60 Years of Oscars (2010-2020)

Posted by Nolan Dalla on Mar 15, 2026 in Blog | 0 comments

Thank your to readers for many interesting replies and comments here on Facebook in response to PART 1 (1955-1979) and PART 2 (1980-1989) and PART 3 (1990-1999) and PART 4 (2000-2009) of this multi-tasking series on Oscar-winning movies.

Now, let’s move into the 2010s. As promised, here’s PART 5.

[Note: Each year below refers to the date of Academy Awards ceremony and winner for BEST PICTURE from movies released in the previous year]

—– The 2010’s —–

2010: THE HURT LOCKER

This marked the first year the “Best Picture” category expanded to 10 nominees, effectively doubling the list of finalists. Their goal was increase suspense and attract more viewership. However, this change also meant multiple nominees had no chance to win nor really deserved to be included among the real contenders. We must also wonder how the new format changed voting (and outcomes) since more movies to chose from also reduced the overall consensus. I see year 2010 as a two-movie race between the insightful war film THE HURT LOCKER (which turned out to be the surprise winner) and the box office sensation, AVATAR. Either film merits the top award while the remaining nominees are nowhere in the chase. Personal favorite of mine is UP IN THE AIR, which was George Clooney playing a smug, frequent-flying, corporate hitman-downsizer-for-hire) was easily top-three. Thereafter, I’m struggling to come up with much in this class. Q. Tarantino’s INGLOURIOUS BASTARDS has some fun moments, as in the case of all his films, but I wasn’t quite as high on this World War II farce as most critics. THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES was a fantastic Argentine film, which I loved — with fantastic performances and a powerful story about a police investigation set during that nation’s military dictatorship, and how that impacted how crime and justice were carried out. Most under-appreciated move is a slam dunk — ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL is the most overlooked film of the year. This is a thoroughly-absorbing rockumentary showcasing a real-life 1980s heavy metal band struggling to keep things together. It plays much like SPINAL TAP, but the story is all-too real. ANVIL! is a great human story of unrealized young dreams that turn to middle age, then age even more, revealing what happens when we miss the train of life, and at times we’ve all done that in some way. if you don’t know this movie–it may be a surprise revelation. Emotionally moving, inspirational, and wickedly funny throughout. Take just a moment to watch the 2- minute trailer on YouTube .com. How and why was this movie not among the best of the year? CLICK HERE for more.

2011: THE KINGS SPEECH

No argument from me with the popular historical drama starring Colin Firth as King George VI and his speech specialist Geoffrey Rush winning the Best Picture Oscar. But in a close call, my vote would have been cast for THE SOCIAL NETWORK, about the earliest days of the giant social media startups, including what would become Facebook. Techie-oriented movies populated by emotionally distant characters many might call “nerds” may not seem like edge-of-your-seat excitement, but this film was edgy, informative, and wonderfully entertaining. Something I learned researching this year–HUGO, a welcome and surprise creative departure for director M. Scorsese made an outstanding family-oriented 3-D movie for all ages; yet somehow this movie LOST $100 million! INCEPTION came out this year, a film I despised so much that I ranted about it later, which soon thereafter triggered me into starting a writing blog (true story–so perhaps I I owe all this creative energy to INCEPTION). Most under-appreciated film — THE WAY, a small-budget family collaboration and personal postcard about those seekers who trek along the famous hiking trail that runs through Spain into the Pyrenees (which really exists). The Sheen’s both star and direct (Martin, and his son E. Estevez)….plot and execution are packed with meaning of life questions and rings all emotional bells. There are no quacky characters or car chases here — just people living and striving for something, and more important — hoping to find that right “something.” I loved this movie, and am surprised it didn’t connect with a much bigger audience, especially given some religious messaging.

2012: ARGO

This was such a fun film (based on the true story of the CIA secretly smuggling American diplomats out of Iran during the 1979-80 hostage crisis). Scene plays out almost cartoonish at times, but I’m convinced this lighter tone and funnier approach drew in a much bigger box office, and well — it won the Oscar! Note: Telling a true story about hostages with a more heavy-handed style level wouldn’t have been so successful, nor as compelling. Added note: I’ve never liked much of anything from actor-director Ben Affleck, but he knocked this one out of the park. the bio-epic LINCOLN is outstanding and is my runner up–due to Daniel Day-Lewis giving one of the greatest presidential portrayal in cinematic history. The movie is just as good, especially given the subject matter in the plot (it would have been easier to do LINCOLN in a Civil War setting, but this takes place after the war, and is a test of reconstruction (perhaps tougher than any war challenges–as we’re still learning today). Did not like SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK at all. Eye-rolling throughout, an awful movie, despite Jennifer Lawrence’s Oscar win. A few others nominated were also disappointing (I walked out on BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD). Let me credit LIFE OF PI, which was so well done by director Ang Lee. This special-effects-driven adventure film about a teenage boy trapped on a life raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a bengal tiger following a deadly maritime disaster satisfied everyone’s curiosity and delivered a big payoff (I remember seeing the trailer and thinking to myself — what the F is this?). I’ll put LIFE OF PI in my top-3. Wes Anderson’s MOONRISE KINGDOM must also be honorably mentioned, but I admit to losing memory for this film and don’t remember enough to comment further. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO should be in this conversation someplace–not sure where. Excellent movie about a crime caper in Scandinavia with some out-of-typecast performances by the lead actors.

2013: 12 YEARS A SLAVE

Confession: I’ve never seen 12 YEARS A SLAVE. So, my comments henceforth are incomplete. Still, what a great year in movies–rare for all nominees to be at least worth in the Best Picture category–including (in my order of preference)……..AMERICAN HUSTLE, HER, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, PHILOMENA, GRAVITY, NEBRASKA, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, and CAPTAIN PHILLIPS. Everything here is good to great. I’m not making a pick, other than to point out each of these movies are powerful character-driven stories, which are films I tend to like. Speaking of films I really liked, BLUE JASMINE shows Woody Allen retuning to prior form as a masterful writer-director (MATCH POINT, a few years earlier was also excellent). Cate Blanchett won her Oscar in the title role. Worth noting–the biggest sellout of the year was THE MASTER, potentially a great film, but rather than be honest and go for the source (the sick and dangerous religious cult known as Scientology), probably in an effort to avoid lawsuits and retribution the filmmakers decided to soften their target and make the connection less obvious, which killed credibility. Under-appreciated — THE SESSIONS, which is brave, meaningful, funny, and true! It’s the story of a young paralyzed man trying to fulfill normal sexual desire, but is unable to due to his physical challenge. He navigates the morals of “hiring” someone, which becomes a most revealing and deeply touching emotional inquisition into of the complexities of relationships. This subject matter could have gone very wrong, but it gets everything right. Movies sometimes take us to new places and open our eyes and makes us think, and this is one of those special films.

2014: BIRDMAN

What a travesty! This winner wasn’t even close to the Best Picture, which instead should have gone to BOYHOOD. How did Richard Linklater’s coming of age film not win this year? BOYHOOD depicts the childhood in a split family from the standpoint of a boy ages 6 up to 18 as he grows up, experiences his parents’ divorce (Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke), moves to new cities and schools and changes friends, while enduring all the hardships many kids experience. Production first began in 2002 and finished in 2013, with the actors returning and shoot again every few years–an arduous process stacked with risks and possible disaster (who knew how the kid actors would really turn out?). This was a terrible oversight, especially since the the movie and journey are equally compelling despite no script written when shooting began. This film was the ultimate risk, and cost only $4 million. My runner-up is THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, an excellent bio-pic about the late Stephen Hawking. A very similar film from this year was THE IMITATION GAME, about math genius and codebreaker Brit–Alan Turing. A BEAUTIFUL MIND won a some years earlier–these two moves are just as good. Thumbs high for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. I still can’t believe BIRDMAN won — thus beginning a gradual slide of my respect for the Oscars which will bottom out a decade later. Most under-appreciated movie was the documentary on singer-songwriter-session guitarist Glen Campbell, I’LL BE ME. I’ve always loved and admired Campbell since I was a kid, and being familiar with Alzheimers (a person in my home has been in decline for years), I was a puddle of tears at times while watching, but also felt genuine joy at Campbell’s occasional moments of reflection and insight in his final tour, one last recording session, and his subsequent mental decline (he died three years later).

