Best Picture Winners In Chronological Order
I thought I'd compile a chronological list of the Best Pictures, of which I've seen them all, and my numbers, and a little blurb, if I so care to add one. Here goes!
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- DirectorF.W. MurnauStarsGeorge O'BrienJanet GaynorMargaret LivingstonA sophisticated city woman seduces a farmer and convinces him to murder his wife and join her in the city, but he ends up rekindling his romance with his wife when he changes his mind at the last moment.7/10
While good, I didn't love this one. The acting is good, but the pacing, and overall idea, isn't great. I don't know - it felt a little hokey. - DirectorWilliam A. WellmanHarry d'Abbadie d'ArrastStarsClara BowCharles 'Buddy' RogersRichard ArlenTwo young men, one rich, one middle class, who are in love with the same woman, become fighter pilots in World War I.7/10
Good war film. The battle scenes are really good, though the visuals weren't exciting in the edition I watched. Still, it's good. - DirectorHarry BeaumontStarsBessie LoveAnita PageCharles KingA pair of sisters from the vaudeville circuit try to make it big time on Broadway, but matters of the heart complicate the attempt.6/10
Boring, but not horrible. I've seen better. - DirectorLewis MilestoneStarsLew AyresLouis WolheimJohn WrayA German youth eagerly enters World War I, but his enthusiasm wanes as he gets a firsthand view of the horror.10/10!
This movie is awesome! I love everything about it. There's downtime for the soldiers, home time for the soldiers, and some of the best battle scenes ever for the soldiers. I can see inspiration gained from this film's battle scenes. They're great. All Quiet on the Western Front is my second favourite Best Picture winner. - DirectorWesley RugglesStarsRichard DixIrene DunneEstelle TaylorA newspaper editor settles in an Oklahoma boom town with his reluctant wife at the end of the nineteenth century.5/10
Rather boring. Bleh. - DirectorEdmund GouldingStarsGreta GarboJohn BarrymoreJoan CrawfordA group of very different individuals staying at a luxurious hotel in Berlin deal with each of their respective dramas.8/10
Interesting character drama. The characters interacted very well, and it flows nicely, but I have no intention of watching it again. Grand Hotel was fine for a watch, but I'm not invested enough to watch it a lot. I do find it amusing that this film was nominated for one Oscar - Best Picture, and it won. - DirectorFrank LloydStarsDiana WynyardClive BrookUna O'ConnorA portrayal of the triumphs and tragedies of two English families, the upper-crust Marryots and the working-class Bridgeses, from 1899 to 1933.6/10
Boring. I've seen worse, but I've seen loads better. - DirectorFrank CapraStarsClark GableClaudette ColbertWalter ConnollyA rogue reporter trailing a runaway heiress for a big story joins her on a bus heading from Florida to New York and they end up stuck with each other when the bus leaves them behind at one of the stops along the way.8/10
Very enjoyable. It Happened One Night is rather fluffy, but it's good fluff. I wouldn't mind watching this one again. - DirectorFrank LloydStarsCharles LaughtonClark GableFranchot ToneFirst mate Fletcher Christian leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh, in this classic seafaring adventure, based on the real-life 1789 mutiny.8/10
A little slow, but very well-acted and striking visually. The progression isn't incredibly strong, but Mutiny on the Bounty is a strong film. - DirectorRobert Z. LeonardStarsWilliam PowellMyrna LoyLuise RainerThe ups and downs of Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., famed producer of extravagant stage revues, are portrayed.4/10
It took me three tries to not fall asleep during this one. Yeah, it isn't good. Bleh. - DirectorWilliam DieterleStarsPaul MuniGale SondergaardJoseph SchildkrautThe biopic of the famous French muckraking writer and his involvement in fighting the injustice of the Dreyfus Affair.6/10
Why did they make a biopic based on a boring person? - DirectorFrank CapraStarsJean ArthurJames StewartLionel BarrymoreThe son of a snobbish Wall Street banker becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family not realizing that his father is trying to force her family from their home for a real estate development.8/10
Very enjoyable and charming. Surprisingly, James Stewart isn't the best part. I just can't remember the name of the main character who steals the show. I quite liked this one. - DirectorVictor FlemingGeorge CukorSam WoodStarsClark GableVivien LeighThomas MitchellA sheltered and manipulative Southern belle and a roguish profiteer face off in a turbulent romance as the society around them crumbles with the end of slavery and is rebuilt during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods.7/10
