Oscars: What Should Have Won Best Picture 1990-1999

Welcome to part 7 of this exercise. As a reminder, we’re going through every year at the Oscars and looking at which film should’ve won Best Picture. I’m only sticking to the films that were nominated. I haven’t seen enough films from every year to choose from all available films, at least not yet.

Today we’re looking at the Academy Awards of the 1990s.

1990 – The Sixty-Third Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Dances with Wolves

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Goodfellas

When I set out to watch all the Best Picture winners Dances With Wolves felt like homework. I was pleasantly surprised with the watchability of the film. I expected a slog but Kevin Costner made a fine film.

However, we cannot sit here and say it deserved Best Picture over Goodfellas. It’s not even in my top five Scorsese films but I know it’s superior to the three-hour western. Not only better but Goodfellas is the more influential and the one people continue to talk about.

This is actually a good lineup. No one talks about Awakenings but it’s solid. Ghost is good and Godfather 3 is better than people remember.

1991 – The Sixty-Fourth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: The Silence of the Lambs

What Should Have Won Best Picture: The Silence of the Lambs

The first time I watched JFK, after it ended I wondered how it didn’t win every Oscar it was nominated for. Then I looked up its Oscar year and realized what it was up against. Made sense after that.

The Silence of the Lambs is nearly a perfect film. The most incredible aspect of the film is even with how horrifying it is, it is immensely rewatchable. It’s a great winner and deserved the top-5 prizes. Still, the last film to take home all five.

JFK and Beauty and the Beast are excellent. Being a Warren Beatty fan Bugsy is a bit of a disappointment.

1992 – The Sixty-Fifth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Unforgiven

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Howards End

Personally, this is a pick ‘em. Both films are excellent, just very different films. Unforgiven is probably one of the top ten Western films ever made. Howards End is the best Merchant/Ivory film. I think it comes down to personal taste.

I’ve never been big on Westerns so my personal Best Picture pick is Howards End. An exquisite film, beautiful to look at, but simmering with a family drama. Emma Thompson is perfect in the film and a great Best Actress win.

If it weren’t for Scent of a Woman this would be a great lineup. A Few Good Men and The Crying Game both hold up incredibly well.

1993 – The Sixty-Sixth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Schindler’s List

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Schindler’s List

Another film there is no denying. It’s not a fun pick, it’s not a fun watch. So not fun I have only seen the film once in my life. But it’s one of the most important films of the 20th century. Feels like a necessary checkmark in which you cannot pick any other film.

Because this is such a behemoth, I think the entire lineup gets overshadowed which is a great one. The Fugitive, In the Name of the Father, The Piano, and The Remains of the Day. All are excellent and a lineup I’d put up against most other BP lineups.

1994 – The Sixty-Seventh Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Forrest Gump

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Pulp Fiction

Oh, Forrest Gump. A film phenomenon that you had to be there to experience. Obviously, I don’t remember firsthand. But growing up it was always on TV. The Hanks' impressions of the pro-institution message have aged this film.

Pulp Fiction isn’t just one of the most important films of the 90s but probably of the 20th century. Even if I don’t think it’s his best film Tarantino announced to the world he is here to stay, Not to mention it’s aged way better than Gump has.

This lineup is fantastic sans Gump. Quiz Show is becoming a forgotten gem. Four Weddings and a Funeral is a British classic.

1995 – The Sixty-Eighth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Braveheart

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Apollo 13

You know if Braveheart did not claim to be factually accurate. Or if it was not based on anything, or merely took inspiration, it’s a pretty good film. However, knowing that it’s one of the most historically inaccurate films ever made sours the film, and now Mel Gibson’s reputation does as well.

Apollo 13 is superior in every way. If they would’ve given Ron Howard director here we wouldn’t have him winning for A Beautiful Mind. Like The Right Stuff, Apollo 13 tells the true story of what Americans can do when we put our minds to it, and it’s actually historically accurate.

The rest of the lineup is good. Il Postino is decent. It’s been too long since I’ve watched Babe but I remember liking it. Sense and Sensibility is excellent.

1996 – The Sixty-Ninth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: The English Patient

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Fargo

Anthony Minghella’s attempt at making his version of Lawrence of Arabia. It’s better than people remember, but it still feels like Oscar bait. A stuffy period drama. Also, Fargo is sitting right there.

The Coen’s would get their flowers over a decade later. But the Oscars could’ve rightfully rewarded them in 1996. This film is the best example of what the Coens were great at. Genre mashing, tone shifting, and masterful dialogue.

Jerry Maguire and Secrets and Lies are also both great. Tom Cruise was robbed of an Oscar.

1997 – The Seventieth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Titanic

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Titanic

When I was younger and getting more into film, I used to try to look cool by saying L.A. Confidential should have won Best Picture this year. However, after multiple rewatches of Titanic, including one in a theater, I’ve come to the realization that Titanic is a masterpiece.

Good Will Hunting is amazing. The Full Monty and As Good as It Gets over the slew of great films from this year is terrible.

1998 – The Seventy-First Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Shakespeare in Love

What Should Have Won Best Picture: The Thin Red Line

The big year with the seismic Best Picture race, Shakespeare in Love vs. Saving Private Ryan. People are confused as to how Shakespeare won, it can be answered with one word, Weinstein. However, I have a controversial opinion coming in hot!

I don’t think either deserved Best Picture. Saving Private Ryan, after the opening scene plays like a video game that you progress through. The Thin Red Line is a gorgeous film looking at the humanity of war and the battle of nature vs. nurture in this world.

Saving Private Ryan and Shakespeare in Love are both good films. But Malick’s World War II film was the best.

1999 – The Seventy-Second Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: American Beauty

What Should Have Won Best Picture: The Insider

American Beauty was a personal favorite for a long time. Kevin Spacey used to be my favorite actor. Then we found out he is a monster and it ruined a lot of his filmography for me. I had not watched the film since his allegations until recently.

I got to see the film in a new light. Seeing the blemishes that were smoothed over with rose-colored glasses. Also, watching Kevin Spacey’s Lester seduce a High Schooler while knowing the predator he is in real life is hard to watch.

Mann’s The Insider is one of the best journalism films ever. It’s the last great Al Pacino performance. Christopher Plummer as Mike Wallace is incredible and he not only should’ve been nominated but he should’ve won.

This whole lineup is good. You could swap out The Cider House Rules with a multitude of great films from a year of great films.