TheOscarsare considered one of the biggest award ceremonies in Hollywood, andthe movie that wins Best Picture goes down in history as a highlight of that yearof film. However, this isn’t to say that the nominees aren’t just as important, especially when the race during awards season is a nail-biter. While there are many factors that go into predicting what movie will emerge with the top prize after a stellar year of filmmaking, it’s always thrilling to wait and see what name will be read off the prized envelope that holds the winner.
There areOscars Best Picture winners that flopped at the box office, but critical reception and popularity with audiences don’t necessarily guarantee a win or a loss.Opinions about what movie should win the award for Best Picture are notoriously polarizing,as the Oscars have a long history of overlooking or snubbing fantastic films that have developed illustrious legacies. Just because a beloved movie isn’t recognized by the Academy or any other body that presides over award season, that doesn’t mean it will fade into obscurity, and these amazing nominees never will.
Citizen Kane
Cast
Directed by and starring Orson Welles in his feature film debut, Citizen Kane tells the life story of Charles Foster Kane, a self-made business tycoon partially based on William Randolph Hearst. The film tells the story of Kane’s rise and fall from power, narratively framed by the sensation caused by death at the beginning and end of the film. Besides Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Ray Collins, Agnes Moorehead, and Ruth Warrick also star.
Though the buzz and fame ofCitizen Kanemight make viewers think the movie is overrated,this 1941 classic is frequently cited as one of the greatest movies of all time for a reason.Orson Welles successfully changed filmmaking forever through his work onCitizen Kane, and considering its legacy, it’s shocking to think that it didn’t win Best Picture in 1942. Though Welles and this project have gone down in history as icons, the top prize went toHow Green Was My Valley, a film that hasn’t stood the test of time in the same way.
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Many of the best sweeping epics and character studies of the years followingCitizen Kane’s release have emulated the styleand breadth of the film. Welles also co-wrote and starred in the project as the titular Charles Foster Kane, a veiled adaptation of one of the most notorious newspaper moguls of the time, William Randolph Hearst. Both an exploration of what makes a man and a comment on the systems of the American industry machines that shape people’s ideals and beliefs,Citizen Kaneis a force of nature that will never be forgotten.
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Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb
Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 black-and-white satire Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb parodies the growing tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Starring Peter Sellers, the plot revolves around a US Air Force general who orders a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union against the wishes of the government.
Stanley Kubrick’s tribute to the anxiety of the nuclear age,Dr. Strangelove, was well ahead of its timein many ways. This is part of why it has only become more beloved with time. WhenDr. Strangelovefirst premiered, it was unlike anything critics or audiences had ever seen and was polarizing because of its depictions of the U.S. and the American military. However, as time has progressed, viewers have recognizedDr. Strangeloveas one of the most biting and truthful pieces of media to come from the Cold War.
As one of the fewend-of-the-world movies where the world actually ends,Dr. Strangelovemade its mark on viewers thanks to its darkly comic tone and enduring themes. ThoughDr. Strangelovewas nominated for several awards at the 1965 Oscars, it was predominantly shut out. This isn’t uncommon for satires likeDr. Strangelove, as sometimes films in this genre aren’t as instantly recognized for their importance as a straight drama is. Thankfully,with time,Dr. Strangelovehas gotten plenty of attentionand appreciation.
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Taxi Driver
Martin Scorsese’s classic 1976 film stars Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle, a Vietnam veteran turned New York City cab driver whose increasingly disturbed mental state due to his PTSD begins to drive him to more and more violent actions as he attempts to rid the city of what he sees as the “scum” on the streets. Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, Cybill Shepherd, and Albert Brooks also star in the film.
The psychologically thrilling and intense collaboration between Martin Scorcese and Robert De Niro,Taxi Driver, is one of the director and actor’s best-known films.De Niro’s turn as Travis Bickle cemented him as one of the greatest actors of his generationand inspired many of the great modern anti-heroes of contemporary film and television. Though the violence and content ofTaxi Driverwere upsetting to many viewers, the film came at a pivotal time in history, when the Vietnam War was coming to an end, and urban decay was a popular topic in the media.
It’s no wonder that Scorcese is one of the most famous directors in U.S. history.
