The 96thAcademy Awardsare set to take place on July 13, 2025 and Christopher Nolan’s epic blockbuster dramaOppenheimerleads the pack with a stunning 13 nominations, while the critical darlingsPoor ThingsandKillers of the Flower Moonare hot on its heels with 11 and 10 nods, respectively.
The Academy has expanded its horizons on what can be considered an Oscar film. In recent years, some surprising films likeTop Gun: Maverick,Black Panther, andToy Story 3have earned high-profile Academy Award nominations, proving that financially successful, fan-favorite pictures can also be in the running for Oscar glory. The same can be said about international films ever since the Best Picture win ofParasitein 2020, withAnatomy of a FallandZone of Interesthaving earned multiple Oscar nominations in 2024.
That being said, the Academy still has a long history of ignoring not just popular movies, but generally great films. While there are only so many nomination slots in a given year, the history ofgreat films that should have been nominatedby the Academy is just as long as the ones that were celebrated. With that in mind, here are 14great films that were ignored at the Academy Awards for Oscars, in no particular order.
14Heat (1995)
Touting a stacked ensemble cast led by Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer, Michael Mann’s epic crime filmHeatchronicles the escalating clash between professional L.A. thief Neil McCauley (De Niro) and LAPD Lieutenant Vincent Hanna (Pacino) as the criminal attempts to pull off one final heist before retiring while being relentlessly pursued by the determined detective.
Mann’s Groundbreaking Shootout
The intense power struggle between De Niro and Pacino’s warring counterparts left audiences on the edge of their seats, as did the unforgettable bank robbery and bloody shootout that astonishingly unfolded. The iconic firefight scene is undeniably one of the most realistic and thrilling action sequences to ever grace the screen, and it took nearly 10 adrenaline-pumping minutes to unfold.Heathas landed on numerous critics' lists as one of thegreatest crime filmsof all time; a sequel is currently in development, with Adam Driver attached to star.Stream onHulu
13Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Shane Black made hissuperb directorial debutwhen he helmed the neo-noir crime black comedyKiss Kiss Bang Bang, enlisting the talents of Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan to help tell the story of a low-level criminal who gets mistaken for an actor and is subsequently tasked with shadowing a stoic private detective for a Hollywood role, only to be swept up in a perplexing murder conspiracy.
Downey and Kilmer’s Cinematic Gold
A lively parody of film noir and their common tropes,Kiss Kiss Bang Bangis jam-packed full of humor, mystery, and plenty of twists and turns, and both Downey and Kilmer shined and let loose in their entertaining roles. The gifted actors more than deserved an Oscar nomination for their winning portrayals, as did the comedy’s sharp screenplay, and in 2020Downey would later callKiss Kiss Bang Bang"in some ways the best film I’ve ever done." It was named the “Overlooked Film of the Year” at the Phoenix Film Critics Society, further proving it should have been considered by the Academy.Buy/Rent onPrime Video
12Groundhog Day (1993)
Groundhog Day
Bill Murray delivered one of the finest performances ofhis illustrious careerwhen he teamed up with frequent collaborator Harold Ramis for the ’90s fantasy rom-comGroundhog Day, a celebrated hit that famously follows Murray as he is forced to relive the same day over and over after becoming stuck in a time loop. Murray was able to branch out and show off his range as a performer, proving himself to be more than just a comic actor with the help of Ramis' dynamic direction.
Comedy Dream Team
Upon its initial debut,Groundhog Daywas a knockout at the box office and with critics, attracting widespread praise for its phenomenal blending of cynicism and sentimentality and for Murray’s career-defining performance. The fantasy flick further proved the magic that Murray and Ramis could create together on screen, having done so previously in movies likeCaddyshackandGhostbusters, and the duo deserved to be rewarded for their brilliant partnership.Groundhog Day’s reputation has only grown in recent years, and is now regarded as one of the greatest comedies ever made.Buy/Rent onPrime Video
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a Spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Leone, scored by Ennio Morricone, and starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach as three gunslingers who compete for a cache of Confederate gold during the American Civil War. The 1966 film is regarded as one of the greatest Westerns of all time.
When the Western began to decline, a movement emerged in Italy to recover the feeling of these films, thanks to directors like Sergio Leone. One of his most important classics wasThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly, a film that ended theDollarstrilogystarring the unique Clint Eastwoodin the role of the Man with No Name.
