Some years, the Academy seems to honor the greatest movies, while other years, they seem to make grave mistakes or oversights when presenting their esteemed honors.
Many in the film community agree that particular oversights are egregious, such as How Green Was My Valleywinning Best Picture overCitizen Kane,Crashwinning overBrokeback Mountain, andShakespeare in Lovewinning overSaving Private Ryan. Every movie lover has a list of what they believe should have won or at least scored a nomination. Here are some oversights that still sting.
1. The Aviator Winning Over Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Determining a winner in the artistic categories is subjective and complicated. The gorgeous cinematography forThe Aviatorfeatures a striking use of color, making the movie worthy of its win.
However, thePhantom of the Opera features breathtaking cinematography. From the dim catacombs to the silent beauty of a snowy cemetery or the sparkling stage of an opera house, John Mathieson's work has an incandescent radiance.
2. Pride & Prejudice Was Not Nominated (2006)
Look at a singlePride & Prejudice frame and see a pure work of art. Joe Wright's adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel adds beauty to the substance of the words spoken and to Roman Osin's cinematography.
He provides the film with a rich, luminous, and exquisite atmosphere. Yet, voters shut out this film in the category.
3. My Fair Lady Winning Over Mary Poppins (1965)
Even at the time they competed for the Oscar, critics considered Mary PoppinsandMy Fair Ladyrival films. A famous story involves the casting of Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle inMy Fair Lady instead of Julie Andrews, who originated the role on Broadway. Instead, Andrews landed the role of Mary Poppins and then went on to win Best Actress. Both films became widely successful and have die-hard fans to this day.
AlthoughMary Poppinswon five Oscars, it also lost quite a few toMy Fair Lady,including Best Picture.ButMary Poppinsis the better film overall, story-wise, musically, and visually. It also remains the beloved film 57 years later.
4. Joseph Cotton Was Not Nominated for Shadow of a Doubt (1944)
Anyone who has seen this classic Hitchco*ck noir film knows that Joseph Cotton gives a bone-chilling and nuanced performance. He portrays a man who visits his wholesome homespun family only for his sweet and adoring niece to begin to suspect he is, in fact, a murderer. As her suspicions grow, the suspense intensifies, and so does his performance as you see him shift from personable to unnerving to genuinely frightening.
Cotton's remarkable performance received no nomination that year. The year's nominees were Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Walter Pigeon, Mickey Rooney, and winner Paul Lukas, so deciding who Cotton would replace poses a significant challenge. Despite other fine performances, Cotton never received any Academy Award nominations.
5. Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman) Winning Over Robert Downey Jr. (Chaplin) (1993)
Sometimes, the Academy will give a “consolation award.” This happens when a well-respected actor or actress wins after a long string of winless nominations. Consequently, the actor wins for the wrong performance while the Academy short-changes the other nominees. In 1993, the talented Al Pacino won Best Actor for Scent of a Womanover the more worthy Robert Downey Jr. forChaplin.
Pacino had nabbed seven nominations previously and never took home the Oscar. Any of those would have been more respectable wins, particularly The Godfather Parts IandII,Serpico, orDog Day Afternoon. Is Pacino's performance good? Yes, of course. But Downey Jr. captures one of cinema's icons with superb accuracy. It feels like watching the real Chaplin. He also brings depth to the real man and the on-screen persona. It is arguably Downey's most outstanding performance and one that, without a doubt, should have been awarded the Oscar.
6. The Talented Mr. Ripley Was Not Nominated for Best Picture (2000)
This stylish, chilling, brilliantly acted, and gorgeously directed psychological thriller is one of 1999's best films. The film's five deserving Oscar nominations include Supporting Actor (Jude Law), Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction, Costume Design, and Original Score. However, the film did not garner a Best Picture nomination.
The question remains: Which of the nominated films (The Cider House Rules,The Insider,The Green Mile,The Sixth Sense, and that year's winner,American Beauty)unfairly nabbed Ripley'sspot? Therein often lies the problem. Still, no one can deny the quality of The Talented Mr. Ripley.
7. Ewan McGregor Was Not Nominated for Moulin Rouge (2002)
Moviegoers and the Academy praised Baz Luhrmann's musical Moulin Rouge, awarding it eight Oscars nominations and winning two. Voters nominated McGregor's costar Nicole Kidman for Best Actress. But they failed to recognize Ewan McGregor's spectacular and moving performance.
