The Academy Awards aren't everything. Sometimes the winning films truly represent the best films of the year; sometimes they reflect a trend or zeitgeist that ends up seeming somewhat backward in later years; and sometimes they're downright baffling.
But let's focus on the era when the Academy awarded films that were actually pretty good, or at least reflected their era enough to be interesting. Here are 25 of the best award-winning films currently streaming on Netflix, including their most recent original Oscar winner, Wes Anderson's The Amazing Story of Henry Sugar .
Everything happens at once (2022)
This groundbreaking and absurdist comedy received a lot of love at last year's Oscars, combining a soulful and truly touching premise with some of the most wonderfully silly moments you're likely to find in a major motion picture. It also provides a much-needed corrective to the film industry, which is stiflingly serious and blockbuster-centric — give me a Marvel movie in which a character travels the multiverse by jumping on a butt plug, I'll start paying attention one more time, I swear. The performances here are all wonderful, especially mother Michelle Yeoh and the wonderful Ke Huy Quan.
Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Kwan Kwan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Cody) Si), Best Original Screenplay (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert)), Best Film Editing (Paul Rogers)
The Amazing Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
Audiences and critics have had mixed reactions to Wes Anderson's other feature film , Asteroid City, due in 2023, but this adaptation of Roald Dahl The short story was less divisive, and it ultimately earned Anderson his first Oscar—not that he was there to collect it. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the alias Henry Sugar, who uses his inherited wealth to fund his gambling habit. When he learns a secret way to win through the eyes of others, he may sense more than he bargained for. It's a lovely and sweet piece of work, and one of Anderson's most visually inventive (and that's saying a lot). And, at 40 minutes (actually 39 minutes), it never loses its popularity. Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley and Richard Ayoade also star.
Oscars: Best Live Action Short Film
Rome (2018)
Alfonso Cuarón, coming off cerebral sci-fi films like "Children of Men" and "Gravity," won his second Oscar for best director for this semi-autobiographical drama he inspired My own childhood in Mexico City in the 1970s was during Mexico's long and violent period of squalor. war. Yalitza Aparicio plays Cleo Gutiérrez, a Mixtec live-in maid for a middle-aged couple with four children. An upper-class couple serves and their marriage is slowly disintegrating. When husband Antonio leaves with his mistress, wife Sofia and pregnant Cleo bond over unexpected circumstances. Cuaron is very good at creating a sense of time and place, and his performance is indelible. "Roma" won Best Foreign Language Film but was also nominated for Best Picture, and it was a much stronger film than this year's actual winner , "Green Book."
Oscars: Best Director (Alfonso Cuarón), Best Foreign Language Film (Mexico), Best Cinematography (Alfonso Cuarón)
Marriage Story (2020)
Noah Baumbach's sensitive and devastating story of a broken marriage, nominated for six Academy Awards, feels like Ingmar Bergman's "Scenes from a Marriage." Scenes from a Marriage) and earned the right to be mentioned in the same company. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver give emotionally charged performances as rival couple Nicole and Charlie Barber, but the real story is Laura Dern as Nicole's lawyer Nora Van Shaw; she's one of our finest actresses with decades of stellar performances under her belt, and now it's time for her to win her first Oscar. Driver and Johnson were also nominated, as was Baumbach's original screenplay.
Oscar: Best Supporting Actress (Laura Dern)
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
Oscar loves Guillermo del Toro ( "Pan's Labyrinth," "The Shape of Water ") more. hehe. However, as in the past, it was well deserved. The director's long-time passion project is set in fascist Italy between the two world wars and features gorgeous stop-motion animation. What's more, it embraces the darkness inherent in Carlo Collodi's original fantasy novels - del Toro's recognition that children's stories need not be cloying or condescending, and that children will recognize them as well as anyone Well, sometimes the only way to the light is through darkness. The talented but not distracting voice cast includes Ewan McGregor, Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett.
Oscars: Best Animated Feature Film
All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
The second adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's 1929 anti-war novel, this version didn't win Best Picture or Best Director like the 1930 original, but All Quiet ended up becoming an Oscar-winning film. Night of 2023 in second place, behind Best Picture winner The Good Luck . Even if it doesn't have the impact of the earlier adaptation, it's still a powerful film about the futility of war, set in the trenches of World War I.
Oscars: Best International Film (Germany), Best Original Score (Wolker Bateman), Best Art Direction (Christian M. Goldbeck and Ernestine Hipper), Best Best Cinematography (James Friend)
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
Filmmaker Craig Foster spent a year developing a relationship with a wild common octopus in South Africa's kelp forests, and applied some of those lessons to his relationship with his own son. If Foster can connect with such intelligent alien beings in a natural (and naturally dangerous) environment, surely there is hope for humanity? perhaps?
