The Oscars are almost here. I have already placed my picks and the films I am rooting for. Now, it’s the unfortunate part, the remembering part. In the past, the Oscars has done a good job picking the winners (Forrest Gump, The Departed, Amadeus, Silence of the Lambs) and sometimes they don’t do well in picking the winners (Crash, Shakespeare in Love, Crash, Annie Hall---which won over Star Wars, No Country For Old Men, Crash).
However, in terms of nominations, the Oscars have had a terrible history. Some of the greatest films of all-time failed to get an Oscar nod in the ultimate prize. There are some masterpieces and groundbreaking movies that didn’t even have a shot at the ultimate prize. In this article, we are swinging into the past to find the greatest movies that never got the opportunity to go for the Best Picture prize. You’ll be surprised at some of the choices, but not because they are on the list, but because they never got nominated. Prepare to be upset.
Now, there are some excellent movies out there that don’t have the Oscar taste in them, so I will not add them to the list because no matter how good they may be, they never had the chance. I’m talking cult classics (Young Frankenstein, The Goonies), some gross-out comedies (Dumb and Dumber, There’s something About Mary), and some great movies that don’t fit that mold (Princess Bride, The Emperor’s New Groove).
Honorable Mentions (In no order):
North by Northwest
Blazing Saddles
Chicken Run
Coming to America
Gran Torino
Grease
Insomnia
Love Actually
Ocean's Eleven
For a Few Dollars More
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Terminator 2
Taken
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Matrix
True Lies
Barely Missed the Cut:
#21: Who Framed Roger Rabbit
If you want to know what moment in history restarted the popularity of the old-school cartoons of Disney and Warner Brothers, look no further than here. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is one of the most creative films in the last 50 years, one of the cleverest mysteries in recent memory, and just an underrated classic that is underappreciated by not only Warner Brothers, but by Disney as well. The cartoon explosion of the 90s would have happened it had not been by the mammoth success of this great collaboration. Any movie that mixes Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse deserves a Best Picture nomination.
And now, the real list.
#20: Old-School Disney (Cinderella, Jungle Book, Snow White, Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)
Walt Disney has won more Oscars than any other man in history. However, none of his movies (with the exception of Mary Poppins) had a chance at the main prize. It is a shame because Disney cranked out some unbelievable masterpieces during his life. It is hard to pinpoint which one exactly deserves the Best Picture chance the most, but personally I would have offered it to Jungle Book. Not only was it a bonafide hit, but there were a couple members of the Academy that actually dropped out because the Oscars balked at the idea of an animated movie aiming for the main prize. It wasn’t until 1991 when animation finally got its opportunity at the main prize. Unluckily for Beauty and the Beast, they went up against Silence of the Lambs.
#19: Spider-Man 2
Just like animated movies, it took a long time for comic book movies to earn respect. While the original Spider-Man was definitely a good movie, the sequel lifted the quality of the franchise to a higher level that not a single comic book movie (not even Dark Knight) has been able to reach. This movie wasn’t just superhero fun, it was deep, compelling, and a mesh of excellent acting, casting, and direction. Sequels are rarely ever nominated for Best Picture, but this was one of the greatest films of 2004, and should have gotten a chance.
#18: Minority Report
Yes, sci-fi rarely gets nominated for Best Picture (name one that actually won, and I will reward you) but Minority Report should have been an exception. Minority Report is an exceptional sci-fi thriller that was directed and filmed to near-perfection. It was sinister, gripping, extremely tense, emotionally moving, and an overall futuristic delight. What Inception wishes it could be, this movie accomplished.
#17: (500) Days of Summer
In the past couple of years, there isn’t a single romantic comedy that comes even close to the beauty, fragility, hilarity, and heartbreak of this movie. This could have been the next “Little Movie that Could” as it was an independent film that spread in popularity thanks to strong reviews and stronger word-of-mouth. A smart romantic comedy? Rarities like this have to be rewarded.
