15. Gladiator (2000)

It's here with Ridley Scott's swords-and-sandals epic Gladiator, where ranking the Oscar winners becomes a little tricky. On top of its critical success, the film was also a commercial hit by being this generation's Spartacus. Although the film plays fast and loose with historical facts, the story of Crowe's Maximus and his quest for revenge is what drew audiences in. When you throw in Scott's assured direction, a fantastic score by Hans Zimmer, and a terrific supporting cast featuring the likes of Djimon Hounsou, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Richard Harris and Oliver Reed, there's a good reason Hollywood tried to revive this old genre in the years that followed.