30 Greatest Best Picture Oscar Nominees Of The Last Ten Years
The Oscars are finally getting their act together.
It is arguable that, at this moment in time, the Best Picture line-ups at the Oscars have never been better.
Of course, things are still far from perfect, as CODA inexplicably winning Best Picture at the most recent Oscars showed, but the Academy widening the Best Picture field and diversifying its voting body has clearly paid off in spades.
Now, better and more interesting films are getting into the Best Picture line-ups.
OK, fine, the 2012, 2013 and 2019 Best Picture line-ups were terrible and the 2015 and 2016 ones were a mixed bag, but all the others from the past ten years have genuinely been really good for the majority, with few terrible nominees in those ceremonies.
So, what are the best nominees of the last thirty years? Which one comes out on top? And how many of the actual winners rank among the finest? It's time to find out.
Honourable Mentions:
The Descendants, Hugo, Moneyball, Argo, Amour, Silver Linings Playbook, Dallas Buyers Club, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Whiplash, The Revenant, Moonlight, Call Me By Your Name, The Shape of Water, Nomadland, The Trial of the Chicago Seven, Belfast and Licorice Pizza.
30. A Star Is Born
Kicking off the list is Bradley Cooper's startlingly good directional debut, which proves that not every great movie needs to reinvent the wheel.
The fourth remake of the 1937 film of the same name, A Star is Born is built from familiar parts yet it manages to spin these elements into an emotionally shattering, beautifully acted musical drama that stuns both visually and aurally. Therefore, it is very hard to give a damn about the film's unoriginality.
Cooper also does a hell of a good job in the director's seat and while no further directing gigs for him are presently lined up, let's hope that changes soon.
A Star is Born was also one of the only bright spots in the absolutely ghastly 2019 Best Picture line-up; out of the eight nominated films, only three (including this one) genuinely deserved to be there.