After CODA and Dune walked away from the Oscars with some of the best awards, it's pretty safe to say that these movies will be talked about in the months to come. Hopefully, it won't be the last time the world hears of them either (and all the other films that were nominated too) because, sadly, movies that often win Oscars can sometimes be forgotten about in favor of other huge projects.
It certainly seemed to be a question that crossed Reddit user Nubbikeks' mind as they were intrigued to find out which successful movies have since become forgotten gems. From young adult franchises abandoned by fans to epic movies that waited too long to release a sequel, several Redditors offered their opinions as to which movies they believe were forgotten.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
- Available To Stream On HBO Max
Napoleon Dynamite won the hearts of many viewers for its quirkiness which enamored fans from the offset, resulting in the movie being an unlikely success that saw several fans don a vote for Pedro shirt to highlight their love for the movie.
But this successful indie flick appears to have very little rewatch value and has failed to cross generations (unlike the movie Superbad). A deleted Reddit user explained how "it was a product of its time" with the gags, content, and plot seen to be relevant to teenagers who were in school during 2004. Still, this is not to say that it isn't worth watching as there are many memorable and nostalgic elements to the movie's plot and soundtrack.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
- Available To Buy On Amazon
Moulin Rouge! is a movie made for lovers of theatre in the sense that it placed the vibrancy of the musical on screen through its stunning sets, flamboyant costumes, and incredible music score.
But despite its success at the box office, the movie's popularity has waned in recent years due to the addition of more impressive and modern onscreen musicals like The Greatest Showman. NeoNoireWerewolf explained how "there tends to be a big musical every few years nowadays," which has resulted in the movie being outshined by new additions but it is still an impressive musical romance.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
- Available To Stream On Amazon Prime
The Sixth Sense made waves within the world of cinema in 1999 but has since become something that fans don't connect with anymore. The movie stirred up many emotions through its heartbreaking performances and well-written dialogue. However, it is the movie's twist ending that has led to it being somewhat abandoned by fans.
There are many subtle clues throughout The Sixth Sense about its ending but when viewers have seen it once it is almost rendered pointless due to the plot twist being the main point of the movie. Redditor delscorch0 explained how "it was a huge hit, but people only watched it one time or twice and never again" as once viewers knew the ending, it seemed pointless to rewatch it.
The King's Speech (2010)
- Available To Stream On Starz Play
The King's Speech was a historical drama about King George VI and received lots of praise for its incredible performances by Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter. The movie is a motivational story that has its fair share of heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes due to its showing how George VI overcame his speech disorder and the pressures that were placed upon Royal family at the time.
RedLightning4Ever explained that "the only time you ever hear about The King’s Speech is in conversations about how it should have never won over The Social Network for Best Picture." It's sad to see that some viewers didn't appreciate the movie when both The Social Network and The King's Speech proved to be worthy of the award. They both offered unique stories and kept the audience thoroughly engaged throughout, so the criticism seems a little unfair.
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (2005)
- Available To Stream On Disney+
The Chronicles Of Narnia is one of the best magical fantasy movie franchises to date with the first movie gripping both young and older viewers. The movie had an incredible soundtrack that complimented its mystical fantasy world brought to life by stellar performances, breathtaking cinematography, and an enchanting story.
However, the success of the first movie alongside the franchise has been somewhat abandoned by fans like thuca94 who explained that "it took like 3 years before the next one got released to much less hype" which saw the fanbase it had garnered after the first movie dissipates after becoming impatient. The movie's fall from grace was simply due to it waiting too long, which resulted in it being replaced by new fanciful movies like Bridge To Terabithia and Stardust. With some of the main cast then leaving after the sequel, it just didn't appeal to fans anymore.
Three Men And A Baby (1987)
- Available To Stream On Disney+
Three Men And A Baby was a massive hit when it was released in 1987 due to its star-studded cast. However, in recent years, those 3 main characters have fallen off the radar as well as the movie.
Many viewers who saw it in movie theaters back in 1987 have noticed its absence from TV as recognized by a deleted Reddit user, who stated that "it was on TV in the UK last week although that's the first time [they] remember seeing it on in 10-15 years." The movie is a hilarious flick that lost its charm in later years due to some outdated views and subplots, but fans may want to rewatch it for the nostalgia.
Juno (2007)
- Available To Stream On Hulu
Despite turning 15 this year, Juno is still a somewhat forgotten movie considering how much praise it received after its release in 2007. The movie is a great coming-of-age indie flick that depicts teen pregnancy in an honest way. However, for some people, Juno was deemed controversial.
TrollPoster469 explained that "Juno was big and controversial 10 years ago but no one talks about it now" and the reason behind that is the change in society. When the movie was first released, the idea of teen pregnancy was taboo and the movie sought to remove the stigma. However, as the world continues to progress and society's views begin to change, Juno was a movie that provided a safe platform for people to talk about their concerns and issues and made way for shows like Sex Education.
Twister (1996)
- Available To Stream On HBO Max
Twister was a must-see movie back in 1996 due to its use of CGI and special effects being something viewers hadn't seen to that extent before. The movie employed several impressive effects to place viewers right in the middle of a twister, which saw many of the characters take up a new hobby: chasing storms.
However, in recent years the movie has become a somewhat forgotten gem with many claiming its use of CGI is now seen as dated. This Redditor explained how "Twister was a CGI special effects movie. There is no other point to watching it. So when CGI effects got massively better as time went on it was forgotten." It's certainly a shame since there it did offer quite a unique story.
The Hunger Games (2012)
- Available To Stream On DIRECTV
Despite there being several continuity errors within The Hunger Games, the franchise caused something of a cultural phenomenon with both young adults and older viewers due to its action-packed dystopian world making for a unique watching experience.
This Redditor explained how "The Hunger Games got a lot of attention when it first came out and quickly waned after that" before labeling it as "a fad." The movie made the fatal mistake of splitting the final book into two movies, with the writers dragging the plot out and including scenes that slowed down the pace. This then caused many fans to lose interest and its space within the world of cinema was replaced by newer movie series like Divergent.
Avatar (2009)
- Available To Stream On Disney+
Avatar gained a lot of attention when it was first released in 2009 and was expected to be an epic blockbuster. The movie was released in both 2D and 3D in a bid to gain a large following of film buffs who were intrigued by the concept of the movie's 3D element.
Avatar impressed fans in 2009 with its incredible special effects, vibrant cinematography, and unique concept but in recent years the movie has become something of a forgotten gem. A deleted Reddit user shared that the movie "failed to capitalize on its own momentum" whilst also leaving a huge gap between the first one and its sequel which has left it somewhat forgotten as "if more content existed it could've cultivated more of a fanbase" - something that might prove detrimental to its sequel.