Oscars 2023: Famous Movies That Never Won Best Picture Oscars

The ceremonies of the Oscar awards They are very tense nights. All directors, producers, actors and the moviegoing public are eagerly waiting for the presenters to announce that their film was the winner.

The excitement and anticipation increase when the biggest prize of the night is announced: the Oscar for best picture, which most years generates confusion or feelings of unfairness for all the other nominated films that did not win the award.

There are films that have been so iconic in the world of cinema that the public still does not understand how they did not win the Oscar. Here are some famous movies that were nominated but didn’t win.

Raging Bull (1980)

The film directed by Martin Scorsese tells the story of a young boxer who trains hard with the help of his brother and manager. Robert De Niro stars in this thrilling biopic that blends action and drama, just as it happens in the ring.

De Niro won the best actor Oscar for his portrayal of Jake La Motta, but the best picture award that year went to “Ordinary People,” directed by Robert Redford.

The Godfather III (1990)

The last of the trilogy of films about an Italian mafia family did not win an Oscar. In this film, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) deals with the consequences of his actions through his family, showing a more vulnerable side of the actor who stood out in The Godfather III.

But the film directed by Francis Ford Coppola was beaten in 1990 by “Dances with Wolves” by Kevin Costner.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Pulp Fiction is, for many, the most representative film of Quentin Tarantino. The story of crime, drama and passion is highlighted by the non-chronological script structure and an experienced cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman and Bruce Willis.

Although it has many memorable scenes, and a spectacular soundtrack, the film lost the Oscar to Robert Zemeckis’ “Forrest Gump.” It was a tough decision for the Academy, but many still wonder why Pulp Fiction didn’t win.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

A work by Steven Spielberg, emotional as most of his films, tells the story of American soldiers who embark on a mission to rescue Private Ryan after landing in Normandy in World War II.

“Shakespeare in Love”, the John Madden film, beat this film in 1998.

The Pianist (2003)

Another World War II movie makes the list. It is about The Pianist, by Roman Polanski, which follows the musician Władysław Szpilman, who managed to survive the Holocaust.

Adrien Brody dove into the role of Szpilman and delivered a moving performance, but that wasn’t enough to win him the statuette. “Chicago,” a musical directed by Rob Marshall, won it.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

The love story that Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger starred in this film continues to impact viewers today. They played two cowboys who fall in love while herding sheep in Wyoming, but must keep their romance a secret.

Not everyone agreed with the Academy’s decision to award the Best Picture award that year to Paul Haggis’ “Crash.”

The Black Swan (2010)

Although Natalie Portman took the Best Actress statuette for her role as a talented dancer who gradually begins to see herself consumed by the pressure and crisis of being the best, the film did not win the biggest award of the night. Both its director, Darren Aronofsky, and the cast were disappointed with the awards decision to announce ‘The King’s Speech’ as ​​the winner.

La La Land: City of Dreams (2017)

Watching La La Land is not for the faint of heart. The story of the relationship between Mia and Sebastian keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the film, which features excellent performances from Emma Stone and Rian Gosling. Damien Chazelle, the film’s director, plays with the fate of the couple in this absorbing musical.

But the judges who choose the winning film didn’t consider it worthy of Best Picture, so they awarded this theme to Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight.

Rome (2018)

Director Alfonso Cuarón’s film was a controversial nomination. The semi-autobiographical film presents the story of Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a domestic worker in charge of raising the children of a couple in the Roma neighborhood.

But Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” ended up taking the statuette that night.

Can you think of any other film that deserved to win an Oscar? (AND)