Top 10 Movies That Are Hated for Winning Best Picture
#10: “Ordinary People” (1980)
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So long as they’re well written and well acted, family dramas rarely miss the mark. And “Ordinary People” as it stands is similarly solid. But compared to the best films of any year, it does seem rather… well… ordinary. There were certainly more interesting and unique nominees that year, like “The Elephant Man,” but for our money we would’ve given it to “Raging Bull,” which is one of the best of the decade. It’s possible that the Academy voters were hesitant to pick another boxing drama so soon after 1976’s “Rocky,” but the safe pick isn’t always the right pick. If “Ordinary People” was a person, it would probably need some therapy after this decision.
#9: “The English Patient” (1996)
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Whenever people are discussing pretentious Oscar picks, “The English Patient” is almost guaranteed to come up. Director Anthony Minghella, who also made “Cold Mountain,” certainly knew how to make epic romantic dramas. “The English Patient” is packed with gorgeous landscape shots and the cinematography is consistently impressive. Unfortunately, it can sometimes feel self-indulgent. And at 162 minutes, it’s not the kind of picture we’re liable to go back to. Speaking of which, we love going back to other nominees like “Jerry Maguire” and “Fargo.” The latter of the two is arguably the most deserving of the gold, what with its dark themes and memorably quirky characters.
#8: “The King’s Speech” (2010)
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This film is a powerfully-acted drama with some great dialogue. But the Academy also has a habit of being lured in by period settings and costume design, which feels like it played a factor here. The flick suffers most in the public’s estimation, however, because it stole the award from arguably the best film of the decade: David Fincher’s “The Social Network.” When viewed side-by-side, we can clearly see the distinction between the new school and the old school, and which the Academy feels most comfortable siding with. Furthermore, 2010 was absolutely stacked with fresh offerings. “Black Swan,” “The Fighter” and “Inception” all would have been acceptable alternatives. But “The King’s Speech?” Really? Okay, Academy.
#7: “Out of Africa” (1985)
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Most of these movies can still be enjoyed under the right circumstances, but “Out of Africa” isn’t really one of them. The romantic drama tells the mostly true story of a Danish baroness who struggles to maintain a coffee farm on the plains of Kenya whilst romancing a big-game hunter. Though again, the cinematography is something to marvel at, the sleepy tone and languid pacing make it easily one of the most tedious watches on this list. It also misses the opportunity to comment on the themes of colonialism inherent to the plot, and while there’s no outright favorite amongst its competition, in retrospect, “The Color Purple” feels much more deserving of the Academy’s love.
#6: “Driving Miss Daisy” (1989)
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This is one instance where we’d’ve rather seen the award go to literally any other nominee. “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Dead Poets Society,” “Field of Dreams,” “My Left Foot,” all are far and away better choices. Hell, even Academy members thought they got it wrong upon being polled in 2015. No, “Driving Miss Daisy” is not a terrible film, nor is it the worst Best Picture winner out there, but we’re not chomping at the bit to give it any kind of hardware, either. The performances of Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy are strong enough to keep the film ticking, but it never really overcomes stereotypes or goes the distance in terms of exploring race.
#5: “Green Book” (2018)
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Speaking of “Driving Miss Daisy,” many regarded “Green Book” as being the reverse of that picture. It too depicts an interracial friendship being formed between a chauffeur and their employer, only this time with the roles switched. Once again, many felt that the writing wasn’t as thematically nuanced as it needed to be, with the actors doing the bulk of the heavy lifting. Best Picture was up for grabs come Oscar night, as many figured the Academy would overlook the arguably most deserving film, “Roma,” due to it being a Netflix release. We still didn’t really hold out for the audience favorite “A Star Is Born” to win, but this choice pleased pretty much no one.
#4: “American Beauty” (1999)
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This was one that was actually held in high regard for quite some time. People lauded the interconnected story of suburban households from screenwriter Alan Ball as being subtly profound. And then society woke up, if you will. Namely, it’s the characterizations in the film that are the most troubling. The dad in a mid-life crisis fawning over his daughter’s friend did NOT age super well. Then you’ve got a closeted former colonel inflicting violence due to his repression. Also, sorry, Wes Bentley, but a paper bag floating in the wind isn’t the most beautiful thing we’ve ever seen. It really isn’t. If the Academy wanted a tearjerker, “The Green Mile” was right there.
#3: “How Green Was My Valley” (1941)
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This movie likely wouldn’t even be remembered today if it weren’t for the film it beat out. Forget “The Green Mile.” Forget “Roma.” This drama beat out “Citizen [freaking] Kane,” the movie that’s literally used to describe the best of certain things! “Citizen Kane” is the “Citizen Kane” of movies, for gosh sakes! Whether you actually believe that or not, there’s no denying history will view this as the “Citizen Kane” of Best Picture upsets. “Citizen Kane.” In all fairness, though, there’s a lot to be admired about “How Green Was My Valley,” from its solid cast to John Ford’s direction. However, it is overly sentimental, and this fact alone keeps it from being the “Citizen Kane” of 1941 movies. That would be “Citizen Kane.”
#2: “Shakespeare in Love” (1998)
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At the end of the day, “Shakespeare in Love” probably doesn’t deserve all the hate that it gets. At worst, it’s a pretty good movie that got way too much praise from Hollywood’s highest governing body. In addition to snagging Best Picture from “Saving Private Ryan,” the obvious choice, the film also took home acting Oscars for Gwyneth Paltrow and Judi Dench, the latter of whom only had a measly eight minutes of screentime. It was strange choices like these on the Academy’s part - and don’t get us wrong, we love us some Dame Judi Dench - that made people scratch their heads about this romantic period comedy-drama. The Academy was in love with “Shakespeare in Love,” but the rest of us wanted to keep it platonic. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “The Greatest Show on Earth” (1952) It Wasn’t Even the Greatest Show of the Year “The Artist” (2011) The Academy Picked a Silent Movie About Old-Timey Hollywood? Surprise, Surprise. “A Beautiful Mind” (2001) This Choice Is Indicative of There Being No Clear Favorite That Year “Dances with Wolves” (1990) Another White Savior Narrative, It Also Stole the Crown from “GoodFellas”
#1: “Crash” (2004)
Winning Best Picture was probably the worst thing that could have happened to “Crash,” as it otherwise would have been forgotten as just an overrated awards bait movie. Yet in one of the most controversial outcomes in Oscar history, it beat out the much more deserving “Brokeback Mountain,” proving that the Academy wasn’t quite ready to embrace a gay love story. They couldn’t even justify their choice with a worthy alternative, as “Crash” has since been derided for its sloppy narrative and hokey themes, all exacerbated by a truly saccharine presentation. The hatred for this movie is so strong, in fact, that it’s been deemed the quintessential incorrect Best Picture winner, and we have to agree.