In this episode of Film Chewing: The Oscars Project, Steve, Chris, and Jarrod revisit Braveheart, the 1995 epic that won Best Picture and Best Director for Mel Gibson. We begin with a question that hangs over the entire movie: Does a historical film actually need to be historically accurate? Because when it comes to Braveheart, the answer matters. From kilts and blue face paint to William Wallace's relationship with Princess Isabella, Robert the Bruce, and the reasons behind the Scottish rebellion, the movie takes some enormous liberties with history. But does any of that matter if the result is entertaining? We dig into Mel Gibson's performance and direction, the movie's larger-than-life portrayal of William Wallace, its romance and revenge storylines, the lack of nuance given to its villains, James Horner's memorable score, and those enormous practical battle sequences that remain impressive three decades later. We also ask a bigger Oscars question. Braveheart defeated Apollo 13, Babe, Sense and Sensibility, and Il Postino for Best Picture, but 1995 also gave us Heat, Se7en, Casino, Toy Story, The Usual Suspects, Before Sunrise, and Leaving Las Vegas, none of which were even nominated for Best Picture. Thirty years later, would Braveheart still be the movie we chose to represent 1995? Finally, we rank it alongside the other Best Picture winners we've watched so far before looking ahead to our next stop in the project: The English Patient. The Oscars Project continues as we watch and discuss every Best Picture winner from 1960 to the present.