2015: SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT was an outstanding film in the mold of ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN. where the heroes are newspaper reporters chasing an incendiary story that no one else is paying attention to. Based on the true story of the Catholic Church coving up thousands of real cases of childhood sexual abuse, we witness not just only the gauntlet of obstacles bricked up by those who were guilty, but also from the community, powerful big money interests, combined with an often indifferent public. Two other movies would have been equally as satisfying, including THE BIG SHORT, a comedy-drama on the George Bush economic meltdown (and near global economic collapse) of 2008. Brilliantly written and executed, and sometimes wickedly funny. BRIDGE OF SPIES, a Spielberg film based on the 1961 exchange of pilot Gary Powers for a Soviet KGB agent is riveting from start to finish. I also enjoyed BROOKLYN, which belongs in the top-5, about an Irish girl in the 1950s who immigrates to America (Saoirse Ronan is outstanding). I’ll toss TRUMBO in here, also — about the blacklisted 1950’s Hollywood screenwriter. As you see, this is a powerhouse year for historical dramas — all of them excellent. Most under-appreciated film of the year is easy and obvious — BEST OF ENEMIES, a fascinating documentary film about the nationally televised 1968 debates between two intellectual heavyweights, liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley Jr. Just like the two giants featured, this film is thoroughly captivating. Let me add CHEF, a terrific comedy-drama about a famous chef who gets fed up with running a snooty restaurant and decides instead to buy and run a food truck. I loved this!

2016: MOONLIGHT

So, we go from SPOTLIGHT to MOONLIGHT. I admit to having never seen MOONLIGHT, but like millions of viewers who watched in shock when the *wrong* Best Picture winner was mis-announced on television, I was not only stunned that such an appalling mistake could happen, but I was more pissed LA LA LAND did not win. The catchy musical was falsely announced instead, and as the principles took the stage, the ultimate rug pull on live television happened when the wrong acceptance speech was interrupted in mid-presentation and MOONLIGHT took the statue. LA LA LAND was wonderful — performances, romantic story, and outstanding music while also lampooning So Cal culture. I absolutely hated MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, nominated and Casey Affleck won for Best Actor in a horrible decision–more Oscar decline for me with that abomination. Under-appreciated film — O.J. MADE IN AMERICA, an ambitious five-part series won for Best Documentary. I never would have expected to find the tiresome, overblown O.J. Simpson case interesting after so much wasted time spent on his notorious murder trial, nor would I have expected to bother watching. A few years later, this was shown on ESPN as part of the 30 FOR 30 series, and I tuned while channel surfing–and got hooked. Riveting and downright addictive documentary from start to finish, even though we know most of what happens. That’s great filmmaking.

2017: THE SHAPE OF WATER

This surreal movie by monster-obsessed director Guillermo del Toro, who delivers a very good movie, was intriguing given the subject matter, but not Best Picture worthy. Rather, THE POST (about the Washington Post publishing the Pentagon Papers…NYT was actually the first) was my favorite movie. But this topic sounds all too familiar by now and had already been done. Too bad, because this was an excellent movie every bit as good as anything on the press and media, carried by convincing performances from Tom Hanks (as Ben Bradlee) and Meryl Streep (as Katherine Graham) . Sure, I understand the Academy likes going in different directions with its winner picks (which sometimes handicaps films and actors who aren’t lucky to be nominated in the right year). This likely made THE SHAPE OF WATER the predictable choice. I’m one of the few people who did not like nor enjoy LADY BIRD, but that film received widespread praise. I also strongly disliked PHANTOM THREAD, purported to be the final film by three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis. He should have gone out with something better than this. Under-appreciated — DETROIT, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, this should have been much more successful (it lost money, despite outstanding reviews). DETROIT was a little-known feature about a true crime case mishandled by Detroit Police that set off the tragic 1967 urban riots–which many say was the lynchpin on Detroit’s decline.

2018: GREEN BOOK

I enjoyed GREEN BOOK. But Best Picture? Really? This is the year the Oscar should have gone to BLACK PANTHER, even though I’m no fan of Marvel superhero films (in fact, I loathe them). Money should never be the metric, but we also can’t ignore the first $1 billion movie in history, and when we add it’s cultural significance, this should have been an obvious pick. The following explanation is notable: “Many have wondered why Black Panther means so much to the Black community and why schools, churches and organizations have come to the theaters with so much excitement. The answer is that the movie brings a moment of positivity to a group of people often not the centerpiece of Hollywood movies… [Racial and ethnic socialization] helps to strengthen identity and helps reduce the likelihood on internalizing negative stereotypes about one’s ethnic group.” That’s a powerful statement and convinces me this was a far more important movie. It should be noted THE GREEN BOOK is also a film very much about race, but it’s just not as groundbreaking. Under-appreciated–WIDOWS, with a female-dominated cast of everyday citizens who find themselves desperate and who plot to pull off a multi-million robbery in this unusual heist thriller that’s much more thoughtful than most capers of this genre.

2019: PARASITE

This Korean-made movie with an all-Korean cast was a surprise success (in the US) and a deserving Oscar winner. Lots of very good films were this year, but nothing was truly great. In fact, all the nominees seemed to be missing something, except PARASITE. I strongly disliked THE IRISHMAN which was overly long, unconvincing, and at times even ridiculous. FORD vs. FERRARI had some nice moments, but it’s a 7/10. ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD was another fascinating effort by Tarantino with excellent performances, but this also gets only a 7/10. THE JOKER bored me, despite the memorable performance by Joaquin Phoenix. i did not see JO JO RABBIT, which sounds like a film I would have enjoyed and ranked among the best. Lots of cartoonish/animated/Marvel movies were big this year—I didn’t see any of them. Not my taste. I tremendously enjoyed BETWEEN TWO FERNS, WITH ZACH GALIFIANAKIS, which features a stacked cast of celebrity guests, everyone from Bradley Cooper and Natalie Portman to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and many in between. Each episodes lasts about 5-10 minutes, in which the interviewer (Galifianakis) and guests trade barbs which often escalate into insults.

2020: NOMADLAND

Here’s where we get closer to recent years, which includes multiple movies I have not yet seen. That includes NOMADLAND, still a void on my movie viewing resume. This looks like a good place to stop, given I have blind spots more and more with each year (2020-2025). It takes time–years–to watch enough movies to do these with any credibility. So, that’s it for now.

With that, this concludes my comments and picks. I’m sure I have many gaps and more than a few oversights..

60 Years of Oscars (2000-2009)

Posted by Nolan Dalla on Mar 13, 2026 in Blog | 0 comments

60 YEARS OF OSCARS:
WHAT MOVIES WON VS. WHAT MOVIES SHOULD HAVE WON?
PART 4 OF 5 (2000-2009)

Thank your to readers for many interesting replies and comments here on Facebook in response to PART 1 (1955-1979) and PART 2 (1980-1989) and PART 3 (1990-1999) of this multi-tasking series on Oscar-winning movies. Next year, I’ll do a similar series on actors awards, which will be fun. Assuming the world is still in one piece.

Now, let’s move into the 2000s. As promised, here’s PART 4.

