“Nomadland,” the best picture Oscar-winner for 2021, is an impressive film, and not just because of the big award. Critics liked it, too — better than they liked any other best picture nominee that year. That may sound like a given, but actually, movie history usually doesn’t work that way. Instead, critics (and often audiences) go one way, and the academy does its own thing.
Among 2022’s best picture Oscar nominees, critics prefer the Japanese drama “Drive My Car,” but oddsmakers are leaning toward the crowd-pleasing “CODA” instead.
Here’s a look at the last 52 years of Oscar ceremonies, and the nominees, that (according to critics) were the real best pictures. We’re talking movies such as “The Social Network” and “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” — flicks that got more love from critics than from Oscar voters.
This list is followed by the dozen-plus times where reviewers and Oscar voters actutally agreed — as in the case of the South Korean film, “Parasite.”
We compiled our rundown using data from the movie-review aggregation site Metacritic. Films are listed by the year in which their respective Oscar ceremony was held.
What should’ve won in 2019: “Roma” (Metascore: 96)
What won: “Green Book” (Metascore: 69)
Filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón did not go away empty-handed for “Roma,” his look at a domestic worker’s life in Mexico City in the 1970s, a story inspired by his own childhood. He won three statuettes — for best foreign language film, best cinematography and best director. His directing win marked the second time Cuarón won the category while losing out on best picture.
What should’ve won in 2018: “Dunkirk” and “Lady Bird” (tie) (Metascore: 94)
What won: “The Shape of Water” (Metascore: 87)
If critics were Oscar voters, there would have been two films receiving best picture glory: Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic “Dunkirk,” and Greta Gerwig’s pitch-perfect coming-of-age tale, “Lady Bird.”
What should’ve won in 2015: “Boyhood” (Metascore: 100)
What won: “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” (Metascore: 87)
Critics liked “Birdman.” But they thought Richard Linklater’s years-in-the-making look at growing up was basically perfect. “Boyhood” star Patricia Arquette did claim the statuette for best supporting actress.
What should’ve won in 2014: “12 Years a Slave” and “Gravity” (tie) (Metascore: 96)
What won: “12 Years a Slave”
According to critics, the Best Picture race should’ve resulted in shared glory for “12 Years a Slave” and Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity.” On Oscar night, “Gravity” won four more Oscars than “12 Years a Slave,” but the period piece claimed best picture for its own over the sci-fi flick (and gave producer Brad Pitt his first career Oscar win).
What should’ve won in 2013: “Zero Dark Thirty” (Metascore: 95)
What won: “Argo” (Metascore: 86)
If critics had the vote, Ben Affleck wouldn’t have capped his Hollywood comeback with a best picture Oscar for “Argo,” his story about the rescue of Americans taken hostage in Iran. Rather, filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow, just three years removed from “The Hurt Locker,” would’ve scored her second career best picture win with the fact-based thriller “Zero Dark Thirty,” about the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
What should’ve won in 2011: “The Social Network” (Metascore: 95)
What won: “The King’s Speech” (Metascore: 88)
In a race where Oscar voters could’ve honored an of-the-moment Facebook movie (“The Social Network”), academy members opted for a period costume drama (“The King’s Speech”). “The Social Network” made do with three Oscars, including one for Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay.
What should’ve won in 2008: “There Will Be Blood” (Metascore: 93)
What won: “No Country for Old Men” (Metascore: 91)
Critics praised Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood,” an unsparing look at early-20th century California, nearly as much as Joel Coen and Ethan Coen’s “No Country for Old Men,” an unsparing crime thriller set at late-20th-century Texas.
What should’ve won in 2007: “The Queen” (Metascore: 91)
What won: “The Departed” (Metascore: 85)
If critics were calling the shots, Stephen Frears’ “The Queen,” a portrait of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in the days after the death of Princess Diana, would’ve been awarded Oscar’s top prize. Of course, if critics had been calling the shots all along, then Martin Scorsese would’ve broken through at the Academy Awards decades before “The Departed” finally put one of his films in the winner’s circle.
