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An Oscar is widely considered the greatest honor a film and a filmmaker can receive. And with Oscars 2023 just around the corner, it is a good time to look back at some of the most iconic events of the Academy Awards over the years.
Several facets have shaped the Academy Awards, and the Best Picture category in particular, has witnessed a sea of changes since its inception. This award has gone to some of the greatest films ever made in the history of mankind.
Moonlight, Parasite, and 8 other top films to receive Oscar Best Picture award
1) Schindler’s List - Steven Spielberg
Few are unfamiliar with this famous 1993 film by one of the masters of the art, Steven Speilberg. The story follows Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist and member of the Nazi party who heroically saved hundreds of lives during the Holocaust.
The film stars Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and many others.
2) One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest - Miloš Forman
Miloš Forman's 1975 best picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is widely considered one of the most moving films of all time. Driven by the great Jack Nicholson, the film follows McMurphy, a prisoner who fakes insanity to get into a mental institution.
The film also stars Louise Fletcher, Christopher Lloyd, and Will Sampson.
3) Moonlight - Barry Jenkins
A rather recent entry in the list, the 2016 masterpiece by Barry Jenkins, which controversially beat La La Land to win Best Picture at the Oscars, is a powerful and haunting portrayal of human emotions and class commentary. It is also widely considered one of the best films ever made.
The film stars Mahershala Ali, Trevante Rhodes, and André Holland, among others.
4) The Silence of the Lambs - Jonathan Demme
Anyone who has seen this wonder of a film will never forget the eyes of Anthony Hopkins in his era-defining portrayal of Hannibal Lecter. Considered one of the greatest thrillers of all time, The Silence of the Lambs is not only the best picture of the 1991 Oscars but possibly that entire decade.
5) Annie Hall - Woody Allen
Annie Hall could very well be one of the most popular entries on this list. Woody Allen's masterpiece, which stands out among his myriad of great works, follows Alvy Singer, a divorced Jewish comedian, who reflects on his relationship with ex-lover Annie Hall.
The Deep Human portrayal stars Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in the leading roles.
6) Parasite - Bong Joon-ho
One of the most significant achievements of our generation, Parasite went above and beyond the Best Foreign Language Film Award and won the Best Picture Award at the Oscars 2020, making it a historical Korean film.
The dark-comedy film, filled with subtle class commentary and hidden thrills, is quite rightly one of the best pictures ever made. It will remain so for the years to come.
7) No Country For Old Men - Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
The critic-favourite duo's arguably greatest film, No Country For Old Men's feat of beating the magnanimous There Will Be Blood to win Best Picture at the Oscars speaks volumes about its extraordinary appeal.
The neo-western film was arguably the best thriller of the decade and one of the greatest Westerns of all time. It stars Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin in the leading roles.
8) On the Waterfront - Elia Kazan
Widely considered one of the greatest pictures to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, alongside the likes of Ben-Hur and The Godfather, Elia Kazan's wonder of the medium brought the world one of the most significant films of all time in 1954.
The film follows a dockworker determined to dismantle the corruption on a waterfront despite the odds being against him.
9) The Godfather - Francis Ford Coppola
This is a film that has rarely missed the spotlight from critics and fans alike. The story of the Corleone family, helmed by the likes of Brando and Al Pacino, is widely one of the greatest films of all time, if not the greatest.
With an astonishing number of awards and accolades, The Godfather is here to stay in the minds of viewers for generations to come.
10) Casablanca - Michael Curtiz
The all-time classic Casablanca concludes our list of best films to win the Oscars. The Michael Curtiz film is not only possibly the greatest film ever made but could also be the greatest story ever told on screen.
Starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as former lovers in the Moroccan city of Casablanca during World War II, Casablanca will remain a film viewers will return to for generations to come.
Related: Best Actress Oscar winners of all time
Tell us your list of best picture winners at the Oscars in the comments section below.
