On March 27, the world will gather to watch the 94th annual Academy Awards, celebrating the best film achievements of the year. In honor of the event, The Connector will be counting down the last 20 years of Best Picture winners.
20: “The Artist” (2011)
Two words: Harvey. Weinstein. I feel like I don’t have to say much more. Known for bulldozing Academy Awards with his lavish campaigns, most agree that “The Artist” was simply awarded due to its overwhelming promotion.
19: “Green Book” (2019)
I remember leaving the theater after this one, thinking to myself, “Damn, how was that even nominated?” A few days later, I was left wondering, “Damn, how did that even win?”
It was dry, stale, and lacking any form of heart. Most of the time, it felt like everyone involved was simply going through the motions. Someone pulled a lot of strings here.
18: “Crash” (2006)
One of the most controversial Best Picture winners of all time … that is, if controversial meant completely opposed by most people. I watched this one on a plane trip back from Los Angeles as a sophomore in high school. What an awful way to depart the film capital of the world.
Cheesy, and full of intense, glaring stereotypes, it’s wild that the academy felt that “Crash” deserved the most prestigious award of the night. Not even Matt Dillon could save this one.
17: “A Beautiful Mind” (2002)
A very Oscar-y Oscar winner. It’s slow paced and full of faux-thought. Take a shot every time the protagonist’s schizophrenia borders on offensive and you’ll be awfully drunk by the end of the second act.
Also … why is everything color-graded to be brown?
16: “The King’s Speech” (2011)
Maybe I’m bitter that this won over “The Social Network.” Or maybe it’s because it’s another Harvey Weinstein film. I can see why it won, it’s warm and definitely a crowd pleaser, but it’s got an overwhelming amount of cheese. A real charcuterie board. And when compared to “The Social Network,” it seems incredibly wilted.
“The King’s Speech” is doomed to be seen in public speaking classes for years to come.
15: “Chicago” (2003)
I went into this after seeing the stage play twice (separate field trips, equally bad planning). Unsurprisingly, it lacks in comparison. It’s got enough flashy choreography and general camp to keep the general viewership entertained, but there’s something lacking. Maybe I’m just a snob.
14: “Argo” (2012)
Confusing pick then, confusing pick now. Argo told the story of a CIA exfiltration specialist tasked with rescuing six Americans stuck in Iran. The best part of this movie is that Ben Affleck can kind of direct. Not sure why he felt the need to flex his abs in the mirror, though.
13: “The Shape of Water” (2018)
Guillermo del Toro sure does love himself a monster that’s just human enough. I remember seeing this one on its premiere, only I had to buy a ticket for “Paddington 2” since I was under 17. Fresh off of watching “I, Tonya,” “Phantom Thread” and “Get Out,” this one fell flat for me. The best part was the sheer absurdity of the creature and everyone ignoring our protagonist wanting to have sex with a literal fish.
Plus, it gets a big yawn from me for its lackluster exploration of disability. How about more accurate representation of disability, please? (Just … Not CODA. God, not CODA!)
12: “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” (2002)
This one is special because it manages to balance being an insane, high budget blockbuster while still giving us little kernels of emotion. I can respect it in every single form, it’s just not my style. You couldn’t pay me to watch this again, even if it’s incredible.
11: “The Departed” (2007)
A good movie, or just a good mob movie? “The Departed” is fun, and grandly funny for something as serious as gang wars. If you like Boston accents as much as I do, this one is pretty good.
10: “Million Dollar Baby” (2005)
I wasn’t expecting to feel this way after watching a sport’s drama. I was expecting something stiff, something broad. But I got something intimate and emotional, Hillary Swank giving the film everything she had. How I didn’t realize that this was directed by Clint Eastwood is beyond me, but it was exciting to figure out towards the end.
9: “Slumdog Millionaire” (2009)
Watched this bad boy on a Redbox DVD that my mom absolutely forgot to return. Telling the story of a Mumbai teenager and his journey to get on the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” you can’t help but root for Dev Patel’s character the entire time. You love him, and need for him to succeed, no matter how he stumbles. There’s also a fantastic Bollywood-style dance montage at the end. Need I say more?
And we got an introduction to Dev Patel. Dev Patel, I am free on Friday night, incase you are wondering.
8: “Nomadland” (2021)
What a lonely movie. I caught this one months after it’s release, and I wondered why I didn’t see it before. It’s slow-moving in the best ways, and allows the audience to breathe, and think. Incredibly profound? No, not really. But good? Yeah!
7: “The Hurt Locker” (2010)
Until last year, there was only one best picture winner directed by a woman. Let me say that again, in case you didn’t catch that. Only ONE film, out of almost a hundred, was directed by a woman. Of course, “Nomadland” changed all of that, but The Hurt Locker was the original. Telling the story of an Iraq War Explosive Disposal team, Kathryn Bigelow guided this dense, dense film with ease. The writing is great, the cinematography is strong, but the real star is the directing. Why does no one talk about Kathryn Bigelow more?
6: “Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”(2015)
A personal favorite of mine. Sure, the single-shot gimmick could get old, but there were times it was so fresh and exciting that it trumped the low moments. The cast is fantastic across the board, with Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis and Emma Stone giving equally emotional and comedic performances.
And can we talk about the score? It’s brilliant and somehow outshines the tracking-shot cinematography. Definitely the best of recent time.
5: “No Country for Old Men” (2008)
Definitely the best work from the Coen Brothers. Films from this era can often feel glaringly “2008” (Hello, “Juno,” Best Screenplay winner from the same year), but “No Country for Old Men” still comes off as very fresh. It has all the pieces for a strong neo-Western, and you can help but shy away from the terrifying Anton, and all his bowl-cut glory.
4: “12 Years a Slave” (2014)
So brutal and so important. It’s haunting and it has its place on this list. When presented against the other nominations of the year, the other films seem small, weak. Every frame is purposeful, and every line is a gut punch.
3: “Spotlight” (2016)
Finally got the guts to watch this within the last few months. Just the synopsis was enough to keep me away. I can be sensitive to certain topics and I was terrified to spend two and half hours wallowing in the Catholic Church’s decades of sexual abuse. But as I climbed through the Best Picture list, I knew I would have to eventually watch it and I’m glad I did.
At its core, “Spotlight” is a film about journalism, and good journalism at that. It’s a staple in the genre, settled next to “All the President’s Men.”
2: “Moonlight” (2017)
I’m sorry, “Moonlight,” for underrating you when you first premiered. You’re a beautiful film, full of intense emotion, and unapologetic queerness. You know when to slow down, being gentle with the viewers, and you know when to pick up, and slap us in the face.
(And I will always love you for giving us this moment.)
1: “Parasite” (2020)
Hello, you total home run of a film. 2020 was a weird year, but at least we got this one sliver of sheer joy before everything went to s***. “Parasite” winning Best Picture was a no-brainer, and one of those rare moments when everyone looked at each other and went “Yeah, that makes sense.”
The first non-English film to win Best Picture, “Parasite” is equal parts hilarious and dramatic. It also has so much to say, and it does so without falling on deaf ears.
