“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” plays more often in my head in late February than it does at Christmas because award season makes me so giddy. I absolutely love the Oscars.
It’s a time to revere the great film artists of the year. It’s a time to look back on the year of cinematic genius and celebrate how far we’ve come since “The Jazz Singer.” It’s a time for me to annoy my family and friends with my utter excitement over the tiny gold men.
Here are some highlights from the last 83 years, from the revered to the snubbed:
“Gone With The Wind” (1939)
Whether you find Scarlett O’Hara darling or obnoxious, the majestic cinematography and dashing Rhett Butler makes David O. Selznick’s epic absolutely fantastic. 1939 was a wonderful year at the movies. Also nominated for Best Picture were “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” and “The Wizard of Oz.”
“Casablanca” (1943)
Perhaps one of the most admired films of all time, this WWII romance has purposeful acting and a story that makes the viewer cling to the screen for the entire film. Like Rick and Ilsa will “always have Paris,” we have the fortune of always having “Casablanca.”
“Vertigo” (1958)
Despite being considered one of the greatest suspense films ever made, Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller was only nominated for two awards: Best Sound and Best Art Direction. Even these weren’t given to the film that still blows my mind every time I watch it.
“Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” (1967)
Nominated for 10 Oscars, this film was an avant-garde picture for its time, because of its stance on interracial marriage. It lost Best Picture to “In the Heat of the Night,” another race-relations film, only a few months before Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
“All The President’s Men” (1976)
As a journalist, I consider this to be one of the greatest films ever made. It wasn’t the only picture featuring journalism nominated in 1977: “Network” also received multiple nods. Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford pack a punch in this film, but not hard enough to knock out that year’s Best Picture, “Rocky.”
“Tootsie” (1982)
Dustin Hoffman’s signature cross-dressing film was nominated for Best Picture and is on AFI’s Top 100 Films list. Like its predecessor, 1959’s “Some Like It Hot,” “Tootsie” delivers an intriguing story, coupled with fantastic performances.
“Pulp Fiction” (1994)
1994 was second only to 1939 when it came to film achievement. The same year Quentin Tarantino both disgusted and dazzled us with his masterpiece was the year of “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Forrest Gump.” “Pulp Fiction” takes the viewer on a non-chronological ride that is confusing on the first watch, but freshly appealing on the second.
“Little Miss Sunshine” (2006)
This black comedy opened the doors to the Oscars for other indie dramedies, like 2007’s “Juno,” winning Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay. My favorite part of the film is Steve Carell, who delivers his best, and most understated, performance.
The 2011 Academy Awards are Feb. 27.