Joe Cianciotto: The Greatest Oscar Best Picture Winners

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Joe Cianciotto's List of Oscar Best Picture Winners

One thing that Joe Cianciotto is passionate about is the cinema. Today, he shares his pick of the greatest Best Picture recipients of the Academy Award.
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump tells the story of a simple, extraordinary man. The titular character, Forrest Gump, is shown to have been unknowingly present at many important events of the '60s and '70s in America. It is an excellent blend of comedy, romance, tragedy, and drama.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
According to Joe Cianciotto, bringing The Lord of the Rings trilogy to an epic conclusion wasn't an easy task, but The Return of the King was able to pull it off. As a result, it earns its place among the best of the 21st century's Best Picture winners. In many ways, it outdoes the other two films in the acclaimed trilogy.
The Godfather: Part II 

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Joe Cianciotto says that sequels winning Best Picture does not happen often. This makes The Godfather: Part II stand out. It builds on the first film brilliantly. It takes the new boss of the family, Michael Corleone, down a dark path. It also features flashbacks of how Vito Corleone established his crime family. The Godfather: Part II is considered one of the best sequels in film history.
Schindler's List

A haunting drama shot in black and white, Schindler's List is not an easy watch. It tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a greedy industrialist who used his resources to save more than 1000 Jewish lives during World War Two. It's an honest depiction of the atrocities of Nazi death camps that finds a shred of hope and humanity within a horrific historical period. It's a powerful and important film and arguably Steven Speilberg's best.

The Godfather (1972) 

As beloved as The Godfather: Part II is, it can't top the first film. There are a lot of great crime movies in the history of cinema, but it's The Godfather that redefined what the genre could do. It tells a crime-related story on a much larger scale than had been done before. As Joe Cianciotto notes, it's a near-perfect film that is beautiful, emotional, and gritty. It's one of the few Best Picture winners that deserves all the accolades.