[Note: Each year below refers to the date of Academy Awards ceremony and winner for BEST PICTURE from movies released in the previous year]

—– The 2000’s —–

2000: AMERICAN BEAUTY

What an outstanding year in film. This was a rich period of edgy movies which pushed boundaries and shattered comfort zones. That’s reflected in the Best Picture winner, AMERICAN BEAUTY. I’ve only seen this once (in the theater when released). It’s very good, but I rank at least two films as superior. Reason — both of my nominees were edgier, and I believe took more risks. Let’s start with MAGNOLIA, the Paul Thomas Anderson film that’s occasionally messy, sometimes confusing, but also masterful with so many moments ot tears and laughter, sometimes in the same scene! An astounding cast, gritty performances, fascinating stories, and a plot twist that remains debatable a quarter century later. Add Aimee Mann’s mesmerizing soundtrack, and this is my pick as best of the year. A close second is THE INSIDER, based on the real story of TV’s 60 Minutes shelving a controversial segment on the dangers of tobacco smoking (how scandalous!). Timeless story, repeated in this very day, about the abuses of power and corporate corruption. These two films are so close at 1-2. I’ll toss in THE STRAIGHT STORY at #3, a wonderful David Lynch-directed film about an elderly man making one last trip of his life, riding a lawn mower!, to settle old scores and make amends with the past. This is a beautiful film. I have a few voids in my knowledge, meaning i’ve not seen them BOYS DON’T CRY (Hillary Swank won the Oscar), TOY STORY 2 (ranked by many as one of the best sequels ever), and FIGHT CLUB (I wouldn’t bring this up, but many people I respect love this movie). EYES WIDE SHUT had great potential, and turned out to be Stanley Kubrick’s final movie, but I thought it missed a very tough target to hit when it comes to sex and the odd ways we react to human desire (especially when we judge others). AMERICAN BEAUTY won the Oscar, but AMERICAN PIE might have been the tasty treat we’re still enjoying to this day. This remains comedy gold. Underrated movies include — THREE SEASONS, starring Harvey Keitel as a Vietnam vet who returns to Ho Chi Minh City 25 years later to try and locate his unknown mixed-race lost daughter, which shows what great moviemaking is capable of in showing the complexity of messy “people history”…..SUNSHINE, a fantastic grossly under-appreciated Hungarian-based epic in the mold of ZHIVAGO, LAWRENCE, etc. with multiple stories of connected people who must hide who they are in order to survive nationalism, fascism, and finally communism. I saw this in the theater and have no clue as to why it never received notice. I also loved TEA WITH MUSSOLINI, with Cher in an uncharacteristic role and the all-Brit classic cast (Dench, Smith, et. al) about snooty English ex-patriots who get trapped inside Italy as World War II looms on the horizon. Wow, what a great year in movies!

2001: GLADIATOR

I reluctantly agree that GLADIATOR probably deserves the award. The Ridley Scott films is kinda’ like an uncredited sequel to macho-men movies BEN HUR and SPARTACUS released 40 years earlier. I can’t find faults in anything about the film, but I just wonder if “best picture” winners shouldn’t require something a bit more groundbreaking and original. CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON was highly touted, but I must have missed something when I watched it and got bored after lots of weird medieval Asians jumping around on trap wires (Rotten Tomatoes gives this a 97 rating!). TRAFFIC (about the drug war–revealing what a lost cause this wasteful endeavor has been) deserves top-5 billing, and I’ll also go along with ERIN BROCOVICH, more due to the interplay of characters and a strong title-character performance by Julia Roberts. Juliette Binoche absolutely carried CHOCOLAT to being an international box office smash, an ideal romantic postcard and pleasure for the taste-buds–ideal for what it is, but this film also has few surprises. MEMENTO was the most interesting/thoughtful film of the year, but just missed ranking among the nominees. Most underrated film of the year — My personal favorite film from this year was the dark comedy SEXY BEAST, the quirky British crime caper–what an powerhouse cast and performances (one of those movies I’ll watch every time it’s on TV). Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, and Ian McShane put on the acting clinic of the decade in this film, which inexplicably received just one Oscar nomination. Want to see the guy memorable for “Gandhi” and “Itzhak Stern” drop about about 150 F-Bombs as a psychopathic gangster? The dialogue in this film is wickedly funny, and epic. Rare for any film to produce some much laughter and yet terror in the same scenes.

2002: A BEAUTIFUL MIND

No argument here with the winning movie, though I could also accept Robert Altman’s outstanding GOSFORD PARK, one of his very best films. A BEAUTIFUL MIND took some liberties with the (then) little-known story of math genius and game theorist John Nash, played by Russell Crowe in what became back-to-back Oscar-winning performances (he won for GLADIATOR and could easily have won for THE INSIDER also, which would have been an astounding three-year run for Best Actor). The most intriguing film of the year was undoubtedly David Lynch’s MULHOLLAND DRIVE, which is a breathtaking crime drama that plays out like a modern-esque Hitchcock thriller, but it’s so much deeper than that, which might be one of the few films ever seen which is perhaps impossible to describe. Naomi Watts gives the performance of the year (but lost in a terrible decision by Academy voters to Halle Berry). My best guilty pleasure movie from the year was — BLOW with Johnny Depp, though Paul “Pee Wee” Reubens steals this movie.

2003: CHICAGO

CHICAGO was so enjoyable (the first musical to win Best Picture in 35 years) I can almost forgive that it doesn’t take many risks and seems more like a reincarnation of one of those MGM-produced “THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT” spectacles from the ’30 and ’40s. Terrific film, wonderful performances, and obviously a great musical score. My vote instead would have gone to THE HOURS, a downer, yet also a great film which I stumbled upon by accident (I watched it on a cross-country flight some years later). Three stories — with Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, and Meryl Streep — live complex but emotionally-distressed lives which are a generation apart from each other yet cleverly intertwined with Virginia Woolf’s classic 1925 novel “Mrs Dalloway.” THE HOURS is sometimes difficult to watch and take in, but the emotional commitment is worth the investment as the final scene is an astounding moment and crescendo of great storytelling. Most underrated film of the year might be ABOUT SCHMIDT, with a highly-uncharacteristic performance by Jack Nicholson. Anyone who reaches retirement age will identify with what’s happening here, and Nicholson is outstanding.

2004: THE LORD OF THE RINGS

I walked out on the Best Picture winner. Made it about 40 minutes in, then bolted the movie theater. Lit a match to $10, $20 with Marieta. That might a first. So, you can probably take a guess that I hated this movie (the part I saw, anyway). But, I must credit Peter Jackson’s all-in commitment to the trilogy and I understand why his work was/is so highly praised. So, which film would be my choice? Tough call in a disappointingly weak year on the big screen. I enjoyed LOST IN TRANSLATION, but don’t rate it as highly as most critics. MASTER AND COMMANDER (possible–four Oscars in a row for Crowe?) was very good, though we’ve seen these adventure movies many times before. Same goes for OPEN RANGE, one of the better westerns to come out in the last 25 years, but it’s already been done over and over. CITY OF GOD is a Brazilian film which I saw somewhat recently, a gritty but powerful story based on the sprawling slums of Rio and based on various true stories. It ranks as one of the most important (and controversial) films ever to come from South America. When we talk about a landmark movie, sometimes difficult to watch, with a lasting legacy, CITY OF GOD is it. That would be my pick, though there’s no way Oscar voters would select such a film over one of the most successful film franchises of the decade.

2005: MILLION DOLLAR BABY

The fictional story about a struggling female boxer (Hillary Swank) mentored by Clint Eastwood along with Morgan Freeman (with his voice of god narration) became a tougher and more emotionally-wrenching female ROCKY movie, though it’s beautifully-written and brilliantly scored (Eastwood wrote most of the music–and it subtle, yet powerful). Much like the lady boxer, this movie script was ignored and ridiculed and needed quite a few lucky breaks just to get made, making the finished film somewhat of a mirror of the story while also endearing the film to most audiences (and obviously Academy voters). Two other films that belong in the best picture conversation were foreign made — DOWNFALL about the final days inside Hitler’s Berlin bunker (we’ve all seen the comedy-layered spoof out-take from this film, but the movie probably comes as close to reality as any film made about the subject). THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES, about the early life of med-student turned communist revolutionary Che Guevara is fantastic, but had no real chance other than in the Best Foreign category. One forgotten sleeper is VERA DRAKE, which was destined to struggle at the box office, especially given it’s controversial subject matter (women seeking abortions when it was illegal in 1950s England). This is a fantastic film, with powerful performances and a movie we may not want to see, but we need to see. No surprise to readers, my favorite guilty pleasure movie from this year was the much lighter SIDEWAYS, about a lovable loser who goes off to California’s wine vineyards to reboot his life and in the process, learns some unexpected life’s lessons.