What should’ve won in 2006: “Capote” (Metascore: 88)
What won: “Crash” (Metascore: 69)
Per critics, “Crash” wasn’t even the 100th-best movie of its year, much less the best movie. But while conventional wisdom says “Crash” robbed “Brokeback Mountain,” the critical consensus says that the biopic “Capote” was the best best picture nominee of the bunch.
What should’ve won in 2005: “Sideways” (Metascore: 94)
What won: “Million Dollar Baby” (Metascore: 86)
Filmmaker Alexander Payne’s “Sideways” won praise from critics for its valentine to California’s wine country, but it only claimed one Oscar (for best adapted screenplay).
What should’ve won in 2003: “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (Metascore: 87)
What won: “Chicago” (Metascore: 82)
If critical plaudits were Oscar votes, then “The Two Towers,” the stirring middle chapter of Peter Jackson’s landmark “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, would’ve bested the musical “Chicago” for best picture.
What should’ve won in 2002: “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (Metascore: 92)
What won: “A Beautiful Mind” (Metascore: 72)
Critics liked “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first movie in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, even more than “The Two Towers.” Ron Howard’s “A Beautiful Mind,” meanwhile, was its year’s 81st-best movie, per Metacritic.
What should’ve won in 2001: “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (Metascore: 94)
What won: “Gladiator” (Metascore: 67)
The gulf was wide between what critics considered the best movie of its year (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) and what Oscar voters found most worthy of best picture glory (“Gladiator”). Ang Lee’s mesmerizing martial arts epic did score four Oscars, including best foreign language film.
What should’ve won in 2000: “The Insider” and “American Beauty” (tie) (Metascore: 84)
What won: “American Beauty”
Critics liked “The Insider” and “American Beauty” equally. At the Oscars, “The Insider,” a drama about a tobacco-industry whistleblower, went oh-for-seven; “American Beauty,” a satirical look at the suburbs, won five awards, including best picture.
What should’ve won in 1999: “Saving Private Ryan” (Metascore: 91)
What won: “Shakespeare in Love” (Metascore: 87)
Though “Shakespeare in Love” has been portrayed as the beneficiary of a dirty-tricks Oscar campaign, critics did like the Harvey Weinstein-produced movie – but, true, they liked one of its fellow nominees, Steven Spielberg’s World War II saga, “Saving Private Ryan,” even more. Still, Spielberg was awarded best director for the second time.
What should’ve won in 1998: “L.A. Confidential” (Metascore: 90)
What won: “Titanic” (Metascore: 75)
Nothing could stop James Cameron’s “Titanic” from steaming to 11 Oscar wins (including best picture), not even Curtis Hanson’s acclaimed Los Angeles crime story, “L.A. Confidential.” “Confidential” femme fatale Kim Basinger won the best supporting actress Oscar over “Titanic”‘s Gloria Stuart. .
What should’ve won in 1997: “Secrets & Lies” (Metascore: 91)
What won: “The English Patient” (Metascore: 87)
Writer-director Mike Leigh’s family drama “Secrets & Lies” scored five Oscar nominations, but zero wins. The critical favorite was upended in the best picture category by the wartime romance “The English Patient,” which claimed nine statuettes overall.
What should’ve won in 1996: “Sense and Sensibility” (Metascore: 84)
What won: “Braveheart” (68)
With critical super-favorite “Toy Story” (Metascore: 95) shut out of the best picture race (it would be several years before animated features had an Oscar category all their own), Mel Gibson’s battle epic “Braveheart” captured the top prize. The Jane Austen adaptation “Sense and Sensibility,” meanwhile, was confined to one Oscar win, for star Emma Thompson’s screenplay.
What should’ve won in 1995: “Pulp Fiction” (Metascore: 94)
What won: “Forrest Gump” (Metascore: 82)
Writer-director Quentin Tarantino wouldn’t be looking for his first best picture win if Oscar voters had agreed with critics, and given the 1995 ceremony’s top prize to “Pulp Fiction” instead of the baby boomer epic, “Forrest Gump.”
