6 votes

The XVIII best films about the Romans – ranked

4 comments

  1. [4]
    smoontjes
    Link
    Funny to see a movie like The Eagle on such a list. I do remember being entertained while watching it but it's gotta be at least 10 years since I did. A movie not on the list that I'd like to...

    Funny to see a movie like The Eagle on such a list. I do remember being entertained while watching it but it's gotta be at least 10 years since I did.

    A movie not on the list that I'd like to recommend is Centurion (2010). It is by no means cinema but it's still a pretty good movie in the "behind enemy lines" genre.

    4 votes
    1. [3]
      cfabbro
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Yeah, at least of the ones I've seen from this list, there are a few stinkers on it. IMO, The Eagle and Carry On Cleo were fucking terrible. And Fellini Satyricon was utterly bizarre. The visuals...

      Yeah, at least of the ones I've seen from this list, there are a few stinkers on it. IMO, The Eagle and Carry On Cleo were fucking terrible. And Fellini Satyricon was utterly bizarre. The visuals were great, but I personally wouldn't consider it a movie worth including in a best-of Ancient Rome movie list. And I can think of at least one movie I would have put near the top of the list that wasn't include; Agora (2009), with Rachel Weisz as Hypatia of Alexandria.

      p.s. It would have been a way better list if they included TV shows too, since then they could have included HBO's Rome and I, Claudius, both of which should have been near the top. The Spartacus show and its miniseries spin-off Gods of the Arena were pretty over-the-top but reasonably good too.

      5 votes
      1. [2]
        smoontjes
        Link Parent
        I gave Spartacus a try a few years ago but I only lasted a couple of episodes. It was like 300 but even worse. At one point, the wife of one of the characters said something along the lines of...

        I gave Spartacus a try a few years ago but I only lasted a couple of episodes. It was like 300 but even worse. At one point, the wife of one of the characters said something along the lines of "explain your idea to me while you fuck this slave in the ass". Immediately stopped watching. That was just such a jarring, unnecessary and juvenile scene. The vibes it gave me was that it's a show that mostly appeals to teenage boys.

        Thanks for the recommendation of Agora though. Definitely going to check that out!

        2 votes
        1. cfabbro
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          LOL, yeah Spartacus is undeniably designed to appeal to teenage boys, and clearly inspired by 300. If you don't enjoy gratuitous violence and sex scenes then it definitely won't be for you. But...

          LOL, yeah Spartacus is undeniably designed to appeal to teenage boys, and clearly inspired by 300. If you don't enjoy gratuitous violence and sex scenes then it definitely won't be for you. But the first few episodes are really not a good way to judge it though, as they're objectively pretty bad. IMO, it gets much better as it goes on, especially once Lucy Lawless and John Hannah start stealing the show.

          3 votes