Because sometimes I think about these things for no reason other than I watch movies that really should have won, all right? And “recent” is a relative term, really.
5. 2002: Chicago beats Gangs of New York
I mean, I love Chicago. Hence the junior high school Chicago-themed birthday party. And I am all for musicals, which is also an obvious fact. In a different year, I’d be comfortable in retrospect with Chicago‘s glitz and glam winning out over most things. But up against Gangs Of New York? Which is a historical epic with a brilliant script and incredible attention to detail? It seems a bit odd.
4. 1998: Shakespeare in Love beats Saving Private Ryan
I’ve only really seen Saving Private Ryan through the whole way once. I’ve seen pieces other times, but. I’m not generally a big war epic kind of person. Honestly, the only “war movie” I class as a favorite is Inglourious Basterds, and that doesn’t even really probably count. I am sometimes a philistine, but I can recognize movies that are very, very good, and Saving Private Ryan is one. On the other hand, Shakespeare in Love is… well. I am not anti-romance, but I am also not the person who should accurately judge romantic films. But Saving Private Ryanit ain’t.
3. 1997: Titanic beats L.A. Confidential
Thoughts already discussed.
2, 1. 1994: Forrest Gump beats Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption
Partially a surprise because goddamn, I love Pulp Fiction and still find it shocking that Quentin Tarantino has not won Best Picture before, partially a surprise because… really? Forrest Gump is a good movie, and a bunch of kids I went to high school with walked around quoting it all the time. It referenced many historical events and was clever and well-made and emotional. But The Shawshank Redmption is another one of those movies that, yeah, it’s not ever going to be one of my favorites, but damn, I can recognize it is really fantastic. I dunno. It just seems like Forrest Gump is a less-likely choice of the bunch.
–your fangirl heroine.
partlydrawn 