Oscar season is upon us yet again, a pleasant spring holiday for movie worshippers. The 2022 selection includes an array of genres. With everything from satire to science fiction, this mix that something for everyone. For a viewer and a fan, there's nothing to lose when it comes to the Oscars.
When it comes to the actual golden statues, however, obviously not everyone can go home satisfied. Over the years, excellent films have been nominated in numerous categories that were predicted to be favorites, yet they went home empty-handed. Exactly why that happened is a matter of opinion, and movie buffs are sure to hear a few when the following titles come up in conversation.
7 The Elephant Man (1980)
Say what you will about David Lynch, but this movie might be one of the best examples of practical effects, book and theater adaptation, and cinematography on film, and it boasts eight Oscar nominations to back that up. The list includes Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor, just to name a few.
If the award for Best Makeup and Hair had existed when this movie was nominated, maybe it would have won an Oscar. In fact, The Elephant Man is the reason this award exists in the first place. The Academy created a new category in response to criticism that the organization didn't do enough to honor the breakthrough visual effects work.
6 Gangs Of New York (2002)
It's unclear as to why Gangs Of New York didn't win a single golden statue. Perhaps the early odds were more about the escapist or fantasy genre, and Martin Scorcese isn't exactly known for fluff, but there was some stiff competition that year. He took two decades to develop the film, a period drama about competing Catholic and Protestant gangs in early America.
It was nominated for a grand total of ten awards, including the big ones such as Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director, but it won none of them. Daniel Day-Lewis was nominated for Best Actor, but Adrien Brody took the statue for The Piano instead. Stiff competition, indeed.
5 American Hustle (2013)
A compelling story, American Hustle was based on an actual FBI operation, in which two con artists are recruited by law enforcement to help them catch some corrupt politicians. A total of ten nominations, a star-studded cast, and a brilliant screenplay wasn't enough to lift American Hustle above the sea of qualified nominees that year.
2013 was the year that the Academy was considering incredible entries that included Frozen, Gravity, and Dallas Buyers Club. As if that's not a tough playing field, Twelve Years a Slave swept most of the awards.
4 The Turning Point (1977)
Move over, Black Swan. The Turning Point was showing audience the sharp edge on the fuzzy side of ballet before it was cool. If there was an Oscar for Best Sex Symbol, this movie would have one in at least one category, and the winner would be Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Nominated eleven times, it's still a stellar movie that sparked interest in a whole genre about dance. It might have won in another year, but in 1977, everyone was drooling over the John Williams score for some wacky new sci-fi movie that Geoge Lucas made. What's more, Oscar favorite Woody Allen had given the Academy Annie Hall, the movie that won most of the awards that year.
3 The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption is one of those rare movies that is as beloved by critics as it is by fans. The uplifting story of Andy Dufresne's escape from Shawshank Prison was nominated for a total of seven awards, still the most of any Stephen King adaptation. Yet, it didn't win a single one.
Looking over the roster of other films that were up for awards that year, it's easy to see how The Shawshank Redemption slipped down. This is the year that Braveheart came out, and as if any more needs to be said after that, let's pile on other big hits like Dead Man Walking, Leaving Las Vegas, and The Usual Suspects.
2 The Color Purple (1985)
With some serious critical acclaim along with the support of the biggest names in Hollywood, The Color Purple could be the biggest collective Oscar snub of all time. It was nominated for a total of 11 awards, but didn't win a single one. This was during a period when the Oscars had their darlings, which means that Meryl Streep couldn't lose if her name came up, and she was nominated for Out Of Africa that same year.
The Color Purple starred mostly new actors and was directed by Steven Spielberg, who at the time was known for summer blockbusters. The mere thought would have sent a few judges to their fainting couches. Never mind that the subject matter was delicate to say the least, putting the film decades ahead of its time. Better to give the Oscars to a film that romanticizes African colonialism instead.
1 True Grit (2010)
A remake of a 1969 movie that did win John Wayne an Oscar for Best Actor, True Grit is a Coen Brothers adaptation that follows the same general storyline, but focuses more on the main character of Mattie. Played by Hailee Steinfeld and nominated for Best Supporting Actress, this is one of ten Oscars that True Grit was nominated for but didn't win.
The movie got a lot of positive reviews from fans and critics as a vintage western and a cross-country adventure driven by revenge, but it wasn't an ideal year for gritty westerns. True Grit was up against some big names that year, with the King's Speech, Inception, and The Social Network dominating the winning titles.