The complex and layered ending ofTaxi Driverhas sparked debate for many years, but there’s no question that it has been a huge influence on the direction of filmmaking in the latter half of the 20th century and early 21st. Though the movie it lost to,Rocky, is a favorite in the sports-drama genre and also touches upon the changing nature of American morality and projected values,Taxi Driverhas impacted cinema in indescribable ways. It’s no wonder that Scorcese is one of the most famous directors in U.S. history.
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Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino’s classic tale of violence and redemption follows the intertwining tales of three protagonists: hitman Vincent Vega, prizefighter Butch Coolidge, and Vincent’s business partner Jules Winnfield.
Though Quentin Tarantino’s movies have their flaws, the thrilling and bombasticPulp Fictionfeatures iconic performances from John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman.Pulp Fictionis widely regarded as Tarantino’s best workand the film that best demonstrates his style and cinematic influences. In conversation with the pulp genre,Pulp Fictionincludes the violence and taboo subject matter that the director is known for, but it is simultaneously a tribute to the great genre films of cinematic history.
Forrest Gumpwas the winner at the 1995 Academy Awards, a movie that could be colloquially referred to as “Oscar-bait” thanks to its epic scale and emotional subject matter. Conversely,Pulp Fictionwas hardly sentimental, but that didn’t stop it from being a smash hit and cementing Tarantino as a paragon of independent cinema.Pulp Fictionincludes some ofQuentin Tarantino’s best movie charactersand turns many familiar tropes and archetypes of noirs, Westerns, and crime films on their heads.
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Fargo
Fargo is a crime thriller directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Released in 1996, it stars Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson, a pregnant police chief investigating a series of homicides in rural Minnesota. The plot unfolds as a car salesman, played by William H. Macy, conspires with two criminals to kidnap his wife for ransom money. The film explores themes of crime, ineptitude, and human nature amid a bleak, wintry landscape.
The Coen Brothers' offbeat dark comedy about murder and social niceties in the American Midwest became such a phenomenon that it inspired one of the best anthology series on television.Starring Frances McDormand as the police detective Marge Gunderson,Fargofollows Marge as she tracks down the two hired thugs who are part of a larger conspiracy involving kidnapping and extortion. William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi are also part of the fantastic cast, with each actor faithfully embodying the Upper-Midwest culture their characters are part of.
McDormand went on to win Best Actress for her performance, and the Coen’s rightfully were awarded Best Screenplay, as their script is flawlessly paced and the dialogue is vividly realistic.
After the Coen Brothers’s breakout 1984 filmBlood Simple, also starring McDormand,Fargowas one of their next biggest hits, earning them several other nods at the Academy Awards. McDormand went on to win Best Actress for her performance, and the Coen’s rightfully were awarded Best Screenplay, as their script is flawlessly paced and the dialogue is vividly realistic. RevisitingFargotoday is just as exciting and hilarious as it was in the ’90s.
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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a martial arts film directed by Ang Lee. Released in 2000, the story revolves around warriors Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien, played by Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh, as they pursue a stolen sword and encounter a mysterious young aristocrat. The film is renowned for its lush visuals and choreographed fight scenes, blending romance and adventure against a historical Chinese backdrop.
As one ofMichelle Yeoh’s best movies,Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonisn’t just memorable because of its iconic fight choreographyand sweeping romance. The film stands the test of time because it helped bolster awareness of the wuxia genre in the West, opening an entire rich niche of cinema to new audiences. Full of devastating drama and forbidden love stories, there’s something inCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonthat will speak to every viewer, as the story is universal and intimate.
Chow Yun-fat co-stars with Yeoh, and the pair make an excellent couple both romantically and in terms of the gorgeous fight scenes. Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen play the younger couple, but they’re no less skilled, and their romance is no less heartbreaking.The director, Ang Lee, has had a diverse and far-reaching career,andCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonis far from his only project that deserves numerous accolades. No matter what genre he works in, Lee puts his characters first.
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Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain is a film set in 1960s Wyoming where two men, portrayed by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, navigate a complex emotional and sexual relationship. As they marry and start families, their enduring bond challenges societal norms and profoundly impacts their lives.
