Gladiator

This was definitely my (Hanna) favorite movie that we've watched so far. I'm a sucker for epics as it is (with Lord of the Rings being some of my favorite movies of all time), and this movie did not disappoint.

This is also another example of a historical movie which we have visited some of the locations in which the actual events occurred. Granted, it's been about 12 years since we stood inside the walls of the Colosseum (the last time we were there, Maddie had to have her diaper changed while there, if that's any indicator of how long it's been), but I still clearly recall things about it, such as the tunnels which were used to keep wild animals underneath it for the gladiators to fight. The movie made the things that I saw when I was just 6 years old come to life. It was an excellent story, with memorable performances from Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix (in the creepiest role of the film... ha) and great special effects. The thing about the movie that really stood out for me was the haunting soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. I know Maddie will have a lot more to say about it than me, but it was the perfect backdrop to the film, capturing the emotion of each scene perfectly. This has been by far my favorite movie that we've watched thus far.

Maddie's take on the movie: "I love movie soundtracks!! Hans Zimmer is definitely my favorite composer. This score was really awesome, and it fit the movie. It reminded me a lot of the first Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack. Besides the music, the movie was really good too. Something I really liked was how in the fighting sequences, it wouldn't linger on the violence, which surprised me but pleased me at the same time. It reminded me (in parts) of Lord of the Rings, cause if you replaced the Orcs with humans, the fighting scenes would basically be the same. The ending surprised me too, but I won't give it away!"