17. Saving Private Ryan
Few war epics portray the bloody, raw reality of modern warfare more realistically than Saving Private Ryan. While Steven Spielberg won the Best Director award for the film, the Best Picture award went to the rather lightweight costumed period drama Shakespeare in Love. Many felt the Best Picture award undeserved, especially given the film’s lineup against Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, and Life is Beautiful. Saving Private Ryan, in particular, has aged much better and has stayed relevant.
