Rise and shine A to Z-ers, it's a glorious day for an A to Z Movie Smackdown. Did you have a good first day of the challenge? Meet a lot of great new bloggers? I know I sure did! You guys have come up with some awesome themes. I can't wait to meet more of you today!
For the letter "B", I thought I'd go with two movies that impressed me both aesthetically, and for their ability to bring to life the Greco-Roman culture I've been fascinated with since childhood. Not to mention some spectacular and blood-thirsty battles. So cast your VOTE for which movie you think best represents today's category of . . .
B is for Bygone Battles:
vs.
[First Alternate Pairing: Braveheart vs. King Arthur]
This post is part of the 2015 Blogging from A to Z Challenge. My theme (in case you didn't already guess it) is Movie Smackdowns. Cast your vote NOW! Stay tuned for the rest of the alphabet, and if you'd like to check out the other A to Z participants, simply click here.
Gladiator for me. Not sure why, I just couldn't get into 300 when I watched it.
ReplyDeleteSame here. I love a good battle, but 300 just didn't do it for me. I absolutely love Gladiator. The soundtrack is awesome to write to as well!
Delete--Raven Oak (#1207 on the A-Z Challenge list & SF/F Author)
Argh. This is a tough one. I am a huge Zack Synder fan, so you should understand why I am leaning towards 300. On a purely visual level, I'd go with 300, but if we're talking about the whole shebang, then it's definitely Gladiator. So Gladiator it is.
ReplyDeleteI don't actually like either of these movies, so I won't vote on them, but if it's Braveheart vs King Arthur, I'll go King Arthur every time :)
ReplyDeleteSophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles
FB3X
Wittegen Press
I have to go with Gladiator because I haven't seen 300 :) and King Arthur would definitely get my vote from the First Alternate :).
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
Wow. These are two great films. I'd have to go with Gladiator though. 300 is an awesome, entertaining film, and the way it is shot and the cinematography are both incredible, but Gladiator is better written, better acted, and overall a slightly better all around film. Both great though.
ReplyDelete2015 A to Z Challenge Co-Host
Matthew MacNish from The QQQE
I only saw Gladiator, so can't vote :-( Looking forward to seeing what the other smackdowns are - especially for the letter Q.
ReplyDeleteFor just the battle scenes, I'd go with '300', but for overall movie, story, acting, I have to go with 'Gladiator'. I'll have to put 'King Arthur' on my list, which is getting long already.
ReplyDeleteGladiator. Long been a favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteOh please don't make me vote for Rusty Crowe!
ReplyDeleteWendy at Wendy of The Rock
Gladiator is the first choice, I want to see muscle-bond men... I will look in the mirror. :)
ReplyDeleteJeremy [Retro]
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2015]
There's no earthly way of knowing.
Which direction we are going!
HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
Come Visit: You know you want to know if me or Hollywood... is Nuts?
Wow. Best comment ever.
Deletemmmmm, I've actually never seen Gladiator or 300 .. many have said how excellent Gladiator is ... thank you.
ReplyDeleteNo contest. Gladiator all the way.
ReplyDeleteI did have a first good day of the challenge and enjoyed the new blogs I visited :)
ReplyDeleteGladiator. The saddest scene is when he goes home and finds his family. Always heart breaking all the times I've seen the movie.
betty
I'm voting for Gladiator.
ReplyDeleteHearts with Gladiator but there are a number of toughie's in 300. I'll vote for 300 against my will.;)
ReplyDeleteGladiator had a better all around story in my opinion. Men and their honor or lack there of.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to go with 300 on this one. This is SPARTA!
ReplyDelete300 for me too...Russell Crowe gets on my last nerve for some reason.
ReplyDeleteFor epic battles, it has to be 300!
ReplyDeleteI've seen Gladiator many times (including in the cinema) but not 300. So Gladiator!
ReplyDeleteLike your "B" theme, but I haven't seen 300 so I can't vote properly . . . although I could just say Gladiator . . . :)
ReplyDeleteIn the smackdown of men in various forms of skirts, I lean decidedly towards kilts. Braveheart for me.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Gladiator wins--one of my daughter's faves. I liked the story of Braveheart very much but felt a lot of the violence was gratuitous and pulled away from the interesting narrative.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen either movie, but it I was going to pick which one I'd see first, it would be 300.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen either one either.
ReplyDeleteBoth are great but Gladiator is a classic already. The excellent acting, fighting scenes and art direction is par excellence
ReplyDeleteGladiator all the way! But both movies were visually stunning, that is for sure! I am biased toward the Hans Zimmer score from Gladiator as well. Blessings!
ReplyDelete:) Like reading the article and all the comments. I haven't seen either of them.
ReplyDeleteGladiator gets my vote, but then again, I've never even heard of 300!
ReplyDeleteAh, well - I'll go for Gladiator on this one. And not just because the initial battles were all filmed in Alice Holt Forest in Surrey, UK - and a number of my colleagues were extras!
ReplyDeleteGladiator for me. The performances of Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix were standouts.
ReplyDeleteDude, 300. Hands down.
ReplyDeleteGladiator - one of my all-time favorite movies! It captured the battles of the soldiers on the field, but also the political battles going on within the Roman Senate...