2006: CRASH

Many movie aficionados rank CRASH as the wost movie ever to win the premier prize, and though I’m not sure it’s quite as bad as it’s often described. However, I also agree it didn’t deserve to win. The issue is, there’s a glaring void of great movies released from this year. So, which other film should we choose instead? Blank stare. Looking back, I can’t find one movie that stands out as an obvious pick or even a film that’s “Best Picture” worthy. Many Hollywood insiders were stunned and upset by the Academy bypassing Ang Lee’s daring BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. It was nominated but didn’t win (Ang Lee took the award for directing). This film about gay cowboys was widely talked about, but when I finally saw it years later, I wasn’t impressed. GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK was a terrific period piece recreating 1950s television, and shot in black and white. George Clooney made a fine movie, but not Oscar’s best. CAPOTE featured a Best Actor performance by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, but was just a mediocre movie. The Jane Austen-based PRIDE AND PREJUDICE was terrific, but also predictable and formulaic and nothing beyond what one expects from “Masterpiece Theater”-genre movies. All considerations here, I might have voted for the nature doc MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. My guilty pleasure movie of the year is A HISTORY IF VIOLENCE, about a former mobster desperately trying to escape his murderous past and be normal again. Edgiest movie of the year was PARADISE NOW, the Palestinian film about two (fictional, but also very real) suicide bombers plotting a terror attack in Israel. It’s an outstanding psychological portrait, though controversial when it won for best foreign language film. Most under-appreciated film is an easy decision — NINE LIVES, which is a flawed but ambitious nine-story hyperlink of characters, a star-studded cast, and a theme that deserves far more attention (especially from men) which is how women cope with so many gender-driven issues that they so often must tackle alone and without support. Each of the stories in this movie is told in a single, unbroken take (I stumbled across this film on TCM one night–deeply thoughtful and emotionally gripping).

2007: THE DEPARTED

Much like CRASH from the previous year, I thought this was really bad pick. THE DEPARTED was a good movie with strong performances and some really nice moments, but it might not even crack Martin Scorsese’s top-10 career best. Two historical dramas, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, the Eastwood-Spielberg collaborative war epic would have been a better choice, as would have been THE QUEEN. My pick would have been IWO JIMA, a classic war picture told from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers and companion to Eastwood’s previous film, FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (also released this year), which depicts the same battle from the American viewpoint. This movie, told from the Japanese side flopped in the US because it’s mostly in Japanese. Note that this was a daring film to make — not THE DEPARTED, which was a head-scratching choice as the winner. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA should be in the year’s top-5, which is flawless for performances and pure entertainment. Also in the conversation should be the futuristic dystopian epic CHILDREN OF MEN, arguably the most underrated movie of the year and a masterpiece of filmmaking. CHILDREN OF MEN might be the most impressive movie I’ve seen within the three-year stretch 2005-2007. This might sound a lot like V FOR VENDETTA, released this year, but I admit a void in having never seen this movie.

2008: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

I was angry when I saw this Best Picture winner in the theater. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, written-directed by the famed Coen Bros. stands as very absorbing movie, albeit with an intentionally frustrating and confusing ending. It was like getting the rug pulled. When I saw this again some years later, I came to realize it’s deserving status as the winner. Paul Thomas Anderson’s THERE WILL BE BLOOD is another movie that grew on me the second time I watched it, and DANIEL DAY-LEWIS rises to the top of the acting pyramid among his peers in this film. ATONEMENT, the war romance, deserves consideration, and would have been a satisfying winner. RATATOUILLE, an animated film about a Parisian rat in a restaurant might seem an odd pick for a top-5 from this year, but having stumbled over this by accident recently, I thought this was every bit as good as the nominees. CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR is probably my guilty pleasure pick, which is the true story about covert support for the Taliban in pre-US war Afghanistan–incredibly, this is a comedy and it’s terrific. THE LIVES OF OTHERS, a German-language thriller constructed around constant surveillance and paranoia set during the Cold War in East Berlin is the most underrated film of the year. In a film with astounding performance, the ending is phenomenal. This might be my favorite movie of the year. THE SAVAGES, a riveting drama with Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman about a family dealing with aging and tough life decisions, deserves mention here, as well.

2009: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

This was a satisfying winner when it was announced, but I don’t think this film aged well. Admittedly, I saw it only at the theater. I wonder if it stands up as well over time. FROST/NIXON is the movie I should have loved, and it’s very good — but not Best Oscar worthy despite delivering on a near-impossible docu-rec-reation of one of the most riveting political interviews in history, which plays out more like a mental heavyweight prizefight. WALL-E ranks as one of the greatest animated films of all time, and was included on every critic’s “best” list. Trouble is, I’ve never seen it. That’s a glaring void on my movie-viewing resume. THE DARK KNIGHT was the smash hit of the year, but did nothing for me–just not my kind of film. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON checks all the boxes and includes a wildly different perspective of life as the story of a person who ages in reverse. Definitely in the conversation. Final thoughts and decision: DOUBT is a dark film about a sex scandal in the Catholic Church. Although it’s a distasteful subject and tough to watch, this cast might be as great a group of performances as you will ever see on film by the four lead actors–Hoffman, Streep, Adams, and Oscar winner Viola Davis. This was a riveting film, and we never quite know what really happened which leave interpretations up to the audience. This film cuts to the chase grading movies–SLUMDOG was a fun, cheerful, international crowd pleaser. DOUBT is a dark, deep, and somber film. SLUMDOG won, but DOUBT is the superior movie.

COMING NEXT: Best Picture Winners (versus) Movies that Should have Won–from the 2010s.

Photo Description: From Million Dollar Baby, the “Best Picture” winner from 2005.

60 Years of Oscars (1990-1999)

Posted by Nolan Dalla on Mar 11, 2026 in Blog | 0 comments

60 YEARS OF OSCARS:
WHAT MOVIES WON VS. WHAT MOVIES SHOULD HAVE WON?
PART 3 OF 5 (1990-1999)

Thanks again to readers for so many interesting replies and comments here on Facebook in response to PART 1 (1955-1979) and PART 2 (1980-1989) of this series on Oscar-winning movies.

Next, let’s move into the 1990s. As promised, here’s PART 3.

[Note: Each year below refers to the date of Academy Awards ceremony and winner for BEST PICTURE from movies released in the previous year]

—– THE 1990’s —–

1990: DRIVING MISS DAISY

I lived in Eastern Europe at the time when these movies came out. No western-made movies were available to me for a couple of years. Accordingly, I saw films from this year gradually over subsequent years — except for DRIVING MISS DAISY. Confession: I still have not seen it. This makes my comments woefully incomplete and perhaps pointless. Nonetheless, I will comment on other excellent films (I have seen) which belong in the conversation for Best Picture. The standout here is FIELD OF DREAMS, an epic film. The Kevin Costner-made classic might be my generation’s IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE…a movie for all ages and for the ages. That would be my pick among the movies I’ve seen. Woody Allen’s CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS is fabulous, which I rank among his best five–brilliant writing and memorable performances. I can’t write enough good things about this movie, which gets better each time I’ve seen it. DEAD POETS SOCIETY may belong here someplace, but it’s not as quite good as the others. I’m not into science-fiction flicks, but James Cameron’s THE ABYSS left a lasting impact on me. It’s flawed and a mess, but still riveting. Note: Take a few minutes to read about the difficulties of filming this movie, stress which gave it a very real edge to the intensity (actors later said filming was a brutally exhausting experience they would never go through again). GLORY and DO THE RIGHT THING and BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY and PARENTHOOD and THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS were also released in an outstanding year in cinema. Best underappreciated film from 1989–SCANDAL (re-enactment based on the 1963 British Profumo affair with John Hurt in the lead, who I love as an actor–everything he did throughout his very diverse career was excellent–HOW THE HELL DID JOHN HURT NEVER ONCE WIN AN OSCAR!..a travesty!) / MIRACLE MILE is a hot mess of a movie about an LA love story that takes place in one summer night in real time (over two hours), which is ruined by a nuclear attack. Gee, that sucks. I can’t explain why, but I love this movie. It’s another film with a fascinating backstory that’s worth seeing if you get the chance.

1991: DANCES WITH WOLVES

Same delayed-viewing applies here as the previous year–I saw most of the films later on, in some cases many years later. Still, I’ve seen most of the top films. Here’s yet another stellar year for films, including movies for every taste. And that’s the problem with rankings. Question–how do we judge DANCES WITH WOLVES against GOODFELLAS? It’s impossible. Both are outstanding. GOODFELLAS is now widely-acknowledged as a crime-drama masterpiece, certainly one of the best of its genre ever made. I did not expect to enjoy nor appreciate DANCES WITH WOLVES nearly as much as a did. However, I don’t think DANCES aged as well as GOODFELLAS, but I have no objection to the Academy’s pick from this year. My vote if I could cast it likely would be for CINEMA PARADISO, which is a landmark Italian movie that is universally loved and praised and still wrecks me emotionally each time I watch it. The final scene is extraordinary. I may be biased–I saw this film while living in Romania, so perhaps it had more of an impact on me. You Tube the final scene and the floodgates on all eyes will open, especially if you know the backstory. It should also be noted–what a great year for mob movies…..in addition to GOODFELLAS, which I’ll rename GREATfellas, this year also included the great MILLER’S CROSSING and STATE OF GRACE, an Irish mob-themed sleeper. Just, holy shit wow. Then, there’s REVERSAL OF FORTUNE, the wonderful Von Bulow trial movie with Jeremy Irons and Glen Close chewing every scene. Favorite guilty pleasure movie is THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, which never gets old. Best underappreciated film from 1991—JESUS OF MONTREAL / I also remember Barry Levinson’s AVALON fondly as having a major impact on me when I saw it, perhaps as it’s an immigrant experience film. Amazing year–perhaps in the top-5 ever.

