# Past Oscar Snubs, Oversights, and Assorted Outrages **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022 "2011-02-03T14:39:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/21 "2011-02-03T18:51:30Z")
Nic Cage winning Best Actor for _Leaving Las Vegas_ over Sean Penn in _Dead Man Walking_. Renee Zelwegger, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, among others, should have their Oscars revoked. I actually agree with _Crash_ as Best Picture. I was pleasantly surprised with its win. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/22 "2011-02-03T18:59:52Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > 2001: Julia Roberts in _Erin Brockovich_ winning over Ellen Burstyn in _Requiem for a Dream._ I agree Burstyn was great in that role, but it was really more of a supporting role, IMO. Of course, it’s not her fault if she got nominated in the wrong category. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/23 "2011-02-03T20:30:35Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > I agree Burstyn was great in that role, but it was really more of a supporting role, IMO. Of course, it’s not her fault if she got nominated in the wrong category. Also, don’t forget that Burstyn won before for **Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore** in 1974 whereas Roberts hadn’t at the time. Regardless of how good the comparative performances are, Oscar voters often use this as a reason to give someone the award over another. ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/24 "2011-02-03T21:21:48Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > _Forrest Gump_ was a good movie. It was pleasant and entertaining. But it was no _Pulp Fiction_. And even if you just go by popularity, _The Shawshank Redemption_ has it beat. I am _still_ bitter about this. I didn’t like Forrest Gump then, and I don’t like it now and there is nothing anyone can say that will convince me it’s the better movie over not only Pulp Fiction, but Shawshank Redemption. :mad: While I love Pulp Fiction, I can understand because of the violence it may not have a complete broad base appeal. Shawshank Redemption on the other hand was hands down the best picture that year - brilliant movie. It’s on my list of movies that I can’t help but finish watching if I stumble past it while channel surfing. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/25 "2011-02-03T23:24:54Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Also, don’t forget that Burstyn won before for **Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore** in 1974 whereas Roberts hadn’t at the time. Regardless of how good the comparative performances are, Oscar voters often use this as a reason to give someone the award over another. That may be a factor, but it doesn’t always happen or Peter O’Toole would have won at least once by now. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/26 "2011-02-03T23:46:05Z")
> [@Mauvaise](#): > > I am _still_ bitter about this. I didn’t like Forrest Gump then, and I don’t like it now and there is nothing anyone can say that will convince me it’s the better movie over not only Pulp Fiction, but Shawshank Redemption. :mad: IMHO, Forrest Gump was five times the movie The Shawshank Redemption is. I honestly cannot fathom why anyone would think otherwise. It’d be interesting to see if we could come up with any Oscar snubs we all actually agree on. I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/27 "2011-02-03T23:59:03Z")
Shakespeare in Love winning over Saving Private Ryan. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/28 "2011-02-04T00:49:28Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I’ll be honest, I never saw Good Night and Good Luck all the way through. And Brokeback Mountain was just another story of forbidden love. \ That was kind of what I came here to talk about; I think Heath Ledger not winning a Best Actor award for his portrayal of Ennis DelMar in “Brokeback Mountain” was a massive outrage. A part of me thinks that his winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar was in part to make up for this. I do have to say, though, I haven’t seen “Capote” (with Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won the Best Actor Oscar that year); I do know that it would have to be a hell of a performance to beat Ledger’s. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/29 "2011-02-04T00:54:22Z")
Hoop Dreams not nominated for best documentary. They should have launched an investigation of the entire branch of the academy. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/30 "2011-02-04T00:54:26Z")
Quiz: Which of the following 1995 films received a Best Picture nomination: _Heat, Se7en, The Usual Suspects, Casino, 12 Monkeys, Babe._ Answer: _Babe_. What the fuck? ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/31 "2011-02-04T01:22:19Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > Hoop Dreams not nominated for best documentary. Reminds me of another one: _Paris Is Burning_ not being nominated for Best Documentary. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/32 "2011-02-04T01:29:48Z")
I was doing some research unrelated to this thread earlier today and discovered that _Norbit_ was nominated for an Oscar. And that _The Bourne Ultimatum_ won three Oscars. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Bourne trilogy just fine, but … _three Oscars_? No, I wouldn’t have thought so. ---
**Author:** ![Southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@Southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southpaw)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/33 "2011-02-04T01:32:04Z")
The fact that Barbara Stanwyck never won an Oscar. Gloria Swanson should have won Best Actress Oscar for 1950. And this coming from someone who likes Judy Holliday in _Born Yesterday_. _Monsters Inc._ is a much better movie in every respect than _Shrek_. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/34 "2011-02-04T01:33:11Z")
Hell, if you start talking about documentaries we might as well ask if the Academy has ever given out an Oscar to the right choice. Same thing with the foreign language nominees, although that’s not entirely their fault. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/35 "2011-02-04T01:35:43Z")
A perfectly deserving choice. It was a terrific movie, much better than at least three of your named choices, which were fine films but severely flawed in one way or another. If you’re going to bump a 1995 movie I’d bump “Il Postino,” but that’s just me. It was a good year for movies. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/36 "2011-02-04T01:55:00Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > Shakespeare in Love winning over Saving Private Ryan. Stupidest Best Picture mix-up ever. Huge error. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/37 "2011-02-04T02:10:24Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > A perfectly deserving choice. It was a terrific movie, much better than at least three of your named choices, which were fine films but severely flawed in one way or another. > > If you’re going to bump a 1995 movie I’d bump “Il Postino,” but that’s just me. It was a good year for movies. _Babe_ a better movie than _Heat?_ _Usual Suspects?_ _12 Monkeys?_ Are you serious? ---
**Author:** ![bramma23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@bramma23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bramma23)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/38 "2011-02-04T02:33:39Z")
Some personl axes to grind. Most of the time, I don’t think the winners were undeserving, just not as deserving as some of the other nominees. Children of Men not getting nominated for Best Picture in 2007. Sean Penn winning Best Actor over Mickey Rourke in 2009 Leonardo Di Caprio never winning an acting Oscar. Peter Jackson not getting nominated for Best Director for King Kong in 2006. Philip Seymour Hoffman winning over Joaquin Phoenix for Best Actor in 2006. Syriana not getting more nominations in 2006. Paul Giamatti not being nominated for Sideways in 2005. Closer, Collateral, Before Sunset, and Eternal Sunshine NOT getting Best Picture nominations over Finding Neverland in 2005. Sean Penn winning Best Actor over Bill Murray in 2004. Russell Crowe not getting nominated for Best Actor for Master and Commander from 2004. Chicago winning Best Picture over LOTR: TTT, The Pianist, Road to Perdition, and Adaptation in 2003. Just some from the past 8-ish years. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/39 "2011-02-04T02:33:50Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Quiz: Which of the following 1995 films received a Best Picture nomination: > > _Heat, Se7en, The Usual Suspects, Casino, 12 Monkeys, Babe._ > > Answer: > > _Babe_. What the fuck? Well deserved nomination. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022/40 "2011-02-04T02:52:12Z")
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned Dancing With Wolves beating Goodfellas for Best Picture. Yes, Dances With Wolves was quite good but Goodfellas was one of the best movies ever made. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/past-oscar-snubs-oversights-and-assorted-outrages/570022.md?page=3)