Are you a lover of movies big, small, and in between? Then subscribe to The Popcorn Diet, a podcast for those who live on a steady diet of movie theater popcorn and other movie snacks! Like, rate, & subscribe now on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Google Play, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Please consider becoming a Patron and helping us make more cool movie content!

20 years Ago — 1998

Shakespeare in Love *Previous Winner*
Elizabeth
Life is Beautiful
Saving Private Ryan
The Thin Red Line

1998 Contenders in Hindsight
Armageddon, There’s Something About Mary, A Bug’s Life, Small Soldiers, The Wedding Singer, The Big Lebowski, Primary Colors, Blade, Enemy of the State, He Got Game, Dr. Dolittle, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Beloved, The Man in the Iron Mask, The Truman Show, Bulworth, Out of Sight, Godzilla, Patch Adams, The Mask of Zorro, Stepmom, Antz, The Negotiator, Snake Eyes, Rounders, Rushmore, Mulan, Wild Things, Pleasantville, American History X, Rush Hour, Gods and Monsters, Tarzan, Meet Joe Black, A Simple Plan, The Faculty, The Siege, The Waterboy, Lethal Weapon 4, The Prince of Egypt, You’ve Got Mail, A Civil Action, Smoke Signals

1998 has been and might always be one of the more controversial years for film, including the 71st annual Academy Awards that followed it. That was the year that three films set during WWII and two films set in Victorian-era England were nominated for Best Picture, not exactly a shining example of variety in genre. It was the year of some groundbreaking action films, including Armageddon and The Mask of Zorro, as well as some all-time comedies such as There’s Something About Mary and The Big Lebowski.

That being said, the purpose of The Hindsight Awards is to take a look back to rectify mistakes and misses. While all five films certainly can be in the discussion of greatness, Elizabeth and Life is Beautiful miss the cut in hindsight. Frankly, no one is talking about them. Cate Blanchett has gone onto much better things, and leaving Hollywood’s love affair with Roberto Benigni forgotten is for the best.

Our final list of Hindsight Best Picture nominees includes something for everyone. Comedies, dramas, war films, animated films, action and suspense all litter the field. Not only did we try to recognize the films that made an impact that year, but we also try to look at what everyone is still talking about in some capacity today.

a bug’s life. Pixar’s sophomore effort after Toy Story didn’t have the same cultural impact as its predecessor, but was still a mammoth success for the budding film studio. Featuring the gorgeous animation of biological characters rather than toys come to life, it served as another benchmark in computer animated feature films.

American History X. A seething portrait of the Neo-Nazi movement in America and sadly underappreciated in 1998, American History X feels like it might have been 20 years ahead of its time. Anchored with a furiously intense performance from a nearly unrecognizable Edward Norton, American History X is a film that deserves and demands to be revisited today.

Armageddon. The biggest film of the year, Armageddon is the gold standard of Bayhem on film before the ludicrous Transformers franchise swallowed up the director. Yes, it’s jingoistic and sometimes idiotic, but it’s also surprisingly emotional, featured excellent performances, and set the standard, for better or worse, for how action movies would evolve.

Rounders. No film was played more in college dorms for the next decade after its release than Rounders. Perhaps a few years ahead of its time, Roundersgained immense popularity at the same time Texas Hold ’Em did. It’s immensely entertaining not only as a character drama, but also as a pseudo sports film all around the sport of poker.

Saving Private Ryan. One of, if not the greatest WWII film ever made. Steven Spielberg changed the way we saw war depicted on film with his violent, intense accounting of not only D-Day, but also the fictional mission to save one man whose brothers have perished in the war. Saving Private Ryan also holds a special place in history as the victim of one of the biggest ‘upsets’ in the history of the Oscars.

Shakespeare in Love. An enjoyable little period romance focusing on a fictional love affair between Shakespeare and one of his actresses. The film is famous for many things, including the rise of Gwyneth Platrow and her pink dress. But perhaps it’s biggest claim to fame is the bullying, brutal, and pricey Oscar campaign run by producer Harvey Weinstein that has become the norm for Oscar season ever since.

The Big Lebowski. Unlike most comedies, The Big Lebowski is one that seems to span generations without losing comedic appeal. The wacky, sometimes dark, often hilarious modern day parable of The Dude and his friends is still considered to be one of The Coen Brothers’ best films, even if it was under-appreciated upon its release.