1992: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

I would have voted top award to THELMA AND LOUISE in a year with several good films, but few standouts as was the case in 1989-1991. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (animation) was a film I saw much later which really blew me away and may be in the top-3. But, it’s hard to argue with the horror-drama LAMBS as the actual winner. I was far less impressed with J.F.K., which is a star-studded cameo-driven cartoonishly over-acted crackpot-conspiracy stained hybrid of a serious subject. Think–ITS A MAD MAD MAD MAD MADE WORLD climaxed with the film footage played of the real presidential assassination repeated tirelessly. I’m surprised director Oliver Stone didn’t do a panoramic smell and sound experience and plaster Kennedy’s brains all over theater seats (can you tell I hated this movie?) Best underappreciated film from 1992: THE DOCTOR, a gut-wrenching movie about a once-smug doctor played perfectly by William Hurt who gets cancer and then experiences the medical establishment from quite a “different” perspective, the patient. / I also loved Kenneth Branagh’s excellent film noir DEAD AGAIN, which inexplicably flopped at the box office.

1993: UNFORGIVEN

I saw this Oscar winner for the first time, only recently. the gritty Clint Eastwood-Gene Hackman-Morgan Freeman classic had just slipped through the cracks as I’d missed it. Seeing a film some 25 years later loaded with such high expectations put it at a clear disadvantage. Surprisingly, UNFORGIVEN matched my anticipation and left me satisfied this was probably the best movie of the year. A FEW GOOD MEN also belongs in the discussion as runner up. and THE CRYING GAME was the edgy movie many movie fans were rooting for given the film’s bold twists on race, sex, gender, nationality, and sexuality latticed against the horrible backdrop of the “Troubles” period of terror which engulfed Northern Ireland. Those are my top-3. I’ll add HOWARD’S END checks every box on the Merchant-Ivory scorecard (and I’m a huge fan). GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS and RESERVOIR DOGS are both outstanding in their respective genres with cult followings now, but my inexplicable guilty-pleasure movie of the year is probably SNEAKERS, a fun spy-heist movie with Robert Redford and Ben Kingsley. UNDER SEIGE is also one of those movies I just have to watch from this year with lots of movies that won’t be considered as great, but you might watch a dozen times over a lifetime. A few years ago, I saw MALCOMX X for the first time, and this too surprised me as a standout–perhaps among the contenders. Best underappreciated film from 1993–THE PLAYER, which is the ultimate insider Hollywood film by Robert Altman. It’s fun to watch from start to finish and you never know what surprise Hollywood star will show up in the next scene.

1994: SCHINDLER’S LIST

I hope this won’t come across as too hyperbolic or emotional, but SCHINDLER’S LIST is my selection as the greatest movie ever made. And that’s a tough call given so many worthy candidates. It is, in fact, far more than just–a movie. It is a history lesson, and a warning. It’s a haunting, powerful, and deeply emotional experience that will stay with us forever. Artistically alone, it’s a masterpiece of filmmaking for the senses. Who could have imagined the guy who made JAWS would be able to pull this off when everyone said making a Holocaust movie had no upside, and could have been a career disaster? [see my added comments at the end of this article] As for other nominees, PHILADELPHIA, the AIDS-themed legal drama co-starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington likely would have won any other year, especially given Hollywood’s progressive persuasion, but all the other films were steamrolled by Spielberg’s magnum opus. Fave guilty pleasure movie–THE FIRM, which is the John Grisham adaptation set in Memphis–so many great performances and a wonderful twist at the end. Best underappreciated film from 1994–FALLING DOWN, the Michael Douglas angst-driven rage movie which no one knew at the time would foreshadow the looming political divide on the American horizon, largely driven by a changing society that many cannot adapt to. / SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISHER, about a child chess prodigy also holds up well over time and deserved more applause.

1995: FORREST GUMP

This farcical crowd pleaser starring Tom Hanks as the lovable imbecile-genius was a monster hit and also inspired copycats and dialogue tag-lines that became part of pop culture, but it’s far from the best movie of the year. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, the Stephen King scripted prison buddy-movie and escape story should have won instead. Other nominees including Q. Tarantino’s masterful PULP FICTION and Redford’s fantastic QUIZ SHOW were also superior to FORREST GUMP, in my opinion. I’d also rank the spectacular sports documentary HOOP DREAMS above the victor (this film is exceptional, if you have not see it–do yourself a favor). the literary classic LITTLE WOMEN translates quite well to the screen and deserves mention, also. Best underappreciated film from 1995–THE LAST SEDUCTION, a controversial and provocative lesser-known movie that didn’t do as well as it should have because filmmaker John Dahl (ROUNDERS) refused to conform to predictable formulas (especially on sex and gender and power) and let his actors morph into believable characters, especially the female lead played by Linda Fiorentino. This forgotten film got lost among some excellent movies, and deserves more praise.

1996: BRAVEHEART

Shaking my head here in disbelief at this winner. All his personal baggage and scandals aside, Mel Gibson did make several excellent films as an lead actor. I’m much less impressed with is directorial work, including this Oscar-winner BRAVEHEART. I tried to watch this a couple of times, but never made it all the way through, so perhaps I’m not suited to make any convincing comparisons. The war scenes are so violent, they almost become a distraction — a gratuitous blood and guts style he’d repeat in many of his other films, most notably the ultra-sadistic Jesus-flick, THE PASSION–which borders on a smut film. I have never seen IL POSTINO (The Postman), which is often ranked among the best from this year. APOLLO 13 was nominated in the category, and should be in the conversation. So too should CASINO, yet another outstanding Martin Scorsese film about las Vegas’ dark mob ties and transformation. I’ll also include LEAVING LAS VEGAS, the tragic love story for which Nicholas Cage rightly won the Oscar for best actor. SENSE AND SENSIBILITY is terrific, too. I count a fair number of films that I’d vote for above BRAVEHEART. Best underappreciated film from 1995–DOLORES CLAIBORNE with lots of dark subject matter written by Stephen King (what a span of King books and movies in this decade!), but is just an intense movie experience (opinion–Kathy Bates is better in this film than in MISERY, for which she won the Oscar).

1997: THE ENGLISH PATIENT

Here’s another film I didn’t particularly like. So, I disagree with this romance war drama as the Best Picture winner. Not that THE ENGLISH PATIENT is a bad movie–it’s very good, but there’s nothing that’s memorable other than a magnificent cast–Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, and Colin Firth. Great actors, mediocre story. My pick–FARGO is the superior film, for all of its Coen-esque creative storytelling, plot twists, unforgettable characters, and loads of quirky dialogue. By contrast, what does anyone remember from THE ENGLISH PATIENT? Deer meets headlights in Brainerd. Oddball pick coming–I’ll include THE BIRDCAGE as a possible top choice here, which was so much fun with memorable performances (Robin Williams at his best) and checks every box of brilliance as a very funny movie loaded with life lessons about the power of love and family. Franco Zeffirelli’s JANE EYRE has been recycled many times into films across several decades, but this adaptation with William Hurt and Anna Paquin as leads stands as the best. I’ve seen it a few times–always delivers on the French-themed classic. WHEN WE WERE KINGS is another sports documentary I watch every time it’s re-shown — focusing on the epic Ali-Forman heavyweight prizefight in the Congo under preposterously challenging conditions…this is jaw-dropping as a sports/political story and it’s REAL!). This belongs in the Best Picture discussion. Best underappreciated film from 1997–PRIMAL FEAR, the riveting courtroom crime drama with some great twists starring Richard Gere and newcomer Edward Norton. Note that JERRY MAGUIRE received several Oscar nominations this year, a movie which I think aged very poorly. It’s almost unwatchable now.

