This thread was kind of spurred on by loyal's Kong thread, so...

I was just wondering if anyone thinks the AMPAS have ever awarded the actual best picture of the year the Best Picture award? If so, what year and what film?

2005 - Crash
2003 - LOTR Return of the King
2002 - Chicago
2001 - A Beautiful Mind
1999 - American Beauty
1994 - Forrest Gump
1993 - Schindler's List
1991 - The Silence of the Lambs

Does this make me a sheep?

Casablanca, The Apartment and Annie Hall were probably best of their year. Couldn't be completely sure though, without a lot of imdb-browsing I don't wanna do right now. (Unless someone wants to tell me some obvious choices I'm forgetting).

Oh wait. I guess I can't technically count 2005, since I had King Kong as #1 and Crash as #2.

Not at all. If anything, the fact that you enjoyed Chicago, A Beautiful Mind, and Crash (and aren't afraid to admit it) is going against the herd.

Psycho, Breathless
43 and 77 still seem to hold up though. Maybe 99, too.

It really all comes down to personal preference (which was the point of this thread).

For Annie Hall, I'd say that Suspiria, Eraserhead, and possibly Close Encounters were better films that year.

The Apartment came out in a positively stacked year that I'd give to Psycho. Breathless is overrated in my opinion

Casablanca I think is probably right. We found one!

I think that '99 was probably one of the best years for film I've ever experienced first hand. American Beauty is great, but so is Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut, Being John Malkovich, All About My Mother, Election, Three Kings, Fight Club...

I haven't seen those three films though. : ( :O

As of recently (within the past 10 years or so), I say they got it right with...

A Beautiful Mind and Titanic.

Braveheart
Forrest Gump
Titanic
The Return of the King
Dances With Wolves

My No. 1 film of each year from what I could remember (blue matches the Oscar):

2005: Brokeback Mountain
2004: Before Sunset
2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2002: The Pianist
2001: Memento
2000: Dancer in the Dark
1999: American Beauty
1998: Life is Beautiful
1997: L.A. Confidential
1996: Fargo
1995: The Usual Suspects
1994: Pulp Fiction
1993: Schindler's List
1992: A Few Good Men
1991: The Silence of the Lambs

Following Xiayun's pattern:

2005: King Kong
2004: Shaun of the Dead
2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2002: Spirited Away
2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2000: Cast Away
1999: South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut
1998: The Truman Show
1997: Titanic
1996: The English Patient
1995: 12 Monkeys
1994: Forrest Gump
1993: Jurassic Park
1992: Army of Darkness
1991: Terminator 2: Judgment Day

2006- Blood Diamnond or The Departed would be my picks.
2005- A History of Violence/Revenge of the Sith
2004- Sideways/Masn on Fire
2003- Mystic River
2002- The Pianist
2001- Lord of the Rings FOTR
2000- Gladiator
1999- American Beauty
1998- Saving Private Ryan
1997- Titanic
1996- Fargo
1995- The Usual Suspects
1994- Shawshank Redepmtion/ Pulp Fiction/Forrest gump (all are a 10/10 for me and i would have been happy if any of them won)
1993- Schindler's List
1992- Malcolm X
1991- JFK
1990- Dances With Wolves
1989- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1988- Mississippi Burning
1987- Angel Heart
1986- Platoon
1985- Back to the Future
1984- Terminator
1983- Return of the Jedi
1982- E.T.
1981- Raiders of the Lost Ark
1980- Empire Strikes Back
1979- Apocalypse Now
1978- Halloween
1977- Star Wars
1976- Rocky
1975- JAWS
1974- Godfather II
1973- American Graffiti
1972- The Godfather
1971- The french Connection
1970- Airport

Gladiator and American Beauty were deserving for me.

A lot of years I haven't obviously seen a large number of films from it, so it's hard to completley judge, but from the past I would agree with All About Eve, Lawrence of Arabia(fuck the Mockingbird), Godfather 2, Platoon... I haven't gone through the competition but I think those are amazing/masterpieces enough to qualify, I doubt the years brought anything better.

Following Xiayun's pattern:

2005: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2004: In Good Company
2003: Whale Rider
2002: Spirited Away/Spiderman
2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2000: Snatch
1999: The Matrix
1998: The Big Lebowski
1997: Titanic
1996: Jerry Maguire
1995: The Usual Suspects
1994: Pulp Fiction
1993: Jurassic Park
1992: Batman Returns
1991: Terminator 2: Judgment Day/Beauty and the Beast

Only Titanic eh.

1992- Unforgiven
1977- Annie Hall
1973- The Sting (MAYYYYBE....this one's close)
1972- The Godfather
1962- Lawrence of Arabia
1960- The Apartment
1954- On The Waterfront
1943- Casablanca
1934- It Happened One Night (AGAIN....close....maybe not...perhaps The Thin Man was better)
1930- All Quiet on the Western Front

2005:Munich
2004:The passion of the christ
2003:ROTK
2002:Minority Report
2001:FOTR
2000:Traffic
1999:American Beauty
1998:Saving private tyan
1997:L.A Confidential
1996:Lonestar
1995:Braveheart
1994:Forrest Gump
1993:Schindler's List
1992:Malcom X
1991:Beauty and the beast
1990: Dances with wolves


Since 1990 6 films that i thought were the best of its year went on to win.

wow. except 1999 and 1993 I thought those were some of the worst choices the Academy made

I loved Crash, and I was happy with the win. But I feel that Munich was a much more deserving winner.

Off the top of my head, American Beauty.

Nice to see someone else give it up for Malcolm X.

American Beauty is the last one that was really my #1 of that year. Then Titanic, The English Patient (I think..) Forrest Gump (very close with Pulp Fiction like many people) and Silence of the Lambs in the 90s. But I'm usually happy enough with the winner, meaning I didn't hate it or anything like that.

In the last 10 years, I'd say only Titanic and American Beauty.

I just recently re-watched Shakespeare in Love and while I did enjoy it I can't believe it won Best Picture. I loved Traffic but even if it was too contrived for people, I think Gladiator was far from the best for 2000.

A Beautiful Mind over Fellowship?? Nah

I did love Chicago but Far From Heaven and The Hours were the gems from 2002.

Huge LOTR fan but if a lotr movie was to be awarded it was FOTR not ROTK. Mystic River may have gotten my vote that year. I'll have to go back and check.

2004: Kill Bill and Before Sunset are masterpieces beyond the realization of the American public at large.

2005: Munich, Brokeback, and New World were superb. Crash, after several viewings, doesn't even compare.

2006: Letters and Departed were the best of the best. Somehow I doubt either will win.

Casablanca is the only one that comes to mind, but that may be because I haven't seen as many films from that year as I have from later years.