Top 20 Greatest Best Picture Oscar Winning Movies

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most well-made and culturally significant movies to take home the Oscar for Best Picture. We’re not necessarily saying these are the best movies ever made, but rather that they represent the most notable instances in which the Academy made the right call. What movie do you think deserved its Best Picture win the most? Let us know in the comments!

#20: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022)

The first science fiction film to win Best Picture, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” may also be the most surreal and inventive movie to score big with Academy. And we certainly can’t limit its landmark success to one genre, either. It’s a multiversal adventure that’s just as indebted to fantasy, absurdist comedy, and martial arts cinema, as well. All the while, it probes the viewer with deep, existential questions about life, identity, and trauma. A less progressive voting body may have been turned off by its overwhelming assortment of genre thrills. But with a top-notch cast led by the incomparable Michelle Yeoh and a heartfelt message to top everything off, it’s that very mixture that makes it so hard to resist.

#19: “The Departed” (2006)

We all know Martin Scorsese could make a masterpiece in his sleep. In fact, he’s crafted so many legendary works that we still can’t believe this was the one that finally nabbed him that Oscar. With its interconnected story providing depth to both the Boston police and Irish Mob as they search for the spies in each other’s organization, it’s an experience that constantly leaves you wondering who you can trust. In typical Scorsese fashion, the intensity ratchets up as the line between justice and corruption becomes razor thin. With an ensemble of A-listers doing much of the heavy lifting, “The Departed” stands tall as one of Marty’s most absorbing and rewatchable films, and one that earned its gold statuette completely off its own merits.

#18: “Titanic” (1997)

Few films have managed to capture the public’s attention the way this one did, and even fewer have sailed their box office success all the way to eleven Oscar wins. It’s hard to imagine there was a time when James Cameron’s historical epic was expected to be a flop. As he usually does, Cameron kept things afloat — pun intended — proving his naysayers wrong with his unrivaled ambition and painstaking attention to detail. “Titanic” remains one of modern cinema’s grandest achievements, complete with a timeless romance that will have you swooning and sobbing in equal measure. What else can we say? Rose never let go and neither have we.

#17: “Gone with the Wind (1939)

While there’s plenty about this film’s portrayal of race relations and the Civil War that hasn’t aged particularly well, it’s nearly impossible to deprive “Gone with the Wind” of its magnitude. To watch it today is to appreciate a type of go-for-broke filmmaking rarely seen nowadays. Despite its imposing runtime, it capitalizes on every moment as Scarlett O’Hara navigates love and loss while the South falls apart around her. It’s still incredible that things came together the way they did while the medium of the film was still coming into its own. 85 years removed from its release, its revisionist take on history is hard to ignore. But its extravagant set design, sweeping musical score, and commanding use of Technicolor are still marvels to behold.

#16: “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957)

British filmmaker David Lean only painted in bold strokes, and this tale of British POWs during World War II remains one of his finest achievements. Tasked with building a bridge to appease their Japanese captors, the central cohort of soldiers grapple with their integrity as a plot forms to destroy their creation. Led by Sir Alec Guinness as their conflicted colonel, “The Bridge on the River Kwai” is a triumph of the human spirit. But it’s also a fascinating meditation on how patriotism can compromise one’s beliefs. It’s a universal idea made all the more poignant by its wartime setting. It wouldn't be the last time the Academy recognized Lean’s vision, and it won’t be the last time we see him on this list, either.

#15: “No Country for Old Men” (2007)

Far removed from the irreverent comedies they had built their name off of, Joel and Ethan Coen took a tonal gamble on this neo-Western while still operating in familiar territory. And boy, did it pay off. It’s another tale of a crime gone wrong and the innocent people who pay the price. But the Coens replace their trademark dark humor with unflinching tension and brutal honesty as Llewelyn Moss flees from monstrous hitman Anton Chigurh, played to horrifying perfection by Javier Bardem. “No Country for Old Men” matches its best-selling source material for sheer cold-heartedness in a quiet but deadly game of cat-and-mouse taken to its absolute limit. It completely transcends its Western setting by working as a profound treatise on fate, mortality, and inevitability.

#14: “Parasite” (2019)

It’s fitting for a movie that defies categorization to defy the odds in the best way possible. Aside from its unprecedented status as the first non-English language Best Picture winner, “Parasite” is also one of the best satires of the 21st century. It starts out devilishly enough as a hilarious takedown of the uber rich that sees a poor family worm their way into the employment of a wealthy one. But director Bong Joon-ho saves an even greater sleight of hand for everything that follows, refashioning the story into a dramatic thriller of the highest order. “Parasite” never loses its satirical edge as it jumps from one genre to another, and the observations it makes about inequality will no doubt remain relevant regardless of geography.