1998: TITANIC

I skipped this movie for more than a decade, perhaps the only person in America who did not see it. Finally, I broke down and watched sometime in the 2000s, and to my surprise it was pretty good. We can’t argue with the smashing success at the box office, the all-too familiar yet intriguing subject, nor the two charismatic leads molded in the hands of James Cameron’s excellent direction. GOOD WILL HUNTING was nominated, but I found that overrated. Never appealed to me and I never bought the characters so far as believability for even a minute. I also disliked AS GOOD AS IT GETS–the entire plot of a nice pretty waitress falling for a 60-something prick (even if it’s Jack Nicholson) was ridiculous. I’ll concede here that TITANIC was a smart choice, but my personal pick for best film of the year is an oddity. I absolutely loved everything about JACKIE BROWN. Memorable characters and performances, intriguing story, and a wonderful tale of the disenfranchised and desperate escaping life when we’re sometimes dealt a very bad losing hand. Tarantino’s is at is directorial and scriptwriting best here, and the 70s rich R&B foot-tapping soundtrack adds to the cool vibe. This film should have received far more love. Best underappreciated film from 1998–DONNIE BRASCO, which is my guilty pleasure pick from this year, with Johnny Depp and Al Pacino (I’d read the book previously, and the film matched the story quite well), and also add in the excellent L.A. CONFIDENTIAL.

1999: SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

Remember the L.A. Riots? This should have set one off. Absurd. I cannot believe this film won. How ridiculous. Certainly, this is one of the worst decisions of any Academy Award winner in the premier film category. SHAKESPEARE is an enjoyable film, but please people. Here’s the reality: SAVING PRIVATE RYAN stands out as clearly the best movie of the year, and it shouldn’t even be close. I’m actually not as high on PRIVATE RYAN as some other critics, yet it’s still a landmark of great war movies (I may discuss the “flaws” of the film later). PRIMARY COLORS, the political-comedy based on the sensational “novel” by Anonymous about the 1992 presidential race (in reality Bill Clinton and his affairs) merits consideration in the top-5. THE BIG LEBOWSKI came out this year but was way too eccentric to win, but it’s easily among the most memorable and remains a cult classic. Best underappreciated film from 1999–THE SPANISH PRISONER, which is a David Mamet creation, is vastly underrated. / RUSHMORE, I loved this movie. Woody Allen’s CELEBRITY got trashed and lost money, but I think it ranks among the better films released and if you look at this cast and watch it now, you’ll be blown away. / How can I ignore THE USUAL SUSPECTS and GET SHORTY?

COMING NEXT: Best Picture Winners (versus) Movies that Should have Won–from the 2000s.

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Photo Description (above): Here’s an outtake snapshot from SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993). Scenes in this movie are breathtaking, as well as heartbreaking. We witness the outer extremes of humanity, without exaggeration. Cruelty. Strength. Courage. Redemption. The little girl in the colorized red coat starkly clashes with the black and white clarity of good versus evil. You might not experience anything more symbolic in any film. Parts of this movie are painful to watch, and some scenes are almost too obscene to be filmed, yet there’s even occasional humor and hope and inspiration. To me, that’s the greatness about this film. Here’s a brutal, but necessary reminder of the power one person who can make a difference in the lives (or deaths) of others, including strangers.

60 Years of Oscar Winners (1980-1989)

Posted by Nolan Dalla on Mar 10, 2026 in Blog | 0 comments

60 YEARS OF OSCARS:

WHAT MOVIES WON VS. WHAT MOVIES SHOULD HAVE WON?

PART 2 OF 5 (1980-1989)

Read: PART 1

I was pleased to see so many interesting replies and comments here on Facebook to PART 1 of this series on Oscar-winning movies. I expect even more pushback and discussion as we move into movies that more people will remember in the 1980s. As promised, here’s PART 2. I also changed the parts up in this article — and will do the rest of the way BY DECADE. So, this segment is 1980 through 1989.

[Note: Each year refers to the Academy Award ceremony and winner for BEST PICTURE from movies released the year before.]

—– THE 1980’s —–

1980: KRAMER VS. KRAMER

The 1980 Best Picture winner stands as quite arguably the worst pick for the top spot in Oscar history. Not that that KRAMER VS. KRAMER is a bad movie, which surprisingly raked in the most profits at the box office. It’s fine as a light comedy/drama, which is a marital-divorce-spat drive soap opera. What’s most appalling is that this was otherwise such a great year for movies, which included APOCALYPSE NOW, BREAKING AWAY, ALL THAT JAZZ, NORMA RAE, BEING THERE, and MANHATTAN to name the films which garnered the most nominations. Yet, KRAMER VS. KRAMER won? Truly embarrassing. As for other films that were better, let’s add THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN, which was outstanding and THE BLACK STALLION, a grossly underrated Coppola family-oriented film (he produced THE BLACK STALLION, though his pet project APOCALYPSE NOW received far greater attention, but few Oscar accolades.). The film that should have won –APOCALYPSE NOW– was called by some as one of the greatest movies ever made including the late great Roger Ebert, despite it’s obvious flaws and multitude of problems. He wrote (paraphrasing) — “This movie shows what unbridled ambition in film should be and was certain to miss its highest objectives–but it’s the commitment and the attempt that matters, and remains unrivaled in cinema.” Oscar voters got this one wrong. Best underappreciated film from 1980–(aside from THE BLACK STALLION)…..ALIEN, THE JERK (others could be mentioned here among a long list of excellent films–most better than the winning picture).

1981: ORDINARY PEOPLE

Criticizing ORDINARY PEOPLE is hard for me to do given the wonderful performances by the five leads and how it’s risen in stature over the years, but I still believe this was the wrong pick. THE ELEPHANT MAN and RAGING BULL were nominated but lost, and both were superior. And here’s a real gut instinct opinion — AIRPLANE was arguably the best movie of the year if we measure hundreds of millions of laughs and the resurgence of spoof movies that was launched with its success. I will also toss in THE SHINING as a best picture contender, though inexplicably it received only mised reviews when released. Since then, it’s also risen in stature as a truly great film. They got this one wrong, but it’s close. Best underappreciated film from 1981–MELVIN AND HOWARD

1982: CHARIOTS OF FIRE

The best movie of the year was PRINCE OF THE CITY, an epic NYC police drama which for reasons I can’t fathom, never connected with audiences either critically or commercially This includes an all-star cast of memorable character actors, which becomes a pressure test of friendship and loyalty and the excruciating decisions we sometimes must make and the odd factors we weigh when everything in life is on the line. This is right up with with the FRENCH CONNECTION as a masterful crime drama, and arguably is better. I won’t bother discussing the winning film, which is mindless fluff. Other worthy films from this year included REDS (very underrated Warren Beatty movie based on a true story of leftist intellectuals bickering during World War I) and ATLANTIC CITY, a near masterpiece of performances and filmmaking. Even RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and ON GOLDEN POND were better and certainly more memorable movies. Can anyone name anything notable about CHARIOTS OF FIRE, other than the title song? They got this one horribly wrong, Best underappreciated film from 1982–ABSENCE OF MALICE / THIEF (a great James Caan heist-movie) / POLYESTER (the juicy cult classic from John Waters)

1983: GANDHI

Okay, how do you bash the winner GANDHI? This is the peace-nick’s PATTON, a biopic of an iconic larger-than-life personality and this Oscar-winning film certainly delivers, especially Ben Kingsley. So Gandhi (the actor) deserved the Oscar, but the movie didn’t. My pick–I believe THE VERDICT was better, and should have won instead. This is one of the best courtroom dramas ever made, and is certainly one of Paul Newman’s best performances. It stands as one of my favorite movies and I still get chills each time I watch it. MISSING, a great film about right-wing death squads in South America rounds out my top-three. TOOTSIE was fun, as was OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN. They got this one wrong, but its arguable and very close and a matter of taste. Best underappreciated film from 1983–NIGHT SHIFT / THE LAST AMERICAN VIRGIN (one of the finniest teen movies ever made) / FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (maybe the best teen-themed movie ever made). THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY might be top five, and is also worth mentioning. This was a great year in cinema — add DINER, THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP, SOPHIE’S CHOICE (need I go on?). Oh, and E.T. made the most money, a film I’ve never liked.