Everyone knows about this film, but not everyone wants to spend the four hours to watch it. I did, and I liked it well enough, but Gone with the Wind is a meandering and not great. I'd be okay if I never sought out this film again, but I'm glad I watched it. - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsLaurence OlivierJoan FontaineGeorge SandersA self-conscious woman juggles adjusting to her new role as an aristocrat's wife and avoiding being intimidated by his first wife's spectral presence.9/10
Hitchcock's only Best Picture winner, and I love it. Everything is great about this film. While not my favourite anything, I dig this film. - DirectorJohn FordStarsWalter PidgeonMaureen O'HaraAnna LeeAt the turn of the century in a Welsh mining village, the Morgans, he stern, she gentle, raise coal-mining sons and hope their youngest will find a better life.6/10
How boring was my film? This boring. - DirectorWilliam WylerStarsGreer GarsonWalter PidgeonTeresa WrightA British family struggles to survive the first months of World War II.7/10
A nice look at war at the home front. Not spectacular, and the ending is sad, but I liked Mrs. Miniver. - DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.8/10
Another film everyone knows! This film deserves its acclaim, but maybe not the exact amount. While I don't love this film, as many seem to do, I dig it. Bogart is good, but Bergman is my favourite part. - DirectorLeo McCareyStarsBing CrosbyBarry FitzgeraldFrank McHughWhen young Father O'Malley arrives at St. Dominic's, old Father Fitzgibbon doesn't think much of the church's newest member.7/10
Not bad, but not great, either. I liked the cast, but I wasn't too into the story. Still, there are worse. - DirectorBilly WilderStarsRay MillandJane WymanPhillip TerryThe desperate life of a chronic alcoholic is followed through a four-day drinking bout.5/10
Slow and boring. I got tired of his incessant drinking after about half an hour. I wanted to watch something else. - DirectorWilliam WylerStarsMyrna LoyDana AndrewsFredric MarchThree World War II veterans, two of them traumatized or disabled, return home to the American midwest to discover that they and their families have been irreparably changed.7/10
Not a lot happens in this film. It was nice to see a war film focused on returning vets, but it was just kind of there, and not spectacular. - DirectorElia KazanStarsGregory PeckDorothy McGuireJohn GarfieldA reporter pretends to be Jewish in order to cover a story on anti-Semitism, and personally discovers the true depths of bigotry and hatred.7/10
Well-acted, good drama, and strong writing, but not my type of film. I liked this here film, but I wasn't in love with any of it. Still, there are plenty of worse films to watch. - DirectorLaurence OlivierStarsLaurence OlivierJean SimmonsJohn LauriePrince Hamlet struggles over whether or not he should kill his uncle, whom he suspects has murdered his father, the former king.8/10
Quite good, quite good. I liked Olivier's adaption of my favourite Shakespeare play. I liked this a fair amount. I liked how Olivier kept everything in the same place and time, and I knew he would have trimmed a lot, which didn't really affect its quality. - DirectorRobert RossenStarsBroderick CrawfordJohn IrelandJoanne DruThe rise and fall of a corrupt politician, who makes his friends richer and retains power by dint of a populist appeal.9/10
I was hesitant to even watch this because it sounded horrible, but I loved All the King's Men the first time I watched it. Not sure why, really, but it's just awesome. Everything works from the dialogue to the editing. It's just excellent. My third-favourite Best Picture winner. - DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczStarsBette DavisAnne BaxterGeorge SandersA seemingly timid but secretly ruthless ingénue insinuates herself into the lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of theater friends.7/10
Well-written, but my praise doesn't go much farther. I suppose All about Eve isn't horrible or a waste of time, but I wasn't that impressed. It has some good aspects, but some poor ones. I don't really want to revisit this, but it isn't bad - just not my thing. - DirectorVincente MinnelliStarsGene KellyLeslie CaronOscar LevantThree friends struggle to find work in Paris. Things become more complicated when two of them fall in love with the same woman.8/10
I'm not surprised a 50s musical won Best Picture, especially this one. I quite liked it. While not a favourite, An American in Paris is a good watch. Far from perfect, it's entertaining. - DirectorCecil B. DeMilleStarsJames StewartCharlton HestonBetty HuttonThe dramatic lives of trapeze artists, a clown, and an elephant trainer are told against a background of circus spectacle.5/10
Unfortunately, the title and quality don't match. This is not the greatest show anywhere, let alone all of Earth. It's boring and poorly made. Bleh. - DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsBurt LancasterMontgomery CliftDeborah KerrAt a U.S. Army base in 1941 Hawaii, a private is cruelly punished for not boxing on his unit's team, while his commanding officer's wife and top aide begin a tentative affair.8/10
