Courtesy of Emily Zavada
In this fifteenth part of my retrospective Oscar Outlook, I’ll be eliminating last year’s Best Picture winner, a film directed by one of Wilkes-Barre’s own, and the perfect romantic comedy and disaster films.
15. “Oppenheimer” (2023)
The most recent Best Picture winner is one of the finest. “Oppenheimer” is a mammoth work from Christopher Nolan, who gave his buddy Cillian Murphy the lead role he probably deserved all along. The score and the sound of “Oppenheimer” are explosive, making for one of the most satisfying theater experiences imaginable. Alongside the spectacle is a heavy character study and a warning to those who get too excited about nuclear power, artificial intelligence, or any other advanced piece of weaponry. Consider the carnage that may come from abusing a certain power. Go too far, and you may doom us all.
14. “It Happened One Night” (1934)
The cinematic granddaddy to all good romantic comedies, “It Happened One Night” is still silly and bold after all these years. It won each of the “Big Five” awards at the 7th Academy Awards ceremony, led by victories for Director Frank Capra and leading co-stars Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. You’ll not find many on-screen couples with more chemistry than these two. Colbert, in particular, absolutely devours her role as the playful socialite Ellie. Censors be damned — the Golden Age of the studio system to come was missing the zest that’s delivered in “It Happened One Night.”
13. “The Sound of Music” (1965)
Add this to the list of musicals that have no bad songs. From “Do Re Mi” to “My Favorite Things” and “So Long, Farewell” to “Edelweiss,” every musical sequence in “The Sound of Music” is energetic and perfectly constructed. And quite a few of them are delivered by Julie Andrews, who came off of “Mary Poppins” to deliver another excellent role as Maria von Trapp. Throw in unashamed anti-Nazi sentiment, and you’ve got one of the most satisfying films in the Best Picture winners club.
12. “All About Eve” (1950)
Joe Mankiewicz, baby! The co-protagonist – with his older brother, Herman – of Luzerne County’s Hollywood dream directed and wrote an all-time classic. So many movies which take place in the entertainment industry have bitten off the “Eve” apple, from the modern renditions of “A Star is Born” to this year’s “The Substance.” Bette Davis and Anne Baxter give perhaps the greatest duo of screen performances ever, and the supporting cast, including a green Marilyn Monroe, bring their A-game as well. “All About Eve” is a Golden Age example of pointed commentary pulling rank over spectacle.
11. “Titanic” (1997)
“Titanic” is a great film, and the general consensus should say that’s the case. I know it has its detractors. Let’s consider that this movie looked incredible in 1997, and it would have been among the best looking movies of 2024, too. The color and lighting throughout the film is basically unbeatable. When a director is a perfect match for their film, magical things happen, and James Cameron’s love of the titular ship and its passengers – with some fudging on the edges – is clear. Some may say that the central, fictional romance undermines the actual Titanic’s sinking. Conversely, I think it makes an enormous tragedy more tangible.
Sam Zavada is counting down his ranking of every Best Picture winner in the history of the Academy Awards in the lead up to this year’s ceremony on March 2. Participate in the Times Leader Readers’ Ballot for the 97th Oscars by filling out the form at https://bit.ly/4hd8n6F. The Readers’ Ballot will close on Friday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. and will be revealed in the Saturday, March 1, edition of the Times Leader.
Sam Zavada is counting down his ranking of every Best Picture winner in the history of the Academy Awards in the lead up to this year’s ceremony on March 2.