There’s Something About Mary. No film better defined late-90s comedy better than The Farrelly Brothers’ R-rated sex romp. Sure, Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz had done other things before this film, but this is what cemented them as A-list talent. From hair gel to injured dogs to Brett Favre, Mary had it all and still has people talking.

The Thin Red Line. Marking Terrence Malick’s return to film after a 20-year hiatus, this WWII film shows the filmmaker at his best, crafting a story of visual emotion set during the Pacific campaign. Featuring a massive who’s-who of actors, it’s a more contemplative film that Private Ryan, but nonetheless serves as an important reemergence for Malick, who’s films have only become more philosophical since.

The Truman Show. Poised at the height of his popularity, The Truman Showshows us what feels like the perfect version of Jim Carrey. His manic energy and lovable demeanor fit the character of Truman Burbank perfectly. As entertaining as it is, The Truman Show also manages to be incredibly prophetic at times, foreshadowing our obsession with reality TV. Very funny and deeply emotional, the film serves as a perfect blended midpoint between “Massive Comedy Superstar” Carrey and “Gunning for Acclaim and Awards” Carrey.

1998 Hindsight Best Picture Nominees
a bug’s life
American History X
Armageddon
Rounders
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
The Big Lebowski
There’s Something About Mary
The Thin Red Line
The Truman Show

Click Below to Vote for 1998’s Hindsight Best Picture

Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan *Previous Winner*
John Madden, Shakespeare in Love
Terrance Malick, The Thin Red Line
Peter Weir, The Truman Show
Roberto Benigni, Life is Beautiful

1998 Contenders in Hindsight
The Coen Brothers, The Big Lebowski, Mike Nichols, Primary Colors, Shekhar Kapur, Elizabeth, Spike Lee, He Got Game, Terry Gilliam, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Steven Soderbergh, Out of Sight, The Farrelly Brothers, There’s Something About Mary, Martin Campbell, The Mask of Zorro, Brian De Palma, Snake Eyes, John Dahl, Rounders, John Frankenheimer, Ronin, Wes Anderson, Rushmore, Gary Ross, Pleasantville, Tony Kaye, American History X, Tony Scott, Enemy of the State, Sam Raimi, A Simple Plan, Nora Ephron, You’ve Got Mail, Warren Beatty, Bulworth, Michael Bay, Armageddon

1998 proved to be a big year for some all-time titans of filmmaking. We got films from future juggernauts like Steven Soderbergh and Wes Anderson, as well as longtime masters like De Palma, Spielberg, Lee, Nichols, and more.

Nearly every director on the Oscars’ list from 1998 has either done better work before or after (Weir, Malick) or proved to be essentially a fluke (I’m looking at you, Benigni). The only holdover has to be Spielberg, who changed the way war was depicted on film with Saving Private Ryan.

That gives us four spots to fill. We’re taking the opportunity to give Spike Lee his Best Director nomination, nine years after Do The Right Thing, and 20 years before his first actual nomination for BlackKklansman. We’re also taking the opportunity to reward one of the masters of the romantic comedy, Nora Ephron, for her work on the delightful You’ve Got Mail. The Farrelly Brothers get the nod for crafting an uproarious comedy all-timer in There’s Something About Mary. Our last slot goes to the master of Bayhem, Michael Bay, for crafting an action sci-fi in Armageddon that raised the bar for blockbuster spectacle for the next 20 years.

1998 Hindsight Best Director Nominees
Michael Bay, Armageddon
Spike Lee, He Got Game
Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan
Nora Ephron, You’ve Got Mail
The Farrelly Brothers, There’s Something About Mary

Click Below to Vote for 1998’s Hindsight Best Director

Roberto Benigni, Life is Beautiful *Previous Winner*
Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan
Ian McKellen, Gods and Monsters
Nick Nolte, Affliction
Edward Norton, American History X

1998 Contenders in Hindsight
Jim Carrey, The Truman Show, Michael Caine, Little Voice, Paul Newman, Twilight, Stephen Fry, Wilde, Antonio Banderas, The Mask of Zorro, Warren Beatty, Bulworth, John Travolta, Primary Colors, Robin Williams, Patch Adams, Joseph Fiennes, Shakespeare in Love, Adam Sandler, The Wedding Singer, Jeff Bridges, The Big Lebowski, Denzel Washington, He Got Game, Liam Neeson, Les Miserables, Robert Redford, The Horse Whisperer, Johnny Depp, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, George Clooney, Out of Sight, Adam Beach, Smoke Signals, Ben Stiller, There’s Something About Mary, Antonio Banderas, The Mask of Zorro, Nicholas Cage, Snake Eyes, Matt Damon, Rounders, Robin Williams, What Dreams May Come, Jason Schwartzman, Rushmore, Ian McKellen, Apt Pupil, Brad Pitt, Meet Joe Black, Bill Paxton, A Simple Plan, Tom Hanks, You’ve Got Mail, John Travolta, A Civil Action, Billy Crudup, Without Limits