Oscars: Best Documentary
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
On a sweaty, bluesy afternoon in 1927 Chicago, the great Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) shows up in the studio to work on a new album. She signed with white sponsors, fully aware that their respect for her depended entirely on her bankability as a singer. Over the course of the meeting, tensions grew and conflicts broke out, particularly between Rainey and Chadwick Boseman's Levi Green. Davis was nominated for Best Actress, and her performance was so good that she almost mimicked the shit-free blues legend, while Chadwick Boseman was considered almost a lock for the posthumous best. Best Actor Award. Unfortunately, the Academy's notorious stinginess with black acting appears to have won out - there was only one black best actress winner in the '95 awards (Halle Berry), and only five black acting winners overall By.
Oscars: Best Costume Design (Ann Roth), Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal, Jemika Wilson)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Perhaps not surprisingly, all of Jurassic Park 's Oscar nominations and wins came in technical categories. There is no doubt that this movie is a technical marvel, and the dinosaur special effects are still astounding 30 years later. This isn't just a special effects movie, though, time has proven it's one of Steven Spielberg's most enduring films, even if that longevity means our sequels will be more or less affected by People are welcome. But what about this? Pure movie magic and a great time at the movies, or in our case, in front of the TV.
Oscars: Best Sound Editing (Gary Lidstrom and Richard Hyams), Best Sound (Gary Summers, Gary Lidstrom, Sean Murphy and Ron Judkins), Best Visual Effects (Dennis Mullen, Stan Winston, Phil Tippett, Michael Lantieri)
Deposit reserve ratio (2022)
Given its epic scope, sharp reviews and endearing style, it's strange that RRR wasn't nominated in more categories, but taking home India's first Oscar for original song is no small feat, especially Consider that the competition included compositions from similar songs by Rihanna and Lady Gaga. The film itself is a well-done blockbuster, with well-choreographed action sequences and rousing musical numbers supporting a strong "f*ck colonialism" message. Hopefully Hollywood is taking notes.
Academy Award: Best Original Song ("Naatu Naatu")
Phantom Thread (2017)
One of the Academy's favorite directors (Paul Thomas Anderson) teams up with one of its favorite actors (Daniel Day-Lewis) for this historical drama set in 1950s London. Perhaps the only surprise is that it only won one award, although it was also nominated for several others, including Best Picture.
Oscar: Best Costume Design (Mark Bridges)
The Power of Dogs (2021)
Like Brokeback Mountain , much of the media surrounding Jane Campion's film has to do with its queer themes (gay cowboys? What happens next!?), but its power lies in Campion's thoughtful, deliberate ’s direction (a rarity these days), but also in its beautiful cinematography. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as one of two very different brothers whose fragile peace is shattered by the arrival of new immigrants on their Montana ranch circa 1925.
Oscar: Best Director (Jane Campion)
period. End of sentence. (2018)
This short film (approximately 25 minutes) tells the story of a group of women in the Indian village of Kasikela (about 50 miles outside Delhi) as they try to overcome centuries of stigma associated with menstruation. After local women learned that sanitary napkins could be made from local materials, they started a factory to produce and sell their own pads, sparking a quiet but necessary revolution in menstrual health.
Academy Award: Best Documentary Short
The Last Days (1998)
In the final year of World War II and the Holocaust, the Nazis in occupied Hungary accelerated their plans of deportation and extermination, even at the expense of war strategy. The documentary follows five survivors (and naturalized U.S. citizens) as they return to the refugee camp they narrowly escaped.
Oscars: Best Documentary
White Helmets (2016)
Among the many documentaries of this style that have been nominated and won Oscars, it's easy to overlook documentaries about war and crisis, but even within this very specific group, there are documentaries that stand out. The White Helmets chronicles the story of the Syrian Civil Defense Forces, an all-volunteer organization of Syrians who conduct search and rescue operations in response to bombings. The real appeal of this (relatively) short film is that the volunteers discuss their daily lives before and during the war; these moments clearly illustrate the cost of continued conflict. Although the Syrian Civil War has raged on for seven years, tragically, the Syrian Civil War continues, as does SCD’s work.
Academy Award: Best Documentary (Short Film)
American Factory (2019)
The first film from High Ground Productions, the production company of Barack and Michelle Obama, won an Oscar. The film follows a Chinese billionaire's purchase of an abandoned General Motors plant in Ohio for his glassmaker Fuyao Glass Company. The factory employed 2,000 American workers, but the complex dynamics between China's leadership and working-class American employers soon revealed potentially insurmountable problems. The film takes a bizarre approach, without any narrative beyond what we see and hear inside the factory; there's no overriding sense of heroes or villains here - just a lot of people trying to make sense of it all.