A better performance emerges with a great scene partner, which is the case with Kidman and McGregor. His acting, singing, comedic, and dramatic moments juxtapose parody and tragedy. Yet, the Academy didn't recognize his outstanding work.
8. Sean Penn (Mystic River) Winning Over Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean) (2004)
Comparing these two performances may seem unfair because they are wildly different. Academy voters, however, must judge comedic and dramatic roles equally. In 2004, the Academy went the safe route and chose Penn's moving and exceptional performance.
However, Penn has a more typical dramatic role. Comparatively, Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow gives a unique and enthralling performance. He subverts expectations, takes the traditional swashbuckler pirate role, and turns it on its head. Depp creates a character that is hilarious but also shrewd and savvy.
We can further argue that Bill Murray could've won over Penn for Lost In Translation. But Depp gave one of the most dynamic performances ever.
9. Amy Adams Not Nominated for Enchanted (2008)
Has any actor given a more delightful, effervescent performance in the past 20 years? Award shows often overlook comedic and mainstream performances. In fact, over the 93-year history of the Academy Awards, only three performances from Walt Disney Pictures won recognition: A Best Actress win for Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins, Johnny Depp's nomination forPirates of the Caribbean, and a special juvenile award for Hayley Mills inPollyanna.
Adams' performance as the animated would-be princess magically sent to New York City deserves recognition. She elevates the role beyond parody and into a well-rounded woman. Adams has six nominations to her name and has never won. Here's hoping another worthwhile performance comes along, and she finally takes home that Oscar.
10. Alfred Hitchco*ck Never Won Best Director
Alfred Hitchco*ck is known as the master of suspense. Many of his films won respect in their time, while others did not. A true auteur, his distinct style has inspired many other directors since. Still, Hitchco*ck never earned the coveted Best Director Oscar.
Surprisingly,Psycho,a groundbreaking film with creative, enthralling direction, lost to Billy Wilder'sThe Apartment. The latter, while excellent, features straightforward and less creative direction. Moreover, two of Hitchco*ck's finest films, Vertigo(which famously was not truly appreciated until years later) andNorth by Northwest, also failed to garner directing nominations.
Throughout his career, Hitchco*ck snagged nominations five times: Psycho,Rear Window,Spellbound,Lifeboat, andRebecca,all of which were worthy. Given Hitchco*ck's illustrious legacy, his not winning even once feels like one of the most significant Oscar oversights ever.
11. Ron Howard Not Getting Nominated for Apollo 13 (1996)
Nominating a movie for Best Picture, Sound, Editing, Screenplay, Art Direction, Visual Effects, Score, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress, but not Director, inspires confusion. The director leads and holds the film together.
Apollo 13 is a complex film by any stretch of the imagination. Howard's spectacular direction creates a gripping, exciting, and poignant film.
12. Wes Anderson Not Winning for Directing or Writing Until 2024
When a viewer looks at a single frame of any Wes Anderson film, he knows it's a Wes Anderson film. Anderson's work has a colorful, unique style. Such a distinct style might explain his lack of wins until this year.
For directing, he received a nomination for The Grand Budapest Hotel.ButMoonrise KingdomandThe Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou were also worthy of a nomination. Thankfully, he won Best Live Action Short for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar in 2024.
13. Stuart Craig Was Never Nominated for His Work on the Harry Potter Series
How did the academy overlook the beautiful, intricate design of the Harry Potter movies? TheHarry Potterfilms garnered 12 nominations, never winning a single one: a massive slight.
Stuart Craig earned four nominations for The Sorcerer's Stone,The Goblet of Fire,The Deathly Hallows: Part 1,and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Arguably, his best,Prisoner of Azkaban, was not nominated.
Maybe the family nature of the films or the steep competition year after year blocked Craig from winning. The only solace comes from the preserved sets fans can visit on the Harry Pottertour in London and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios, which Craig helped design. The Oscars came and went, but this world lives on in a tangible, magical way.
14. Jacqueline Durran (Anna Karenina) Winning Over Eiko Ishioka (Mirror Mirror) (2013)
The costumes forAnna Kareninaare beautiful, so this win isn't shocking. However,Mirror Mirror's costumes, designed by the late Eiko Ishioka, showed more creativity.
She accomplishes a near-impossible feat by creating beautiful and historically accurate period costumes, both fantastical and outlandish. Mirror Mirror divides audiences, but its costumes are masterpieces.
