10 Oscar-Nominated Films That Aged Way Better Than the Winner (2025)

The Academy Awards are widely accepted as the most important and influential awards body in the film industry, marking some of the most critically and commercially successful films of the year and celebrating the art of cinema. Though the nominees and winners are selected by a wide panel of voters from across the industry, sometimes it is easy to look back and see the flaws in the Academy's decisions.

Often, movies that win Best Picture at the Oscars do not hold up nearly as well as some of their fellow nominees. Over the years, audience and critical opinions have shifted, and many believe that different films should have won the Academy Awards' top prize.

10 This Classic Film Is Much More Recognizable Than the Winner

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

The start of what is considered the best trilogy of films ever made, Raiders of the Lost Ark is possibly the most influential action-adventure film of the last few decades, the film that truly cemented Harrison Ford as one of the greatest movie stars of all time. The film has become one of the most iconic movies of the 1980s, an action spectacle featuring some of the best stunts, music and cinematography of any movie ever made.

Raiders of the Lost Ark was nominated for Best Picture at the 54th Academy Awards but lost to Chariots of Fire, a sports period piece about a pair of British Olympic athletes from the 1920s. Though the film is still remembered for its iconic score by composer Vangelis and is one of only 10 non-American films to win Best Picture, the movie barely registers in the public consciousness today, certainly far less than the iconic fedora and whip-wielding Indiana Jones.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

PG

Action

Adventure

In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Director

Steven Spielberg

Release Date

June 12, 1981

Cast

Harrison Ford , Karen Allen , Paul Freeman , John Rhys-Davies , Ronald Lacey , Denholm Elliott

Writers

Lawrence Kasdan , George Lucas , Philip Kaufman

Runtime

1 hour 55 minutes

Main Genre

Adventure

Production Company

Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm

9 Robin Williams' Performance Is Better Than Any Part of This Year's Winner

Dead Poets Society (1989)

Driving Miss Daisy's Best Picture win is considered one of the most controversial in the history of the Academy Awards, namely for the film's laughably simplistic depiction of racism in America. Much of the controversy surrounding the film's win stems from the more iconic movies that were not even nominated that year, namely movies like Do The Right Thing and Glory, which feature far stronger representations of bigotry against Black Americans.

But of the nominees from the 62nd Academy Awards, the far and away most culturally relevant and emotionally resonant film is Dead Poets Society, about a group of teenage boys at a boarding school in the 1950s who are inspired by a teacher who shows them the true value of art and poetry. Robin Williams' iconic performance as John Keating is one of the best of the 1980s and has held up far better than any of the performances in Driving Miss Daisy.

Dead Poets Society

PG

Drama

Documentary

A new English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams), is introduced to an all-boys preparatory school that is known for its ancient traditions and high standards. He uses unorthodox methods to reach out to his students, who face enormous pressures from their parents and the school. With Keating's help, students Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) and others learn to break out of their shells, pursue their dreams and seize the day.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Director

Peter Weir

See Also

Five films that could win best picture

Release Date

June 2, 1989

Cast

Robin Williams , Robert Sean Leonard , Ethan Hawke , Josh Charles , Gale Hansen , Dylan Kussman

Writers

Tom Schulman

Runtime

128 minutes

Budget

$16.4 million

Studio(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

8 The Definitive Movie About the Vietnam War Deserved Best Picture

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Having picked up the top prize at the Academy Awards two times in the 1970s for both The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, it probably seemed fair that the Oscars did not hand over the Best Picture prize to Francis Ford Coppola again at the end of the decade. But Apocalypse Now deserved to win Best Picture, standing the test of time as one of the best war films ever made and the most impactful movie about the horrors of the Vietnam War.

With the war in Vietnam still fresh in the public's mind, the film was likely too politically charged for the often conservative Academy, who opted to award divorce drama Kramer vs. Kramer Best Picture. And while the movie is still notable for the excellent performances of its two leads, Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep, its once risqué depiction of the effects of divorce now feels cliché to modern audiences.