The 1998 love affair with Roberto Benigni continues. I struggle to think of a larger fall from grace than Benigni as a filmmaker, have done little to nothing since his career explosion. Time to take that Oscar back. Likewise, the film Affliction, for which Nolte and James Coburn were recognized, has vanished from any cinematic discussion. Tom Hanks had played many roles before, but never that of a soldier, and his hard-nosed Captain Miller had just enough edge to him to make him unique amongst Hanks’ characters. Ian McKellen has been one of most prestigious actors and he plays a role far ahead of its time in Gods and Monsters. Edward Norton, likewise, is one of our Best Actors who has had the little gold statue elude him for years. Those three are staying, leaving us with two spots to fill.

In the interest of celebrating diversity in genre, we’re taking the opportunity to nominated two comedic performances that have stood the test of time. Jeff Bridges’ The Dude is an all-time iconic character, one he seems to be bringing back for this years Super Bowl commercials. The Truman Show gives us the best version of Jim Carrey, still embracing his manic personality while letting his heartfelt dramatic chops shine through as well.

1998 Hindsight Best Actor Nominees
Edward Norton, American History X
Ian McKellan, Gods and Monsters
Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan
Jeff Bridges, The Big Lebowski
Jim Carrey, The Truman Show

Click Below to Vote for 1998’s Hindsight Best Actor

BEST ACTRESS
Gwyneth Paltrow, Shakespeare in Love *Previous Winner*
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth
Fernanda Montenegro, Central Station
Meryl Streep, One True Thing
Emily Watson, Hilary and Jackie

1998 Contenders in Hindsight
Susan Sarandon, Stepmom, Cameron Diaz, There’s Something About Mary, Meg Ryan, You’ve Got Mail, Jane Horrocks, Little Voice, Drew Barrymore, The Wedding Singer, Susan Sarandon, Twilight, Emma Thompson, Primary Colors, Oprah Winfrey, Beloved, Kristin Scott Thomas, The Horse Whisperer, Jennifer Lopez, Out of Sight, Angela Bassett, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Olivia Williams, Rushmore, Julia Roberts, Stepmom

One thing I’ve learned looking back 20 years at films is that women really didn’t have a lot to work with in terms of characters. For every Shakespeare in Love there were a dozen other crappy films that no one will remember. That makes it tough to compile lists of potential contenders.

It makes it easier, however, to remove nominees that no one is talking about anymore. This is particularly true with Central Station, One True Thing, andHilary and Jackie. All fine films, sure, but lost to time, with great performances that no one talks about, and yet another Streep performance that just doesn’t rank amongst her top.

Instead, we’re again looking to comedy. Cameron Diaz became one of the most famous sex comedy icons with her endearing performance as the titular Mary, and Meg Ryan, who’s never gotten the recognition she deserves, was at her charming romcom best in You’ve Got Mail. Jennifer Lopez makes the cut for Out of Sight, giving us one of, if not her best performance as a dramatic actress.

1998 Hindsight Best Actress Nominees
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth
Jennifer Lopez, Out of Sight
Gwyneth Paltrow, Shakespeare in Love
Cameron Diaz, There’s Something About Mary
Meg Ryan, You’ve Got Mail

Click Below to Vote for 1998’s Hindsight Best Actress

James Coburn, Affliction*Previous Winner*
Robert Duvall, A Civil Action
Ed Harris, The Truman Show
Geoffrey Rush, Shakespeare in Love
Billy Bob Thornton, A Simple Plan

