Oscars: 10 Films That Should Have Won Best Picture (But Didn't)

Brokeback Mountain is the tragic tale of two gay men in the rodeo-riding and cud-spitting American west through the 60s, 70s and 80s. Always held back from living the lives they want to lead the film highlights the ugly side of the cowboy culture, all the while oxymoronically surrounding the characters with the beautifully serine landscapes of mountains, rivers and forests.

This heartbreaking story manages to evoke love, hate, regret, repression and a crushing sense of fear in the protagonists through its excellent script. This alluring yet tragic tale was only further bolstered by the tremendous performances from both Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger, with their talents on full show thanks to the use of minimal scoring and simplistic cinematography.

Upon its release in 2006, it was hailed for being ahead of its time and received the most nominations of that year yet failed to win over the Academy. Controversially losing out to the Oscar bait-y Crash, which despite the Best Pic win lacks the critical acclaim that Brokeback received. This was a massive snub and unwarranted loss for a truly stellar film.