#13: “West Side Story” (1961)

The 1960s sure was a great time to be a musical at the Oscars, as the genre produced several Best Picture champions throughout the decade. “The Sound of Music” will always be one of our favorite things, but “West Side Story” remains the true standout of the bunch. Making a seamless transition from stage to screen, this modernized “Romeo & Juliet” comes to life with cinematic gusto through ingenious camera work and some of the most dazzling choreography ever put to film. Even more impressive is its balancing of energetic musical sequences with somber themes. Legendary numbers like “America” and “Gee Officer Krupke” inform as much as they entertain, and the film’s willingness to embrace the story’s social conscience has made it a game changer.

#12: “Moonlight” (2016)

So much was made of the fiasco surrounding “Moonlight”’s Best Picture win that you’d think it’d be hard to remember why the movie deserved the award. But from the first frame onward, director Barry Jenkins ensures that’s not the case. With its entrancing color palette and incredible performances, it’s impossible to forget Chiron’s intimate journey to discovering who he is, and the difficult truths he’s forced to confront along the way. It’s a story that respects the audience enough to keep its emotions close to the chest without ever bottling them up. Just as the protagonist searches for meaning in a world he doesn’t believe will accept him, so too did “Moonlight” come along before many people knew how much they needed it.

#11: “Amadeus” (1984)

If there’s a more lavish and finely tailored costume drama ever honored by the Academy, we haven’t seen it. And there’s plenty of substance beneath all the style, too. Though it weaves together a heavily fictionalized story, don’t let “Amadeus”’s historical liberties deter you from appreciating its compelling exploration of faith, talent, and jealousy in 18th century Vienna. As Mozart and Antonio Salieri, respectively, Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham were both relative newcomers at the time, leaving enough room for us to buy into the former’s brilliance and the latter’s resentment of him. The towering performances of its two leads are only part of the equation, as the richly detailed production also makes use of real locations where Mozart actually debuted his operas.

#10: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003)

Before superheroes dominated the cultural landscape, Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy represented all that was great about blockbuster film franchises. And the Academy seemed to agree, as the final installment pulled off the biggest sweep in Oscar history, taking home all eleven awards it was nominated for. It’s easy to see why, as “The Return of the King” is both an emotionally satisfying payoff and a monumental achievement in its own right. Fantasy doesn’t get better than this, as there’s not much that compares to the Fellowship’s final stand against Sauron and the evils of the One Ring. Its success was more than indicative of how much voters had come to love the entire trilogy, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

#9: “The Apartment” (1960)

Rom-coms don’t often get their due at the Oscars, but exceptions have been made. Chief among them is this workplace dramedy. Jack Lemmon plays a low-level clerk using his apartment as a haven for his superiors’ affairs in order to get promoted, while Shirley MacLaine is the lift operator who catches the eye of his sleazy boss. A happy ending is far from guaranteed, as “The Apartment” knows precisely how to balance even its most wholesome moments with the frustrating realities of working class life. Writer-director Billy Wilder was already an Academy darling, having been honored for both “Sunset Boulevard” and fellow Best Picture winner “The Lost Weekend.” Yet, the fiery attraction and bittersweet exchanges between Lemmon and MacLaine is truly something to admire.

#8: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)

It’s one thing to beat out all-time classics like “Jaws” and “Dog Day Afternoon” for the Academy’s top honor. It’s another thing entirely to still be the right choice years after the fact. A stirring tribute to individualism and a scathing critique of institutionalization, this 1975 drama follows career criminal McMurphy as he dodges prison by serving time in a psychiatric hospital. But his rebellious ways soon find a worthy opponent in the tyrannical Nurse Ratched, who’s far more concerned with keeping her patients in line than getting them back on their feet. Led by Jack Nicholson’s signature performance, the film’s progressive attitude toward resisting authority and the value of free will catapulted it to a rare sweep of the five major Oscar categories.

#7: “On the Waterfront” (1954)

This Elia Kazan masterpiece wouldn’t work without its political underpinnings, but that’s part of the reason why it has stood the test of time. When the director’s controversial decision to testify before the government during the Red Scare threatened his credibility, “On the Waterfront” cemented itself as an explanation for his actions. It follows a down-and-out dock hand who faces pressure to expose the misdeeds of a local union boss, even though doing so would mean hurting his family. Marlon Brando’s Oscar-winning performance helped legitimize the practice of method acting, laying bare the conviction required to do the right thing, and the guilt that still remains afterward. Kazan never managed to elude criticism, but the heroism portrayed on-screen will always be something to celebrate.

