A Baker's Dozen: Favorite Best Picture Winners (1967-2011)

I went back and reviewed a list of Best Picture Oscar winners in my lifetime (1967-2011) and thought about which ones I liked the most. Some of them, frankly, should not have won, and I will likely post something about that between now and Sunday. I mean, I enjoyed "Shakespeare In Love" immensely, but there's no way it's a better movie than "Saving Private Ryan." And don't get me started on "The English Patient" beating out what is essentially a masterpiece in "Fargo."

Yeah...we'll get to all of that. We shall discuss that another day.

I took the list of Best Picture winners and ranked which ones were my favorite. Only one remains unseen by me, "The Last Emperor" from 1987. I really thought "Broadcast News" or "Moonstruck" would win that year, but there I go again talking about what should've won. Some Best Picture winners I am indifferent to, while others I simply don't enjoy. As much as I admire the craftsmanship of "The Godfather" and "The Godfather, Part II," I'm not a fan of either of those films. Not my thing, really. Some winners I just plain don't like and simply can't figure out how it won. I'm looking at you, "The English Patient."

So, for your consideration, here are My 13 Favorite Best Picture Winners From My Lifetime So Far:

1. "Unforgiven," 1992
2. "Amadeus," 1984
3. "The Silence of the Lambs," 1991
4. "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," 1975
5. "The Deer Hunter," 1978
6. "Annie Hall," 1977
7. "No Country For Old Men," 2007
8. "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King," 2003
9. "Schindler's List," 1993
10. "Rain Man," 1988
11. "The Sting," 1973
12. "The Artist," 2011
13. "The French Connection," 1971

Footnote #1: If "Argo" wins this Sunday (and I believe it will), I'll have to amend this list.

Footnote #2: As much as I admire "The Return of the King," I preferred Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River" that year. That's not an indictment of Peter Jackson's awesome epic. I just thought "Mystic River" was better.