Every year, the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts & Sciences offers a whole host of well-earned awards to
films, actors, directors and writers. And every year, the Academy completely
screws up and hands out a couple of Oscars to performances and movies
that in no way deserved them. Herewith, our list of the most noteworthy
of those missteps -- feel free to tell us how right (or how wrong) we
are in the comments:
Angelina Jolie, for 1999's
"Girl, Interrupted"
Sure, it's just a Best
Supporting Actress Oscar, but Angie still didn't earn it. She was fine playing a
mental patient, but how tough is that really? And when you're up against Chloë
Sevigny in the brilliant "Boys Don't Cry," well, you should throw out the "It's
an honor just to be nominated" line and walk home empty-handed.
"Around the World in 80 Days"
(1956)
It's not as though the
rollicking adventure flick starring David Niven and legendary Mexican actor
Cantinflas isn't a good time. But Best Picture? When the competition includes
Yul Brynner's "The King and I"; James Dean's final film, "Giant"; and Cecil B.
DeMille's legendary "The Ten Commandments"? No, really, "The Ten Commandments." Here's a
question: Which of the four has held up best in the last half-century? If you
said "80 Days," you're as wrong as the Academy was.
John Ford, for 1941's "How
Green Was My Valley"
The Academy's probably kicking
itself for this one—Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane," which lost Best Picture and
Best Director Oscars to John Ford's flick, is No. 1 on the American Film
Institute's list of the top 100 movies of all time and widely considered the
best film ever made. "How Green Was My Valley"? Not on the list. At all. Sorry,
John, but you didn't earn that golden statuette.
"An American in Paris"
(1951)
"How can Gene Kelley prancing
through Paris with Leslie Caron not be worth the Best Picture Oscar?" you ask?
Easy: when it's competing against the phenomenal Marlon Brando-starring
adaptation of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire." Not only did
"Streetcar" launch the career of one of the greatest actors of the 20th century,
it's riveting from start to finish. Give "American in Paris" the Best Score
prize, but save the big one for a movie with some weight.
Kevin Costner, for 1990's
"Dances With Wolves"
Costner's ponderous, "Look,
Native Americans are people too!" western has its charms, and its place, but Kev
didn't deserve the Best Director Oscar, and not just because he beat out
cinematic legend Martin Scorsese, nominated for "Goodfellas." "Dances" marked
his first time behind the camera, and it shows. The next two films he helmed,
"Waterworld" and "The Postman," reflected his, um, lackluster directing
talent.
Al Pacino, for 1992's "Scent
of a Woman"
Al's deserved plenty of Oscars
in his career—for "The Godfather," "Dog Day Afternoon," "Glengarry Glen
Ross"—but it's a travesty that the only one he's won is for his much-mocked
"HOO-ah!" role in Chris O'Donnell vehicle "Scent of a Woman." Just because he
was snubbed by the Academy six (!) previous times doesn't mean he should win for
drivel. "Look, I'm driving a sports car and I'm blind!" Seriously?
Cher, for 1987's
"Moonstruck"
It's Cher. 'Nuff said.
"Shakespeare in Love"
(1998)
Why do people like this movie
again? Oh, right, because they're stupid. Think that's unnecessarily harsh?
Perhaps, but even fans of the fluffy Gwyneth Paltrow period dramedy have to
admit that "Shakespeare" isn't nearly as good as any of the other nominees:
"Elizabeth," "Saving Private Ryan," "The Thin Red Line" (better than "Ryan," and
by far) and "Life Is Beautiful." This one's perhaps the least-deserving Best
Picture winner ever.
Marisa Tomei, for 1992's "My
Cousin Vinny"
The year 1993 was clearly not
a good one for the Academy. Nor were the '90s a good decade, come to think of it
... Tomei was fine in silly Joe Pesci comedy "Vinny." Nothing to write home
about. Judy Davis in "Husbands and Wives"? Brilliant. Stunning. Genius. This
should have been a gimme. Maybe the voting members were afraid Pesci would come
around and break their kneecaps if they didn't pick Marisa?
