Action Heroes

Gladiator(2000)Directed by: John G. AvildsenWritten by: Sylvester StalloneStarring: Sylvester Stallone, Burgess Meredith, Burt

Young, Talia ShireGenre: Drama/Sport/RomancePlot: A small time boxer gets a once in a lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.Quote: “Yo! Adrian!”Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Avildsen), Best Editing, Grammy Award for title song: Gonna Fly Now

Rocky(1976)Directed by: John G. AvildsenWritten by: Sylvester StalloneStarring: Sylvester Stallone, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young, Talia ShireGenre: Drama/Sport/RomancePlot: A small time boxer gets a once in a lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.Quote: “Yo! Adrian!”Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Avildsen), Best Editing, Grammy Award for title song: Gonna Fly Now

Dark Knight(2008)Directed by: Christopher NolanStarring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael

Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Gary OldhamGenre: Action/Crime/FantasyPlot: Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent are forced to deal with the chaos unleashed by an anarchist mastermind known only as the Joker, as it drives each of them to their limits.Quote: “We really should stop fighting, we'll miss the fireworks!”

Apollo 13 (1995)Directed by: Ron HowardStarring: Tom Hanks, Keven Bacon, Gary Sinese, Bill

Paxton, Ed HarrisGenre: Drama/HistoryPlot: True story of the moon-bound mission that developed severe trouble and the men that rescued it with skill and dedication.Quote: “Houston, we have a problem.”

BraveHeart (1995)Directed by: Mel GibsonStarring: Mel Gibson, Patrick McGoohanGenre: Action/Biography/DramaPlot: William Wallace, a commoner, unites the

13th Century Scots in their battle to overthrow English rule.

Quote: “Every man dies, not every man really lives”.

Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director- Mel Gibson

Saving Private Ryan (1998)Directed by: Steven SpielbergStarring: Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns,

Adam Goldberg, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Matt Damon, Paul Giamatti

Genre: Action/Drama/WarPlot: Based on a World War II drama, US soldiers try to save their comrade, paratrooper Private Ryan, who’s stationed behind enemy lines.Quote: “Theirs is not to reason why, theirs is but

to do or die.”Academy Award for Best Director (Spielberg)