The Dolby Theater in Hollywood is ready to host the celebrities this year at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday. A total of ten films are nominated for the Best Picture category. The films in the current nomination list include American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things, and The Zone of Interest. Fans already have certain favorites to win the Best Picture and anything other than that will surely cause a social media meltdown.
Some of the previous Oscar favorites have failed to secure the award, and the voting body picked other surprising entries from the list. There are at least 5 such cases of Academy voters opting for the second-best (or the third or even the worst) movies for the Best Picture Award.
Shakespeare In Love (71st Academy Awards)
Who should have won? SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
Shakespeare in Love is not a terrible film by any means, but the Oscar win brought unnecessary scrutiny to the film. Gwyneth Paltrow became a star after this ‘Shakespearean’ romantic comedy, which also starred Joseph Fiennes. Judi Dench won the Best Supporting Actress role for portraying Queen Elizabeth in the film. However, the true bad rap for the film was the involvement of the infamous Harvey Weinstein.
According to Vanity Fair, Weinstein began a marketing campaign to secure the Best Picture for the film at the time. Weinstein’s politicking is considered as the only reason why the relatively unpopular film won. It even managed to beat the Oscar favorite at the time, Steven Spielberg‘s Saving Private Ryan, which would have won under other circumstances.
NOMINEES
- Shakespeare in Love (Winner)
- Saving Private Ryan
- Elizabeth
- Life is Beautiful
- The Thin Red Line
Forrest Gump (67th Academy Awards)
Who should have won? PULP FICTION
Tom Hanks‘s performance in the 1994 film swayed both the audiences and Academy voters in favor of the film. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film ended up winning over Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption after a tight competition. In modern times, the other two films turned out to be classics while Forrest Gump was viewed with more critical eyes.
The film clicked with the audiences due to its nostalgia factor, as it brought in memories of the events that shaped the history of the United States. The use of some CGI helped put Hanks’ character in the middle of these events. Moreover, the lead actor’s performance cannot be appreciated in the same way as before. His portrayal of a simple-minded man is nearly offensive and the love arc with Jenny is problematic.
In comparison, Quentin Tarantino‘s Pulp Fiction has made people more invested in its themes even after three decades of its release.
NOMINEES
- Forrest Gump (Winner)
- Pulp Fiction
- Four Weddings and a Funeral
- Quiz Show
- The Shawshank Redemption
The King’s Speech (83rd Academy Awards)
Who should have won? INCEPTION or THE SOCIAL NETWORK
When The King’s Speech was nominated for an Academy Award, it was only the second year after the nomination list was expanded from five films to ten films. Many film buffs believed that the film didn’t deserve to be in the top five of the newly expanded list. Christopher Nolan‘s Inception and David Fincher‘s The Social Network were just two of the great films that year.
The year also saw films like Natalie Portman‘s Black Swan, the emotional Toy Story 3, Jennifer Lawrence‘s debut film Winter’s Bone, and Coen Brother’s True Grit remake. However, the Academy somehow seemed to love this British Royal Family drama about King George VI. While the cast, including the lead Colin Firth, gave a stellar performance, that was no excuse to pick this film over the others.
NOMINEES
- The King’s Speech (Winner)
- Inception
- The Social Network
- Black Swan
- The Fighter
- The Kids Are All Right
- 127 Hours
- Toy Story 3
- True Grit
- Winter’s Bone
Driving Miss Daisy (62nd Academy Awards)
Who should have won? BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
Driving Miss Daisy‘s Oscar win becomes even more hurting due to the fact that it beat four other superior films to its achievement. Of the five films of that year, Tom Cruise‘s Born on the Fourth of July and Robin Williams‘ Dead Poets Society were clearly the fan favorites. However, the themes of racism explored in the film made the Academy voters pick the film. Many considered this a move to portray the Academy in a positive light rather than a genuine love for cinema.
In the film, Morgan Freeman‘s Hoke Colburn is hired to drive the aging Daisy Werthan, played by Jessica Tandy. Daisy’s ignorance towards the racist issues and her forming a connection with Hoke form the crux of the story. However, the dynamics explored in the film were still problematic and would not fly in the modern age. In contrast, Cruise’s anti-war film had a more evergreen theme that undoubtedly deserved the award.
NOMINEES
- Driving Miss Daisy (Winner)
- Born on the Fourth of July
- Dead Poets Society
- Field of Dreams
- My Left Foot
Crash (78th Academy Awards)
Who should have won? BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Perhaps one of the most controversial wins in this list will be that of Crash. The film was failed by its lackluster screenplay, forgettable performances, and lack of emotionally powerful moments. But the film dealt with some heavy-handed themes like race relations in post-9/11 America. Even with those themes, the film treaded the topic with its own righteousness, which many viewers found incomprehensible.
Many theories suggest that the Academy picked this weakly scripted theme to avoid making a bold statement by presenting the award to Brokeback Mountain (via EW). Ang Lee‘s Western romantic drama winning the award would have been a watershed moment in gay representation. However, the Academy went for the safe pick to avoid conservative backlash.
NOMINEES
- Crash (Winner)
- Brokeback Mountain
- Capote
- Good Night, and Good Luck
- Munich
The 96th Academy Awards will air in the U.S. on Sunday, March 10 at 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on ABC.