1984: TERMS OF ENDEARMENT

Here’s another soap opera movie winner, but when it’s all said and done, it might actually be deserving. SCARFACE came out this year and became a cult classic, but the lighter TOE MacLaine tear-jerker gets the nod. THE RIGHT STUFF might belong on the conversation, but I never thought that film quite captured the real-life degree of risk and great achievement from the early space program (APOLLO 13 was much better, released a decade later). They got this one right. Best underappreciated film from 1984–THE KING OF COMEDY (a dark movie, but terrific in casting Jerry Lewis in a serious role, Robert De Niro in a comedy role and Sara Bernhardt as Sara Bernhardt) / THE DEAD ZONE (fantastic adaptation of Stephen King horror story about man who sees the future).

1985: AMADEUS

What an outstanding movie, as this film surprisingly met and surpassed the obvious challenges of making centuries-old characters fascinating and worthy of modern-day affections and admiration. I mean, imagine trying to “pitch” a movie about Mozart and his musical rival and casting the leads with lesser-known actors. AMADEUS is what great filmmaking is all about. By contrast, I never thought THE NATURAL or ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA were Best Picture material, but they were nominated. THE KILLING FIELDS, about Cambodia’s horrific genocide deserves the runner-up spot. They got this one right. Best underappreciated film from 1985–THE POPE OF GREENWICH VILLAGE

1986: OUT OF AFRICA

This was a horrible pick. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford look gorgeous, but this film and story stinks. It’s an unwatchable bore. THE COLOR PURPLE may have won given the edgy subject matter and powerhouse director Steven Spielberg stepping into newer, unfamiliar, more serious territory. WITNESS may also be in the running. RAN which is Akira Kurosawa’s epic film is actually the real best movie of the year, but the voters weren’t going to select a foreign movie filmed in Japan based on the tragedy of King Lear. Note that much of RAN was actually a metaphor for nuclear warfare and the anxiety of the post-Hiroshima Cold War age. Too bold a pick, apparently for the time but this was the greatest film of the year. They got this one wrong. Best underappreciated film from 1985–JAGGED EDGE (great thriller and courtroom drama) / TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. (a masterful action-packed police drama).

1987: PLATOON

I was never a fan of this over-the-top war movie about the Vietnam War, but admittedly I’ve seen it just once in the theater back when it first came out. Girlfriend at the time got mad and wanted to walk out in the middle of the movie, but I insisted on staying. We broke up a short time later. Fuck me, the Ex was right. I wish I’d walked out. HANNAH AND HER SISTERS was brilliant, but Woody Allen fatigue sets in at some point, if nothing else due to the repetition of rich neurotic New Yorkers whining about their “problems.” I love most Merchant-Ivory movies, but after seeing ROOM WITH A VIEW for the first time (somewhat recently), I didn’t think it lived up to the hype. ALIEN is easily in the top-five, and is certainly superior to PLATOON. They got this one wrong. Best underappreciated film from 1986–POWER (an overlooked political thriller with Richard Gere and Julie Christie) / BLUE VELVET (Heineken? Fuck Heineken! Pabst Blue Ribbon!….movie line of the decade.)

1988: THE LAST EMPEROR

Here’s another expansive historical epic, which sounds smart and should be an aspirational curiosity for all audiences. However, I didn’t find the story of PuYi (the last Chinese premier before Mao took over in 1949) that interesting, and it’s grossly inaccurate in parts according to retro-reviews. Still, this film was a beast of a challenge for Bernardo Bertolucci to make, and the first Western movie to be shot in the actual Forbidden City with the Chinese Government’s artfully-negotiated support, which added 20,000 extras. Add the censorship problems in many nations, including Japan, and the film was a nightmare. So, in retrospect, THE LAST EMEROR is worthy of widespread acclaim. FATAL ATTRACTION is the movie from this year we’re still talking about, and the Close-Douglas flick is certainly top-5…..and let’s add WALL STREET, which came out the same year, which is another Michael Douglas banner performance and left us with themes we continue debating. I’ll say with some reluctance they got this one right, but it’s not my favorite film of many others. Best underappreciated film from 1988–NO WAY OUT / HOUSE OF GAMES

1989: RAIN MAN

DANGEROUS LIAISONS and MISSISSIPPI BURNING were superior films in 1989, so I think they got this one wrong. RAIN MAN ignited a popular trend which followed of star actors playing physically and mentally-challenged fictional characters, which I’m not sure is something all that admirable. But that’s a personal bias. Hoffman and Cruise nail the two brotherly-buddy leads in a quirky movie, yet it doesn’t leave us with much other than light entertainment. My choices have more depth and meaning, and they’re also better films. Even DIE HARD might be a better movie than the winner. Key Point: THE ACCUSED might actually be the most powerful movie of the year among a collection of movies with incendiary subject matter. Best underappreciated film from 1989–THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING

Coming Next: The Best Picture Winners (versus) Movies that Should have Won–from the 1990s.

60 Years of Oscar Winners (1955-1979)

Posted by Nolan Dalla on Mar 8, 2026 in Blog | 0 comments

60 YEARS OF OSCARS:

WHAT MOVIES WON VS. WHAT MOVIES SHOULD HAVE WON?

PART 1 OF 3 (1955-1979)

Sorry to say, I’ve lost much of my interest and most of my affection for Academy Awards. Has any cultural institution become so utterly uninteresting and embarrassingly lacking in social significance?

Indeed, I lament the decline of Oscar night — coming up next weekend — with a deep personal sadness. It used to be one of my favorite nights of the year. For most of my life, I loved the Oscars. But for many reasons, which I may write about later, the Academy Awards just don’t mean much to me anymore.

Still, that doesn’t change traditions and a fascinating history that’s not only been controversial many times, but has also reflected who we are and what society aspires to, sometimes in the most embarrassing fashion.

Let’s take the “BEST PICTURE” winner each year. What follows is this: I’ll give my opinion not only on if the Oscar winner stands up over time, but also comment on what movie from that same year should have won. I’ve also included some of the “underappreciated” films that deserved more nominations and awards and were overlooked at the time.

Let’s go in chronological order and see where you agree, or disagree–and please feel free to do so!:

1955: ON THE WATERFRONT

The great Elia Kazan film is a deserving winner, though one could argue THE CAINE MUTINY is just as good. Edge to Brando and a daring film for its time–exposing corruption in unions and ushering in a new era of movies which would become artistic expressions of social and political commentary and reflection. They got this one RIGHT.

1956: MARTY

I love Ernest Borgnine, but MARTY wasn’t worthy of “Best Picture.” REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE was the most groundbreaking movie of the year, still remembered today for a turning point where teens and younger people became the primary movie-target demographic. They got this one WRONG.

1957: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

This is a terrible choice, which will be increasingly common by the Academy for the next decade with voting contingent painfully behind the times and disconnected with a looming revolution in cinema and culture. Competing nominees — GIANT, THE KING AND I, and most notably THE TEN COMMANDMENTS were all much better films from this year. Even non-believers like me can watch THE TEN COMMANDMENTS nearly seven decades later and root for Charlton Heston as Moses to save the tribe. This was an appalling mistake. They got this one dreadfully WRONG.

1958: THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI

What a great film that stands the test of time. Two legal dramas, 12 ANGRY MEN and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, which were also nominated, would have been Oscar worthy any other year, but THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI remains a masterpiece. They got this one RIGHT.

1959: GIGI

This was a surprisingly weak year in movies, though GIGI swept in all nine categories in which it was nominated. I admit having never seen GIGI (a musical) so I probably shouldn’t comment. THE YOUNG LIONS, an epic war movie was certainly Oscar worthy, as was VERTIGO, the Hitchcock thriller. I’ll grade this as UNDECIDED given I have a lapse in my knowledge of GIGI.

1960: BEN-HUR

No one can argue this winner. Astounding film in every way. SOME LIKE IT HOT might have won had it not been for “Ben.” They got this one RIGHT.

1961: THE APARTMENT

I don’t like this winner. Ancient historically-themed movies may have become tiresome to some Oscar voters by this point, but SPARTACUS remains an astounding movie (I saw this on a retro-big-screen anniversary showing a few years ago and felt like a kid again). EXODUS, which I have no regard for politically, was also Oscar worthy this year. THE APARTMENT ranks as the third best picture that year, at best. My personal preference would have been INHERIT THE WIND, with Spencer Tracy. They got this one WRONG.

