Top 10 Failed Oscar Bait Movies of All Time
#10: “Diana” (2013)
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There have been a bevy of outstanding memorials to the late Princess of Wales. Unfortunately, 2013’s “Diana” is not one of them. At first glance, it’s easy to see why many felt Naomi Watts' starring vehicle would be a heavy contender during awards season. And, to be fair, her performance isn’t bad. But it’s arguably impossible to really tell beneath the subpar dialogue and cheap production values. Many found the film plodding and exploitative as opposed to insightful, and that kind of bad press sank its awards prospects long before they even began. Not only did the film fail to garner any serious buzz, it couldn’t even crack double digits on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer.
#9: “Cats” (2019)
Everything We Know About Cats (2019) So Far
Classic musical adaptations have historically been hit or miss with the Academy. However, director Tom Hooper earned “Les Misérables” eight nominations in 2012, so hopes were high he’d do the same with “Cats.” Alas, he couldn’t make lightning strike twice – not even close, actually. Without even touching upon the laughable visual effects, the film was so fundamentally flawed that it had audiences wish they had a “memory” of anything besides “Cats.” In the end, this unintentional parody ended up winning at a very different kind of awards show, that being the Golden Raspberry’s. There, the film notably “won” Worst Picture, cementing its place in the litter of movie musicals.
#8: “Alexander” (2004)
A roughly three-hour long historical epic sounds like the kind of thing most cinephiles would eat up. But if this movie is taught in film classes, it would likely be to discuss how things ended up going so horribly wrong. To start, the movie perhaps seemed more interested in reciting history than depicting it. That meant its star-studded cast didn’t have much material to work with, which arguably led to some career-worst performances across the board. Both audiences and critics gave it a massive shrug, and it failed to earn any of the Oscar nominations it was fishing for. In the end, the only thing “Alexander” walked away with was a legacy that’s anything but “Great.”
#7: “Music” (2021)
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Sia’s first foray into directing a feature film arguably left a lot to be desired. After all, despite its best intentions, “Music” ended up offending many in the very community it was trying to represent. Everything from its casting choices to its problematic portrayal of autism drew heavy backlash, and the first official screenings did little to assuage those concerns. Sia publicly apologized and edits were made, while “Music” still snuck into a few Golden Globe categories. Audiences weren’t happy about it, though, and launched an unsuccessful campaign to have its nominations rescinded. The movie didn’t garner any Oscar nods, which ended up being the least controversial about it.
#6: “Collateral Beauty” (2016)
Speaking directly to the concepts of love, death, and time is just the kind of heady acting exercise that’s earned plenty of performers golden statues. Sadly, “Collateral Beauty” falls apart because that’s all it tries to do. In fact, one could say it works so hard to appear sophisticated that it forgets to give its actors anything to do. Unfortunately, Will Smith is the biggest victim. Much like his turn in the similarly-fated “Seven Pounds,” you can practically feel how hard he’s trying to get some recognition. While the performance is certainly committed, there’s only so much he can do. The actor would go on to deliver much better performances in much better films, meaning “Collateral Beauty” is just a footnote many try to forget.
#5: “Amsterdam” (2022)
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One would think that an Oscar-nominated director teaming up with some regular Oscar nominees and winners would lead to an Oscar-worthy film. Unfortunately, that equation leaves out the most important variable: that it all has to equal a good movie in the end. Suffice it to say, “Amsterdam” is not exactly that. The talented cast and crew are wasted on a movie that’s too messy to say anything, and too safe to stand out. In fact, it wasn’t good enough to even earn back its budget at the box office, let alone anything close to a prestigious industry award. Sadly, the main thing “Amsterdam” will likely be remembered as is an unprecedented misfire.
#4: “Welcome to Marwen” (2018)
Top 10 Failed Oscar Bait Movies of 2018
If anyone could make this eclectic true-story work as a film, it was Robert Zemeckis. The director’s contributions to the Oscar-winning “Back to the Future” and “Forrest Gump” had many expecting a similar showing for “Welcome to Marwen.” The ingredients were all there, but that might’ve been the problem. Oftentimes, the movie felt like it was checking boxes off of Zemeckis’ trademark formula. Despite a worthwhile central performance from Steve Carell, the film never managed to rise above its middling critical reception. So, “Welcome to Marwen” probably won’t be spoken about in the same breath as Zemeckis’ other films — at least not the ones that earned Academy Awards.
#3: “The Last Duel” (2021)
Top 10 Failed Oscar Bait Movies of 2021
This one perhaps feels more like a victim of circumstance than quality. After all, with Ridley Scott behind the camera and Matt Damon in front of it, it’s not too surprising that this medieval actioner delivered. As a matter of fact, many enjoyed the film enough for it to be named among the National Board of Review’s top ten movies of the year. It seemed like a shoe-in for some big nominations, especially in the craft categories. And yet despite all that acclaim, public disinterest theatrically turned the Oscar-hopeful into a box-office bomb. The word-of-mouth seemingly wasn’t there, and neither was “The Last Duel” when Academy Award nominations were announced.
#2: “The Greatest Showman” (2017)
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Despite the merits of its true story, many felt this glossy musical prioritized style over substance, as evidenced by its awards season haul. While a nomination for Best Original Song isn’t anything to sneer at, it’s obvious that folks expected the movie to do better. But even though certain critics weren’t completely taken with the revisionist take on P.T. Barnum, audiences told a different story. The same popcorn entertainment that probably doomed the movie’s Oscars chances made it a bona fide hit in theaters, where viewers came out en masse for its heartwarming themes and infectious soundtrack. So even though “The Greatest Showman” wasn’t an awards-juggernaut, it succeeded in other ways.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Cherry” (2021)
Not Even Tom Holland Could Save This Plodding Adaptation
“Dear Evan Hansen” (2021)
Ben Platt Couldn’t Translate His Tony-Winning Success Into an Oscar Win
“J. Edgar” (2011)
Perhaps Leonardo DiCaprio’s Most Transparent Oscar Bait Flick
“Babylon” (2022)
Despite Its Talent Pool, This One Didn’t Inspire Much Major Buzz
“Rebecca” (2020)
This Remake Made Many Want to Watch the 1940 Film or Read the Book
#1: “Anthropoid” (2016)
If there’s one thing the Academy can’t seem to get enough of, it’s war movies. So when one based on a famous military operation comes out, it’s bound to get people talking. Throw in respected actors like Cillian Murphy, and you get “Anthropoid,” which almost felt like it was designed in a lab specifically to win an Academy Award. So, it must’ve come as quite a blow when the reviews were, well, just fine. They weren’t bad by any means, but they weren’t particularly glowing, either. That tepid response likely spelled the movie’s doom, and “Anthropoid” failed to land a single nomination at any major awards show, Oscars included. A film of its caliber, if handled properly, could have done much, much better.
