Top 5 Favorite Best Picture Winners

As I'm thinking of more content to post on this blog, I figured that I would discuss my top 5 favorite Best Picture films of all time, as someone suggested to me on Twitter. There have been so many films that have won Best Picture, some that have totally deserved it and others that are questionable. To win Best Picture, a film has to have it all. It has to have the right screenplay, the right actors/actresses, the right director, the right crew, etc. When it all comes together, it becomes something special and the Academy rewards that with the most prestigious award there is. I have seen quite a bit of the Best Picture winners and narrowing it down to my top 5 was so challenging. This list is based on my opinion and my opinion alone. 

My first favorite Best Picture film is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. This film won the Best Picture award in 1976 with its release in 1975. Everything about this film just works. The positive dynamic of the cast is shown throughout the film and it comes across authentically. This seemed to be one of the early instances where mental health was depicted and it comes across as trying to show how mental health is not something to be glamorized. This film also shows these mental health patients as more than patients and show them as being people. The ending of this movie destroyed me emotionally and I am not sure if I will ever watch this movie again because of that. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who has not watched this.

My second favorite Best Picture film is Rocky. This film won the Best Picture award in 1977 with its release in 1976. This film is a classic that is beloved by lots of people, including me. This is one of my favorite film series because the story is timeless and everything about the movie works. This shows that you don't need a big budget to make a successful film beloved by so many people

. Sylvester Stallone was the perfect choice for Rocky Balboa and I could not imagine anyone else playing that title character. This is a great film that I would recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it and if you haven't, get on it.

My third favorite Best Picture film is Schindler's List. This film won the Best Picture award in 1994 with its release in 1993. This film highlights the amazing work of Oskar Schindler and how he saved over 1,100 Jews from concentration camps. The choice to shoot this movie in black and white was a smart move on Spielberg's part because it captures the essence of WWII. The acting in this film is superb and everything just came together to make this emotional movie that highlights the truth behind the Holocaust. This movie had me emotional and I highly recommend it if you have not seen it.

My fourth favorite Best Picture Winner is Casablanca. This film won the Best Picture award in 1943 with its release in 1942. Everything about this film is classic from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as the leads to the brilliant screenplay that can be quoted by many. The camerawork in this film is so well done. I feel that not a lot needs to be said about this film except that it has a great story, great characters, and so many quotable lines. If you haven't seen this film, you have clearly been living under a rock and need to drop what you are doing and go see it. This is a great example of a film that gets better with every rewatch.

My fifth favorite Best Picture Winner is No Country for Old Men. This film won the Best Picture award in 2008 with its release in 2007. The best way to describe this film is thrilling and suspenseful. The Coen Brothers created a masterpiece with gorgeous camerawork to create every nuance in the movie. The casting in this film was done perfectly and Javier Bardem was the perfect choice to play the lead character. He never broke character and at points, made me feel scared. Another thing that was awesome about this movie was the setting and how I felt that I was there. I highly recommend this movie if you haven't seen it because of how thrilling and suspenseful it is.

Those are my five favorite Best Picture winners. What are some of your favorite Best Picture winners?