Hollywood’s biggest prize has gone to all kinds of films – some massive, others deeply personal, and a few that caught everyone off guard. But almost every Best Picture winner says something about the moment it was crowned.
Some years, spectacle ruled the night. Gladiator (2000) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) proved that grand, large-scale filmmaking could still dominate at the Oscars. Other times, the Academy leaned towards more intimate, socially charged storytelling, awarding films like 12 Years a Slave (2013) and Moonlight (2016), both of which left a lasting impact. Then there were the surprises – a black-and-white silent film (The Artist, 2011), an eccentric, genre-hopping multiverse adventure (Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2022).
Let’s take a look back at the last 25 years of Oscar history and the films that defined their time…
2000 – Gladiator
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Gladiator wasn’t just a movie – it was an event. Ridley Scott resurrected the historical epic, and Russell Crowe’s Maximus gave audiences a hero to root for. With grand battle sequences and a villain you love to hate (Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus, chewing up the screen with pure weasel energy), the film took home five Oscars, including Best Picture. That famous “Are you not entertained?” moment? Crowe came up with it on the spot.
2001 – A Beautiful Mind
The second Best Picture winner in a row led by Crowe. John Nash’s real life was complicated, and A Beautiful Mind simplified some details, but Crowe’s performance still hit hard. A blend of mathematical brilliance and personal struggle, the film won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Ron Howard. Jennifer Connelly also snagged an award in a film boasting strong performances from all involved. While there were liberties with the real-life story (that dramatic pen scene, for example, never happened), A Beautiful Mind was a stirring film about genius, mental illness, and love.
2002 – Chicago
Who knew a musical about murder trials and media manipulation would take home six Oscars? Chicago brought the razzle-dazzle, reviving the movie musical with its high-energy choreography and biting satire. Catherine Zeta-Jones stole the show (and won an Oscar for it), while Richard Gere – who learned tap dancing for the role – didn’t even get a nomination. The film almost starred Madonna back in the ’90s, which would’ve been… interesting.
2003 – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Peter Jackson’s The Return of the King was more than a finale – it was a crowning achievement. Sweeping all 11 categories it was nominated for, the film tied the all-time Oscar record. It was a sweep that was, ultimately, bestowed to the trilogy as a whole. Viggo Mortensen carried his sword off-set (because of course he did), and Andy Serkis’s performance as Gollum forever changed motion-capture acting. And yeah, those multiple endings did become a bit of an amusing critique, but let’s be real – after three movies, we earned them.
2004 – Million Dollar Baby
What started as a boxing drama became a full-blown emotional wrecking ball. Million Dollar Baby took audiences somewhere they didn’t expect, with Hilary Swank’s knockout performance earning her a second Oscar. Clint Eastwood directed, starred, and even composed part of the score. The guy does it all – and somehow still edits faster than most directors, reportedly wrapping post-production in just a few weeks.
2005 – Crash
This one? Still divisive. Crash explored racial tensions in LA through interconnected stories, and its surprise win over Brokeback Mountain led to endless debates. Some saw it as a powerful statement, others found it too heavy-handed. Even Don Cheadle, who co-produced and starred, admitted he was shocked when it won. Regardless, the film proved that a small budget and a tight shooting schedule can still make Oscar history.
2006 – The Departed
Martin Scorsese finally got his long, long, long-overdue Oscar, and – somewhat surprisingly – he did it with a remake: a brutal, tension-filled redo of the 2002 Hong Kong picture, Infernal Affairs. The Departed pitted Leonardo DiCaprio against Matt Damon, Nicholson went full Jack, and Mark Wahlberg delivered a masterclass in insults. Nicholson improvised much of his performance – including pulling a real gun on DiCaprio, who had no idea it was coming. It’s arguable that Scorsese deserved his first Academy Award for some of his previous works, but The Departed remains a banger entry in his impressive résumé nonetheless.
2007 – No Country for Old Men
The Coen Brothers leaned into bleak, slow-burn tension, and No Country for Old Men delivered one of the most terrifying villains in film history. Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh was pure nightmare fuel – silent, calculated, and armed with a cattle bolt pistol. Bardem hated the haircut but admitted it made him look even scarier. The film also boasted strong turns from Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones. That unsettling ending? Yeah, people are still debating it. This was a strong year; the Best Picture race also included There Will Be Blood and Atonement.
2008 – Slumdog Millionaire
An underdog story both on-screen and off, Slumdog Millionaire almost went straight to DVD before festival buzz turned it into an Oscar juggernaut. The film took home eight awards, and its energetic, handheld style captured Mumbai’s energy like few films had before. Dev Patel landed the role after Boyle’s daughter suggested him based on his work in Skins. An incredibly lively balance of feel-good turns and gut-punch twists, culminating in a rousing work of cinema that had audiences around the world talking. And that last-minute addition of the “Jai Ho” dance sequence? A stroke of genius.
2009 – The Hurt Locker
Instead of sweeping war sequences, The Hurt Locker focused on the white-knuckle tension of bomb disposal. Jeremy Renner’s breakout performance helped anchor the film, while Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win Best Director – beating her ex-husband James Cameron in a surprise Oscars showdown.
