Best Non-Oscar Winner, No. 4



Recently I chronicled my favorite Best Picture Winners since 1970. Now, for the next four weeks, I'll be sharing my 10 favorite films that fell short of Best Picture despite being nominees since 1990.

4. Inception (2010)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, and Cillian Murphy
Director: Christopher Nolan
About: Nolan is one of the best directors working today, and yet he's rarely even been on the slate at the Academy Awards. When "The Dark Knight" was overlooked it led to outcry that changed the voting rules for Best Picture. A couple years later, "Inception" made it into the field. I thought it was an incredible film, possibly the best film of the year. Another film in that field that didn't win, 'The Social Network," was also on this list. Both ended up losing to "The King's Speech." And eight years later I think we still see "Inception" and "The Social Network" as relevant in society and "The King's Speech" was just a nice story. The film won four awards — for cinematography, visual effects and sound — but it missed on the big awards. Still, it's a visual masterpiece that has a riveting story. It hooked me the first time I saw it, and I see something new each time I see it.
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout.

Top 10 Non-Winners:
10. Fargo (1996)
9. Whiplash (2014)
8. L.A. Confidential (1997)
7. The Social Network (2010)
6. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
5. There Will Be Blood (2007)

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