#16: Jurassic Park
This movie made us love dinosaurs. This movie pushed special effects to the next ultimate level. This movie introduced a new generation of people to the movies. This movie was intense, and one of the best summer films in the history of blockbusters. In a bit of irony, it would be Spielberg defeating Spielberg with Schindler’s List in 1993.
#15: The Breakfast Club
Few movies age as well as this one. Breakfast Club is a great, deep, and haunting look into the awful and confusing world of high school. With a minimal budget, Hughes created one of the grittiest and most realistic teenage movies in history. Every person on this earth falls into one of the five categories featured in the movie: the jock, the geek, the athlete, the rich gal, or the outcast. The fact that this movie got NO nominations for anything baffles me to this day.
#14: A Christmas Story
There are some movies with so much magic you can’t help but nominate it for Best Picture. That explains what happened to Chicago, Slumdog Millionaire, Little Miss Sunshine, and especially Forrest Gump. So why on earth did the most magical Christmas movie of all-time not even get a mention for Best Picture? This movie was watched well into the New Year, long after Christmas season was over. Why? The heavy nostalgia, the endless amount of charm, and the incredible display of humor that remains hilarious to this day. It was one of the best-directed holiday films ever, and should have gotten more nominations than it got: 0.
#13: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
This was multiple people at their absolute best: Steve Martin and John Candy in terms of acting, and John Hughes in terms of writing and directing. This movie is hilarious at most times, and at other times really soul-crushing. There are very few Thanksgiving movies that exist, but I am very sure that they will never top the heart and quality of this masterpiece.
#12: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
It was sad enough this film didn’t win for Best Musical Score—that’s a travesty in itself. Not a travesty, an utter disgrace. Now, add the fact that the greatest western of all-time (If anyone says Unforgiven or Once Upon a Time in the West I will scream at you) does not get a Best Picture nod…that’s just a total shame. This western is gritty, epic in scale, and contains some of the best cinematography in the history of filmmaking.
#11: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Originality isn’t rewarded enough in the Oscars. There are some great stories that do get the recognition, but wonderfully unique tales just don’t stand a chance. This is about a man fighting against his memories to try to remember a relationship that had just ended. The film is a mix of romance, comedy, drama, and sci-fi. Genre mixes like this usually don’t work, but this movie was beautiful to the core. A perfect script, perfect direction, and some of the best acting performances from Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet (and even Kirsten Dunst!!). This movie needs to be seen by more people.
#10: Die Hard
I know, action films never win. Hell, even adventure films rarely get nominated. But Die Hard is a man’s man’s film. I don’t know what the Oscar needs to see in a Best Picture, but if we are going by quality, Die Hard is way up there with the best. The acting was there, the writing was there, and the direction was there. What else do you need? This movie has it. Intensity, character development, and a villain you love to hate and a hero that you have no choice but to love. Great action sequences, great fights, wonderful one-liners, and plenty of surprises are packed in this bloody gem. But no Best Picture nod.
#9: Rear Window
Hitchcock is one of the least-appreciated men in the history of film. The man’s films rarely ever get nominated, he only walked away with a special achievement Oscar, and not even his understudies got many nominations for their work. But Rear Window is no excuse. This is the best example of a suspenseful film. This is just a great example of master direction. Hitchcock knew how to grab the audiences by the neck and never let go until the final frame. Any movie that remains relentlessly entertaining despite having only ONE setting deserves a place in film history.
#8: Fight Club
You can argue this with me until you are blue in the face, but I will state the truth right here, right now: This is the best directed film to not get the Best Director nomination. David Fincher took an absolutely insane concept, an insane script, and wove one hell of a film. He took a bizarre idea and managed to turn it into a work of gritty beauty. And Oscars also like films that speak to a generation. In the past two decades, very few movies spoke to a generation in the way Fight Club did/does. And unlike the eventual Best Picture winner that same year (American Beauty--which technically also spoke to a generation of people), it ages extremely well. Fight Club is actually at its best in second and third showings. But to this day, it remains much too extreme for the Oscars to even consider.
