(some) Alternate Oscar Best Picture winners

1975: Jaws
1976: Rocky+
1977: Star Wars
1978: Midnight Express
1979: Apocalypse Now
1980: Raging Bull
1981: Chariots of Fire+
1982: Gandhi+
1983: The Verdict
1984: Amadeus+
1985: Out of Africa+
1986: Platoon+
1987: Fatal Attraction
1988: Mississippi Burning
1989: Do The Right Thing*
1990: Goodfellas
1991: The Silence of the Lambs+
1992: A Few Good Men
1993: The Fugitive
1994: Quiz Show
1995: Braveheart+
1996: Independence Day*
1997: Titanic+
1998: Saving Private Ryan
1999: Summer of Sam*
2000: Gladiator+
2001: Pearl Harbor*
2002: Chicago+
2003: Mystic River
2004: Million Dollar Baby+
2005: King Kong*
2006: The Departed+
2007: There Will Be Blood
2008: Slumdog Millionaire+
2009: The Hurt Locker+
2010: The Social Network

+ - actual winner in OTL
* - not a nominee in OTL
 
1975: Napoleon (Stanley Kubrick, Unproduced IOTL)
1976: Network
1977: Star Wars
1978: The Dear Hunter
1979: Apocalypse Now
1980: Raging Bull
1981: Reds
1982: Gandhi
1983: Terms of Endearment
1984: Amadeus
1985: Out of Africa
1986: Platoon
1987: The Last Emperor
1988: Mississippi Burning
1989: Do The Right Thing
1990: Goodfellas
1991: The Silence of the Lambs
1992: Unforgiven
1993: Schindler's List
1994: Pulp Fiction
1995: Braveheart
1996: Fargo
1997: Titanic
1998: Saving Private Ryan
1999: American Beauty
2000: Traffic
2001: Gosford Park
2002: Chicago
2003: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
2004: Million Dollar Baby
2005: Brokeback Mountain
2006: The Departed
2007: No Country For Old Men
2008: The Dark Knight
2009: The Hurt Locker
2010: The Social Network
 
The Academy loves epic movies, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, Ghandi.

But some of their epic themed lead vote catchers, while fine films, are NOT best picture material.

1995 - Braveheart. Spare me. The pig from Babe can act circles around Mel Gibson. Babe is the far superior film.

1997 - Titanic. Brilliant production values. A story with 1500+ stories that could have been told, and none of them were. Could anyone other than the Old Lady, Kathy Bates, or David Warner actually act in that film. The Full Monty, LA Confidential, and Good Will Hunting were all far, far better movies.

2000 - Gladiator. Aside from the fighting, which is admittedly pretty cool, what does this movie offer that is best picture worthy. The other nominees that year aren't great. But my vote would go to Chocolat.
 
1975: Dog Day Afternoon
1976: Taxi Driver
1977: Star Wars
1978: The Deer Hunter (OTL)
1979: Apocalypse Now
1980: Raging Bull
1981: Atlantic City
1982: Tootsie
1983: Once Upon A Time in America
1984: The Killing Fields
1985: The Color Purple
1986: The Mission
1987: Full Metal Jacket
1988: Rain Man (OTL)
1989: Dead Poets Society
1990: Goodfellas
1991: JFK
1992: Unforgiven (OTL)
1993: Schindler's List (OTL)
1994: The Shawshank Redemption
1995: Apollo 13
1996: Fargo
1997: Good Will Hunting
1998: The Thin Red Line
1999: The Green Mile
2000: Traffic
2001: A Beautiful Mind (OTL)
2002: The Pianist
2003: Lost in Translation
2004: Ray
2005: Capote
2006: The Departed (OTL)
2007: There Will Be Blood
2008: Milk
2009: Inglorious Basterds
2010: Black Swan
 
1976, Network in place of Rocky. Rocky does not turn into a franchise. Mr T never becomes a star. Sly does not become so bankable, so maybe no Rambo series??



1990 Goodfellas over dances with wolves. Ray Liotta sees an even more increased profile, Kevin Costner sees his profile dimish slightly.
 
2001: Pearl Harbor*

I think that Pearl Harbor was released in May, 2001, whereas the oscars for 2001 were held in March, 2001. That would make Pearl Harbor elligible for the 2002 Academy Awards. But seriously. Pearl Harbor? One of the most historically innacurate depictions of the opening days of World War Two ever put on film. Some great special effects, no doubt, and the leads are all cute, but ... Pearl Harbor? Sorry. I like a lot of your picks, but just cannot stomache this one.
 
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