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal play Ennis and Jack,the doomed lovers at the heart ofBrokeback Mountain, yet another of Ang Lee’s incredible movies to be nominated but not win Best Picture. Though LGBTQ+ stories have become much more prevalent and celebrated in cinema in the past few decades,Brokeback Mountainwas a huge step forward for representation in film. The movie grapples with the prejudice and violence of its time but is first and foremost about the connection between two people.
The length of the narrative allows Ledger and Gyllenhaal to fully immerse themselves and the audience in the characters, making the story as intimate as possible.
Brokeback Mountainunfolds over the course of twenty years, beginning in 1963. The length of the narrative allows Ledger and Gyllenhaal to fully immerse themselves and the audience in the characters, making the story as intimate as possible. Fortunately, Lee won Best Director, andBrokeback Mountainwon Best Adapted Screenplay, but it’s strange to think thatCrashsomehow beat it out for Best Picture. In the years following the awards,Brokeback Mountainhas only become more beloved and serves as a touching tribute to Ledger’s memory.
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Get Out
Jordan Peele made his directorial Horror debut with Get Out, a terrifying Psychological Horror film starring Daniel Kaluuya. In the 2017 release, Chris Washington heads to Upstate New York to meet the family of his girlfriend, Rose. What follows is a horrifying ordeal for the anxious photographer.
There aren’t manyhorror movies that have been nominated for Best Picture, but the genre has been gaining recognition in recent years. Films like Jordan Peele’sGet Outare a large part of why, asPeele’s work has been game-changing in increasing notoriety for horrorwith both critics and audiences. Though Guillermo del Toro’sThe Shape of Waterwas a touching, fantastical love story, it was surprising thatGet Outdidn’t win the top prize at the 2018 Academy Awards.
Get Outwas an incredible directorial debut for Peeleand showcased the compulsively watchable work of Daniel Kaluuya, a frequent collaborator with Peele, at the height of his powers. The film’s indictment of neoliberalism and discussions of how racism has evolved to look different but is just as insidious in modern society have madeGet Outtimelessly relevant. Of all the movies heralded for their stories and skill that year,Get Outremains one of the most talked about and important.
Roma
Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma is a semi-autobiographical story set in Mexico City in the early 1970s. The award-winning black-and-white film follows a young maid named Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) as she navigates the challenges and complexities of her personal and professional life against the backdrop of political turmoil and social upheaval.
ThoughAlfonso Cuarón won Best Director andRomawon Best Foreign Language Film,Cuarón’s 2018 film didn’t win Best Picture, losing toGreen Book.Green Book’s win was polarizing, but no one can argue thatRomaeasily earned its nomination. Touching upon class differences and experiences in 1970s Mexico,Romawas led by the astounding Yalitza Aparicio as Cleo, the protagonist of the film.Romais an early example of a film distributed by Netflix that garnered critical and audience acclaim, paving the way for streamers to start digging into distribution.
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The fact thatRomacentered on an Indigenous woman and elevated her experiences was a huge step forward in terms of Indigenous representation in cinema across multiple countries and cultures.Cuarón uses visuals and story techniques inRomato illustrate the differences between Cleo and the familyshe works for while approaching both sides of this division with empathy.Romais an amazing film that’s readily available to be revisited or discovered for the first time on an immensely popular streaming service.
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Drive My Car
Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car is a Japanese drama movie that won three awards at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Released in Japan in August of 2012, the film follows a director and stage actor as he must come to terms with the sudden passing of his wife.
CODAwinning at the 2022 Oscars was one of the most divisive wins in recent history, especially considering the phenomenal list of films it was up against.Dune,Licorice Pizza, andThe Power of the Dogwere all up for Best Picture in 2022, butDrive My Carwill likely be remembered as one of the most enduring entrieson the list. Loosely based on Haruki Murakami’s short story,Drive My Carwas directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, who was also nominated for Best Director, losing to Jane Campion.
Following the relationship between the actor/director Yūsuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima) and his driver Misaki Watari (Tōko Miura),Drive My Caris a complex portrait of grief.Emotionally astounding and beautifully crafted,Drive My Carwas one of the best movies to premiere in 2021and will likely be regarded as a highlight of cinema in the 2020s. Though theOscarsdidn’t awardDrive My Carthe highest accolade, this doesn’t diminish its significance.
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