#7: Before Sunset
This is the greatest romantic movie of all-time, with the prequel being in the top 5. This movie lacks the sex, the supporting characters, and the whimsical scenarios of your average romantic comedy. What this movie runs on is flawless acting, flawless writing, and so much realism you swear this is a documentary and not a work of art. This movie touches upon all the themes of life and love that hinder our thoughts every single day, and its ending will have you discussing the work for days. This is a damn good film, and should have had the chance to go up for Best Picture. Freakin' Sideways was nominated for Best Picture that year...come on now.
#6: Finding Nemo
Go back to early 2003. The animation department in Disney was dying, Shrek had kicked Disney in the pants with its anti-Disney content that won them plenty of money and the first Best Animated Picture Oscar. And then came Finding Nemo and all the momentum shifted. Finding Nemo is the first computer-animated movie in history I can essentially call: beautiful. This movie was beautiful, entertaining, hilarious, and full of so many wonderful characters, you can't help but root for everybody (except Darla). This is still Pixar's best film and the movie that would prove that Pixar wasn't just an animation studio, it was a studio trying to save animation.
#5: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Raiders of the Lost Ark is the greatest adventure movie in history, and got the nomination (even though it lost to....Chariots of Fire...). So why on earth is the third installment, nearly as good as the first, getting the shaft? Did they not see this movie? This movie has it all: adventure, action, romance, religious undertones, subtle themes, comedy, and some of the greatest stuntwork in film history. This was the best film of 1989, hands-down. Especially better than who eventually won....Driving Miss Daisy. Seriously?
#4: Back to the Future
If you are not angry yet, you better be upon seeing that one of the best sci-fi movies of all-time didn't even get the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. One of the coolest, smartest, hippest, and cleverest movies of the 80s has the heart, soul, and quality of a Best Picture nominee. And to top it off, remains the only major sci-fi film that truly works a great formula for time traveling. Darn it, its Back to the Future! One of the best films ever! Not even a Best Picture nod? Really?
Now, let's REALLY get angry.
#3: The Empire Strikes Back
The greatest sequel ever. Only two sequels have ever won Best Picture and neither of them are even as close as good as Empire. Ten points if you mention the two. Anyway, Empire Strikes Back created the trend and the benchmark for all blockbuster sequels from here on out: darker plot, same cast with more characters, sinister turns, everything that made the original great except adding more layers, more special effects, and the raising of the stakes. So the question is: why does a superior sequel to one of the 25 best films of all-time not get a Best Picture nomination? Some things don't make sense.
#2: City of God
Of all the movies on this list, I can nearly guarantee you this is the one viewed by the least amount of people. Nonetheless, its hands-down one of the most underrated movies of all-time, and its underrated behavior comes because its a film from a country not known for making movies. Brazil out of nowhere delivered an extremely potent and powerful filmmaking punch with a movie that has the action of a blockbuster, the choreography of a great martial arts movie, the cinematography of a flawless western, and the quality drama of a Best Picture. This movie is technically and artistically flawless, and hands-down one of the most brutal and phenomenal movies you'll ever see. And not even a Best Foreign Language Film nomination, that's just downright upsetting.
#1: Kill Bill Vol. 2
This should not be a surprise to you. I had done a list of the greatest films from the 2000s, and this movie topped the list. So it would make sense for me to name this the greatest film not to get a Best Picture nod. Despite the 15-minute standing ovation during its first screening, despite the ishload of good reviews, despite the fact that the Academy owes Tarantino an Oscar for not handing him Best Picture for the post-modern classic Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1 nor 2 ever got a chance for the main prize. Even though (like Fight Club) it is a bit extreme for the Oscar voters, this movie has the magic, the majestic direction, and the sheer quality to at least deserve a nomination. This isn't just a work of art, it is a movie that clearly loves movies, as it has dozens of homages and references sprinkled throughout this inches-from-perfect film. Kill Bill is one of the 10 best films of all-time--and does not have a Best Picture nomination.
That makes me very, very upset. Almost as much as knowing that Crash won a couple years ago.
Think I missed a movie? Think there is a movie that should not be on this list? Well, speak up.
83rd Annual Academy Awards
February 27th, 2011
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