So This Oscar Winners Thing? Totally A Walk Through My Adolescence

Today I researched and then compiled my list of films in order to tackle No. 15 on my Thirty By Thirty list - Watch all of the Best Picture Oscar winners, 1979-2009. Silly me assumed 1979-2009 meant exactly what it seems to mean but no, an award ceremony covers films released in the year prior (I know…seems obvious to me now too, LOL). So my 1979 to 2009 film list has become my 1978 to 2008 winners list. Which means I now have to watch The Deer Hunter. My Dad (a Vietnam veteran) is totally laughing at his very ‘Jane Austen-y taste in movies’ daughter right about now. Especially considering Platoon comes into play as the 1986 winner, LOL.

Clearly, this little challenge isn’t for everyone. Some of the films aren’t exactly of the ‘roses and chocolates’ variety. But I’m genuinely interested in this task - there are some movies I’ve grown up hearing (by name) but have never seen - although I have seen the majority from the last twenty years. Some of the earlier films might be a bit harder to get my hands on when the time comes but I have a few contacts I can lean on if necessary.

In case you were wondering, here’s the full list of 31 films:

BEST PICTURE OSCAR WINNERS
1978 (ceremony 1979) to 2008 (ceremony 2009)

2008 – Slumdog Millionaire (watched 24-Feb-09)
2007 – No Country For Old Men
2006 – The Departed (watched 19-Nov-08)
2005 – Crash
2004 – Million Dollar Baby
2003 – The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
2002 – Chicago
2001 – A Beautiful Mind
2000 – Gladiator
1999 – American Beauty
1998 – Shakespeare In Love
1997 – Titanic
1996 – The English Patient
1995 – Braveheart
1994 – Forrest Gump
1993 – Schindler’s List
1992 – Unforgiven
1991 – The Silence Of The Lambs
1990 – Dances With Wolves (watched 22-Nov-08)
1989 – Driving Miss Daisy
1988 – Rain Man
1987 – The Last Emperor
1986 – Platoon (watched 26-Nov-09)
1985 – Out Of Africa
1984 – Amadeus
1983 – Terms Of Endearment
1982 – Gandhi
1981 – Chariots Of Fire
1980 – Ordinary People
1979 – Kramer vs Kramer
1978 – The Deer Hunter

I totally find it interesting that many of the titles hit a bit close to home. Obviously the Vietnam thing with my Dad, but also Rain Man, Forrest Gump and A Beautiful Mind with J. I loved Forrest Gump for years and then once J was diagnosed I couldn’t bring myself to watch it for the longest time (eventually came to my senses but cried most of the way through). Come to think of it….Forrest goes to Vietnam too, LOL.

Okay, game face on. The DVD player awaits… :P