A war film! Hurrah! It's great. Everyone did a good job on this film, and I don't just mean the cast. The crew helped make a great film. I just don't love it as much as others. Still, it's worth watching a few times. - DirectorElia KazanStarsMarlon BrandoKarl MaldenLee J. CobbAn ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims.6/10
Boring. Shabby acting. Meandering pace. Lackluster plot. Not great. - DirectorDelbert MannStarsErnest BorgnineBetsy BlairEsther MinciottiA middle-aged butcher and a school teacher who have given up on the idea of love meet at a dance and fall for each other.7/10
A charming little film with no more than fluff, but it's good fluff. Borgnine did a good job as the social outcast, and the writing isn't bad, but it's rather shallow. - DirectorMichael AndersonJohn FarrowStarsDavid NivenCantinflasFinlay CurrieA Victorian Englishman bets that with the new steamships and railways he can circumnavigate the globe in eighty days.6/10
Has it ended yet? No? Crap. How about now? It's still going? I have to endure another two hours of nothing but empty, pretty pictures? That's how I felt watching this. It's not bad, but it was slow and boring, and nothing more than fluff. - DirectorDavid LeanStarsWilliam HoldenAlec GuinnessJack HawkinsBritish POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it.8/10
Another great war film! Hurrah! I saw this before I sought the list, but I wouldn't mind getting on DVD or Blu-ray. It's very, very good. It's great from all angles. - DirectorVincente MinnelliCharles WaltersStarsLeslie CaronMaurice ChevalierLouis JourdanWeary of the conventions of Parisian society, a rich playboy and a youthful courtesan-in-training enjoy a platonic friendship which may not stay platonic for long.5/10
It's a cure for insomnia! Pretty pictures, boring everything else. - DirectorWilliam WylerStarsCharlton HestonJack HawkinsStephen BoydAfter a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.8/10
Yes, the chariot race is great, and I'd say the best part of the film, but it's certainly not the only good part. A little long, but Ben-Hur is another great one. Finding time to watch it is the toughest part. - DirectorBilly WilderStarsJack LemmonShirley MacLaineFred MacMurrayA Manhattan insurance clerk tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.8/10
Entertaining, if silly, and fluffy. Fluff isn't bad, and this proves it. I enjoyed Lemmon the most, as I think we were supposed to do. It's a solid film, if not a favourite. - DirectorJerome RobbinsRobert WiseStarsNatalie WoodGeorge ChakirisRichard BeymerTwo youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.9/10
This film works on a lot of levels. It's an interesting update on Romeo and Juliet. - DirectorDavid LeanStarsPeter O'TooleAlec GuinnessAnthony QuinnThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.9/10
An excellent film. The second half is a little big of a slog, though still quite good, but I love the first half. Lawrence of Arabia has always been near the top of my favourites list. It's awesome. My 4th favourite Best Picture winner. - DirectorTony RichardsonStarsAlbert FinneySusannah YorkGeorge DevineThe romantic and chivalrous adventures of adopted bastard Tom Jones in 18th-century England.7/10
Another fluffy film, and another good fluffy film. Finney was quite entertaining, but there's not a lot of substance here. Oh, well. - DirectorGeorge CukorStarsAudrey HepburnRex HarrisonStanley HollowayIn 1910s London, snobbish phonetics professor Henry Higgins agrees to a wager that he can make crude flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, presentable in high society.8/10
Entertaining as an entertaining thing. It's very-well made and entertaining. I liked the songs and acting and writing. It's really good. - DirectorRobert WiseStarsJulie AndrewsChristopher PlummerEleanor ParkerA young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.7/10
Not amazing, but good and worth watching. I like things set in World War II, and this is, and is good. Not bad, not bad. - DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsPaul ScofieldWendy HillerRobert ShawThe story of Sir Thomas More, who stood up to King Henry VIII when the King rejected the Roman Catholic Church to obtain a divorce and remarry.6/10
Kind of boring. I didn't enjoy it. - DirectorNorman JewisonStarsSidney PoitierRod SteigerWarren OatesA black Philadelphia police detective is mistakenly suspected of a local murder while passing through a racially hostile Mississippi town, and after being cleared is reluctantly asked by the police chief to investigate the case.9/10
An excellent murder mystery, with some social undertones. I like how they never drop the N-word because of censorship, but the writers found other ways for the racists to be racist. - DirectorCarol ReedStarsMark LesterRon MoodyShani WallisAfter being sold to a mortician, young orphan Oliver Twist runs away and meets a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor in 1830s London.7/10