What should’ve won in 1993: “The Crying Game” (Metascore: 90)
What won: “Unforgiven” (Metascore: 85)
The groundbreaking trans drama “The Crying Game” earned six Academy Award nominations, including one for best picture, but it came away with just a single victory for its screenplay. The critically-respected Clint Eastwood revenge-Western “Unforgiven,” by comparison, scored four wins, including the top prize.
What should’ve won in 1992: “Beauty and the Beast” (Metascore: 95)
What won: “Silence of the Lambs” (Metascore: 85)
“Silence of the Lambs” made Oscar history by becoming only the third film to sweep best picture, best director (for Jonathan Demme), best actress (Jodie Foster), best actor (Anthony Hopkins) and best adapted screenplay. But according to critics, DIsney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” which made history of its own for nabbing a best picture nod – the first-ever for an animated feature – was the better movie.
What should’ve won in 1991: “Goodfellas” (Metascore: 90)
What won: “Dances With Wolves” (Metascore: 72)
Were it not for Joe Pesci’s win for best supporting actor, Martin Scorsese’s mob epic “Goodfellas” would’ve been shut out entirely at the 1991 Oscars. It was denied, in part, by Kevin Costner’s “Dances With Wolves,” the actor’s filmmaking debut – a movie that The New Yorker’s Pauline Kael called “childishly naïve.”
What should’ve won in 1990: “My Left Foot” (Metascore: 97)
What won: “Driving Miss Daisy” (Metascore: 81)
This is the Oscar contest best remembered for “Driving Miss Daisy” – a feel-good story about race relations in the gauzy past – being honored over “Do the Right Thing” (Metascore: 92) – the pull-no-punches look at the same dynamic today – but the Spike Lee film never even got in the game: It wasn’t nominated for best picture. For critics, the best of the nominated films that year was the Daniel Day-Lewis-led biopic, “My Left Foot.”
What should’ve won in 1989: “Dangerous Liaisons” (Metascore: 74)
What won: “Rain Man” (Metascore: 65)
With a Metascore of 74, “Dangerous Liaisons” is the lowest-rated “best” movie in this rundown. More critically-acclaimed movies that Oscar voters could have nominated for best picture that year, but didn’t, include David Cronenberg’s “Dead Ringers” (Metascore: 86) and the live-action/animated groundbreaker, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (Metascore: 83).
What should’ve won in 1988: “Broadcast News” (Metascore: 84)
What won: “The Last Emperor” (Metascore: 76)
Critics favored writer-director James L Brooks’ smart, workplace comedy, “Broadcast News,” to Bernardo Bertolucci’s opulent historical epic, “The Last Emperor,” which swept all nine categories in which it was nominated, including best picture.
What should’ve won in 1986: “Prizzi’s Honor” (Metascore: 84)
What won: “Out of Africa” (Metascore: 69)
Nominated for eight Oscars, the mob comedy “Prizzi’s Honor” scored only one, for Anjelica Huston (best supporting actress). “Out of Africa,” meanwhile, was just the sort of sweeping drama that went over well with Oscar voters of the 1980s; it won seven statuettes, including for best picture.
What should’ve won in 1984: “The Right Stuff” (Metascore: 91)
What won: “Terms of Endearment” (Metascore: 79)
The epic tale of the first Americans in space, “The Right Stuff” won four Oscars, but it didn’t have the right stuff for best picture, where James L. Brooks’ mother-daughter dramedy “Terms of Endearment” scored a rare best picture win for a female-driven film.
What should’ve won in 1983: “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” (Metascore: 91)
What won: “Gandhi” (Metascore: 79)
Among the best picture nominees, critics much preferred the Steven Spielberg blockbuster “E.T.” and the Dustin Hoffman comedy “Tootsie” (Metascore: 88) to “Gandhi,” but it was the epic biopic about the liberator of India that ruled the Oscars with eight wins, including one for best picture.