1998 Contenders in Hindsight
Brenden Fraser, Gods and Monsters, Bill Murray, Rushmore, Donald Sutherland, Without Limits, David Kelly, Waking Ned Devine, Tom Wilkinson, Shakespeare in Love, John Goodman, The Big Lebowski, Billy Bob Thornton, Primary Colors, Geoffrey Rush, Les Miserables, Benicio del Toro, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Ving Rhames, Out of Sight, Steve Buscemi, Armageddon, Matt Dillon, There’s Something About Mary, Brett Favre, There’s Something About Mary, Anthony Hopkins, The Mask of Zorro, Barry Pepper, Saving Private Ryan, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan, Edward Burns, Saving Private Ryan, Matt Damon, Saving Private Ryan, Jeremy Davies, Saving Private Ryan, Giovanni Ribisi, Saving Private Ryan, Vin Diesel, Saving Private Ryan, Ray Allen, He Got Game, Gary Sinise, Snake Eyes, Taye Diggs, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Edward Norton, Rounders, John Malkovich, Rounders, Jeff Daniels, Pleasantville, William H. Macy, Pleasantville, Edward Furlong, American History X, Anthony Hopkins, Meet Joe Black

I’ll be the first to admit that this list of Supporting Actor contenders is ridiculous. The entire supporting cast of Saving Private Ryan? They’re all really good, but come on. Brett Favre?? What? He’s the MVP! Regardless, there is power and value in a strong supporting actor performance. The right supporting performance can stand the test of time as something that is constantly talked about, which is something few of the nominees from 1998 could say. Coburn, Duvall, and Rush’s performances are ghosts in history, and the only reason Ed Harris and Billy Bob Thornton stick around is because their rock-solid supporting work is often still discussed now.

It’s a straight-up crime that John Goodman has never been nominated for an Oscar, so we’re giving him his first nomination for his fiery, gut-busting performance in The Big Lebowski. Likewise, Bill Murray has seen little Oscar recognition over his career, and his turn in Rushmore helped elevate that film and Wes Anderson to new heights. Lastly, we’re picking maybe not the BEST performance, but one that has certainly stood the test of time in John Malkovich’s Teddy KGB in Rounders. “Pay that myan his mahney.”

1998 Hindsight Best Supporting Actor Nominees
Billy Bob Thornton, A Simple Plan
John Malkovich, Rounders
Bill Murray, Rushmore
John Goodman, The Big Lebowski
Ed Harris, The Truman Show

Click Below to Vote for 1998’s Hindsight Best Supporting Actor

Judi Dench, Shakespeare in Love *Previous Winner*
Kathy Bates, Primary Colors
Brenda Blethyn, Little Voice
Rachel Griffiths, Hilary and Jackie
Lynn Redgrave, Gods and Monsters

1998 Contenders in Hindsight
Sharon Stone, The Mighty, Reese Witherspoon, Twilight, Julianne Moore, The Big Lebowski, Milla Jovovich, He Got Game, Zelda Harris, He Got Game, Claire Danes, Les Miserables, Catherine Zeta-Jones, The Mask of Zorro, Denise Richards, Wild Things, Neve Campbell, Wild Things, Uma Thurman, Les Miserables, Laura Linney, The Truman Show, Famke Janssen, Rounders, Gretchen Mol, Rounders, Kimberly Elise, Beloved, Thandie Newton, Beloved, Joan Allen, Pleasantville, Bridget Fonda, A Simple Plan

The trend of having slim pickings for women’s roles in the past continues with the supporting actress field of 1998. Of the existing nominees, not a single performance holds up to history, with one of the exceptions being Kathy Bates rousing turn in Primary Colors, and even that’s a stretch. Judi Dench is also great in her eight minutes of screen time, but it’s the eight minutes that keeps her on the list, rather than the performance. Brenda Blethyn, Rachel Griffiths, and Lynn Redgrave were all nominated for performances in films that have vanished from conversation all together.

We’re keeping Bates and Dench here, but filling the three open slots proved to be difficult.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is getting a spot for her star-making breakout role in The Mask of Zorro, able to match Antonio Banderas in sex appeal, wit, and action. We’re also giving a nod to Laura Linney for her excellent job at portraying Truman Burbank’s wife who just so happens to be a character on a TV show. Julianne Moore makes the most of her short time on screen in The Big Lebowski, and isn’t noted enough for her comedic work.

1998 Hindsight Supporting Actress Nominees
Judi Dench, Shakespeare in Love
Kathy Bates, Primary Colors
Julianne Moore, The Big Lebowski
Catherine Zeta-Jones, The Mask of Zorro
Laura Linney, The Truman Show

Click Below to Vote for 1998’s Hindsight Best Supporting Actress

Agree? