Best Picture Winners, Ranked: Nos. 10-6

In this sixteenth and penultimate part of my retrospective Oscar Outlook, I’ll be eliminating the two best winners released during my lifetime, and three films featuring iconic movie villains.

10. “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003)

“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” is a worthy successor to “The Godfather: Part II” in the sequels to win Best Picture club. I think the “The Fellowship of the Ring,” a Best Picture loser from two years prior, is a hair better, but this is still a fantastic conclusion to what might be the best cinematic trilogy ever made. Peter Jackson kept Middle Earth consistently gorgeous in his trio of films, and he relied on J.R.R. Tolkien’s brilliant, original work to light the way. Jackson found the perfect balance between reverence for the source material and his own creative ambition. It rightfully won each of its 11 Oscars, the largest sweep in the ceremony’s history.

9. “Parasite” (2019)

“Parasite” is a modern masterpiece, failing under no circumstances. From its amusing premise to its cutting critique of class inequality, “Parasite” truly broke the barriers of translation, becoming the first foreign film to win the Academy’s top honor. Frankly, it should have happened sooner. The main reason “Parasite” had the juice to win Best Picture is because its commentary knows no borders. The failings of South Korean society are, in fact, not exclusive to South Korea; these themes penetrate every so-called “stable” country. The Oscars’ transition into a more global institution was much-needed.

8. “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)

“Silence of the Lambs” is a major accomplishment in narrative storytelling, and certainly one of the best Best Picture winners of its era. Of course, the central dynamic between Jodie Foster’s Clarice Starling and Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter is practically unbeatable, and both won worthy Oscars for their performances. Lecter’s intellect and penchant for atrocities make him a threat, but also a powerful ally. Clarice needs to finish the job, however, and she does so in one of the creepiest set pieces imaginable: a regular house with a dangerous basement.

7. “Schindler’s List” (1993)

Here’s Steven Spielberg doing something very different from “Jaws” or “E.T.” “Schindler’s List” is clear evidence that this particular director can go beyond popcorn cinema, and we’re all better for it. Other films before and since have approached the Holocaust in their subject matter, but “Schindler’s List” does seem to be the one that resonates the most. I don’t stray from that. I find the film deeply disturbing and blunt, and we should remember that subtlety is not an automatic benefit. Some things are just too cruel, and Spielberg’s approach to the subject matter is more valid than I can comprehend.

6. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)

Jack Nicholson goes to war with Louise Fletcher… and all goons with too much power. The limited space wherein these events take place is claustrophobic. It’s hard to imagine an escape, but Nicholson provides his fellow patients with a sense of hope and freedom. He does it physically, yes, but he also does it in spirit, which matters more. Both forms of freedom eventually win out, but the sacrifices are immense. Do the losses match the victories? The intrigue of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is determining if there are any winners in a system that’s almost irredeemably broken. Accomplishing true freedom is intimidating, but it beats the hell out of compliance.

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.