I know it's a controversial winner because of 2001: A Space Odyssey, but, and I know I'm in the minority here, I think Oliver! is better. It's not boring, unlike 2001: A Space Odyssey. - DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsDustin HoffmanJon VoightSylvia MilesA naive hustler travels from Texas to New York City to seek personal fortune, finding a new friend in the process.5/10
Boring, boring, and boring. I didn't care about anything or what would happen to anyone. It's bland as toast. - DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsGeorge C. ScottKarl MaldenStephen YoungThe World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton.8/10
Not the best-made film, but it's still great. George C. Scott is great as General George S. Patton, and the rest is solid, too. Great stuff. - DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsGene HackmanRoy ScheiderFernando ReyA pair of NYPD detectives in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a heroin smuggling ring based in Marseilles, but stopping them and capturing their leaders proves an elusive goal.8/10
Yet another controversial winner because of its competition with a Stanley Kubrick film, but it's, yet again, better than the Kubrick film in question. French Connection is quite entertaining, and well-deserving of its praise. - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.5/10
I hated everybody in this, and no one had a good performance. It's boring as a boring thing, and just sloppy. I lost interest about twenty minutes into it, which is bad because it's three hours long. Ugh. - DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordRobert ShawTwo grifters team up to pull off the ultimate con.9/10
Super awesome. It's cleverer than a lot of films, and just flows. Everyone did a great job, and I never tire of it. Awesome. - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.4/10
Worse than the first, which is bad because it is. It is so freaking boring. I lost interest ten minutes into it, which isn't good with a film 200 minutes long. It's a cure for insomnia. Boring. - DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.8/10
Quite like this one. It's not complicated, but it's very well-done. I really enjoyed it, and everyone did a good job. Good stuff. - DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungA small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.7/10
Eh, not great. Good, but not great. I don't much like the gangster stuff. The boxing was okay I guess, but I don't get the desire to watch two dudes beat each other up. - DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenDiane KeatonTony RobertsAlvy Singer, a divorced Jewish comedian, reflects on his relationship with ex-lover Annie Hall, an aspiring nightclub singer, which ended abruptly just like his previous marriages.3/10
Horrible. Absolutely horrible. None of the jokes were funny, nothing was written well, no one could act, and it just didn't work. It's awful. - DirectorMichael CiminoStarsRobert De NiroChristopher WalkenJohn CazaleAn in-depth examination of the ways in which the Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of several friends in a small steel mill town in Pennsylvania.2/10
When you make a movie about the Vietnam War, don't forget to go to Vietnam more than twice. This movie is one of the worst I've ever seen. Not only did I hate the writing, pacing, look, editing, and acting, it is one of the most boring movies ever. I hate everything about this film. - DirectorRobert BentonStarsDustin HoffmanMeryl StreepJane AlexanderAfter his wife leaves him, a work-obsessed Manhattan advertising executive is forced to learn long-neglected parenting skills, but a heated custody battle over the couple's young son deepens the wounds left by the separation.6/10
Not bad, but kind of boring. I was bored about half an hour through, but at least I didn't suffer as much as I did with the Godfather films. Still, I have to say ugh. - DirectorRobert RedfordStarsDonald SutherlandMary Tyler MooreJudd HirschThe accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father and the guilt-ridden younger son.5/10
Ordinary people, average movie. Boring people, lame writing. Just bland. - DirectorHugh HudsonStarsBen CrossIan CharlesonNicholas FarrellTwo British track athletes, one a determined Jew and the other a devout Christian, are driven to win in the 1924 Olympics as they wrestle with issues of pride and conscience.8/10
Very nice film. It's smooth and solid. Great stuff. - DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsBen KingsleyJohn GielgudRohini HattangadiThe life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.7/10
