Ranking the Last Ten Best Picture Winners

• 2019 – “Green Book”
• 2018 – “The Shape of Water”
• 2017 – “Moonlight”
• 2016 – “Spotlight”
• 2015 – “Birdman”
• 2014 – “12 Years a Slave”
• 2013 – “Argo”
• 2012 – “The Artist”
• 2011 – “The King’s Speech”
• 2010 – “The Hurt Locker”

Oscar weekend is upon us.  Which for me means it’s time to sit with a large bowl of popcorn and watch 90 minutes of annoying advertisements, 30 minutes of boring performances, and another 30 minutes of stupid celebrity interviews talking obnoxious dresses in order to see the moments the Oscar awards will be announced.  Worth it. In celebration of the year’s greatest waste of my time lets take a look at Oscar’s past. I have seen all of the Oscar’s best pictures of the last ten years, and now its time to rank them. My ranking will have two scores summed to create complete rating– 

1. The ranking compared to other Oscar Best Picture Winners: this ranking will be 1 (worst) to 10 (best)
2. The ranking compared to other films the year of its winning of the award, how far did the oscar’s miss the mark? A score of 1 is the worst, a film completely undeserving of the best picture that year, and a 10 is best when a film is undeniably the year’s best picture.  

The average between the two rankings will determine the best of the “Best Pictures” ranked from the last 10 years.  

 

2010 – “The Hurt Locker”-5.5

It’s only fair to start this list with what I would say is the very middle of the pack.  Calling the Hurt Locker an intense experience that made my palms sweat, knees shake, and body restless is an understatement.  This movie takes a simple idea, defusing bombs for the military and takes it to the extreme. Jeremy Renner does a great job leading the performance through all the points of suspense. For better and for worse the Hurtlocker is at no point is it anything more than the most suspenseful movie I have ever seen.  It is not my favorite movie of 2009, it’s behind both Fantastic Mr. Fox and District Nine, but it is a very well deserving movie it gets a 6 compared to other films from 2009, and a 5 compared the movies you’ll find on this list.

 

2011 – “The King’s Speech”– 2

The King’s Speech, like the story, is about, struggles to find its own voice.  On one hand, it is a well-acted, well-directed, tight script about an uplifting drama during a climactic moment in human history, yet on the other hand, it is a slow, grey film with soothing British accents which will consistently lead you to dose off.  I would tell you its a great movie if I could make it to the end awake. I would give the film a 3 when compared to its counterparts, there simply isn’t anything special about it to make it more memorable. In a year with modern masterpieces like Inception, The Social Network, and Toy Story 3, the Kings Speech representing the years best picture is a definite dud. I would rank it a 1 compared to the year’s other films, giving it a score of a 2 in my eyes. 

 

2012 – “The Artist”–6

I am a bigger fan of this silent picture then most would probably expect, and wasn’t at all mad when it won the best picture over a year with a pretty subpar list of nominations, as much as I personally enjoy Moneyball and The Help.  The film does a great job keeping you invested in the protagonist as we watch his career fall apart during Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talkies. The movie’s memorable moments coming from a scene involving a fight over his own shadow, a dog who saves its owner from suicide, and a perfect Hollywood ending.  There is no question why the Oscar’s loved this picture so much, as it both is a well-made stylistic movie, and gave classic Hollywood a nice pat on the back. I would give it a 6 compared to other best pictures, and a 6 against the other films of 2011.–6

 

2013 – “Argo”- 3.5

My man-crush’s directorial debut was a triumphant success of a film Argo won the best picture for its mix of major suspense, intertwined with a tiny bit of comedy while telling an uplifting story.  “Argo f***yourself” however when compared to other movies from that year. There is no way it deserves the best picture over likes of Moonrise Kingdom, Django Unchained, The Master, and Silver Linings Playbook.  Argo is good, I don’t think its great will give it a 5 compared to other best pictures, and a 2 compared other movies from that year.–3.5

 

2014 – “12 Years a Slave”-7

This is a tough one.  While it’s a difficult watch 12 Years a Slave is beautifully told and immerses you into the world of slavery. It is definitely not as fun as other films from 2013 including, American Hustle and The Wolf of Wall Street, but this dramatic story is worthy of best picture.  I would give it a 7 compared to other movies from 2013, and a 7 compared to other best pictures.

 

2015 – “Birdman”-10

Birdman was the film of 2014 and now six years later its the film of the decade.  This movie is truly revolutionary, made to appear as a single take, the picture is brilliantly acted with performances from Michael Keeton, Emma Stone, and Edward Norton.  The single shot is not used as a gimmick but a way of portraying the story which focuses on a former movie star and his new play. The film is dramatic, epic, and unique, it is one you won’t forget about and it’s very rewatchable.  It is the best movie from 2014 and the best film on this list Birdman gets perfect 10s around the board. 

 

2016 – “Spotlight”- 8

Mark Ruffalo embracing the inner Mark Ruffalo where he is always unsure, speculative and angry, you got to love it.  The biopic of investigative journalists from the Boston Globe uncovering the massive conspiracy covering up the sexual assaults by Priests is riveting.  While everyone was going crazy over the return of Star Wars 2015 gave us a year great for film, The Big Short, Mad Max Fury Road, and The Revenant were among the best of the year, but I would argue nothing beat out Spotlight and it deserved to win the best picture.  Spotlight earns an 8 out of 10 compared to the other movies of 2015 and an 8 compared to the other Oscar winners of the decade.

 

2017 – “Moonlight”- 9.5

Moonlight was the culmination of the 2016 year in film.  A year dominated by great character pieces such as Arrival, and Manchester by the Sea, Moonlight topped them all.  The movie is entrancing as you follow the life of Chiron and his unique journey growing up homosexual in the streets of Miami.  This movie hits you from all angles, direction, music, and acting and is without a doubt a great film. It is the best film of 2016 and gets 10 compared to other movies from the year, and a 9 compared to other films on this list, Birdman has it by a hair. 

 

2018 – “The Shape of Water”- 1

NO! NO! NO! ABSOLUTE NO! I don’t care if it is stylistically brilliant! I Don’t care if Guillermo needed his oscar! I don’t care! I don’t care! Watching a naked mute be pleasured by a scaly sea creature with my parents beside me in a dark theater was and will forever be the most uncomfortable theater experience of all time and I absolutely hated every second of it, and I have not will not see it again. It gets a 1 and 1 from me absolutely not!

2019 – “Green Book”- 4

Well, this is a disappointing one to conclude this list, as it was a disappointing one to conclude Oscar’s last year.  Green Book is a pleasant film, a nice buddy-movie, however, its been a year and I don’t remember much about it. That’s its main flaw, its very forgettable, not that last year was a great year from movies, but Green Book is a bit of a dud. I will give Green Book a 4 on each aspect of this ranking.

 

Complete Ranking (Worst to Best)

The Shape of Water 

The King’s Speech 

Argo

Green Book

The Hurt Locker

The Artist

12 Years a Slave

Spotlight

Moonlight 

Birdman

Bonus! This year’s Best Picture will go to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, I would vote for it to be won by Jojo Rabbit, but due to the Academy needing to show Tarantino love, and this being one of his final films, it only makes sense.