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Top 10 Favourite Best Picture Winners (1970-2015)

Throughout this month, I have decided to do a series of Oscar-related articles in anticipation to the 89th Academy Awards ceremony on February 26. On Monday I told you my top 10 favourite Best Picture winners from 1929 to 1969, so today I thought I would do the same, but with the winners from 1970 to 2015. Again, please bear in mind that this is my own personal opinion, which of course is limited to the films I have seen so far.

 

10. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Directed by Steve McQueen | Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor (Solomon Northup), Michael Fassbender (Edwin Epps), Lupita Nyong'o (Patsey), Paul Dano (John Tibeats) and Benedict Cumberbatch (William Ford) | Fox Searchlight Pictures | 134 minutes

Solomon Northup: I don't want to survive. I want to live.
 
 
9. The Sting (1973)
Directed by George Roy Hill | Starring Paul Newman (Henry «Shaw» Gondorff), Robert Redford (Johnny «Kelly» Hooker), Robert Shaw (Doyle Lonnegan), Robert Earl Jones (Luther Coleman) and Eileen Brennan (Billie) | Universal Pictures | 129 minutes

Doyle Lonnegan: Your boss is quite a card player, Mr. Kelly. How does he do it?
Johnny «Kelly» Hooker: He cheats.
 

8. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Directed by Ron Howard | Starring Russell Crowe (John Nash), Jennifer Connelly (Alicia Nash), Ed Harris (William Parcher), Paul Bettany (Charles Herman) and Josh Lucas (Martin Hansen) | DreamWorks and Imagine Entertainment | 135 minutes

John Nash: Find a truly original idea. It is the only way I will ever distinguish myself. It is the only way I will ever matter.
 
 
7. The English Patient (1996)
Directed by Anthony Minghella | Starring Ralph Fiennes (Count László Almásy), Kristin Scott Thomas (Katharine Clifton), William Defoe (David Caravaggio), Juliette Binoche (Hana), Naveen Andrews (Kip) and Colin Firth (Geoffrey Clifton) | Miramax Films | 162 minutes

Count László Almásy: I just wanted you to know: I'm not missing you yet.
Katharine Clifton: You will. 
 

6. Out of Africa (1985)
Directed by Sydney Pollack | Starring Robert Redford (Denis Finch Hatton), Meryl Streep (Baroness Karen von Blixen), Klaus Maria Brandauer (Baron Bror Blixen), Michael Kitchen (Berkeley Cole) and Shane Rimmer (Belknap) | Universal Pictures | 161 minutes

Denis Finch Hatton: You're ruined it for me, you know. Being alone.
 

5. Ordinary People (1980)
Directed by Robert Redford | Starring Donald Sutherland (Calvin Jarrett), Mary Tyler Moore (Beth Jarrett), Timothy Hutton (Conrad Jarrett), Judd Hirsch (Dr. Tyrone C. Berger) and Elizabeth McGovern (Jeannine Pratt) | Paramount Pictures | 124 minutes

Dr. Berger: A little advice about feelings, kiddo: don't expect it always to tickle.
 

4. Rain Man (1988)
Directed by Barry Levinson | Starring Tom Cruise (Charles «Charlie» Babbitt), Dustin Hoffman (Raymond «Ray» Babbitt), Valeria Golino (Susanna), Jerry Molen (Dr. Bruner), Ralph Seymour (Lenny) and Michael D. Roberts (Vern) | United Artists | 133 minutes

Charles «Charlie» Babbitt: What you have to understand is, four days ago he was only my brother in name. And this morning we had pancakes.
 

3. Titanic (1997)
Directed by James Cameron | Starring Leonardo DiCaprio (Jack Dawson), Kate Winslet (Rose DeWitt Bukater), Gloria Stuart (Rose Dawson Calvert), Billy Zane (Caledon «Cal» Hockley) and Kathy Bathes (Margaret Brown) | Paramount Picture and 20th Century Fox | 195 minutes

Jack Dawson: I'm the king of the world!
 

2. Schindler's List (1993)
Directed by Steven Spielberg | Starring Liam Neeson (Oskar Schindler), Ralph Fiennes (Amon Göth), Ben Kingsley (Itzhak Stern), Embeth Davidtz (Helen Hirsch), Caroline Goodall (Emilie Schindler) and Jonathan Sagall (Poldek Pfefferberg) | Universal Pictures | 197 minutes

Itzhak Stern: This list... is an absolute good. The list is life.
 

1. Forrest Gump (1994)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis | Starring Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump), Robin Wright (Jenny Curran), Gary Sinise (Lieutenant Dan Taylor), Sally Field (Mrs. Gump) and Mykelti Williamson (Benjamin Buford «Bubba» Blue) | Paramount Pictures | 142 minutes

Forrest Gump: My momma always said, «Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.»
 

And there you have it. My top 10 favorite Best Picture winners from 1970 to 2015.
Did I name some of your favorites? Were you surprised by my choices?

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Comments

  1. Phyl16 February 2017 at 05:03

    What a fun idea!! I may copy it ;)

    Soo...the only one I've seen on this list is A Beautiful Mind... I want to see The Sting and will watch Forrest Gump one of these days...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cátia16 February 2017 at 20:35

      "Forrest Gump" is one of my favorite films of all time. "The Sting" is great fun. Robert Redford and Paul Newman were an awesome team. :)

      Delete
  2. Virginie Pronovost19 February 2017 at 00:19

    Ah I love Forrest Gump! :) It once was my #1 favourite, now it's #5 ;))

    ReplyDelete

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