Every year for the last four years, I have shown the movie Gladiator. It's a treat for my kids after they finish with the state tests (SOLs). We spend about 5 weeks learning about Rome back during the winter, so it fits in well with what we do. However, I teach 5 classes a day. Times four years. Today we finished the movie, which means I have now seen this movie 20 times just at school. And EVERY stinkin' time, I get all sappy at the end. It's insane. I know what's going to happen. I have every bloody word of the movie and every note of the soundtrack memorized by this point - I'm still bummed at the end of it. I never get tired of watching it - it's such a great movie! It's got a ton of accuracy issues, but there's enough right to get the point. And yay, Russell Crowe!

My favorite line (it gives me chills every time): "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius. Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix legions. Loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife, and I will have my vengeance in this life or the next." Boo yah!