The Academy Award for Best Picture is supposed to honor the finest film of the year, but let's be honest: the Oscars often get it wrong. Sometimes the winner is a safe, timely choice that doesn't age well. Other times, it's a film that barely deserved a nomination. From Driving Miss Daisy to Everything Everywhere All at Once, we're looking at 10 Best Picture winners that make you wonder what the Academy was thinking.
10. Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
This A24 sci-fi adventure was hailed as a breakthrough, but its chaotic style and shallow emotional beats feel more like internet memes than genuine storytelling. The hot dog fingers and googly-eyed rocks already feel dated. It beat Steven Spielberg's deeply personal The Fabelmans, a far more nuanced film about family, identity, and art. The win marked a shift toward celebrating quirky gimmicks over craft.
9. Out of Africa (1985)
This overlong period romance won largely because the Academy wanted to honor director Sydney Pollack, even though his best work came earlier. Despite stars Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, the pair have zero chemistry, and the film's colonial perspective feels tone-deaf. It beat Peter Weir's crime masterpiece Witness.
8. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
A three-hour spectacle that hasn't aged well, this adventure won for economic reasons—Hollywood wanted to celebrate a crowd-pleaser amid the rise of television. But the film is dull and bloated, especially compared to Giant, which featured James Dean's final performance.
7. CODA (2021)
This feel-good drama about a deaf family's hearing daughter felt more like a TV movie than a Best Picture winner. It wasn't even nominated for Best Director, Editing, or Cinematography. Its win came amid backlash against The Power of the Dog, marking the second time the Oscars snubbed an LGBTQ-themed western for a safer choice.
6. Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Harvey Weinstein's infamous campaign tactics helped this lightweight rom-com beat Saving Private Ryan. The film's insights into Shakespeare are shallow, and Joseph Fiennes' performance grates. It also edged out The Thin Red Line and Life Is Beautiful.
5. Cavalcade (1933)
An early winner that feels like a historical footnote, this family saga is stiff and dated. The Oscars were still figuring out what made a great film, but that doesn't excuse its victory over more enduring classics.
4. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
A gentle, safe film about race relations that avoids any real tension. It beat Do the Right Thing, Spike Lee's explosive and essential masterpiece. The Academy chose comfort over courage.
3. The King's Speech (2010)
A well-acted but conventional historical drama that triumphed over The Social Network, a film that captured the zeitgeist of the digital age. The Academy went with the safer, more traditional choice.
2. How Green Was My Valley (1941)
This sentimental Welsh family drama beat Citizen Kane, widely considered the greatest film ever made. The Academy's preference for heartwarming stories over innovation was already clear.
1. Crash (2005)
A heavy-handed meditation on race that manipulates emotions with contrived coincidences. It beat Brokeback Mountain, a groundbreaking and tender love story. The loss of Brokeback remains one of the Oscars' most painful snubs.
For more on films that got it right, check out The 10 Flawless '90s Movies That Are Perfect From Start to Finish. And if you're looking for something to stream, see Best Movies on Prime Video This Week.
