The films that shouldn't have won the Oscar

We stand at the gates of the new millennium and among the five are two Titans (besides ours). Dark horse Roberto Benigni, who with Life is beautiful will triumph as an actor and for the best foreign film): Steven Spielberg with Save Private Ryan and Terrence Malick, who returns as director twenty years ago (!) The Days of Heaven. The first is at least rewarded with the statuette for best director; the second will remain empty-handed despite the 7 nominations. It is the era of the excessive power of Harvey Weinstein, producer of the so-called Miramax “boutique films” that challenge the big studio productions. After winning two years earlier The English patient (and the excellent placement, also at the various events AwardsFrom Will Hunting – Rebel genius In the preliminary round, Davide once again managed to defeat the Hollywood Goliaths: 7 statuettes from a total of 13 nominations. But we know that history would then turn everything upside down…

An entertaining biopic that does not despise kitsch (see the composition of the ending): this is it A beautiful spiritwhich relies everything on its protagonist Russell Crowe, who has just won the Oscar gladiator. An Old Hollywood show that is still a pleasure to watch when it's on TV today. But this year there was the first chapter of the competition Lord of the rings by Peter Jackson, the irresistible Gosford Park by Robert Altman and especially Moulin Rouge!, Baz Luhrmann's masterpiece that would forever change the history of musicals in cinema. Suppressed best picturesShe will also suffer a defeat among actresses, with Halle Berry prevailing against Nicole Kidman (for whom compensation will be paid the following year). The hour: but Satine was something else). Looking back, it was really a stolen victory.

The game seemed to be over: a Brokeback Mountain, already awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, would have won the statuette for best film. That would have marked a record in Academy history: it would have been the most “studio” film focused on one love story openly homosexual. Ang Lee, who directed the drama with Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal win best director and then… surprise. The best film is Crash – Physical contact, a crime-melo pastiche by the unknown Paul Haggis (who also won the award for best original screenplay that night). “Crashes it doesn’t deserve the best movie statuette”: Who said that? Paul Haggis himself, many years later. The most important thing is honesty (and self-awareness).

One of the most sensational scandals in Oscars history. Masterpiece by David Fincher, The social network It is the film that best describes our digital society, evolving from the “simple” biography of Mark Zuckerberg (a great Jesse Eisenberg) into one of the greatest titles of the 21st century. And instead the ultra-British are ahead The King's Speech, a dusty historical drama about Queen Elizabeth's father (played by Colin Firth, who also won an award). It is now the benchmark for the Academy's recent and other failures, even considering that Tom Hooper Fincher would have stolen the statuette if he had directed it, too. Then he would turn around Les miserables And Cats (Yes, that Cats), while Fincher…well, he's Fincher.

To put it bluntly: Steve McQueen's drama, in his second film after the dazzling one hungerhas its remarkable historical, political and cultural relevance to the discourse on slavery, which it tells (or rather shouts) before the eyes of the hitherto almost entirely white academy. But this year there were at least two other titles that the judges were far too cold about: The Wolf of Wall Streetperhaps the pinnacle of Martin Scorsese's cinema of the 2000s, and Heaviness by Alfonso Cuarón, one of the most shocking (and technologically futuristic) science fiction visions of all time. That evening, Cuarón will at least receive the Oscar for best director, while Marty's “Wolf” will remain without a statuette. Shame.

The Spotlight Case It is the classic example of the years of confusion in the academy. We reward an exciting adventure drama that reaffirms the stature of a director and a star (Revenant – Resurrected by Alejandro González Iñárritu with Leonardo DiCaprio) or the almost acid-based vision of a veteran who was never celebrated enough (Mad Max: Fury Road by George Miller)? The solid Period drama of a Hollywood master (Bridge of Spies by Steven Spielberg) or the shocking human comedy that best describes our time of crisis, economic or otherwise (The big bet by Adam McKay)? Too many films and too good; Therefore, when in doubt, choose the one that obviously doesn't displease anyone. And in the end, if not everyone, then at least a lot of people dislike it. Today again.

To put it bluntly: the triumph of Moonlight It is an important step in the history of the academy. And that grow up of a homosexual African American man, a portrait that has never been seen so widely Awards season passed. Times have changed, hurrah. But let's make one more point clear: This is the year of La La Land, no ifs and buts. Damien Chazelle is the youngest director ever to win Oscars history, and for a moment, his musical is too with Emma Stone (also a statuette for her) and Ryan Gosling are the “best film of the year“. But you know how it happened: Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway received the wrong envelope, and for a moment they left us with the illusion that this was so La La Land was the winner. And instead. “To those who dream / however stupid they may seem“…

Another round, another case Spotlight housing (Excuse me). This year, titles with great critical success were released, e.g A star Is Born by Bradley Cooper and The favourite by Yorgos Lanthimos. And especially, Rome by Alfonso Cuarón (aridaje). Amarcord and (perhaps) definitive masterpiece. However, perhaps too “difficult” for the Academy: shot in black and white and spoken in Spanish, it repulses many jury members. Who will prefer it in the end? Feel-good dramedy This looks like a remake of Going for a walk with Daisy (another stolen Oscar, according to commentators at the time). Cuarón wins as director (again), while Peter Farrelly, one of the former Terrible Brothers, is alone behind the camera this time Green bookhe hadn't even been nominated yet.

Licorice pizza (our favorite this year), The Power of the Dog, Dune, Drive My Car, Belfast…among the many films that in one way or another describe this era of cinema is the one that stands at the top “secure” of all. Meaning what TAIL – The signs of the heartAmerican remake of the French one The Belier family This is the perfect Sunday afternoon to watch on the sofa when it's raining outside (or when we're in lockdown: let's remember it was the Covid era). The horse that no one would have ever bet on defeats everyone with an incredible final spurt. Do you remember who directed it? Obviously not, and that says a lot about this “theft”.