In celebration of the approaching 87th Oscars, let us look back at some of the best pictures that have won in the past.
The Coen brothers prove again and again their ability to tell interesting and thrilling stories in all of their movies, and No Country for Old Men only adds to their long line up of accomplishments. After Llewelyn Moss finds a briefcase of money at a drug deal gone wrong, he finds himself pursued by the incredibly creepy Chigurh (Javier Bardem). This film will keep you on the edge of your seat as it reinvents the classic cat and mouse formula.
Neurotic and hilarious, Woody Allen tells of a love story between Alvy Singer and Annie Hall. Their story stands as nothing short of realistic, successfully depicting both the ups and downs of their relationship all the while making them absolutely hilarious. Woody Allen beautifully uses the vast background of New York City, which proves to be just as romantic as the two character’s new love.
This film follows a typical family in the suburbs, consisting of an ambitious mother, a successful father and an angsty daughter. Once new and mysterious neighbors move in next door, the Burnham’s begin to show their true colors and begin to beautifully fall apart. Their unhappiness, depression and lack of motivation seem to be unbelievably true in everyday life, proving there can be no such thing as ‘normal’.
This film addresses internal chaos along with the atrocities of the Vietnam War. Chris Taylor (a very young Charlie Sheen) enlists in the Vietnam War, wanting to be a hero. However, reality proves to be very different from the the heroic portrayal of war that inspired him to enlist. In this coming of age story, Chris sheds all innocence and becomes a tortured soldier who sees incredibly disturbing things during his time in Vietnam
Following in the steps of its predecessor, this film won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1975. Beginning with a now fully transformed Michael, once an impressionable young man but now a cold mafia boss, this film shows the struggle for Michael to find the cracks in his family’s foundation. The line between family and business becomes non-existent and Michael will do anything to keep his empire from falling.
This film, directed by Milos Forman, portrays the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, hailed a musical genius that forever changed music. This film, however, depicts Mozart as nothing less than obsessive, the incredibly dark mood and mystery of this film enhances Mozart’s bordering madness and insanity. Haunted by fear of imperfection and the guilt of his father’s death, Amadeus shows the sacrifice this composer went through for his spot in history.