It's a little long, but it's not bad. I knew what happened, but I was still interested in how it happened. Not very strong, but not too weak, either. - DirectorJames L. BrooksStarsShirley MacLaineDebra WingerJack NicholsonFollows hard-to-please Aurora looking for love and her daughter's family problems.6/10
Unfortunately, I have none for this film. It's kind of boring, and not well-made. It's not too bad, but it's too great, either. Oh, well. - DirectorMilos FormanStarsF. Murray AbrahamTom HulceElizabeth BerridgeThe life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as told by Antonio Salieri, the contemporaneous composer who was deeply jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him.8/10
Very well-made and entertaining. Not a masterpiece, but a very good film. I have seen it a couple times, and it's quite good. I enjoyed it. - DirectorSydney PollackStarsMeryl StreepRobert RedfordKlaus Maria BrandauerIn 20th-century colonial Kenya, a Danish baroness/plantation owner has a passionate love affair with a free-spirited big-game hunter.4/10
If this is all that came out of Africa, it must be a very boring place. This movie is bad, mostly because it's super boring. Yawn. - DirectorOliver StoneStarsCharlie SheenTom BerengerWillem DafoeChris Taylor, a neophyte recruit in Vietnam, finds himself caught in a battle of wills between two sergeants, one good and the other evil. A shrewd examination of the brutality of war and the duality of man in conflict.8/10
Another great war film! I dig it. I think Charlie Sheen wanted to be Daddy Sheen in this film, but Martin Sheen did a better job. Still, Sheen's support is great, and it's a strong film. Good stuff. - DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsJohn LoneJoan ChenPeter O'TooleBernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning dramatisation of the life story of China's last emperor, Pu Yi.6/10
The last time I watched this will be the last time I subject myself to this man of power. Boring and slow, though pretty-looking. - DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsDustin HoffmanTom CruiseValeria GolinoAfter a selfish L.A. yuppie learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother in Ohio that he didn't know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.7/10
Cruise is really annoying in this film, but I liked Hoffman and Golino. A good film, but not one I plan on watching again. - DirectorBruce BeresfordStarsMorgan FreemanJessica TandyDan AykroydAn old Jewish woman and her African-American chauffeur in the American South have a relationship that grows and improves over the years.7/10
Entertaining, but not very deep. It's a nice little film, but it's not all that complex or philosophical. - DirectorKevin CostnerStarsKevin CostnerMary McDonnellGraham GreeneLieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, finds himself engaging with a neighbouring Sioux settlement, causing him to question his own purpose.7/10
Another controversial winner, but this time because of Scorsese's Goodfellas, which I actually hated. Dances with Wolves, while not perfect, is a solid picture, and I quite liked it. - DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.7/10
Rather brutal, but still a good murder mystery. It's a little disturbing in spots, and almost the epitome of a antithesis to a typical Best Picture winner. - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodGene HackmanMorgan FreemanRetired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner Ned Logan and a young man, The "Schofield Kid."8/10
Another western with Eastwood? Count me in to watch this! It's great, and unforgiving, as the title implies. Not my favourite anything (well, maybe my favourite western from 1992) (or movie directed by Eastwood), but I quite like it. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLiam NeesonRalph FiennesBen KingsleyIn German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.8/10
A depressing film, but a wonderful film all the same. I study history as a hobby, and love Spielberg, so this is right up my alley, and it didn't disappoint. A strong film. - DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsTom HanksRobin WrightGary SiniseThe history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.7/10
Forrest Gump is full of convenience, but it's still entertaining. It's all solid and well-done, but it's not really a favourite. Still, I enjoyed Forrest Gump, but I haven't the desire to watch it again. - DirectorMel GibsonStarsMel GibsonSophie MarceauPatrick McGoohanScottish warrior William Wallace leads his countrymen in a rebellion to free his homeland from the tyranny of King Edward I of England.6/10
I dug the first half, but the second half turned into a whole lot of film that couldn't keep me awake. It's kind of boring in a lot of spots, but it's not really horrible. It's just kind of lame. - DirectorAnthony MinghellaStarsRalph FiennesJuliette BinocheWillem DafoeAt the close of World War II, a young nurse tends to a badly burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair.7/10
