Friday, February 24, 2017

Film Friday: Best Picture Oscar Winners


1976: 
All the President''s Men, Bound for Glory, Network, and Taxi Driver were nominated.  Network's good, but a bit overrated. Same for Taxi Driver.  I haven't seen Bound for GloryRocky and AtPM are two of my favorite films.  So I support the Academy's decision, though it wasn't clear-cut.
 
1979: 
All that Jazz, Apocalypse Now, Breaking Away, and Norma Rae were nominated. 
The first is a decent film, but not Best Picture material.  Breaking Away is good, but not Best material.  I haven't seen Norma RaeApocalypse Now is an all-timer.  So I think the Academy got this one wrong, though K vs. K is an excellent film.

1982:
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Missing, Tootsie, and The Verdict were nominated.
The first is a children's film.  Tootsie is good, but not Best material.  I haven't seen MissingThe Verdict is elite.  But so is Gandhi.  I'll let the Academy have this one.

1987: 
Broadcast News, Fatal Attraction, Hope and Glory, and Moonstruck were nominated.
Good but not good enough for the first one.  Same for Moonstruck.  I haven't seen H and G. So it's Fatal Attraction vs. the winner, and I think the Academy got this one right.   

1988: 
The Accidental Tourist, Dangerous Liaisons, Mississippi Burning, and Working Girl were nominated. 
The first features a stand-out performance from Geena Davis.  The fourth is cute, but out of its league here.  The middle two are both better than the winner.  So the Academy got this one wrong.

1994:
Four Weddings and a FuneralPulp Fiction, Quiz Show, and The Shawshank Redemption were nominated.
The first stars Hugh Grant.  The fourth is good, but overrated.  Quiz Show is good, but not really Best Picture material.  So it's Pulp Fiction vs. the winner.  Both were worthy, but I think the Academy got this one right.

2001:
 
Gosford Park, In the Bedroom, The Fellowship of the Ring, and Moulin Rouge! were nominated.
I saw the second one for Marisa Tomei and I don't remember much else about it.  Moulin Rouge! is a good film, but not quite Best material.  I haven't seen Gosford Park.  So it's Fellowship vs. the winner.  It's a tough choice because they're wildly different films, but I think the Academy might have gottten this one wrong.  
  

4 comments:

  1. I have seen just parts of Rocky but..meh. I haven't seen ATPM but will one day. Apocalypse Now should have won because Kramer Vs Kramer is just ok. Love Hope and Glory and I would have given it to that film but not upset the Last Emperor won. Dangerous Liaisons should have won...I agree with you about Working Girl. I so disagree with you about Shawshank...that is a great film and should have won over chocolate boy. In Boredom shouldn't have been up for anything, I can watch people mow the lawn and cut the hedge when I look outside. Hate that movie. I really like A Beautiful Mind. It I love LOTR! I think that film should have won

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    1. Rocky and K vs. K probably skew toward men. (Though so does Apocalypse Now.)
      I'd expect AtPM to lose a lot of its power with foreign viewers.
      A Beautiful Mind has Jennifer Connelly. :)

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  2. might have gotten this one wrong? you know how i feel about lotr. might have is an understatement.

    and shawshank redemption isn't overrated. that's a damned fine flick. better than forrest gump. EVERY. DAY.

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    1. You're just not old enough to appreciate the true power of Gump.

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