Like all awards bodies, the Oscars are imperfect. The movies they have awarded Best Picture range from great to truly terrible, and there’s a whole dearth of options in between. Regardless of whether the Oscars are great at their job, though, they undeniably create a conversation that allows film fans to root for their favorites, and root against films they think are undeserving.
While the Oscars are one measure of the quality of the film, user ratings are certainly another. IMDb has one of the most widely known lists in the film game, and while that list is controversial in and of itself, it’s worth considering what the overlap is between it and the actual Oscar winners. As it turns out, there are a number of Best Picture winners that are also among the best movies ever made, according to IMDb users.
The Godfather (1972)
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Schindler's List (1993)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Forrest Gump (1994)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Parasite (2019)
Gladiator (2000)
The Departed (2006)
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