The Oscars are contentious at best, with brilliant films up every year for the acclaimed title of ‘Best Picture’. Whilst some picks for the title are questionable by film critics and aficionados alike, it goes without saying that the pick for Best Picture never fails to raise debate and controversy, year after year.Some films are better than others, and the 2010s are no exception. From the beauty in breaking cinematic boundaries in Moonlight (2016) to heartbreaking yet realistic conflict and racial tensions in 12 Years A Slave (2013), Rotten Tomatoes has us covered — ranking all of the Best Picture Oscar wins. We’ve pulled out the rankings of those in the 2010s, from good to even better.
'Green Book' (2018)
Coming in at 82 on the list, Green Book (2018) is arguably the most controversial win out of all the 2010s Best Picture recipients. The storyline is inspired by the true story of Don Shirley, played by Mahershala Ali, a Black American jazz pianist who toured America with his Italian bodyguard and driver, played by Viggo Mortensen.
Directed by Peter Farrelly, who is much better known for his comedy films, it’s no surprise that the film was a controversial pick. Whilst not a bad film by any standards, many critics were skeptical of it holding Best Picture status.
'Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)' (2014)
Number 48 on our list is a tale of Broadway, encapsulated by the washed-up and forgotten superhero actor who is, to put it simply, trying his best. Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) holds onto his falling cinema status with a Broadway production, but instead, is faced with an injury from his co-star which throws the production into chaos.
In the sixth feature film by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Keaton stars alongside the star-studded cast of Emma Stone, Amy Ryan, Naomi Watts, and Zach Galifianakis. Taking home awards for Best Cinematography, Original Screenplay, Director, and Picture, the film smashed the 86th Academy Awards in 2014.
'The Shape of Water' (2017)
The Shape of Water (2017) comes in at number 46 on this list, following the story of a janitor named Elisa (Sally Hawkins), who falls in love with an amphibian creature (Doug Jones) that is housed at the secret government lab, in which she is an employee.
The movie was nominated for an impressive 13 Oscars at the 89th Academy Awards and ultimately won for Best Original Score, Production Design, Director, and Picture. A particularly unique film by Guillermo del Toro, the visuals and production design encapsulated a perfect 1960s aesthetic, making it much deserving of its position as Best Picture.
'The King’s Speech' (2010)
A film almost guaranteed to win an Oscar, number 32 on the list is Tom Hooper's The King’s Speech, ticking all the boxes for a guaranteed Oscar win. This is a period piece examining a popular historical subject, the British monarchy, telling the story of King George VI and his struggles with speech therapy.
The film generated three acting nominations for its cast — Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush, and Colin Firth, with Firth ultimately winning Best Actor. The movie was also highly acclaimed for its visuals, production design, writing, and directing — with the final two taking home their respective Academy Awards.
'The Artist' (2011)
Despite the film winning Best Picture and receiving an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist comes in at number 27 on this list and is arguably one of the more forgettable Oscar Best Picture wins. The movie is stylized in black and white and tells the silent story of an up-and-coming actress and her relationship with a film star in the 1920s.
The film still managed to break some boundaries, with The Artist being the first French-produced movie to win Best Picture. The film was widely acclaimed for its incredible technicality — with the visuals, sound design, cinematography, and costumes among this praise.
'12 Years A Slave' (2013)
Number 26 on the list is based on the memoir of the same name written by Solomon Northup. Directed by Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave centers on Northup, a free man living in Washington, D.C. He finds himself kidnapped, taken to the Deep South, and sold into slavery.
Northup is portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who put on a harrowing performance that earned him a Best Actor nomination for his performance. Whilst Ejiofor didn’t win this award, the film took home Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong'o.
'Argo' (2012)
Another film which was controversial in its win, yet ranks at number 19 on this list, is Argo, directed by and starring Ben Affleck. The film had numerous historical inaccuracies, particularly by displaying a falsely pro-American story that downplayed the important roles of the Canadian, British, and New Zealand embassies.
Regardless, the film itself is both well-made and exciting, with particular acclaim for its brilliant editing and writing. In a rare occurrence, the film only won Best Picture, not Best Director in conjunction — this was awarded to Ang Lee’s Life of Pi.
'Spotlight' (2015)
Based on a true story, number 13 on the list is Spotlight, a harrowing film that tells the story of the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team, a collection of Pulitzer Prize-winning investigators that managed to uncover years of child sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic church.
Difficult subject matter aside, Tom McCarthy's film earned praise across the board for both its acting and writing, making it both a valuable addition to this list and a worthwhile watch.
'Moonlight' (2016)
Number 8 on the list smashed records. Barry Jenkins' Moonlight was the first LGBTQ+ related film and the first movie with an all-black cast to win Best Picture. Mahershala Ali, in a supporting role, was also the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar, taking home Best Supporting Actor.
Joi McMillion also became the first Black woman to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Editing. All in all, the film tells a beautiful story of childhood, adolescence, and early adult life, exploring struggles with sexuality and identity.
'Parasite' (2019)
The highest-ranking 2010s Best Oscar film on the Rotten Tomatoes list is Parasite, coming in at number 7. Much like Moonlight, the film set numerous records throughout, as it was the first non-English speaking film to win Best Picture. It was also the first South Korean film to be recognized by the Academy, and the first non-English film to win the Screen Actors Guild for Outstanding Performance by a Cast.
Bong Joon-ho's film is even receiving its own television adaptation. To put it simply, it’s no wonder that the film will be ultimately remembered as a large part of movie history, with brilliant acting, writing, and cinematography combined.