Let's go back in time to May 16, 1929. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held the very first Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, California, and it paved the way for what would become the biggest event dedicated to celebrating the film industry. 95 different editions of The Oscars have gone by ever since that day, and each one has the purpose of praising all the different elements needed to create one movie. From performances, scripts, and wardrobes all the way to music and visual effects; the Oscars have it all.
However, there's one category that stands out from the rest. It's the very same category that's left until the end of the show since it generates the most excitement. All filmmakers aspire to be awarded this ultimate prize, and that is the Best Picture award.
It's just a matter of days before the 96th edition of The Oscars comes our way (on Mar 10, 2024), and a new movie is given this prestigious title. So before that happens, we'll take a trip down history lane and celebrate all the past winners of the Best Picture category at the Oscars in chronological order.
1920's
- 1928 - 1929: Wings
- 1929 - 1930: The Broadway Melody
1930's
- 1930 - 1931: All Quiet on the Western Front
- 1931 - 1932: Cimarron
- 1932 - 1933: Grand Hotel
- 1933 - 1934: Cavalcade
- 1935: It Happened One Night
- 1936: Mutiny on the Bounty
- 1937: The Great Ziegfeld
- 1938: The Life of Emile Zola
- 1939: You Can't Take It with You
1940's
- 1940: Gone with the Wind
- 1941: Rebecca
- 1942: How Green Was My Valley
- 1943: Mrs. Miniver
- 1944: Casablanca
- 1945: Going My Way
- 1946: The Lost Weekend
- 1947: The Best Years of Our Lives
- 1948: Gentleman's Agreement
- 1949: Hamlet
1950's
- 1950: All the Kings Men
- 1951: All About Eve
- 1952: An American in Paris
- 1953: The Greatest Show on Earth
- 1954: From Here to Eternity
- 1955: On the Waterfront
- 1956: Marty
- 1957: Around the World in 80 Days
- 1958: The Bridge on the River Kwai
- 1959: Gigi
1960's
- 1960: Ben-Hur
- 1961: The Apartment
- 1962: West Side Story
- 1963: Lawrence of Arabia
- 1964: Tom Jones
- 1965: My Fair Lady
- 1966: The Sound of Music
- 1967: A Man for All Seasons
- 1968: In the Heat of the Night
- 1969: Oliver!
1970's
- 1970: Midnight Cowboy
- 1971: Patton
- 1972: The French Connection
- 1973: The Godfather
- 1974: The Sting
- 1975: The Godfather Part II
- 1976: One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
- 1977: Rocky
- 1978: Annie Hall
- 1979: The Deer Hunter
1980's
- 1980: Kramer vs. Kramer
- 1981: Ordinary People
- 1982: Chariots of Fire
- 1983: Gandhi
- 1984: Terms of Endearment
- 1985: Amadeus
- 1986: Out of Africa
- 1987: Platoon
- 1988: The Last Emperor
- 1989: Rain Man
1990's
- 1990: Driving Miss Daisy
- 1991: Dances With Wolves
- 1992: The Silence of the Lambs
- 1993: Unforgiven
- 1994: Schindler’s List
- 1995: Forrest Gump
- 1996: Braveheart
- 1997: The English Patient
- 1998: Titanic
- 1999: Shakespeare in Love
2000's
- 2000: American Beauty
- 2001: Gladiator
- 2002: A Beautiful Mind
- 2003: Chicago
- 2004: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- 2005: Million Dollar Baby
- 2006: Crash
- 2007: The Departed
- 2008: No Country for Old Men
- 2009: Slumdog Millionaire
2010's
- 2010: The Hurt Locker
- 2011: The King's Speech
- 2012: The Artist
- 2013: Argo
- 2014: 12 Years a Slave
- 2015: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
- 2016: Spotlight
- 2017: Moonlight
- 2018: The Shape of Water
- 2019: Green Book
2020: Parasite
Parasite won a total of four Academy Awards in 2020: Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature Film, and, of course, Best Picture. Not only is that a big achievement in itself, but it's also the first time a foreign language movie has been crowned in the latter category. And how could it not? Parasite is a masterpiece that succeeds in everything it does, whether that is its beautiful photography, the touches of comedy it has, its shocking twists, or its contrasting display of lifestyles between two families with opposing economic backgrounds. The movie asks just how far would you go to make a living while being in a financial crisis, and what secrets would you discover along the way.
Directed by Bong Joon-ho, Parasite premiered on May 30, 2019, and it grossed 258 million dollars on an estimated budget of 11.4 million dollars.
2021: Nomadland
Nomadland takes audiences on a ride filled with loss, loneliness, hope, and search for a place to call home. Much like the previous winner of the Best Picture category, it shows us what would people do to make a living under dire circumstances. However, Nomadland does it in a completely different way focusing less on the "how" and leaning more towards the "why". The movie is all about finding a purpose to keep pushing on.
As Fern travels around the country we're treated to beautiful compositions, impactful dialogs, a heartfelt soundtrack, and an amazing performance by Frances McDormand; one that earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. Chloé Zhao also won an award for Best Director for her work on Nomadland, and in total the movie brought 6 different Oscars home (which is an amazing feat for any film).
Nomadland premiered on February 19, 2021, and it grossed 39.4 million dollars on a budget of five million dollars.
2022: CODA
If there was one word to describe CODA, it would be charming. A coming-of-age story that sees its protagonist, Ruby Rossi, balancing the challenges between taking care of its deaf family and pursuing her dream of being a singer. The movie features a cast of three real deaf actors (with Troy Kotsur taking the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), and it does a fantastic job of letting audiences see the world through their perspective along with the challenges they face. It may not reinvent the wheel, but it succeeds at being emotional and moving, which sometimes is all you need from a film.
Directed by Sian Heder, CODA premiered on August 13, 2021, and it grossed an estimated 2.2 million dollars on a budget of ten million dollars.
2023: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Funny, heartfelt, action-packed, dramatic, sad, and even inspiring. Everything Everywhere All at Once is everything you could ask from a movie and more. You could be watching it and laugh at one scene, shift to being confused in the next, and then cry minutes afterward. It's a roller coaster of emotions that shines in every one of its ups and downs.
Best of all, Everything Everywhere All at Once doesn't shy away from being silly and whimsical at times. Not only does that make the movie feel completely unique, but it's also a perfect contrast to its more dramatic sequences. Speaking of which, the cast completely steals every scene they're in, and their performances are only elevated by the movie's VFX (which was made by a core group of just five people).
Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once premiered on March 11, 2022, and it grossed 143.4 million dollars on an estimated budget of 25 million dollars.