Films that didn't win an Oscar but became masterpieces

**Films that did not win an Oscar, but became masterpieces**

There are such powerful works in cinema that it is hard to believe that they did not win an Oscar. These films are known by heart by the audience, praised by critics, but did not win an Academy Award.

**"A Clockwork Orange"**

Year: 1971

Director: Stanley Kubrick

IMDb rating: 8.2

Original title: A Clockwork Orange

"A Clockwork Orange", directed by the legendary director Stanley Kubrick, is one of the most controversial films of the 20th century. The story of Alex (played by Malcolm McDowell), a mentally ill man who is being "reeducated" using experimental psychological methods, still causes heated debate.

The film was nominated in four categories for the 44th Academy Awards in 1972. Other films that year won: Fiddler on the Roof, The Last Show, and especially William Friedkin's The French Connection. The latter film bested A Clockwork Orange in almost every category, winning Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, and Editing.

What's even more disappointing is that Malcolm McDowell wasn't even nominated. His performance as Alex is one of the most powerful and memorable in the history of cinema.

**"Taxi Driver"**

Year: 1976

Director: Martin Scorsese

IMDb rating: 8.2

Original title: Taxi Driver

A year before the 49th Academy Awards, Martin Scorsese had already shot Taxi Driver, a tragedy about Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), a Vietnam veteran who is slowly going crazy against the backdrop of the alienation, loneliness and ugliness of modern America.

The film received only four nominations. At that time, the strongest candidates for the award were "Rocky" (10 nominations) and "Television".

Robert De Niro and his 12-year-old colleague Jodie Foster, who played Iris, were nominated for Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. However, both lost to the "Television" actors - Peter Finch and Beatrice Strait.

Taxi Driver also lost in the Best Picture category, which was won by Rocky. Martin Scorsese was not even nominated for Best Director.

**Groundhog Day**

Year: 1993

Director: Harold Ramis

IMDb rating: 8.0

Original title: Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is one of the best comedies and the pinnacle of Bill Murray and director Harold Ramis' creative collaboration. But it was this film that put an end to their long-standing friendship. They only reconciled shortly before Ramis's death in 2014.

The story of the inner transformation of a weather reporter who lives the same day over and over again is thought out to the smallest detail. Murray was tormented by the fact that the same scenes were filmed over and over again, so these shots look really believable.

But the Academy completely ignored the film: it was not nominated for any Oscars in 1994. That year, Schindler's List won seven awards.

Phil's Character is not a simple comedy, but a dramatic and psychological journey, which is on par with Tom Hanks' Oscar-winning role in Philadelphia. The screenplay by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis is recognized as one of the most original and moving works in the history of cinema.

**"The Shawshank Redemption"**

Year: 1994

Director: Frank Darabont

IMDb rating: 9.3

Original title: The Shawshank Redemption

"The Shawshank Redemption" was a box office failure when it was first released. The story of hope and willpower did not appeal to a wide audience. But over the years, the film has become one of the most beloved and respected works in the history of cinema, and, according to millions of viewers, Stephen King's best film.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not completely ignore it - at the 67th Academy Awards in 1995, the film was nominated for seven awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Morgan Freeman) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

However, 1994 was a year of strong premieres: Forrest Gump, The Crime Scene Investigation, The Lion King and Fast. As a result, The Shawshank Redemption lost in the main nominations. Forrest Gump, on the other hand, received awards such as Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor.

Surprisingly, Frank Darabont, who shot and wrote the film, was not even nominated for Best Director.

**"The Sixth Sense"**

Year: 1999

Director: M. Knight Shyamalan

IMDb rating: 8.2

Original title: The Sixth Sense

M. Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense" is one of the most powerful films of the 90s, and was nominated for six Oscars, including "Best Picture", "Director" and "Original Screenplay", but did not win any of them.

The main winner of the night was Sam Mendes' "American Beauty". Although 11-year-old Haley Joel Osment impressed with his role as a boy who "sees dead people", he lost to Michael Caine in the "Best Supporting Actor" category, and Toni Collette lost to Angelina Jolie in this category. "The Matrix" won in editing.

**"District 9"**

Year: 2009

Director: Neill Blomkamp

IMDb rating: 7.9

Original title: District 9

Neil Blomkamp's science fiction film "District 9" was an unusual candidate for the Oscars, winning four nominations in 2010, including Best Picture. This is an extraordinary achievement for a documentary about aliens.

However, in a year in which the films "Avatar" and "The Tempest" were released, the film had no chance of winning. Special effects went to "Avatar", editing and the main prize went to Kathryn Bigelow's film, and "Best Adapted Screenplay" went to the drama "Treasure".

Nevertheless, "District 9" remained one of the most striking science fiction works of the 2010s. The film raises issues of racism, xenophobia, and humanity through the metaphor of an alien. It is a film that challenges the viewer to think outside the box.