What should’ve won in 1982: “Atlantic City” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (tie) (Metascore: 85)
What won: “Chariots of Fire” (Metascore: 78)
If movie reviews were Academy Award votes, then this year’s Oscar show would’ve ended in a thrilling tie between “Atlantic City,” Louis Malle’s quiet crime drama, and “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Steven Spielberg’s thrilling action-adventure. The British sports biopic “Chariots of Fire” ran away with the prize instead.
What should’ve won in 1981: “Raging Bull” (Metascore: 89)
What won: “Ordinary People” (Metascore: 87)
Martin Scorsese’s brutal look at the life of boxer Jake LaMotta was one of two black-and-white movies in best picture contention at that year’s Oscar show.; the other was David Lynch’s “The Elephant Man” (Metascore: 77). In the end, Robert Redford’s somber directing debut, “Ordinary People,” was crowned the winner.
What should’ve won in 1980: “Apocalypse Now” (Metascore: 94)
What won: “Kramer vs. Kramer” (Metascore: 77)
Though Francis Ford Coppola believed “Apocalypse Now” was branded a “failure” sight unseen, Oscar voters thought enough of his Vietnam War epic to award it two Oscars, and put it in contention for six more awards, including best picture. The divorce drama “Kramer vs. Kramer,” however, was the true academy favorite; it won five Oscars, including the top prize.
What should’ve won in 1977: “Taxi Driver” (Metascore: 94)
What won: “Rocky” (Metascore: 70)
Back in the day, the best picture win for “Rocky” was considered an upset – and, indeed, the competition was legendary. In addition to Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver,” the category included “All the President’s Men” (Metascore: 80) and “Network” (Metascore: 83).
What should’ve won in 1976: “Nashville” (Metascore: 96)
What won: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (Metascore: 83)
Robert Altman’s cross-talking, ensemble comedy-drama “Nashville” won over critics, but earned only one Academy Award, for star Keith Carradine’s song, “I’m Easy.” Michael Douglas, meanwhile, scored his first career Oscar for producing the best picture-winner, the mental-hospital drama, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”
What should’ve won in 1975: “Chinatown” (Metascore: 92)
What won: “The Godfather: Part II” (Metascore: 90)
“The Godfather: Part II” may be regarded as the best sequel ever, but while critics loved it, they loved Roman Polanski’s Los Angeles-set noir drama, “Chinatown,” even more.
What should’ve won in 1974: “American Graffiti” (Metascore: 97)
What won: “The Sting” (Metascore: 83)
Above even the original “Star Wars,” the critical consensus is that “American Graffiti,” a fond look back at 1950s teens and their cars, is George Lucas’ best movie ever. But come the Oscars, “Graffiti” was denied by the 1930s-set crime caper “The Sting.” To date, Lucas has never won a competitive Oscar for producing or directing.
What should’ve won in 2020: “Parasite” (Metascore: 96)
What won: “Parasite”
The pitch-black comedy about class upset odds-on-favorite “1917” (Metascore: 78) to win the top prize and three other Oscars. Writer-director Bong Joon Ho personally claimed three of the statuettes: for best director, best original screenplay and best picture.
What should’ve won in 2017: “Moonlight” (Metascore: 99)
What won: “Moonlight”
The envelopes at the Oscar show might have caused confusion — and a declaration, however quickly retracted, that “La La Land” (Metascore: 93) was the winner — but critics were always clear: Filmmaker Barry Jenkins’ coming-of-age portrait was the best of the bunch.
What should’ve won in 2016: “Spotlight” (Metascore: 93)
What won: “Spotlight”
“Spotlight,” the ensemble drama about the nitty-gritty work that goes into a newspaper reporting team’s exposé, was the pick of critics and Oscar voters.
What should’ve won in 2012: “The Artist” (Metascore: 89)
What won: “The Artist”
The (mostly) silent film about silent films may be remembered by some as one of Oscar’s worst Best Picture winners, but the critical consensus is that “The Artist” was a better movie than nominees such as “The Tree of Life” (Metascore: 85), “Moneyball” (Metascore: 87), and “The Help” (Metascore: 62).