It's more about the romance than the war, which is fine, because I like seeing people in films being people. It is a little long, and takes its time, but English Patient isn't bad. It requires British patience. Haha! - DirectorJames CameronStarsLeonardo DiCaprioKate WinsletBilly ZaneA seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.7/10
It's actually pretty funny in spots, but, naturally, I just wanted to watch the ship sink, and I got the bonus of seeing Kate Winslet naked, though not much is seen. It's a movie that's just... there. It doesn't really do anything. It's just fluff. - DirectorJohn MaddenStarsGwyneth PaltrowJoseph FiennesGeoffrey RushThe world's greatest ever playwright, William Shakespeare, is young, out of ideas and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.7/10
The first of the major "Why didn't that movie win!" controversy-laden winners with which I disagree. I love Saving Private Ryan, but not this. Now, Shakespeare in Love is serviceable entertainment, but it's rather empty and not too engaging. I enjoyed it, sure, but it could have been a lot better. - DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.6/10
That was weird, and not in a good way. It was just kind of boring, and not written all that well. It's a little disturbing in spots, especially the main story of Kevin Spacey falling in love with a 16-year old. - DirectorRidley ScottStarsRussell CroweJoaquin PhoenixConnie NielsenA former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.8/10
I understand it's based on a true story, but the story was modified a whole bunch for the film, which happens a lot with sword-and-sandal films. Gladiator is a good one, though. It's very strong in all aspects, but it isn't quite a favourite. I need to rewatch it sometime, though. - DirectorRon HowardStarsRussell CroweEd HarrisJennifer ConnellyA mathematical genius, John Nash made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.8/10
I know a lot of people hate this movie, but I dug it. It's very good. It has everything going for it, except being excellent. I do like the film, but it doesn't really excel at anything. - DirectorRob MarshallStarsRenée ZellwegerCatherine Zeta-JonesRichard GereTwo death-row murderesses develop a fierce rivalry while competing for publicity, celebrity, and a sleazy lawyer's attention.8/10
Another controversial win, and another with which I agree. This is much more focused, and much more entertaining, than Pianist. Sure, this movie is fluffier than Pianist, and they'll forever be compared, even though they aren't really comparable, but I enjoyed it more. - DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.7/10
It takes too long to end, but it's a good film. I'll never understand the whole, "It's the best movie ever!" critique, but it is a good film. - DirectorClint EastwoodStarsHilary SwankClint EastwoodMorgan FreemanFrankie, an ill-tempered old coach, reluctantly agrees to train aspiring boxer Maggie. Impressed with her determination and talent, he helps her become the best and the two soon form a close bond.7/10
It was great, and then the ending happened, which I hated, and I knocked it down the totem pole a bit. It's not bad, but the ending is horrible, and kind of ruined it. - DirectorPaul HaggisStarsDon CheadleSandra BullockThandiwe NewtonLos Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption.5/10
I'm not sure if "crash" meant the crash in the film or the fact it crashes and burns into a mess. It's not bad, and I can't speak to the controversy because I haven't seen Brokeback Mountain, but it could have been better if it wasn't so mediocre. - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioMatt DamonJack NicholsonAn undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.5/10
A sympathy win for Scorsese, and I want sympathy for being subjected to this dreck. I can't stand Scorsese's films, and this doesn't help at all. They're all jerks to each other, and it's just boring. I didn't like it. - DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsTommy Lee JonesJavier BardemJosh BrolinViolence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and over two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.10/10
Bound! This film is superb. Everything works, and does it excellently. No Country for Old Men is just awesome at every turn. I love everything about this film, especially the (controversial) ending. This is my #2 Best Picture winner. My biggest complaint is that the book is better, and some detail got lost in translation (like why Anton didn't just shoot Llewelyn in the truck), and it brought it down a bit. It's an excellent film, but it's hard for me to not prefer Korean films. - DirectorDanny BoyleLoveleen TandanStarsDev PatelFreida PintoSaurabh ShuklaA teenager from the slums of Mumbai becomes a contestant on the show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati?' When interrogated under suspicion of cheating, he revisits his past, revealing how he had all the answers.3/10