Apocalypse Now

R

Drama

War

Mystery

A U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Director

Francis Ford Coppola

Release Date

August 15, 1979

Studio

Cast

Marlon Brando , Martin Sheen , Robert Duvall , Frederic Forrest , Sam Bottoms , Laurence Fishburne

Writers

Joseph Conrad , John Milius , Francis Ford Coppola , Michael Herr

Runtime

147 minutes

Main Genre

War

Production Company

Budget

$31.5 million

Studio(s)

United Artists

Distributor(s)

United Artists

7 This Classic Blockbuster Holds up Far Better Than Its Problematic Competitor

Star Wars (1977)

The 50th Academy Awards, featuring nominations for iconic movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Saturday Night Fever, was effectively dominated by two films, both of which were huge critical and financial successes in 1977. Star Wars and Annie Hall racked up the vast majority of the Oscars that year, with Star Wars picking up most of the technical awards, while Annie Hall dominated in categories like Best Picture and Best Director.

But the legacy of Annie Hall has been marred by the allegations against director and star Woody Allen, who has been accused of sexual abuse numerous times over the last few decades. As Annie Hall's cultural relevance waned, the impact of Star Wars has only grown, turning into a multi-billion dollar film franchise that continues to flex its cultural impact to this day.

9

10

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

PG

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Fantasy

A young farm boy named Luke Skywalker finds himself thrust into an epic battle between the Rebel Alliance and the tyrannical Galactic Empire. After discovering a message hidden within a droid, he joins forces with a wise Jedi Knight, a daring princess, a roguish pilot, and a pair of loyal droids. Together, they undertake a daring mission to destroy the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star, while Luke begins his journey to unlock the powers of the Force.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Director

George Lucas

Release Date

May 25, 1977

Cast

Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Alec Guinness , David Prowse , James Earl Jones , Frank Oz , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Peter Mayhew , Peter Cushing

Writers

George Lucas

Runtime

121 Minutes

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Budget

$11 Million

Studio(s)

Lucasfilm

Distributor(s)

20th Century

Sequel(s)

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back , Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi , Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens , Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi , Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker

prequel(s)

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace , Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones , Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith , Solo: A Star Wars Story , Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Franchise(s)

Star Wars

6 The Highest-Rated Movie Ever Should Have Won

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The 67th Academy Awards is infamous for featuring two different movies that have had a far and away longer impact than that year's winner, but one of the films nominated that year has held the record as the highest-rated movie on IMDb for years. The Shawshank Redemption, based on the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, still holds the record as the highest-rated film of all time on the Internet Movie Database, but lost the Best Picture award that year.

Both Shawshank Redemption and Quentin Tarantino's now classic Pulp Fiction lost to Forrest Gump, Robert Zemeckis' Boomer nostalgia-bait story of a man who finds himself at the center of cultural touchstones throughout the middle of the 20th Century. Forrest Gump has lost a lot of its cultural staying power in recent years, thanks in part to both its problematic politics and Zemeckis' poor track record in the 2010s and 2020s.

The Shawshank Redemption

R

Drama

Over the course of several years, two convicts form a friendship, seeking consolation and, eventually, redemption through basic compassion.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Director

Frank Darabont

Release Date

October 14, 1994

Cast

Tim Robbins , Morgan Freeman , Bob Gunton , William Sadler , Clancy Brown , Gil Bellows , Mark Rolston , James Whitmore

Writers

Stephen King , Frank Darabont

Runtime

142 minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Production Company

Budget

$25 million

Studio(s)

Columbia Pictures

Distributor(s)

Columbia Pictures

5 This Biopic Predicted the Rise of the New Tech Billionaire

The Social Network (2010)

The collaboration between David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin remains one of the best movies of the 2010s, a fascinating look at the battle between old and new money and the insidious nature of feeling like an underdog even once you've amassed so much power that you lead an army of sycophants. The Social Network is a masterclass of acting, directing and screenwriting, a towering work that predicted the continued rise of Facebook and portrayed Mark Zuckerberg as an isolated mean person before it was cool.

The Social Network stands as a far more influential film than the movie it lost to at the 83rd Academy Awards, The King's Speech, a biopic about King George VI's attempts to deal with his stutter in order to more confidently preside over a World War II embattled United Kingdom. Tom Hooper's film has been criticized for sugar-coating issues of British exceptionalism, making it a far less impactful film in the long run than The Social Network.