1962: WEST SIDE STORY

I’m not sure that a legendary a Broadway musical deserves to be judged by the same metrics of comparison as an original film made from scratch. Sure, WEST SIDE STORY is a fantastic stage show — but how much added energy or brilliance did filmmakers bring to an existing project? I’m on the fence, here. THE HUSTLER and JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBERG were much better films. I’d call my two choices absolute masterpieces of cinema. I agree WEST SIDE STORY is a wonderful musical and a very good film, not it’s not in the class of either of my preferences. They got this one WRONG.

1963: LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

I saw this on the 25th anniversary re-release in a movie theater (1988) and was absolutely blown away. It must be seen on the big screen. A landmark epic. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD would normally win any other year, but it was up against an international box office and critical smash. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–REQUIM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT

1964: TOM JONES

No, it’s not the mid-sixties “Tom Jones” you’re probably thinking about. This is admittedly another legendary film I’ve never seen. So, I’ll tread with some trepidation. CLEOPATRA belongs in the discussion, but the much darker film from that year that still haunts me to this day is HUD, with Paul Newman. That’s a daring movie with some troubling entanglements for movie goers, especially back then. I’d vote for HUD, but again — my qualifications are incomplete. UNDECIDED. Best underappreciated film of the year–FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

1965: MY FAIR LADY

I love this musical as a stage show, but absolutely loathe this movie. Rex Harrison is dreadful. A wasteful fart. Much like WEST SIDE STORY, here’s the pre-packaged product from a successful stage production, yet filmmakers add little to the experience. Sure. the lead AUDREY HEPBURN is wonderful, and the songs are catchy. But give me DR. STRANGELOVE as best picture of all the movies made in 1964. I don’t even think MY FAIR LADY is the best musical from this year — MARY POPINS was, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. They got this one WRONG. Badly WRONG. Best underappreciated film of the year–FAIL-SAFE

1966: THE SOUND OF MUSIC

It’s hard to argue with this winner, though again — musicals need to add something beyond the stage experience (to its credit, THE SOUND OF MUSIC does add lots of magic). DR. ZHIVAGO would be worthy most years, but went up against tough competition. I really loved THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX from this year, which remains an underrated film. I can’t argue with the winner here, given all the accolades for one of the truly great musicals, plus its legacy 60+ years later. It still plays yearly on commercial TV. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–THE BEDFORD INCIDENT / THE CINCINNATI KID

1967: A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

I saw this winner a few years ago for the first time and was underwhelmed. As for what should have won, I’ve never made it through WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF? all the way, though Taylor and Burton are electric. In a painfully lackluster year in film so far as weak nominees, I’d go with THE SAND PEBBLES, which is very good. But the standout movie made in 1966 was THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY, which is one of the greatest movie westerns ever made and has evolved into an epic film. They got this one WRONG. Best underappreciated film of the year–WAIT UNTIL DARK.

1968: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT

Here’s an astounding year in movies, so it’s impossible to pick just one from perhaps half a dozen great films. THE GRADUATE, BONNIE AND CLYDE, GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER, and the edgy and provocative crime masterpiece with Steiger and Portier are all worthy. So too is COOL HAND LUKE. I can’t argue with the winner–any of the top five here are deserving. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–THE PARTY (Peter Sellers).

1969: OLIVER!

What an embarrassment. Hard to believe this predictable musical production beat out so many truly great films. First, let me say PLANET OF THE APES was massively underrated for the time but remains a sci-fi masterpiece. That was the most clever and shocking movie of the year and it should have won. BULLITT, the great police drama is a worthy nominee, as was FUNNY GIRL and THE ODD COUPLE. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, the Sergio Leone epic should also have been in the running. OLIVER! was an abysmal pick. Head shaking. They got this one dead WRONG. Best underappreciated film of the year–WHERE EAGLES DARE, a great war thriller.

1970: MIDNIGHT COWBOY

This was a controversial winner, but in a dramatic reversal from previous years also revealed Oscar voters were finally catching up to the changing times. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID was the clear popular favorite with audiences. but MIDNIGHT COWBOY was the film that shattered barriers and broke down old outdated moral codes. EASY RIDER may belong in the discussion, yet THE WILD BUNCH may stand up as the best film of the year, in retrospect. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–GOODBYE, COLUMBUS

1971: PATTON

I watched PATTON again a few weeks ago on TCM, which was probably the 20th time I’ve seen it. It remains a classic. PATTON was an odd winner given the era and mass protests. It may have been a throwback to traditional tastes in entertainment, but it’s worthy of the statue. M*A*S*H* and LITTLE BIG MAN would round out my top-three. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN

1972: THE FRENCH CONNECTION

No argument with this gritty NYC police caper winning, which remains a riveting investigation and chase from start to finish. THE LAST PICTURE SHOW deserves the runner-up spot, with my third-place vote going to FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, which is an excellent adaptation of the beloved stage musical. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–CARNAL KNOWLEDGE

1973: THE GODFATHER
A slam dunk. One of the greatest films ever made, still talked about and revered half a century later. DELIVERANCE ranks in the top-three. I’ve never been a fan of CABARET, but that might belong in the conversation, also. I can name 25 outstanding films from this year (thanks Wiki), but the Coppola masterpiece can’t be rivaled. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–FRITZ THE CAT (the X-rated cartoon movie)

1974: THE STING

Great to see a comedy win Best Picture, a rarity. Everything about this caper works, so it’s another solid pick and easy choice as the winner. THE EXORCIST came out that year, which I only recently saw for the first time. I understand why it was so frightening at the time, but I was not impressed. SERPICO and PAPILLON came out in 1973, and deserve a place in the top-five. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE / COPS AND ROBBERS / CINDERELLA LIBERTY

1975: THE GODFATHER II

Like it’s predecessor, this one’s easy. CHINATOWN also won several awards, though I’ve always thought the story was overwrought and the movie never appealed to me. If ever there was a great 1-2 punch in the same year, it should go to Mel Brooks for writing/directing/releasing both YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and BLAZING SADDLES within a nine-month span. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT / FOXY BROWN (one of my favorite guilty pleasure films of all time!)

1976: ONE FLEW OVER THE CUKOO’S NEST

Again, another easy slam-dunk movie pick. DOG DAY AFTERNOON is perhaps the runner up. This was the JAWS year, which was about to change movies and revenue models forever. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR

1977: ROCKY

This year was sick great. Just jaw-dropping. Outstanding nominees, but NETWORK should have won. ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN and TAXI DRIVER and BOUND FOR GLORY and MARATHON MAN, too? And, THE BAD NEWS BEARS (one of the greatest sports movies ever). An amazing year in film. They got this one WRONG, but it’s very close. Best underappreciated film of the year–CARRIE.

1978: ANNIE HALL

Oscar voters get almost everything in the 1970s right, including this year–known for the quirky Woody Allen/Diane Keaton love story. STAR WARS came out, followed at the end of the year by CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND–foreshadowing another soon-to-be seismic futuristic shift in movies. They got this one RIGHT. Best underappreciated film of the year–SLAP SHOT

1979: THE DEER HUNTER

Tough call here. Post-Vietnam era films were a big thing in the late 70s and early 80s, and this is one of the best (though, it’s unnecessarily long in my opinion). COMING HOME had similar subject matter, and I believe is a slightly better film mostly because it’s told from the perspective of those families who had to suffer war, while at home. MIDNIGHT EXPRESS is easily top-five but also dark subject matter that wasn’t going to win for best picture. Oh, and ANIMAL HOUSE and UP IN SMOKE were released within a few months of each other? Wow. They got this one HALF RIGHT. I could go wither way with DEER HUNTER or COMING HOME. Best underappreciated film of the year–maybe INTERIORS (a complete reversal by Woody Allen from previous year’s ANNIE HALL, which is sober, serious,and stunning film)

This is a fun multi-tasking project. Feel free to comment an add your own from this period (before 1979).

NOTE: In Part 2 and 3, I’ll comment on the years 1980 to 2001 and 2002 to 2025.

[Photo from MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969), the ultimate buddy movie and lowlife rhapsody.]

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