2010 – The King’s Speech
A film about a stuttering monarch sounds like Oscar bait, but The King’s Speech had real heart. Colin Firth’s portrayal of King George VI won him Best Actor, while Geoffrey Rush added warmth and humour as his speech therapist. The speech at the end? Not quite as dramatic in real life, but the emotional weight still landed.
2011 – The Artist
A black-and-white silent film winning Best Picture in the 21st century? The Artist proved that classic Hollywood charm still had a place. Jean Dujardin’s magnetic performance, plus the film’s playful nods to cinema history, helped it win five Oscars. And that cute dog, Uggie, easily one of the most beloved scene-stealers of the decade.
2012 – Argo
Ben Affleck directed and starred in this tense, real-life rescue thriller that somehow blended Hollywood satire with political drama. The film took home three Oscars, including Best Picture, despite Affleck being snubbed for Best Director. And yes, that dramatic airport climax was heavily Hollywood-ised – but it sure was thrilling.
2013 – 12 Years a Slave
12 Years a Slave didn’t just win Best Picture – it became a cultural moment. Chiwetel Ejiofor gave a gut-wrenching performance, while Lupita Nyong’o won her first Oscar for a breakout role that left audiences speechless. The film’s raw, unflinching portrayal of slavery made it one of the most powerful winners in Academy history. Brad Pitt earned his first Oscar for this film – sharing the Best Picture win with fellow producers Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner.
2014 – Birdman
Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Birdman played out like one long, unbroken shot, following Michael Keaton as a washed-up superhero actor trying to reinvent himself. Darkly funny, visually dazzling, and fuelled by a kinetic jazz score, it took home four Oscars. Keaton’s Oscar loss still stings, but at least he got a standing ovation when he fake-tucked his speech back into his pocket.
2015 – Spotlight
No flashy tricks here – just good old-fashioned journalism. Spotlight followed the Boston Globe’s investigation into the Catholic Church abuse scandal, reminding audiences that real-life reporting can be just as emotional and thrilling as fiction. The film’s understated approach made it stand out, winning Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. It had a fantastic cast too, including Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d’Arcy James, Liev Schreiber, and Billy Crudup.
2016 – Moonlight
The little indie that could. Moonlight made history as the first film with an all-Black cast and the first LGBTQ+ film to win Best Picture. And who could forget that jaw-dropping Oscar mix-up when La La Land was mistakenly announced as the winner first? Talk about a dramatic finish. The film’s two supporting actors, Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris, also earned Oscars.
2017 – The Shape of Water
Guillermo del Toro gave us a fairy tale like no other – a romance between a mute woman and a mysterious amphibious creature, all set against the backdrop of Cold War paranoia. The film took home four Oscars, including Best Director for del Toro and Best Score for Alexandre Desplat’s wonderful music.
2018 – Green Book
This road-trip drama about an unlikely friendship between a Black pianist (Mahershala Ali) and his Italian-American driver (Viggo Mortensen) sparked both praise and controversy. Winning three Oscars, including Best Picture, it was criticised for taking a “feel-good” approach to race relations. Ali’s performance, however, was nevertheless acclaimed – his second Oscar win in just three years.
2019 – Parasite
Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite didn’t just win Best Picture – it made history as the first non-English language film to do so. A masterful blend of dark comedy, thriller, and social satire, the film captivated audiences worldwide. It served as a strong reminder that cinema is a worldwide artform – not just a Holllywood one. As Bong said in his acceptance speech, “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”
2020 – Nomadland
Chloé Zhao’s quiet, meditative film followed Frances McDormand’s journey through America’s van-dwelling community. Mixing real-life nomads with scripted storytelling, Nomadland won Best Picture, Best Director, and a third Best Actress Oscar for McDormand.
2021 – CODA
CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) was a heartwarming crowd-pleaser that became the first film from a streaming service (Apple TV+) to win Best Picture. The featured a mostly deaf cast, with Troy Kotsur becoming the first deaf male actor to an Oscar (Best Supporting Actor).
2022 – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Absurd, emotional, and completely unpredictable, Everything Everywhere All at Once swept the Oscars with seven wins, including Best Picture. Michelle Yeoh made history as the first Asian woman to win Best Actress, while Ke Huy Quan’s comeback story had audiences cheering. A multiverse movie with googly eyes and hot dog fingers winning the Academy’s top prize? No one saw that coming.
2023 – Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan earned his first Best Director win for crafting this fascinating look at one of the most complex figures in history. Oppenheimer wasn’t just about science – it was about guilt, power, and consequences. Cillian Murphy gave a haunting, Best Actor-winning performance. Nolan, true to form, refused to use CGI for the bomb test scene, opting for real explosions. The film’s layered structure had audiences discussing it for weeks – exactly how Nolan likes it.
2024 – Anora
Sean Baker’s Anora wasn’t the flashy, big-budget Oscar contender most expected, but it snuck in and stole the crown. Baker, known for working with non-professional actors and filming in real locations, delivered a film that felt almost too real. Some scenes were shot guerrilla-style, meaning non-actors/extras ended up in the background without realising they were in a movie. Energetic, funny, and well-performed, Anora was a standout indie that managed to make Baker only the second person to win four Oscars in one night – matching the record held by Walt Disney, who had a quadruple win back in 1953.
