Make sure you watch Braveheart before you die. Or you’ll never know the true meaning of “FREEEEEEDOOOM!!!”. Subscribe – http://goo.gl/9AGRm

This hugely epic period piece is very possibly Mel Gibson’s vest work, both as actor and director. The Academy certainly thought so, awarding it the Oscar for Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Sound Effects, and Makeup.

A cross between an historical epic, action movie, and biopic, Braveheart tells the story of William Wallace (Mel Gibson), as he leads his Scottish countrymen in a fight against the domination of England’s King Edward.

Mel Gibson has been more in the news for the wrong reasons than the right ones in recent years, but Braveheart is still worth a watch. If only for the amazing battle scenes, and no shyness about violence and nudity. None at all.

So, don’t go in expecting an historical document. Among other things, kilts were not contemporary to 13th century Scotland, so a rather iconic bit at the end probably didn’t happen. (Oh, and there are a lot of other, actual historical inaccuracies, like the fact that Isabelle of France and Wallace never met. Or “met”)

Want to check out even more movies you need to watch before you die? Check out Sundance TV’s countdown: http://www.sundance.tv/film-block/1001-movies-you-must-see-before-you-die

Have you seen Braveheart recently? What did you think? What’s your stance on it these days? Do you think it deserved all the awards it won? Are you a fan of historical epics? How does Braveheart stand up in your opinion against Lawrence of Arabia or Saving Private Ryan? What other movies do you think everyone should watch before you die?

We want to hear from you – Let us know in the comments below!

Here on What to Watch Before You Die, we’re bringing you the full scoop on one great movie a week, letting you know what movies you need to see in your lifetime. If you think there’s one (or more) movies that should be on our must-see list, follow Mackenzie on Instagram, and let her know what you’d like to see with using the hashtag #W2WBUD.

It’s hard work, keeping up with all the great movies that are on everyone’s must-see lists. You know there are dozens (or hundreds) of flicks that might be considered “best of all time” by someone.

CineFix is here to help you out! We’ll be breaking down the classics old and new, letting you know what’s really essential and why. We’ll cover the great genre movies, the films that shaped a generation, and the movies that changed the face of the entertainment industry. As well as movies that are just plain awesome.