Retroactive Oscars
The Academy Awards rarely get it right… if ever. They continually award the wrong awards to the wrong films.
While I have no formal qualifications, I’ve decided to help the Academy out and issue some retroactive Oscars of my own. Here are my personal Best Picture winners from 1990-Present.
1991 Winner: Dances With Wolves (1990)
Should’ve Won: GoodFellas (1990)
Dances With Wolves isn’t that good. For as far back as I can remember, I’ve always wondered how GoodFellas was snubbed.
1992 Winner: The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Should’ve Won: The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The voters got one right! It’s The Silence of the Lambs… need I say more? Inject it into my veins!
1993 Winner: Unforgiven (1992)
Should’ve Won: Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Unforgiven is a great film and a worthy winner, but I’d edge Tarantino’s directorial debut ever-so-slightly.
1994 Winner: Schindler’s List (1993)
Should’ve Won: Schindler’s List (1993)
Will I ever watch it again? No. But it remains a masterpiece. Shoutout to Steven Spielberg for directing Schindler’s List AND Jurassic Park in the same year. Legend.
1995 Winner: Forrest Gump (1994)
Should’ve Won: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Forrest Gump is overhyped. There, I said it. It’s not even in my top two films of 1994. But that’s not difficult with a year that includes The Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction.
1996 Winner: Braveheart (1995)
Should’ve Won: Toy Story (1995), Before Sunrise (1995), or The Usual Suspects (1995)
Braveheart was a cultural phenomenon, and I wasn’t even alive yet. I get it. But I still prefer Toy Story, Before Sunrise, and The Usual Suspects over it.
1997 Winner: The English Patient (1996)
Should’ve Won: Fargo (1996)
Again, The English Patient is a fine film: another sweeping epic. But for me, the Coen brothers should’ve won their first Oscar for Fargo.
1998 Winner: Titanic (1997)
Should’ve Won: Titanic (1997)
Talk about a phenomenon. Was this the last cultural darling to win Best Picture? Maybe. Shoutout to Boogie Nights though; it wasn’t nominated but should’ve been.
1999 Winner: Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Should’ve Won: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Shakespeare in Love winning Best Picture is nothing short of a disgrace. The Oscars did Saving Private Ryan so dirty… the best war film of all time.
2000 Winner: American Beauty (1999)
Should’ve Won: Magnolia
American Beauty is problematic, to say the least. Give me Magnolia and more PTA!
2001 Winner: Gladiator (2000)
Should’ve Won: Gladiator (2000)
Another historical epic. I’m sensing a theme here. But I am entertained, Maximus.
2002 Winner: A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Should’ve Won: Spirited Away (2001)
I’ll forgive the Academy for not nominating Toy Story earlier. However, not nominating Spirited Away – especially in a film year as poor as 2001 – is unforgivable. But when have the Oscars ever valued animation or foreign features?
2003 Winner: Chicago (2002)
Should’ve Won: City of God (2002)
City of God is a masterpiece. Remember what I said about not valuing foreign features? Here we go again. If City of God was American it would’ve had the cultural zeitgeist of GoodFellas.
2004 Winner: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Should’ve Won: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Good call, here. Not the strongest movie year, but I appreciate the Oscars showing Peter Jackson some love. While I could do with fewer endings, this was a brilliant finale to (probably) the greatest trilogy of all time.
2005 Winner: Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Should’ve Won: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
I’ll be frank… I don’t enjoy Million Dollar Baby. There wasn’t a great selection of nominees this year, but Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind wasn’t even nominated. How??
2006 Winner: Crash (2005)
Should’ve Won: Brokeback Mountain (2005)
The biggest travesty in Oscars history? I’d say so. The worst Best Picture winner? From what I’ve seen, yes. Brokeback Mountain is such a beautifully tragic love story, and somehow the Academy still got it wrong. Starting to understand the point of this blog?
2007 Winner: The Departed (2006)
Should’ve Won: The Departed (2006)
Makeup Oscar for the GoodFellas loss? Many critics would say so. But it’s still a damn good movie.
2008 Winner: No Country for Old Men (2007)
Should’ve Won: No Country for Old Men (2007) or There Will Be Blood (2007)
For me, 2007 was the greatest movie year of all time. I honestly can’t pick between No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. Both are incredible- impossible decision to choose one.
2009 Winner: Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Should’ve Won: The Dark Knight (2008)
Slumdog Millionaire is good, but I think The Dark Knight is better. And once again, it wasn’t even nominated. I wouldn’t stick my neck out for many superhero movies, but this is one I would.
2010 Winner: The Hurt Locker (2009)
Should’ve Won: Inglourious Basterds (2009)
I’m honestly fine with The Hurt Locker winning. It’s a very good film, I just adore Inglourious Basterds. Tarantino’s best, in my opinion.
2011 Winner: The King’s Speech (2010)
Should’ve Won: The Social Network (2010)
Another year, another Oscars disappointment. I’ll never understand how The Social Network didn’t win. I’ll riot if David Fincher never wins an Oscar.
2012 Winner: The Artist (2011)
Should’ve Won: Moneyball (2011)
Truthfully, I’ve never seen The Artist. But it can’t be better than Moneyball.
2013 Winner: Argo (2012)
Should’ve Won: Django Unchained (2012) or Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Argo is interesting. I like Ben Affleck and his directing style. It just pales in comparison to some of the other nominees. I would’ve been delighted with Django Unchained or Silver Linings Playbook winning.
2014 Winner: 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Should’ve Won: 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Another Best Picture winner that I don’t plan on revisiting anytime soon. A harrowing story, but undoubtedly the correct choice.
2015 Winner: Birdman (2014)
Should’ve Won: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Birdman feels like it’s trying too hard. It’s great, don’t get me wrong. I just love Wes Anderson and The Grand Budapest Hotel more. Shoutout to Whiplash, too.
2016 Winner: Spotlight (2015)
Should’ve Won: Spotlight (2015)
I’m okay with Spotlight winning; most of the 2016 nominees feel pretty even. I personally enjoy The Martian and Mad Max: Fury Road more, but no real complaints here.
2017 Winner: Moonlight (2016)
Should’ve Won: Moonlight (2016)
And the Oscar goes to… La La Land. Oh, wait, no. Moonlight. The right choice.
2018 Winner: The Shape of Water (2017)
Should’ve Won: Get Out (2017)
I love Guillermo del Toro, but The Shape of Water sucks, and how it ever won is beyond me. Show Jordan Peele some love! Get Out is phenomenal, especially coming from a first-time director.
2019 Winner: Green Book (2018)
Should’ve Won: A Star is Born (2018)
Green Book is mediocre at best. Typical Oscars. From what I’ve seen, A Star is Born should’ve won. However, I have yet to see Roma, which could easily be my choice. I know, I know… I’ll watch it soon.
2020 Winner: Parasite (2019)
Should’ve Won: Parasite (2019)
Hallelujah! One of the best movie years in a while, and they even chose the correct winner! Don’t get used to it…
2021 Winner: Nomadland (2020)
Should’ve Won: Sound of Metal (2020)
There should be a giant asterisk next to this year. The pandemic screwed up everything, even movies. Still, I enjoy Sound of Metal more than Nomadland, despite an expectedly brilliant Frances McDormand performance.
2022 Winner: CODA (2021)
Should’ve Won: The Power of the Dog (2021)
I still can’t believe CODA won. It’s not a bad movie, but it felt like it came out of nowhere. Like 2020, 2021 was not a great year in film, but I would’ve preferred The Power of the Dog. Shoutout to Dune though; hoping Dune: Part 2 garners more Oscar praise.