What should’ve won in 2010: “The Hurt Locker” (Metascore: 95)
What won: “The Hurt Locker”
Those expecting James Cameron’s “Avatar” to pull a “Titanic” and win best picture were thrown when war film “The Hurt Locker,” directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Cameron’s ex-wife), took the top prize instead. But critics were saying all along that “Hurt Locker” was better than “Avatar” (Metascore: 83) — as Bigelow became the first female best director Oscar-winner.
What should’ve won in 2009: “Slumdog Millionaire” (Metascore: 86)
What won: “Slumdog Millionaire”
Danny Boyle’s India-set fable “Slumdog Millionaire” was the big winner of the 2009 Oscars, scoring eight wins, including best picture.
What should’ve won in 2004: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (Metascore: 94)
What won: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”
If critics had their way, Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” movies would have won back-to-back-to-back best picture honors. Academy voters finally came around with “The Return of the King.” The trilogy’s final chapter was the set’s best-reviewed film, and its top Oscar-winner, with a record-tying 11 wins (in 11 categories), including best picture.
What should’ve won in 1994: “Schindler’s List” (Metascore: 94)
What won: “Schindler’s List”
Despite 19 career Oscar nominations to date, and with 12 films in the running for best picture, Steven Spielberg has won just three competitive Academy Awards, including two for “Schindler’s List.” The Holocaust drama is the only one of his films to claim the best picture award.
What should’ve won in 1987: “Platoon” (Metascore: 92)
What won: “Platoon”
Oliver Stone’s Vietnam War drama “Platoon” won four Oscars, including the top honor, edging out fellow best picture nominees “Hannah and Her Sisters” (Metascore: 90) and “A Room With a View” (Metascore: 80), each of which won three awards.
What should’ve won in 1985: “Amadeus” (Metascore: 88)
What won: “Amadeus”
The story of Mozart and his rival was a critical favorite and Oscar frontrunner that made good on its promise: “Amadeus” won a field-best eight Academy Awards, including best picture.
What should’ve won in 1979: “The Deer Hunter” (Metascore: 86)
What won: “The Deer Hunter”
Meryl Streep earned the first of her record-setting 21 career Oscar nominations for “The Deer Hunter,” the Vietnam-vet drama that claimed best picture and four other Oscars (but not one for Streep).
What should’ve won in 1978: “Annie Hall” (Metascore: 92)
What won: “Annie Hall”
Woody Allen’s bittersweet comedy “Annie Hall” held off “Star Wars” (Metascore: 90) in the best picture race. The film won four awards overall, including a best actress statuette for Diane Keaton.
What should’ve won in 1973: “The Godfather” (Metascore: 100)
What won: “The Godfather”
Francis Ford Coppola’s mobster classic lost in more Oscar categories (eight) than it won (three), but it claimed best picture, and it is one of only two films in this rundown with a perfect Metascore. (“Boyhood” is the other.)
What should’ve won in 1972: “The French Connection” (Metascore: 94)
What won: “The French Connection”
The New York City crime drama “The French Connection” held off “The Last Picture Show” (Metascore: 93), “A Clockwork Orange” (Metascore: 80), and more to claim best picture. It won five Oscars overall, including best actor for Gene Hackman.
What should’ve won in 1971: “Patton” (Metascore: 91)
What won: “Patton”
A Francis Ford Coppola-penned drama about U.S. Army Gen. George S. Patton, “Patton” earned the respect of critics and Oscar voters alike. It won a night-best seven awards, including best picture and best actor for George C. Scott, who declined the statuette.
What should’ve won in 1970: “Midnight Cowboy” (Metascore: 79)
What won: “Midnight Cowboy”
With one of the lower Metascores on our list, the X-rated “Midnight Cowboy” nonetheless distinguished itself in a best picture field that included “Hello, Dolly!” (Metascore: 51) and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (Metascore: 66).
