Unofficial Academy Awards Discussion Board

I'll go with 2013, in spite of the large number of nominations for American Hustle, which I didn't like at all. The rest of field makes up for one weak film.

dws1982 wrote:Les Mis, leaving my issues with its quality aside, was 2012, not 2013. Never had an issue with Brad Pitt in 12 Years a Slave. Not the best part of the movie, but casting a name actor is also how movies secure funding and if Brad Pitt in a semi-distracting cameo helped get this one made, I'll take it.

Yes, it seems I've been conflating the two years. Les Mis was my favorite film of 2012, 12 Years a Slave was my favorite of 2013, though I do have a problem with Pitt's acting role in it, not his producer's role, the most distracting cameo since John Wayne at the foot of the cross in in The Greatest Story Ever Ever Told.

Big Magilla wrote:To each his own. The best executed film of 2013 remains Les Misérables for me. 12 Years a Slave would have been, but Brad Pitt's 11th hour appearance as the Great White Savior took me out of it. That role should have been played by a nondescript actor, leaving Chiwitel Ejiofor the focus.

Les Mis, leaving my issues with its quality aside, was 2012, not 2013. Never had an issue with Brad Pitt in 12 Years a Slave. Not the best part of the movie, but casting a name actor is also how movies secure funding and if Brad Pitt in a semi-distracting cameo helped get this one made, I'll take it.

I ended up choosing 2015 over 2013 and 2009. I thought each of those years had pretty good depth and a nice selection of films. There were better films in other years, but I gave a slight edge based on the totality.

2015 also had the best short film - World of Tomorrow.

Mister Tee wrote
But 2013 has more than any other (with, as Sabin points out, such entries as Inside Llewyn Davis and Blue is the Warmest Color essentially ignored), and such strong acting slates that sure-things like Tom Hanks and James Gandolfini were omitted.

Well, I certainly agree that Blue is the Warmest Color was ignored in one category (Best Actress) but the feature I cited was Blue Jasmine.

Although something I've been thinking about a bit: it's so odd that only three Woody Allen films have been nominated for Best Picture: Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Midnight in Paris. My family and I have been going through the WGA list of the 101 Best Screenplays and I had this thought while rewatching Hannah and Her Sisters. It's entirely possible that of the many contenders that could have broken through (Manhattan, Purple Rose of Cairo, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Bullets over Broadway, Match Point), Blue Jasmine might have come the closest to being the fourth with its Oscar win for Cate Blanchett as well as nominations for Sally Hawkins and its screenplay. Although it would be something of a pyrrhic victory because (as has been stated elsewhere) during his heydey Woody Allen would have clocked in how many Best Picture nominees in an expanded slate?

Mister Tee wrote
The other four all have their high points -- 2017 has not only a bunch of exciting films, but three of the four acting categories are stacked. 2010 and 2012 both have multiple films that might have been credible best picture choices.

I remain steadfast in my belief that 2012 produced a slate of more potential Best Picture winners than any other slate of the decade. There were at least five films nominated that year that could have won. Only 2017 and 2019 rival it.

To each his own. The best executed film of 2013 remains Les Misérables for me. 12 Years a Slave would have been, but Brad Pitt's 11th hour appearance as the Great White Savior took me out of it. That role should have been played by a nondescript actor, leaving Chiwitel Ejiofor the focus.

I liked Inside Llewynn Davis, Her, and Philomena a lot, but Blue Jasmine, American Hustle, and Nebraska were extravagantly overpraised.

2015 was the only year of a really bad decade that had a nice group of little films worth a second, third, or even a fourth look. Forgot to mention Ex Machina earlier.

Lots of inferior vintages here -- 2008/09 (a real dreary stretch), 2011 and, for me, 2015 (don't know what you see in that year, Magilla).

2014 and 2016 have some strong peaks, but not much depth.

The other four all have their high points -- 2017 has not only a bunch of exciting films, but three of the four acting categories are stacked. 2010 and 2012 both have multiple films that might have been credible best picture choices.

But 2013 has more than any other (with, as Sabin points out, such entries as Inside Llewyn Davis and Blue is the Warmest Color essentially ignored), and such strong acting slates that sure-things like Tom Hanks and James Gandolfini were omitted.

The only flaw in the best actor slate that year is the winner chosen.

This is trickier...

Gosh, I think it's 2013 if only because with the exception of Philomena (and I suppose American Hustle which is fun but disappointing) all the nominated films are either good or quite good. Years like 2012, 2016, and 2017 boast higher watermarks among their nominees but are awash in mediocrity. The additional nominees like Before Midnight, Blue Jasmine, and Inside Llewyn Davis are quite good. It also benefits from probably the best Best Actor lineup of the decade.

If I was a bigger fan of Dunkirk and The Shape of Water, I might be convinced it was 2017. But I'm not, so I vote 2013.

In some ways, 2013 possesses the same energy that the 2019 crop had. To give an idea of how long ago this was, it wasn't A24 but rather Annapurna Pictures whom everyone was signing praises for saving cinema. 2012 brought us The Master and Zero Dark Thirty (and yes, Lawless and Killing Them Softly) but 2013 was their year of Her and American Hustle (and yes, Spring Breakers and The Grandmaster). Their track record afterwards has been hit and miss. In 2013, A24 released its first five films (A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, Ginger & Rosa, Spring Breakers, The Bling Ring, The Spectacular Now) none of which made any substantial impact. Now, they've filpped. It may not seem like it to us but 2013 was an eternity ago and it seemed like everything was going in a different direction, I'm certain not simply in regards to which production company/distributor is the future of cinema...

2013 has 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, Her, Blue Jasmine, Wolf of Wall Street, Nebraska so it gets my vote.

2017 would also be a worthy choice.

I think 2015 was the most interesting year of this decade with its eclectic mix of contenders including Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Carol, Room, and Best Picture winner Spotlight.

Based on the totality of nominations, which Oscar year within this decade is best?