It comes without saying that the Oscars is an event of great prestige in the film industry. A select few are awarded for their artistic and technical merit in the film industry. However, the Oscars are also a topic of great controversy. It's challenging to decide what films deserve to be considered the best film of the year. Drama has been the genre with the most wins, but choosing one movie out of numerous drama movies made worldwide is tough.
As an audience and filmmaker, it's a bitter pill to swallow when you fall in love with a movie you just watched, and it doesn't get recognized how it should. It happens every year and there are many examples to prove that there are spectacular drama movies that are not even in the Academy Awards conversation.
'Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot' (2018)
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot avoids all inspirational biopic clichés thanks to the Gus Van Sant (director & writer) sensitive and unique approach to filmmaking. Also, the ensemble of an A-list cast allows the film to reach new heights, especially Joaquin Phoenix, who gives a rollicking performance as John Callahan. This character is a man who has a lust for life and a drinking problem, zooming down sidewalks in his motorized wheelchair.
Being a belligerent alcoholic paralyzed from the waist down, it seems like he has a lot on his shoulders, and Joaquin Phoenix's performance depicts his struggle extraordinarily. As Callahan goes through the long and winding road to sobriety via a 12-step therapy group, he eventually manages to become clean. If Joaquin Phoenix's performance wasn't good enough to be even nominated for an Oscar, the originality of the screenplay should've done it.
'Kill Bill Vol. 1' (2003)
If you are familiar with Quentin Tarantino's work, the movie Kill Bill Vol.1 is what caused him to explode into the mainstream. This film has Tarantino's signatures written all over it from the high-stakes martial arts fights, to its non-chronological storytelling, to the 70s tinged soundtrack, and more. With great ratings, an iconic director, and an exceptional cast, this movie was never nominated for any significant award.
On the other hand, Uma Thurman's performance doesn't just inspire a discussion on her acting, but her physical grace, strength, and personality: all these elements come together and further elevate her performance. Under the director's guidance, this character became iconic amongst fans and filmmakers. The costume design of this movie is also worth mentioning, as The Bride's Bruce Lee-inspired suit is hard to forget. In other words, it's appalling that this film didn't get praised it should have.
'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' (2019)
There are obvious biases when nominating a film for an Academy Award. Most foreign films have been relegated to the Best Foreign Language Film category (with a few exceptions). Nominated for various awards, but winning none, Portrait of a Lady on Fire should've at least been mentioned in the Oscars conversation.
This film is about the erotic and profound connection between two women when they find their desire for creative experience fulfilled in each other. With an almost all-female cast, this movie is told from the perspective of the female. It's a brave take on a dramatic period piece because it breaks various boundaries within that genre (previously told through the "male gaze"). Viewers and critics celebrate the groundbreaking achievements this film accomplished, but they share the collective feeling that it was not recognized for such accomplishments.
'Before Sunrise' (1995)
The 90s was a decade of exceptional filmmaking. Drama and romance were prominent genres at that time, and Before Sunrise was a great product of that time. This film tells the story of a young man and woman who spend one evening together in Vienna. It's another brilliantly cast film with outstanding performances by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.
In this movie, there are no betrayals, melodrama, or phony violence. The dialogue is simple, relatable, and captivating, making it easy for the viewer to become invested in the story. They talk about topics every member of the audience can relate to. Also, the sexual tension is set from the get-go and exponentially grows as they spend more time together. This would've been an interesting pick for the Academy Awards.
'Gran Torino' (2008)
When thinking of Clint Eastwood, many movies and roles come to mind, but Gran Torino stands out. After all, he was 78 years old when he directed and acted in this movie. In this movie, Eastwood plays a widowed, racist, and grumpy Korean War veteran, who has a beer and a shotgun always by his side. The plot escalates when a teenager tries to steal his most prized possession: the 1972 Gran Torino.
Ultimately, this movie is about how an individual can change independently of how old or what he has lived through. Eastwood's performance doesn't involve any grand transformations. It involves starting to see people as people, independent of the color of their skin, culture, or how different they are. That's the most important lesson Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) learns, and it's done in a very subtle manner. This is a very sensitive subject to portray in a film, therefore it should've been at least recognized by the Academy.
'C'Mon, C'mon' (2021)
By no surprise, Joaquin Phoenix is mentioned once again in the Oscar nominee conversation. Let's be frank, he has been snubbed massively throughout his career. One of his best and most recent works, C'Mon, C'mon did not receive a single Academy Awards nod. Phoenix showcases his versatility as an actor as he plays Johnny, an uncle who takes care of his precocious nephew during his family crisis.
This film tells the story of love and the inner battle between caring for yourself and caring for others. If the visually splendid black and white cinematography, together with Joaquin Phoenix's performance aren't enough reasons for it to receive a nod from the Academy, maybe the realistic and heartfelt message should. Movie critics and audiences around the world would agree with that.
'Breathless' (1960)
Breathless is a timeless example of how the Academy Awards has always had biases against foreign films. If roles were reversed, the revolutionary director Jean-Luc Godard wouldn't even have attended the awards ceremony. After all, he led The French New Wave, which was a historic movement in the cinema, responsible for rewriting the rules of filmmaking.
Highly regarded as one of the most influential films ever made, Breathless is Godard's take on Bonnie and Clyde. With this film, Godard introduced the editing technique known as "jump cuts." By using jump cuts the film's pace changes, and it becomes rushed and somewhat jittery, making the audience constantly feel on edge (especially during the action scenes). If not for the acting of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, this film should have been given an Oscar for its technical achievements.