Ranking last 10 "Best Picture" Oscar winners

Ranking last 10 "Best Picture" Oscar winners

10. "Crash" (2006)

Trash....pure trash. "Munich", "Good night and Good Luck" and most importantly "Brokeback Mountain" were all WAY superior movies to this melodramatic race-baiting piece of trash. An example of how politics can play an out sized role in who wins these awards. just skip this one folks. Not worth it

9. "The Artist" (2012)

A French silent movie huh? Yeah no thanks. Another example of the Academy being a bit too up their own ass with this pick. No one remembers this movie and its only been 4 years, not exactly a lasting legacy. Not a bad movie but a forgettable one that no one went to see and hasn't been watching since. Pass....hard pass

8. "The Kings Speech" (2011)

The movie for your favorite speech pathologist. This movie about overcoming the speech impediment of King George VI before World War 2 is a perfectly serviceable period piece of a movie but not exactly my cup of tea (yep a British joke). Good movie worth a watch for the performances alone but nothing overly special.

7. "Slumdog Millionaire" (2009)

The Hollywood version of Bollywood is up next with the musical drama "Slumdog Millionaire". A movie about a man remembering his life as he tries to win a million dollars on the Indian version of "Who wants to be a Millionaire". A very good emotional and surprisingly violent movie actually. Don't let the singing and stuff keep you away from this one, its well worth watching and even though it didn't kick off a Bollywood explosion here its still an excellent movie.

6. "The Hurt Locker" (2010)

While one of the lowest grossing Best Picture winners this examination of what happens to some soldiers after war and how some can't let it go is an excellent example of a movie with a message and timely topic. Jeremy Renner and Kathryn Bigelow bring us this Iraq war drama about a bomb defusing expert and how he becomes addicted to the thrills of his job so much so that he can't stand normal life. A movie that gets more and more important as the years go by and the war keeps dragging on. Watch this movie everyone, its more then worth it

5. "The Departed" (2007)

The movie that finally gave Scorsese his first and only Best Director and Best Picture win (a goddamn unbelievable fact that THIS is what won it for him). An excellent remake of the Hong Kong thriller series "Infernal Affairs" this is an excellent crime drama of backstabbing and shifting loyalties. All the actors in this movie are more then game for and everyone gives top notch performances that make up for the flimsy at times story. If you're looking for an excellent crime drama, and maybe the 5th best movie of Martin Scorsese's career, check this one out.

4. "Argo" (2013)

Who woulda thought Ben Affleck had this in him? He stars and directs in this excellent political drama about getting a group of US citizens out of Iran after the embassy they worked in was overrun in the 70's and they managed to escape from before it did. Mixing action, drama and comedy Affleck shines both in front and behind the camera and proves there's more to him then what most people thought and placed him as one of Hollywood's top youngish Directors. This movie was able to hold off an extremely tough group of nominees with "Lincoln", "Silver Linings Playbook", "Django Unchained" and "Les Miserables" also being up. Some would say it didn't deserve it but i disagree as this movie has tremendous re watch value. Great movie

3. "No Country for Old Men" (2008)

The best example of bringing a book to the big screen of movie history is the Coen Brothers "No Country for Old Men". A virtual scene for scene film version of the classic Cormac McCarthy book "No Country" brings us one of cinemas all time great villains in Anton Chigurgh (Javier Bardem) and features pitch perfect performances from Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones as well. This is what happens when you combine legendary directors with an amazing story and also shows that yes you can have success by just transporting a book to the screen word by word, see we told you it would work Hollywood!! Classic game of cat and mouse as Brolin is pursued by Bardem all in pursuit of a suitcase full of money Brolin found at a drug hit. Everything about this movie is perfect so go check it out

2. "Birdman" (2015)

Perfect performances, an arresting visual style and the added gravitas of forces outside of movie (Michael Keaton being Batman and all) "Birdman" was not only a surprise last year but a welcome one. Featuring Michael Keaton giving the performance of a lifetime as a washed up actor taking one last stab at legitimacy, see there's that real world subtext going on, "Birdman" takes us on a journey that can go from comedy to drama at the drop of a hat. The no cut camera work alone is reason enough to check this one out as it keeps you engaged at all times but its the performances that will hook you. Everyone is outstanding so go check this out right now!

1. "12 Years a Slave" (2014)

Want a ultra powerful drama that will force you to re-examine the history of our country? This is the one for you. I don't have to sell "12 years a slave" to anyone as it stands and sells itself as one of the most emotionally poignant movies ever. The story of Solomon Northrup's ordeal of being kidnapped and sold into slavery is a chilling portrait of an America that once was. This is what it costs to make our country and is it worth it is one of the many questions you'll be forced to ask yourself after watching this movie after you wipe away the tears. What an incredible piece of film making and one worthy of our top spot. Go watch this movie folks, just do it.

Written by Jacob Maracle (https://twitter.com/thedrizzle37)