“Zodiac” (2007)
Despite the director’s own self-evident contempt for the circuit, David Fincher’s now thrown off his enfant terrible status and regularly sees his films nominated for Oscars. Even a film as dark and pulpy as “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” won a few, but not so Fincher’s finest film. Despite “Zodiac” arguably being as awards-friendly as anything he’s made (at least from a technical viewpoint), the film was overlooked. One could perhaps blame the film’s release, in March of ’07, but one suspects it wouldn’t have done that well with AMPAS whenever it landed.
Obviously, this is a list that could have kept going on forever: almost as many great films weren’t nominated for Oscars as were. But even dismissing the ones above (including the ones mentioned in passing), the purest genre flicks, and the most hardcore art fare, there are still plenty of omissions. Among the ones that come to mind are “The Big Heat,” “Blood Simple,” “Blue Is The Warmest Color,” “Farewell My Lovely,” Gilda,” “In A Lonely Place,” “Invasion of The Body Snatchers,” “The Killing,” “The Lady Vanishes,” “Medium Cool,” “My Darling Clementine,” “Point Blank,” “Reservoir Dogs,” “Repulsion,” “Ride The High Country,” “The Servant,” “Sullivan’s Travels,” “To Have And Have Not,” “Body Heat,” “The King Of Comedy,” “My Own Private Idaho,” “The Angel At My Table,” “Playtime,” and “Ikiru.” Any others? Let us know in the comments.
Paths of Glory was 1957, not 1958. It lost to Bridge on the River Kwai, not Gigi. Also I would not call Match Point a "middling affair" from Allen as it\’s one of his best. This is still a fantastic list though.
Secretariat was an incredible film in so many aspects, yet nothing. So disappointing.
Technically, Bicycle Thieves wasn\’t nominated for an Oscar but was given an honorary one some years later. (Probably the Academy\’s indirect apology for having not seen it in the first place.) Also, Diabolique didn\’t win either. I\’ve never seen the films that beat Bicycle Thieves or Diabolique but I have my doubts they were better…
If you watch it, The Untouchables is almost perfect.
Thank you for puting in What\’s Up Doc? which is my nymber one film of all time. And also in my top5 is Local Hero. But how can you miss out on "Glory" another of my top 5. And the greatest most emotional war movie of all time. An absolute travestry. As for your other\’s mentioned meh!
What else can we say from a prize that has given Fritz Lang, Brian de Palma and David Cronenberg 0 nominations
Where\’s Oldboy?
As far as I know, Park Chan Wook and Kim Ki Duk never get Oscar nominations
Jeff Wilder:
– Almost Famous was nominated for four oscars and won best original screenplay.
– Mulholland Drive was nominated for best director as was Blue Velvet.
– Magnolia was nominated for three oscars.
– Seven was nominated for one oscar.
– Boogie Nights was nominated for three oscars…
Comedies! Even YOU don\’t give them enough credit. Bowfinger. ANYTHING by Monty Python. Bedazzled. Airplane. Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Shaun of the Dead. The Jerk.
Do The Right Thing and Boogie Nights are two that never got an Oscar nod but should have. As should have Malcolm X (the Academy seems to have a Spike Lee problem), Blue Velvet, Raising Arizona, Seven, Dark City, Fight Club, Magnolia, Almost Famous, Mulholland Drive and that\’s just for recent years. Mickey Rourke should have gotten a nod for best actor for Sin City. And that doesn\’t count the numerous foreign films overlooked.
i always thought \’Perfume the story of a murderer\’ should\’ve gotten the best adopted screen play award.. but nobody talks about it.. makes me sad
What other Woody Allen film are you confusing \’Match Point\’ with? Far from "middling fare." I do agree that \’Stradust Memories\’ is a very good Woody movie.
I disagree. I think the Oscars do a decent job at cutting through the junk that Hollywood puts out and they generally choose movies that are well done. You can\’t please everyone. Stanley Kubrick is my favorite director of all time but it doesn\’t surprise me that The Shining wasn\’t nominated. It\’s a tremendous work of art but it also pushed the limits of what was considered acceptable at that time. True artists push boundaries, so much sometimes that it polarizes the public. Freaks in 1932 was a complete flop and some of the most extreme content ever shown on a movie screen. Just because we consider it a classic now 80 years later doesn\’t mean the Oscars overlooked one that should have been nominated in the context of the time period they were in.
One of these days, looking back, "A Most Violent Year" will be on this list.
Under The Skin
"The Big Sleep". AMPAS was really criminal on his neglect to Hawks.
Happiness
I love Andie McDowell in "Groundhog Day" along with everything else about that movie.
I love that you included The Parallax View!
Once Upon A Time In the West: Henry Ford or Henry Fonda?
this is a fantastic list, one that will seriously lengthen my Netflix queue (if Netflix deigns to offer many of these). But "The Searchers"??? It is a terrible movie, with predictable, wooden performance by John Wayne ( who is incapable of acting), a story that just drags on and on, and no redeeming subtleties. I don\’t understand why so many people put it on their "top" lists, it\’s a lousy movie.
You\’re not wrong on any of these titles, but you are wrong about match point. It\’s woodys best film. Even he agrees. So 😛
"It’s borderline unthinkable to imagine a romantic comedy up for Best Picture now"
Midnight in Paris was nominated for a best picture Oscar in 2012.
What\’s your beef with Andie Mcdowell? I always enjoyed her in \’Groundhog Day\’
Young Adult didn\’t receive a single nom :/
When you think of the legitimacy of the Oscars, just remember this. Alfred Hitchcock, yes Alfred Hitchcock, never won a competitive Oscar. Neither did Cary Grant (and gary cooper won several to the academy\’s eternal shame). Charlie Chaplin won only one and that is for Best Score for Limelight, not best actor, best director, best screenplay. My point. The Oscars have no legitimacy.
D.Darko…..duh???