Crap. Crap crap crap. Everything about this film is crap. I hated all of it. I don't rate it lower because I can't remember everything that happened (I try to forget horrible films' details), and because it isn't long enough to be super boring for five hours, like Deer Hunter. Awful. - DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJeremy RennerAnthony MackieBrian GeraghtyDuring the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.9/10
This film is awesome. It does an excellent job at showing how the modern soldier does his soldiering, though I haven't actually fought in a war (I'm not allowed). It's tense as tense can be, and it's very well-made. It's awesome. - DirectorTom HooperStarsColin FirthGeoffrey RushHelena Bonham CarterThe story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.8/10
A simple film, but it works quite well. Everyone, especially Rush, does a great acting job, and the writing is strong. It's a little plain in direction and composition, but it's a good film. This is another controversy with which I agree - it's better than the horrible Social Network. - DirectorMichel HazanaviciusStarsJean DujardinBérénice BejoJohn GoodmanWhen George, a silent movie superstar, meets Peppy Miller, a dancer, sparks fly between the two. However, after the introduction of talking pictures, their fortunes change, affecting their dynamic.7/10
It sounded great, but it isn't. It's good, but I wasn't overly impressed. It doesn't really do anything wrong, so much as it doesn't excel at anything. Artist is a charming film, but I wasn't too impressed. - DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.7/10
A neat idea, but the dialogue isn't very strong, nor is the acting. It's just a little sloppy, and not the tightest film. Argo is enjoyable, but it missed its potential. - DirectorSteve McQueenStarsChiwetel EjioforMichael Kenneth WilliamsMichael FassbenderIn the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.5/10
It was a "politically correct" film to have win. I didn't like this at all, and I'm not racist. I'm just blandfilmist. If it was better at every aspect, it wouldn't have been so bland. - DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsMichael KeatonZach GalifianakisEdward NortonA washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.3/10
This movie hurt my brain. It's horrible. Nothing worked. I wanted it to end after the first scene... shot... thing. It sucks. I hate it. - DirectorTom McCarthyStarsMark RuffaloMichael KeatonRachel McAdamsThe true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.9/10
Awesome film. It's very dialogue-driven, though that is far from an inherently bad thing. I loved the script and performances, which are the two main driving forces of the film. Spotlight felt a lot like Big Short in style and progression, though not quite as awesome. Can't go wrong with either, really. - DirectorBarry JenkinsStarsMahershala AliNaomie HarrisTrevante RhodesA young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.3/10
It sucks. Hardly anything happened, and I didn't care when it did. This movie is horrible. Stupid PC-shaming... - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsSally HawkinsOctavia SpencerMichael ShannonAt a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.N/S yet. I will get to it ASAP.
- DirectorPeter FarrellyStarsViggo MortensenMahershala AliLinda CardelliniA working-class Italian-American bouncer becomes the driver for an African-American classical pianist on a tour of venues through the 1960s American South.8/10
I finally got to this movie and I enjoyed it. It's easy to follow with some good drama and some good comedy. The title, at first, made little sense, but it's explained early in the film, and it goes from there. It's enjoyable. - DirectorBong Joon HoStarsSong Kang-hoLee Sun-kyunCho Yeo-jeongGreed and class discrimination threaten the newly-formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.10/10
Parasite is bonkers, and it's also awesome. I know I initially typed I didn't like the ending, nor that I wanted to watch it again, but I changed my mind, watched it again, and loved it. It's a wild ride, and the ending is actually fitting. I love it loads, and I'm glad a Korean film won Best Picture. It's my #1 Best Picture. - DirectorChloé ZhaoStarsFrances McDormandDavid StrathairnLinda MayA woman in her sixties, after losing everything in the Great Recession, embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.N/S
- DirectorSian HederStarsEmilia JonesMarlee MatlinTroy KotsurAs a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her passion at Berklee College of Music and her fear of abandoning her parents.8/10
Pretty good film. It doesn't really excel at anything, but it's well done and worth watching. I doubt I'd watch it again on my own though. - DirectorDaniel KwanDaniel ScheinertStarsMichelle YeohStephanie HsuJamie Lee CurtisA middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.