Ranking What Was Really The Best Film Of Every Year 1990-2021

Actually won: The Artist.

Though not flawless, The Artist is an enveloping homage to the silent era of cinema, and based on its concept was almost guaranteed to win Best Picture, despite going up against the likes of The Descendants, Moneyball and Hugo.

None of these films would've felt out of place winning, but it's fellow nominee The Tree of Life that should have taken the award home. Often dismissed as pretentious, self-indulgent and indecipherable, Terence Malick's daring exploration through time, memory and tragedy is nonetheless an expert example of a filmmaker on top form.

Visually spectacular, deeply metaphorical and challenging, it was never going to win because of its unconventional drama, but would have deserved it for its daring alone. No one makes films like this, and it would've been nice to see the Academy honour Malick's vision.