like your list but failed to see The Social Network. Just too ironic I found because I depend on that site to keep in touch with college buddies. I also think that the film would be even better if done a few years in the future, just more hindsight into the situation.