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Oscars: The Most Controversial Movies to Win the Best Picture Oscar

The 2019 Oscars are approaching at astronomical speed! Surely you already have your favorite, which would deserve the prestigious golden statuette and thus become the best film of the past year. But you know, not everything always goes according to plan. And proof of this is also the controversial victories of certain films, which, according to many, are too modest for a golden statuette. But these surprises are an essential part of the ceremony, as important as the tradition of over-the-top (and often empty) speeches and the shots of slightly drunk and laughing celebrities who can only get through the seven-hour ceremony. See below for the most controversial films to win the Oscar for Best Picture.

Oscars 2019 will be awarded February 24, but we will find out today who will be in the race for the golden statuette. We are probably in for a surprise, which is of course nothing new. See what they are the most controversial films that won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Romantic drama
Shakespeare in love
USA, UK, 1998, Shakespeare in Love


The film portrays a young Shakespeare who meets his muse at the right moment. For some reason, it beat out two war dramas, Saving Private Ryan and Life is Beautiful. Some speculate that Weinstein's aggressive advertising campaign for the film is to blame.

Crime drama
Fatal accident
USA, Germany, 2004, Crash


Paul Haggis' drama about racism in the US was such a controversial winner that people are still saying today that the film didn't deserve the Golden Statue. Not only did it not deserve an Oscar, it managed to beat out highly regarded films like Brokeback Mountain and Shadows of the Past.

Comedy drama
Miss Daisy's chauffeur
USA, 1989, Driving Miss Daisy


The comedy drama starring Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy managed to beat In the Heat of the Night, Dead Poets Society and Born on the 4th of July. In addition to mediocrity, critics criticized the film for "a subtext that sums up the longing for the good old days before the civil rights movement."

Historical drama
The King's Speech
Great Britain, USA, Australia, 2010, King's Speech


A prestigious drama about a prince who finally overcomes his stutter, according to many, should not have won the golden statue. But the Academy thought otherwise. The King's Speech thus inexplicably defeated the films The Social Network, True Courage and Black Swan.

Drama
Ordinary people
USA, 1980, Ordinary People


There's no denying that Robert Redford's film is a powerful family drama of savage, emotional honesty. But even 38 years after winning the golden statuette, opinions are divided; can we say that the film is better than Lynch's The Elephant Man or Scorsese's Raging Bull?

Sports drama
Rocky
USA, 1976


We all loved Rocky. But, would you rather choose Stallone's boxing drama or Scorsese's creepy masterpiece Taxi Driver? The Academy preferred the former, though critics disagree. The taxi driver should "knockout" Rocky with a single swing.

The musical
Chicago
USA, Germany, Canada, 2002


In 2003, Polanski's The Pianist and Jackson's The Lord of the Rings fought for the golden statuette. Few could have guessed that the musical Chicago, starring Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones, would take over the stage.

Romantic drama
The English Patient
USA, Great Britain, 1996, The English Patient


The Academy "threw" the golden statuette for the best picture of 1997 in the hands of the sleepy drama The English Patient instead of the thriller Fargo of the Coen brothers. Well, at least that was the opinion of the majority, who thought that the latter deserved the Oscar much more.

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