Last night, the 88th annual Academy Award were held and the best picture prize went to Spotlight. It’s hard to argue that film wasn’t deserving as top prize, but with such competitors as Room, The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road, there was a lot of great films to choose from. And that’s just the films that were nominated.
2015 was a great year for movies, and with only a select few making the list for Oscar’s best picture, some masterpieces are going to be left out. We recently looked at artists who were snubbed at the Garmmys, so similarly we’ll take a look at this year’s best movies that missed out on the best picture shortlist. Have look and catch up on these forgotten gems.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%)
Any nominations? 5 Oscar nomination including Original Score and Special Effects.
Okay, let’s be honest– no one could call this movie “forgotten”. It broke nearly every box office record when it was released in December and it’s still continuing to make piles of money. On top of all the financial success, the film seemed to please fans who were eagerly awaiting a return to a galaxy far, far away. The film was also one of the best reviewed movies of the year, and despite all that, it was denied a best picture nomination.
Straight Outta Compton (Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%)
Any nominations? 1 nomination for Original Screenplay.
This year’s Oscars were marred by controversy over a lack of diversity among the nominees. Straight Outta Compton was often used as an example of a well-received film about a minority group that was not recognized by the awards. The film tells the tale of controversial 90s rap group NWA whose music reflected the struggles of young African-American males in America. While musical biopics, such as Walk the Line and Ray, are generally favored by the Oscars, Straight Outta Compton missed out.
Ex Machina (Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%)
Any nominations? 2 nominations for Visual Effects and Original Screenplay.
Ex Machina is likely the least-known film on this list. It was released quietly in the summer and received little attention despite gaining excellent critical reviews. As time went on, the small film about a mild-mannered computer programmer who is invited to spend a weekend with an eccentric genius, gained more momentum. Alas, when the Oscar nominations were announced it was still overlooked for the big prize.
Sicario (Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%)
Any nominations? 3 including Original Score and Cinematography.
Sicario is a bleak film and one of the most tense movie experiences you’ll have all year. It’s certainly a film that puts you on the edge of your seat. The film follows a young DEA agent who is brought in to assist in an operation aimed at taking down a major Mexican drug cartel. It gained attention after premiering in Toronto last fall and was nearly unanimously praised by critics. Surprisingly, it was still left off the Best Picture ballot.
Steve Jobs (Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%)
Any nominations? 2 for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
From the time this film was announced, many had suspected it would be a shoo-in for the Best Picture nomination. The film follows the career of Apple founder Steve Jobs through the launch of various products, his conflict with various collaborators and his complicated relationship with his daughter. It had an all-star cast, an Oscar winning director, a celebrated screenwriter, and centered on a famous and controversial figure. While the cast was embraced by the Academy, the film itself was ignored.
What other 2015 films do you feel were overlooked at the Oscars?