Oscar winning pictures everyone should watch

The Oscars have been and gone, and, as there always is, there were a few controversial choices. Winning an Academy Award is considered to be the pinnacle of creative acknowledgment in the film industry, and many filmmakers and actors covet the Oscar as the pinnacle of their craft. It is true that receiving one of these awards can cause an actor or director’s stock to rise significantly.

But, a movie can also gain much more attention and coverage if it scoops an Oscar. This is why it is so important to make sure you check out as many Oscar-winning movies as you can. Some of these movies make political, racial, or social commentaries, while others are simply stunning works of storytelling. Here are some of the best Oscar-winning movies that everyone needs to watch as soon as they can.

Unforgiven (1992)

Clint Eastwood was already a huge star and renowned director before he released 1992’s epic revisionist Western, Unforgiven. After the film’s release, he became the critically acclaimed and sought after director he remains today. The movie largely credited with reviving the struggling Western genre, Unforgiven is a perfectly paced and wonderfully shot revenge flick. Scooping four Academy Awards, the movie is widely regarded as one of the finest Westerns ever made.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

The Coen Brothers struck gold with their mid-’00s adaptation of this acclaimed novel by Cormac McCarthy, arguably the greatest living American writer. The movie, a sprawling neo-noir Western follows an array of morally ambiguous characters in search of stolen money. A cat and mouse thriller taking place across the desert plains of Texas, the movie explores the themes of fate, and growing older in a burgeoning modern world. Considered the Coen Brothers’ masterpiece, No Country is most definitely a must-watch.

On the Waterfront (1954)

Elia Kazan’s tale about corruption, extortion, and racketeering among the waterfronts of Hoboken, New Jersey. The movie made Marlon Brando a household name, earning him his first Academy Award in the process. On the Waterfront is one of the finest films of the 1950s and a great example of the way in which crime movies were made. With excellent supporting turns from Karl Malden, Rod Steiger, and Eva Marie Saint, On the Waterfront is a movie that deserves to be revisited.

The Godfather (1972)

Considered one of the finest movies ever made, Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece about the Corleone crime family is considered a classic, and one of the most influential movies ever. It’s the film that made a star of Al Pacino and catapulted the gangster movie genre into mainstream consciousness. There is a case to be made for the second installment being better, but, with Marlon Brando on captivating form, it’s difficult to get better than this one.

These are some of the best Oscar-winning movies you need to check out. There are plenty of excellent movies out there, but this is a selection of just some of the most impressive. They will give you a taster of the sort of stunning work that scoops the most prestigious awards in the film industry.