The Social Network

PG-13

As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Director

David Fincher

Release Date

October 1, 2010

Studio

Columbia Pictures

Cast

Jesse Eisenberg , Andrew Garfield , justin timberlake , Rooney Mara

Runtime

2 hours

Main Genre

Drama

4 M. Night's Best Film Should Have Taken Home the Big Prize

The Sixth Sense (1999)

One of the most culturally influential movies of the 1990s, The Sixth Sense is a groundbreaking piece of suspense, with a twist that captivated audiences so deeply that director M. Night Shyamalan was hailed as being the next Steven Spielberg. Following a child psychologist as he attempts to uncover the mystery of a child who claims he can speak with ghosts, the movie is now considered one of the crowning jewels of one of the best years in cinema history.

Shyamalan failed to take home the Best Picture award at the 72nd Academy Awards ceremony, where the top prize went to the extremely problematic and poorly remembered American Beauty. A tired exploration of middle-aged suburban American malaise, American Beauty is further marred by the sexual assault accusations against its star, Kevin Spacey, causing its legacy to be far more tarnished than that of the excellent The Sixth Sense.

The Sixth Sense

PG-13

Mystery

Drama

Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist, starts treating a young boy, Cole, who encounters dead people and convinces him to help them. In turn, Cole helps Malcolm reconcile with his estranged wife.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Director

M. Night Shyamalan

Release Date

August 2, 1999

Cast

Bruce Willis , Haley Joel Osment , Toni Collette , Olivia Williams

Runtime

1 hour 47 minutes

Main Genre

Thriller

3 Scorsese's Classic Mob Movie Towers Over Costner's Tired Western

Goodfellas (1990)

Standing alongside The Godfather as one of the most influential movies about organized crime ever made, Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas is an excellent portrayal of the rise and fall of a wise guy. Like most of Scorsese's best movies, Goodfellas peels back the layers of toxic masculinity and the false promises of the American Dream to deliver a searing look at just how bad things can get when you make a deal with the devil.

Unfortunately, Goodfellas failed to break Scorsese's losing streak at the Oscars, missing out on the Best Picture trophy as it went to actor-turned-director Kevin Costner for his western epic Dances with Wolves. Time, however, has been far kinder to Scorsese than Costner, as many audiences now find Dances with Wolves a dull and reductive look at the relationship between white imperialists and Indigenous tribes.

Goodfellas

R

Crime

The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Director

Martin Scorsese

Release Date

September 21, 1990

Studio

Cast

Robert De Niro , Ray Liotta , Joe Pesci , Lorraine Bracco

Writers

Nicholas Pileggi , Martin Scorsese

Main Genre

Drama

Production Company

Warner Bros.

2 This Progressive Film Should Have Claimed the Oscar

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Before he posthumously won Best Supporting Actor for his incredibly iconic performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger was nominated for Best Actor for playing Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain, Ang Lee's exploration of the relationship between two cowboys over twenty years. The film was nominated for a number of other Oscars at the 78th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and was lauded for its unflinching portrayal of a gay relationship.

Brokeback Mountain was snubbed for Best Picture, losing to the very controversial drama Crash, a film compiling a bunch of disparate stories about racial and social tensions in Los Angeles. Crash's win was controversial at the time but has only grown more confounding in the years since its release, while Brokeback Mountain's reputation has only grown stronger.

Brokeback Mountain

R

Drama

Romance

Ennis and Jack are two shepherds who develop a sexual and emotional relationship. Their relationship becomes complicated when both of them get married to their respective girlfriends.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Director

Ang Lee

Release Date

December 9, 2005

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal , Heath Ledger , Michelle Williams

Writers

Larry McMurtry , Diana Ossana

Runtime

134 minutes

Production Company

Budget

$14 million

Studio(s)

Focus Features

Distributor(s)

Focus Features , Universal Pictures , Paramount Pictures

1 Spike Lee Was Snubbed at the Oscars, Again

BlacKkKlansman (2018)

In a year plagued with several pieces of pure Oscar bait, including Adam McCay's dull political commentary Vice and the dreary Freddy Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, BlacKkKlansman stood out as a sharp and timely skewering of racism in America. Off the heels of the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia that rocked much of America, BlacKkKlansman stood as Spike Lee's unflinching look at the absurd stupidity of the Ku Klux Klan.

After having his classic film Do The Right Thing not even be nominated for Best Picture, Spike Lee was primed to take home the Oscar at the 91st Academy Awards when he controversially lost to Green Book. Yet another instance of a Spike Lee film losing to a movie about race that had its edges sanded off, audiences were incensed that the Academy continued to overlook films that took a hard look at political issues.