Celebrated Western Classic
The film ends up serving as a great tribute to the American Western and still offers us iconic scenes and an unforgettable interpretation by Eastwood. Unfortunately, it was not remembered at that year’s Academy Awards, mainly because it was an Italian film at a time when productions from other countries were restricted to the Foreign Film award. Italies submission that year wasThe Battle of Algiers.Stream onMax
10Frankenstein (1931)
Frankenstein
It is not new that people talk about how the Academy Awards tend to look down on genre films, specifically horror. While there have been some exceptions, likeSilence of the Lambswinning Best Picture andGet Outbeing nominated, the perception is the genre is not typically worthy of awards consideration. However, it is absurd to think thatFrankenstein, an absolute classic of cinema, did not garner a nomination.
Iconic Horror Masterpiece
Directed by James Whale and based on the book of the same name by Mary Shelley, the film tells us about Henry Frankenstein’s experiments, which gave rise to the iconic monster played by Boris Karloff. WhileDraculamay have kicked off theUniversal Monster movies,Frankensteinis arguably the most iconic Universal Monster movie and a landmark film in cinema. Popular culture’s perception of the material owes more to the 1931 film than the original novel, and after almost 100 years, it still stands tall in the imagination of many.Rent/Buy onApple TV+
9The Shining (1980)
The Shining
Continuing theAcademy’s hatred of horror, another very striking example isThe Shining, Stanley Kubrick’s film that brought to the screens - with many creative freedoms - Stephen King’s book. The film features astonishing performances by Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall and an impressive production design, even though the film and the book have many differences, generating conflict between Kubrick and King.
Related:9 Movies Nominated for Both an Oscar and a Razzie Award
A Hallowed Horror Classic Emerges
When it was released in 1980, the movie garnered mixed reviews from critics and notably received two Razzie nominations, one for Worst Director and another for Worst Actress for Shelley Duvall, which the Razzie has since rescinded. The film is now a landmark horror film and one of the best-regarded in the history of the genre and showcases how the initial reaction to a movie can change over time.Rent/Buy onPrime Video
8The King of Comedy (1982)
The King of Comedy
Released in 1982,The King of Comedystars Robert De Niro as an aspiring comedian with severe psychological problems who witnesses first-hand disillusionment with the media. Martin Scorsese is far from an Oscar-passed director. He has already been nominated nine times for the Best Director award and has already taken home a statuette for his work onThe Departed, a film released in 2006. But it is quite curious that one of his greatest classics was ignored by the award.
Justice Is Served?
In an odd twist of fate, possibly as a way for not nominating this film at the time, years later,Jokerwould be nominated for Best Picture, with Joaquin Phoenix winning the Best Actor statue. Director Todd Philips had been open about howThe King of Comedywas a major inspiration forJoker.Stream onHulu
7Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Reservoir Dogs
Quentin Tarantino is another great director who has already made history with the Academy, having been nominated three times in the category of Best Director and even received two statuettes for Best Original Screenplay for his work onPulp FictionandDjango Unchained. However, many complain to this day about how his first film was completely snubbed by the Academy.
Tarantino’s Shocking Omission
Released in 1992,Reservoir Dogstells the story of several jewel thieves whose plans are horribly thwarted. The feature is considered by several Tarantino fans as the best film of his career and, like the other films mentioned, has a sharp and very surprising script. Still, as it was an unknown name, Tarantino was left out of that year’s Academy Awards ceremony.Stream onPrime Video
6Before Sunrise (1995)
Before Sunrise
Long before winning over the world withBoyhood, Richard Linklater was already making profound and reflective films about human connections and relationships, and perhaps the best example of this is theBeforeTrilogy, which follows the story of a couple when they meet, meet again and, years later, they experience marital problems.
Linklater’s Triumphant Trilogy
Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, the first film in the trilogy wasBefore Sunrise, from 1995. Despite the resounding reception from critics, the film was ignored at the Academy Awards. Thankfully, the Academy learned, and bothBefore SunsetandBefore Midnightsecured Best Adapted Screenplay nominations.Rent/Buy onApple TV+
5City Lights (1930)
City Lights
Despite being an iconic Hollywood figure and one of the silver screen’s most prominent performers of all time, the Academy did not show Charlie Chaplin as much love as he should have received during his spectacular career. For the silent romantic dramedyCity Lights, Chaplin wrote, directed, and starred in the revered picture, which followed his character the Tramp as he falls in love with a beautiful blind flower girl while juggling his stormy friendship with an eccentric, booze-loving millionaire.
Chaplin’s Tour de Force Film
Regarded as one of the greatest films of all time and Chaplin’s cinematic masterpiece,City Lightswas both a critical and commercial success, grossing more than $4 million and dazzling American audiences, who desperately needed laughter and joy during the Depression-era.Film critic James Ageecalled the dramedy’s closing scene “the greatest single piece of acting ever committed to celluloid”, and the legacy ofCity Lightshas only grown in the numerous decades since its release, with many agreeing it should have garnered numerous Academy Awards.Stream onMax
