Ranking What Was Really The Best Film Of Every Year 1990-2021
13. 2009 - The Hurt Locker
Actually won: The Hurt Locker.
In the first year that saw the Best Picture race expanded to include ten nominees, The Hurt Locker managed to pull off an impressive and very well deserved victory against the likes of Avatar, Inglorious Basterds, District 9, and Up.
Despite the competition, though, The Hurt Locker taking Best Picture was definitely the right call. A modern classic war drama about a soldier seemingly addicted to the conflict, its harsh assessments of life as a soldier and Kathryn Bigelow's stunning direction make it a drama of extreme power.
Shockingly, this was only the first time a woman had won Best Director and Best Picture at the Oscars, which honestly just makes The Hurt Locker's win all the more enjoyable.