Gladiator

The Plot: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix

The Plot: Emperor Commodus sums up the film perfectly with this line: “The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor. Striking story!”

Why Guys Love It: This is a classic revenge story on an epic scale. If the powerful score and bloody fight scenes don’t get your blood pumping, there’s the rich historical context and Russell Crowe’s sculpted thighs peeking out from under a skirt. In the words of Maximus, “Are you not entertained?!”