As its name implies, the Best Picture Oscar is the most singularly sought-after trophy in the movie industry. It denotes quality and professionalism, and it single handedly acts as a seal of approval within the industry. Even a Best Picture nomination ensures that the movie's producers, director, writer(s), and actors will have a solid career in Hollywood.
However, there have been some truly baffling nominations throughout the years. Whether it's political or simply misguided, some Best Picture nominations have had movie lovers shaking their heads for a long time. These are some of the worst.
Crash (2004)
Crash was not only a baffling nomination, but arguably one of the worst Best Picture winners of all time. A divisive movie, Crash earned acclaim for its message and themes but criticism for its heavy-handed writing.
Reddit user Noggin-a-Floggin sums it up nicely, writing, "Anyone who was on the Internet in 2004, discussing movies, remembers how polarizing Crash was....Then it won Best Picture and all hell broke loose." The nomination was bad enough. The win was downright insulting to all the other nominations.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
Redditor uncheel3 writes, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has a 46% on Rotten Tomatoes. It was pure Oscar bait and basically bought it's nomination." As of writing, it actually has an even worse score of 45%, with a critical consensus calling it "treacly and pretentious."
The movie was ignored by virtually every other awards ceremony, and it didn't appear on critics' year-end lists. Regardless, it received two nominations at that year's Oscars - Best Supporting Actor for Max von Sydow and the incredibly undeserved Best Picture.
The Blind Side (2009)
Some people think The Blind Side is one of Sandra Bullock's best movies, others criticized it for its sentimental writing. It also received controversy for displaying a supposed white savior narrative.
As Redditor benben11d12 writes, "It may as well have been a Lifetime original movie." Regardless, the movie received a surprising Best Picture nomination, which many credited to the Academy's sudden change from five to ten nominations. To them, The Blind Side was nothing but a safe placeholder.
The Godfather Part III (1990)
Many things about the original Godfather still hold up today. Funnily enough, The Godfather Part III - which was released nearly 20 years later - is the most dated of them all. Redditor PPKDude sums it up nicely, stating, "To be honest, the only reason why this movie was nominated was because of the first two."
While that accusation is nothing but a conspiracy, they certainly have a point. The movie received middling reviews, with many criticizing the unnecessary story, sloppy writing, and poor acting from Sofia Coppola. Nowadays, it's mostly ignored.
War Horse (2011)
War Horse is arguably one of the worst movies from one of the greatest directors. Helmed by Steven Spielberg, War Horse is adapted from Michael Morpurgo's novel of the same name. It received strong praise for its technical filmmaking and received many understandable Oscar nominations as a result.
However, some were baffled with the movie's Best Picture nom, including Redditor Nukerjsr. As they summarize, "War Horse is pretty damn bad. They saw Spielberg and thought it should be nominated anyway."
Avatar (2009)
Ever since its release, Avatar has been praised for its technicality but criticized for its writing. Like many of James Cameron's films, Avatar was a technical marvel that showcased a new and exciting technology, but the overall experience was marred by a borderline-plagiarized story and thin characters.
Redditor Huskergod sums it up nicely, writing, "Avatar is a mediocre movie but a FANTASTIC movie experience when seen in theaters." Regardless, it received quite a baffling nomination for Best Picture. Apparently, technical filmmaking goes a long way.
The Hours (2002)
The Hours is a particularly ambitious movie, telling a multi-generational story revolving around Virginia Woolf's novel Mrs. Dalloway. It is, in the hilarious review of this deleted Reddit user, "Boring, pretentious s***."
Some critics may agree, as the movie sits at just 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is surprisingly low for a Best Picture nominee. It actually received nine nominations at the 75th Academy Awards but was mostly clobbered by Chicago, which proved to be the night's big winner.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008)
Reddit user briskt hates "the real schmaltzy stuff like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." They aren't alone, as the movie has a surprisingly low rating of just 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. It seems like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a solid movie, but definitely not a Best Picture contender.
Regardless, these types of movies typically serve as hot Oscar bait, and this one was no different. It received a staggering thirteen nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.
The Greatest Show On Earth (1952)
Basically a worse version of The Greatest Showman, The Greatest Show on Earth details life inside the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
It is widely regarded as one of the worst Best Picture winners of all time, and indeed it holds just a 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it "melodramatic, short on plot, [and] excessively lengthy." Reddit user Mange-Tout agrees, "The worst movie to actually win Best Picture was The Greatest Show On Earth."
Out Of Africa (1985)
Reddit user dwalsh15 writes, "Out of Africa won and was horribly placed and has a 58% on Rotten Tomatoes." By the time of writing, Out of Africa actually has a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, but still, it is not the type of score that warrants a Best Picture nomination.
Critics have singled out the movie's "excessive length and glacial pacing," but regardless, it earned eleven nominations at the 58th Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It ended up winning an unbelievable seven, making it one of the most critically-divisive films to win big at the Oscars.