15. Matt Damon Was Not Nominated for the Talented Mr. Ripley (2000)
Matt Damon gives a chilling and unsettling performance as Tom Ripley, a mimic and master of disguise, even when making little change to his appearance. In truth, his sinister nature arises in how he ingratiates himself into the world of the wealthy under a sea of misapprehension.
Damon gives a memorable, layered, and frightening performance. Given the film's five other nominations, it baffles that voters overlooked this performance.
16. Jenny Beaven (Mad Max Fury Road) Winning Over Sandy Powell (Cinderella) (2016)
Comparing disparate films poses a difficult task, including their costumes. Each has merits, but Ella's massive, gorgeous ball gown felt like it deserved the Oscar.
Moreover, the colorful array of costumes worn by all of the characters inCinderella stuns viewers with their beauty and creativity. They feel unique but familiar, with designs that evoke fairy tales.
17. Tangled Was Not Nominated in 2011
The animated feature category can divide film fans. Additionally, unlike other categories, the number of nominees seems to change each year.
This inconsistency frustrates observers when voters shut out an incredible film like Tangled, which revitalized and usheredDisney into another glorious era of animation.
18. The Rocketeer Was Not Nominated in 1992
The score for The Rocketeer soars as audiences feel like they're flying alongside Cliff Secord. Perhaps the Academy wanted to nominate only one movie from Walt Disney Pictures.
That year, all the Academy love went to Beauty and the Beast. However, James Horner created one of his most brilliant and gorgeous scores for The Rocketeer.
19. Avengers: Endgame Was Not Nominated in 2020
Avengers: Endgame marked a notable accomplishment in the film industry. The movie only received a single nomination for Visual Effects. Still, the original score is the most disappointing omission.
Moreover, the “Avengers Theme ” has become one of the most recognizable pieces of cinematic music alongsideStar Wars, Indiana Jones, and others. Alan Silvestri's score deserves recognition if voters can nominate Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Readers should also note that the Academy did not select Silvestri's epic and evocative score for Back to the Futureeither. He's only garnered two nominations, making him one of the most underappreciated composers ever.
20. ‘Talk to the Animals' (Dr. Doolittle) Winning Over ‘The Bare Necessities' (Jungle Book) (1968)
The essentially spoken song performed by Rex Harrison has its charms, but can anyone say it's a better song than the jazzy Phil Harris crooned “Bare Necessities?” Would voters make the same decision today?
Considering that there is a live-action film of The Jungle Book now, it seems as though the song itself has a new life. Like a breath of fresh air.
21. ‘It Goes Like It Goes' (Norma Rae) Winning Over ‘Rainbow Connection' (The Muppet Movie) (1980)
The old proverb says hindsight is 20/20. 1980's race would astonish audiences today. The underwhelming “It Goes Like It Goes” features no lyrical quality or timeless feel. Contrast it with “The Rainbow Connection.”
That song has a poignant message, lovely lyrics, and a quality that has made it one of the most beloved songs ever written. Even when factoring in nostalgia and hindsight, this year's win still baffles.
22. ‘Sooner or Later' Winning Over ‘Somewhere in My Memory' (1991)
Choosing between these two songs showcases style over substance.D*ck Tracy's stylish “Sooner or Later” has a classic standard and sultry 40s feel.
The beautiful tune “Somewhere in My Memory” evokes feelings of family and warmth with simple but touching lyrics. Both songs are beautifully executed, but which one has become a standard?
23. ‘You Must Love Me' (Evita) Winning Over ‘Because You Loved Me' (Up Close and Personal) And ‘That Thing You Do' (That Thing You Do!) (1997)
It's incredible how the moving “Because You Loved Me” or the endlessly catchy and effervescent “That Thing You Do” could have both lost to the mediocre “You Must Love Me.”
In this case, it seems like voters went for the popular choice and not the best song. This is a reoccurring theme seen throughout Hollywood and what's “in” versus what has more merit.
24. ‘I See the Light' (Tangled) Losing to ‘We Belong Together' (Toy Story 3) (2011)
Does anyone remember the song from Toy Story 3? Compared toTangled'slantern scene's glorious, lilting nature, where the music builds to a glorious romantic crescendo, how could “I See The Light” have lost?
“I See the Light” has become one of Disney's most beloved songs and plays daily in various Disney Parks worldwide. Unlike the quintessential Toy Story Song “You've Got a Friend in Me,” “We Belong Together” doesn't linger. Once again, the Academy voted for a film rather than a better song. However, Tangled'sbeautiful gem remains a favorite for Disney fans everywhere.
