Top 84 Best Picture Winners Ever

34. A Beautiful Mind (2001 − 74th Best Picture Winner)
Plot: A mathematician’s new work leads him into a nightmarish realm where he sees a world quite different from the one unfolding around him.
Why It’s Great: Russell Crowe is good here, and it’s nice to see him depart from the tough-guy heroics of Gladiator and L.A. Confidential. While most would probably have preferred Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring win, this is a better choice than Moulin Rouge!, In the Bedroom and Gosford Park. Of course, our pick for the year would have been the un-nominated Memento.
Oscar Wins: 4
Budget: $58 million ($73.621 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.1
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33. The Artist (2011 − 84th Best Picture Winner)
Plot: An aging silent film star and a young dancer share a bond before the “talkies” era begins, setting their careers – and lives – on different paths.
Why It’s Great: The silent films were such great examples of expressive acting and lyrical storytelling and director Michel Hazanavicius’ film is a loving tribute to those early days of cinema. The Artist also picked up Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Score and Best Costume Design. Other films in the running: The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life and War Horse.
Oscar Wins: 5
Budget: $15 million ($15 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.1
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32. Ben-Hur (1959 − 32nd Best Picture Winner)
Plot: Based on the acclaimed 19th Century novel and a remake of the 1925 silent film, the story centers on a man who clashes with a childhood friend-turned-tribune over the freedom of the Jewish people, concluding with the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Why It’s Great: Solid tale of forgiveness under the watchful eye of the great William Wyler and starring a stellar cast led by Charlton Heston. The chariot sequence is still one of the great action set-pieces of our time. Along with Titanic, Ben-Hur has the most Oscar wins ever, beating out Anatomy of a Murder, Room at the Top, The Diary of Anne Frank and The Nun’s Story for the prize.
Oscar Wins: 11
Budget: $15 million ($114.134 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.1
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31. In the Heat of the Night (1967 − 40th Best Picture Winner)
Plot: An African-American detective from Philadelphia investigates a murder on a bigoted Mississippi police chief’s home turf.
Why It’s Great: Amid the racial tensions of the Sixties, Hollywood had the guts to come up with an Oscar-winning screenplay exploring both protagonists outside their stereotypes. While you could make a good case Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and Doctor Dolittle deserved the nod, we think the Academy got this one right.
Oscar Wins: 5
Budget: $2 million ($13.287 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.0
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30. It Happened One Night (1934 − 7th Best Picture Winner)
Plot: A desperate reporter and a spoiled heiress find each other in this romantic comedy from the man behind It’s a Wonderful Life.
Why It’s Great: The two lead stars couldn’t have been any less enthused than they were about taking on this project. Young director Frank Capra had his work cut out for him, but in the end, consummate professionalism won out, and so did this film, beating The Barretts of Wimpole Street, Cleopatra, Flirtation Walk, The Gay Divorcee, Here Comes the Navy, The House of Rothschild, Imitation of Life, One Night of Love, The Thin Man, Viva Villa!, and The White Parade for the win.
Oscar Wins: 5
Budget: $325,000 ($5.387 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.2
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29. Gandhi (1982 − 55th Best Picture Winner)
Plot: Bio-pic delves in to the life of Mohandas K. Gandhi, a non-violent lawyer-turned-philosopher, who stood up to British rule.
Why It’s Great: The movie is a well-made reminder of the greatness of the individual. If you’ve ever heard the words, “One man can’t make a difference,” well, don’t tell that to this film. Ben Kingsley is fantastic in the title role. Gandhi beat E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Missing, Tootsie and The Verdict for the win.
Oscar Wins: 8
Budget: $22 million ($50.461 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.1
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28. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946 − 19th Best Picture Winner)
Plot: World War II veterans find adjusting to civilian life difficult in this acclaimed drama.
Why It’s Great: You may think It’s a Wonderful Life was a Best Picture Winner. Well, it wasn’t, because of this film. The Best Years of Our Lives is an interesting film because it takes a hard look at what happens after the war during a time when Hollywood was almost a propaganda machine for drumming up military support. This film is very much “support the troops” minded, but it strips away the sensationalism pervading much of the war-themed entertainment of the time. Other nominees included The Razor’s Edge, The Yearling and Henry V.
Oscar Wins: 7
Budget: $2.1 million ($23.864 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.2
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27. Annie Hall (1977 − 50th Best Picture Winner)
Plot: A New York comedian ties up with the title character in a boomerang romance lasting throughout the 1970s.
Why It’s Great: No matter what you feel about him as a filmmaker, Woody Allen’s Annie Hall is one of his better works. Of course, in those days, Diane Keaton was far too hot for Allen. Now they look like they belong together. But if you can see past the “is she really going out with him” factor, it’s quite fun. Other nominees: The Goodbye Girl, Julia, The Turning Point and Star Wars. That’s right, Star Wars, which ended up winning more awards at seven.
Oscar Wins: 4
Budget: $4 million ($14.634 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.2
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26. The Deer Hunter (1978 − 51st Best Picture Winner)
Plot: Three Pittsburgh steel workers serve in the infantry during the Vietnam War. This is their story.
Why It’s Great: Michael Cimino puts together an ugly, beautiful masterpiece in his depiction of what war can do to one’s psyche. The cast is stellar with Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, Meryl Streep and John Cazale standing out. Other nominees: Coming Home, Heaven Can Wait, Midnight Express and An Unmarried Woman.
Oscar Wins: 5
Budget: $15 million ($51 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.2
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25. No Country for Old Men (2007 − 80th Best Picture Winner)
Plot: There are no clean getaways in this tale of a man, who finds a fortune in drug money and then must reap the consequences of keeping it to himself.
Why It’s Great: Despite the weird and off-putting finale, villain Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) is a terrifying screen presence, and the Coen Brothers usual gift for peripheral casting make the 1980 West Texas setting come alive. Other BP nominees included Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton and There Will Be Blood.
Oscar Wins: 4
Budget: $25 million ($27.021 million)
IMDB User Rating: 8.2
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