ReplyDeleteThanks, LSH, for commenting on my blog. I like the style of your A-Z theme, but I must admit I am not a film buff, so have my doubts how many films I will know in your A-Z listings. I was confused by your reference to "Braveheart" as I was thinking of the Mel Gibson film about the Scottish patriot William Wallace and I would have voted for that! But I am obviously in a minority! . Good luck with the challenge. .
ReplyDeleteScotSue at http://scotsue-familyhistoryfun.blogspot.co.uk
I would go with Gladiator. What a fun theme you have! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and commenting. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteFantastic theme - yes it has to be Gladiator...
ReplyDeleteHi :) thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog, you must be super busy with AtoZ co-host role! Love yout theme but don't watch movies hardly ever but I have seen some if not all Gladiator - not fair to vote if i've i've not seen the movies :) cheers and best wishes
ReplyDeleteGladiator - I loved the music and the action. 300 was too graphic for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat choice - I really loved Gladiator. Aftsr that, I'd forgive Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix of any bad movie subsequently...
ReplyDeleteThanks!
I've never seen 300, but Gladiator is one of my all time favorite movies, so it gets my vote. I like your theme, and will hop back to vote again. Visiting from the challenge today.
ReplyDeleteDo you plan on publishing voting results? I am curious :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Gladiator. I like both, but Gladiator was half the reason I went into Roman archaeology (even if it is riddled with mistakes, when I was in high school it was the most badass thing ever...)
@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary
Absolutely. I'm going to post all the winners in the May 4th-8th A to Z Reflections Post.
DeleteGladiator is my all time favorite movie. I have seen it so many times that I have lost count. Thank you for stopping by MountainMadeCrochet.com.
ReplyDeletefor man candy i go for 300 and stunning graphic novel cinematography. for amazing realism i go for gladiator.
ReplyDeletegladiator for the win because just for the fact 300 had me cringing during a particular scene.
gladiator - loved them both but i can watch gladiator over and over, 300 was good once.
ReplyDeletelove your battling movie theme! i'll be back!
happy b day!
Wow! I can't pick because I love all the ones with sword fighting and bloody battles. I probably have twenty movies like this. I'm a big King Arthur fan.
ReplyDeleteSunni
http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/
I did like Gladiator. 300 was okay.
ReplyDeleteI'm picking Mr. Crowe!
Heather
I'm going for 300.
ReplyDeleteOh man! I don't know which one i'd choose. Possibly 300, because Butler is in it. Haha. I'm stopping by from the challenge, I hope your having a great Thursday!
ReplyDeleteTough pick! It depends on what I'm in the mood for. And this is a Gladiator day. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a FuN theme you've got going here! I can't make a fair vote since I haven't seen the movie on the right. :D
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Mueller
AtoZ 2015
My Little Pony
Gladiator! Mainly cuz I still haven't seen 300.
ReplyDeleteHow funny! I saw your title and thought you meant bygone battles, as in personally. :D
ReplyDeleteI still have yet to watch 300, so my vote is for Gladiator by default and I'm fine with that because that movie has some of the best battle scenes to ever grace the big screen. Plus, Russell Crowe did one heck of a job in his performance.
ReplyDeleteARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!!!
Also I must mention that I came here today after reading your comment on Sydney Aaliyah's blog about choosing the best artist when getting a tattoo; you're a true Harry Potter fanatic!
~Nicole
#AtoZChallenge Co-Host
The Madlab Post
Have to go with Gladiator.
ReplyDeleteGladiator!!! All the way!!
ReplyDeleteGladiator. I write historical fiction for a living, so I really enjoyed the details and the heartwrenching elements of that story.
ReplyDeleteTough match up! If you're going for cinematography, I'd give it to 300. I really like the story line of Gladiator though. Pitting Butler against Crowe...also difficult. If I were to pick one of these two to watch right in this moment, I'd have to go with... Gladiator. Mostly because I just really enjoy Joaquin Phoenix's creepy portrayal of Commodus. Elle @ Erratic Project Junkie
ReplyDeleteI've actually seen Gladiator, but not 300. From what I've heard, 300 wasn't so historically accurate.
ReplyDeleteUgh - didn't like either. I'm not a blood-and-gore kind of person but if I had to pick one, it would be 300.
ReplyDeleteI have seen and loved both of them. They are on the same level for me, but I go with 300/Gerard Butler. Its film style was so effective and unusual.
ReplyDeleteOver from the A to Z.
While I loved both something about the way 300 was done makes it my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen 300, but enjoyed Gladiator. I need to add 300 to my watch list.
ReplyDelete300, for sure! I don't know how accurate 300 is, but I enjoyed the story anyway - and Gerard Butler is always nice to look at ;)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, who is able to choose? 300 was so beautiful to look at, and Gladiator's story was so great!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I've never seen Gladiator - and really have no inclination to do so. 300 was a pretty fun flick, despite its historical inaccuracies (but hey, it's based on a comic book - can you really blame it for not being properly researched?), so I'll side with Sparta on this one. As for Braveheart vs. King Arthur, well, I'm not a huge fan of either, so let's just go with Arthur for the hilarious Monty Python parody it enabled: Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
ReplyDeleteGladiator - hands down! I've watched it too many times to count :D I'm loving this theme of yours!
ReplyDeleteI am torn...Braveheart wins because of William Wallace but I am SPARTAGUS, so I have to support 300! Big fan of Maximus from Gladiator too. Torn. I pick Braveheart or they might not let me back into Scotland!
ReplyDelete