I am prepared for the inevitable backlash that this post is going to cause me. I have finally seen Braveheart. For the first time. Alright, already…let me have it.
I’m not really sure what I was doing in 1995 that may have prevented me from seeing this Mel Gibson-led and directed Oscar winner. Maybe I was attending the 5th grade. Maybe it was the day of the championship game of our backyard baseball league, cleverly coined as “BYB.” Maybe I was at the movies, seeing far greater films, like Jumanji or Toy Story. Dammit, I don’t know why I had never seen Braveheart, but in my defense, I was 10 at the time and once Gladiator came out, I never had any reason to watch Braveheart. One just simply rewatches Gladiator when he would like an ambitious period movie with sickass battle scenes, amazing acting and a heartbreaking finish.
Sooo, what? Oh, Braveheart. Right.
Mel Gibson has totally Tom Cruise’d himself. Even though I rather enjoyed The Beaver, Braveheart was the first Gibson 
movie from the past that I actively sought out. As if it wasn’t hard enough to take his sexy mane of hair and face-painted face seriously, Gibson had to rant about Jews and threaten his girlfriend and rob banks and steal children’s Halloween candy and stuff. (I may have made those last two up..) Watching his take on William Wallace, it was hard to concentrate on the actual performance simply because I know what a douchenozzle he is now. It’s the same reason I struggle with the Mission: Impossible series. I just can’t get involved in that shit.
On the other hand, Braveheart looked amazing, thanks to its Irish and Scottish filming locations, killer costume design, and medieval flair. It’s well-paced and has enough supporting characters to enrich the film with a mighty fine ensemble of characters. I just found it to be rather predictable in certain ways, unlike the best, most radically charged-up awesome fun time flick: GLADIATOR. But then again, Russell Crowe isn’t exactly the poster child for humanity either. Whatever. Braveheart won a shitload of awards that year, so maybe it is me, gentle readers, who is the asshole here.
In sum: I saw Braveheart. I saw it 17 years too late. And it wasn’t overly painful. Always striving for excellence here at The Littlest Winslow. Yep.
Oh, I almost forgot! I grade things now!
Braveheart: B
(Gladiator: A)
What next!?
I have been slacking on my own Oscar quest too but I just finished watching One Flew Over The Cockoo’s Nest and decided to check out have you abandoned yours. Its nice to see you have not since this can feel a bit poitless sometimes when you are watching by your self, but now when the Oscar season is begining it teema a bit more fun.
I’m still in it! Took a few months off to get married and go to Hawaii, but I’m back in action! Thanks for checking back in! I loved One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Saw it many years ago and should probably re-watch. It’s fantastic!