Everyone’s a critic when awards season rolls around, because heck – the Academy is famous for its face-palm decisions when it comes to which films and stars are deserving of an Oscar. Brace yourself for just a handful of masterpieces that all got left out in the cold on the night.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Martin Scorcese’s rollicking failed-stockbroker biopic got a swag of Oscar nods but went home shockingly empty-handed. Worse, the scene-stealing Matthew McConaughey didn’t even score a supporting actor nomination!
Source: [Red Granite Pictures]
About Schmidt (2002)
This tragi-comedy about a recent widower who goes on a road trip to his daughter’s wedding did land Jack Nicholson a Best Actor nod, but The Pianist’s Adrian Brody got the gold instead. The larger-than-life Kathy Bates was also fantastic but lost out in her bid for Best Supporting Actress, too.
Source: [New Line Cinema]
Fight Club (1999)
Strong performances from Edward Norton and Brad Pitt in this David Fincher film about two men embroiled in an underground fight club got one nomination, but there were crickets when it came time to hand out the gold.
Source: [Fox 2000 Pictures]
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Coen Brothers’ quirky cult comedy starring Jeff Bridges didn’t just miss out at the Oscars, but got shunned at pretty much every major Awards show. What the…? We’re pretty sure the Dude would have a lot to say about that.
Source: [Working Title Films]
Heat (1995)
Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro facing off as a cop and a criminal… what’s not to love? Michael Mann’s smart, compelling crime drama deserved a lot more than it got on Oscars night – which was zippety-zip.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman starred in this incredible tale of a wrongly-imprisoned banker’s attempts to escape jail. It got a not-to-be-sniffed at seven nominations, but not one win. It smashed sales when it went to video, though.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Quentin Tarantino’s debut film, a bloody bungled-heist movie famous for its one-liners, revealed just how talented a director he’d become, but worthy of even a nomination? Nope. As Mr Pink would say: ‘I KNOW we got set up.’
Source: [Live Entertainment]
Stand by Me (1986)
The tale of four friends who embark on a quest to find the body of a missing boy became an absolute cult classic with stellar performances by its young stars – but clearly the Academy’s movers and shakers didn’t agree.
Source: [Columbia Pictures Corporation]
The Shining (1980)
An entire generation of adults still have nightmares about Jack Nicholson’s ‘Heeeere’s Johnny!’ scene in this terrifying horror about a guy and his family besieged by ghosts at an isolated hotel - but the Academy totally ignored it!
Psycho (1960)
Proving yet again that horror is generally not a winner by Oscar standards, this creepy classic scored a Best Director nomination for Alfred Hitchcock and a Best Supporting Actress nod for Janet Leigh… but not a statuette in sight.
Source: [Shamley Productions]
Which Oscar-worthy films do you think the Academy was totally bonkers to overlook?
Martin Scorcese’s rollicking failed-stockbroker biopic got a swag of Oscar nods but went home shockingly empty-handed. Worse, the scene-stealing Matthew McConaughey didn’t even score a supporting actor nomination!
Source: [Red Granite Pictures]
About Schmidt (2002)
This tragi-comedy about a recent widower who goes on a road trip to his daughter’s wedding did land Jack Nicholson a Best Actor nod, but The Pianist’s Adrian Brody got the gold instead. The larger-than-life Kathy Bates was also fantastic but lost out in her bid for Best Supporting Actress, too.
Source: [New Line Cinema]
Fight Club (1999)
Strong performances from Edward Norton and Brad Pitt in this David Fincher film about two men embroiled in an underground fight club got one nomination, but there were crickets when it came time to hand out the gold.
Source: [Fox 2000 Pictures]
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Coen Brothers’ quirky cult comedy starring Jeff Bridges didn’t just miss out at the Oscars, but got shunned at pretty much every major Awards show. What the…? We’re pretty sure the Dude would have a lot to say about that.
Source: [Working Title Films]
Heat (1995)
Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro facing off as a cop and a criminal… what’s not to love? Michael Mann’s smart, compelling crime drama deserved a lot more than it got on Oscars night – which was zippety-zip.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman starred in this incredible tale of a wrongly-imprisoned banker’s attempts to escape jail. It got a not-to-be-sniffed at seven nominations, but not one win. It smashed sales when it went to video, though.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Quentin Tarantino’s debut film, a bloody bungled-heist movie famous for its one-liners, revealed just how talented a director he’d become, but worthy of even a nomination? Nope. As Mr Pink would say: ‘I KNOW we got set up.’
Source: [Live Entertainment]
Stand by Me (1986)
The tale of four friends who embark on a quest to find the body of a missing boy became an absolute cult classic with stellar performances by its young stars – but clearly the Academy’s movers and shakers didn’t agree.
Source: [Columbia Pictures Corporation]The Shining (1980)
An entire generation of adults still have nightmares about Jack Nicholson’s ‘Heeeere’s Johnny!’ scene in this terrifying horror about a guy and his family besieged by ghosts at an isolated hotel - but the Academy totally ignored it!
Psycho (1960)
Proving yet again that horror is generally not a winner by Oscar standards, this creepy classic scored a Best Director nomination for Alfred Hitchcock and a Best Supporting Actress nod for Janet Leigh… but not a statuette in sight.
Source: [Shamley Productions]
Which Oscar-worthy films do you think the Academy was totally bonkers to overlook?