#6: “All About Eve” (1950)

Classic Hollywood was the age of the movie star, and Bette Davis was one of the brightest of them all. But as the 1950s ushered in a new age of thespian and complicated social issues, Davis put forth some of her most prescient work in “All About Eve.” Detailing the fall of an egotistical actress whose life is taken over by an ambitious up-and-comer, there’s enough star power for the film to be just another vanity project. But the mature performances, clever writing, and careful direction of Joseph Mankiewicz elevate the film into an indictment of the entertainment industry and the vainness of stardom. The material was fairly cutting edge for its time, and remains a must-watch for anyone considering a career in the arts.

#5: “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)

To the chagrin of many, horror continues to be an underrepresented genre at the Oscars, but every now and then, something comes along that not even the Academy can ignore. For good reason, “The Silence of the Lambs” was the genre’s first Best Picture representee, and also the last film to take home the Big Five awards. Ask anyone, that’s a testament to how well it fuses a crime procedural with psychological dread. At its core, it’s a tensely written mystery about crimes that remain all-too relevant. Throw in a pair of career-defining performances from Jodie Foster as FBI rookie Clarice Starling and Anthony Hopkins as the calculating Hannibal Lecter, and you really can’t go wrong. That is, if you don’t close your eyes first.

#4: “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962)

Remember when we said David Lean was known for his big and bold style of filmmaking? Well, let’s just say he truly outdid himself with this historical epic, which is widely considered one of the greatest ever made. Centered around T.E. Lawrence’s exploits in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, it’s a complex character study that’s able to make earnest statements about war and violence in even its quietest moments. But with three-and-a-half hours at their disposal, Lean and star Peter O’Toole put on a masterclass of grandiose storytelling that perfectly encapsulates the title character’s theatricality. There may not be a movie as visually enthralling as this one, and those never-ending deserts have to be seen on the biggest screen possible.

#3: “Schindler’s List” (1993)

There’s a reality where Steven Spielberg never found the courage to bring the story of Oskar Schindler to the big screen. We’re just glad it’s not this one, as our understanding of what movies can accomplish would never be the same after “Schindler’s List” was released. Following the German entrepreneur as he works to rescue hundreds of Jews during the Holocaust, it’s a haunting examination of humanity at its absolute lowest point. It’s one of the most devastating and thematically complex films you’re likely to ever watch, but also one of the most hopeful. Spielberg’s subsequent wins for Best Director and Best Picture were no-brainers, but his accomplishments, like Schindler’s, are just as much a cause for reflection and remembrance as they are celebration.

#2: “Casablanca” (1943)

Is it any wonder this movie appears a whopping six times on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest Movie Quotes? You can’t get attached to such memorable lines without memorable characters to speak them, and “Casablanca” has some of the most indelible characters in movie history. While it will be forever linked to World War II both on-screen and off, the romance between Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, and the difficult choices their characters must make, has never been bound by time or space. Over 80 years later, Rick and Ilsa’s brief time together remains an immortal depiction of what it means to stand up for what is right, even when it means sacrificing your own happiness. Here’s looking at you, indeed.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Ben-Hur” (1959)

This Swords and Sandals Epic Was the First to Win Eleven Statuettes

“The Deer Hunter” (1978)

An Ambitious, Emotionally Draining Study of War Fueled by Devastating Performances

“Annie Hall” (1997)

The Modern Rom-Com Would Be Nothing Without It

“The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946)

This Was a Powerful Portrayal of PTSD Before Many Understood It

“Unforgiven” (1992)

This Clint Eastwood Tour-de-Force is Smarter Than Your Average Western

#1: “The Godfather” (1972)

There was a time before “The Godfather” and a time after it. We like to think we’re still living in the latter, as the unparalleled impact of Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece has rippled throughout popular culture for decades. Even with its unforgettable imagery, iconic dialogue, and brooding score, what truly solidifies it as an all-time great is the complex family dynamic at its core. Michael Corleone’s ascension from well-meaning veteran to ruthless crime lord is the stuff of legend. It’s perhaps cinema’s greatest portrayal of family loyalty and the American Dream in all of its dark depravity. Simply put, any chance to revisit “The Godfather” and its 1974 sequel, which incredibly also won Best Picture, is an offer we simply can’t refuse.