Oscars: Best Documentary
Apollo 13 (1995)
Ron Howard's all-star astronaut documentary is not only better than Braveheart, which won Best Picture that year, but also better than the director's Oscar-winning A Beautiful Mind . The true story of the failed moon mission is both heartbreaking and depressing, building tension without being overly campy.
Oscars: Best Film Editing (Mike Hill and Daniel Hanley), Best Sound (Rick Dio, Steve Pedersen, Scott Millan and David MacMillan)
The Sting (1973)
They don't make this kind of movie anymore, and not just because it's a Depression-era period piece. George Roy Hill, who had directed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid a few years earlier, reunited Paul Newman and Robert Redford in a similarly good-natured thriller. The pair play a pair of con men who hatch an elaborate plan to exact revenge on a crime boss who murdered their friend. The period details are as carefully crafted as the film's central plan, resulting in one of the most beloved films of all time.
Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (George Roy Hill), Best Original Screenplay (David S. Ward), Best Art Direction (Henry Banstead and James W. Payne), Best Costume Design (Edith Head), Best Film Editing (William Reynolds), Best Score (Marvin Hamlish)
L.A. Confidential (1997)
At a "Bloody Christmas" party based on true events, a group of LAPD officers got drunk and assaulted several (mostly Mexican-American) inmates - something that would definitely only happen in past, and apparently has no relevance to today. Curtis Henson's neo-noir crime drama is one of the best examples of the form and remains the gold standard for its noir style.
Oscars: Best Supporting Actress (Kim Basinger), Best Adapted Screenplay (Brian Helgeland and Curtis Henson)
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
Martin Scorsese's name isn't exactly synonymous with heartfelt romantic comedies, but one of his earliest films is an outstanding example of the genre, and an excellent one with a female lead - which is also What he's not exactly famous for. Ellen Burstyn stars as a small-town widow who takes her teenage son on the road in hopes of realizing her dream of a singing career. Along the way, she is ambushed while working as a diner waitress in Arizona. There she meets a local rancher (Kris Kristofferson). Despite some dark themes (including domestic abuse), it's surprisingly entertaining and a richer film than its eventual sitcom offshoot Alice would have you believe.
Oscar: Best Actress (Ellen Burstyn)
"Silver Linings Playbook" script (2012)
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence grapple with mental illness in this critically acclaimed romantic comedy/drama directed by David O. Russell (based on Matthew Quick's best-selling novel). The story of the two meeting each other in a common struggle is very cute. The characters here are more messed up than the romantic leads in many movies (or at least, more candid about their messiness), and it's hard not to root for them to be together, even if you realize it could be a disaster. The film received several major nominations, with the lone award going to Jennifer Lawrence.
Oscar: Best Actress (Jennifer Lawrence)
Whipped (2014)
Miles Teller stars as Andrew Neiman, an ambitious and talented jazz musician in his first year at New York's prestigious Schaeffer School of Music. He arrives at school with big dreams and soon catches the attention of Terrence Fletcher (the terrifying J.K. Simmons), the conservatory's studio bandleader. Fletcher was stubborn and cruel, which only fueled Neiman's intense desire to succeed.
Oscars: Best Supporting Actor (JK Simmons), Best Film Editing (Tom Cross), Best Sound Mixing (Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley)
Minari (2020)
"Minari" is an intricate, beautifully told story of cultural assimilation in 1980s America, filled with impressive performances. There's nothing overly dramatic or exaggerated here, making the entire narrative of a Korean immigrant family feel eerily real. Yoon Yeo-jeong, a standout actress who plays grandmother Sunja, captivated the Academy Awards audience with a memorable, relatable speech that began with her talking about how excited she was to meet Brad Pitt.
Oscar Award: Best Supporting Actress (Yin Ruzhen)
Mank (2020)
David Fincher's film about screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) and the development of Citizen Kane is impressive and, at times, harrowing. It also fared somewhat better than the drama at the Oscars: Kane was nominated for nine and won one, while Mank was nominated for 10 and won two of them.
Oscars: Best Cinematography (Eric Messerschmitt), Best Art Direction (Donald Graham Burt and Jan Pascal)
If anything happens I love you (2020)
This very short (less than 15 minutes) film, with a fairly simple animation style, is able to generate more emotion than many films many times its length. The film tells the story of two parents grieving the death of their daughter in a school shooting who find themselves growing apart in the aftermath of the incident.
Oscars: Best Animated Short Film
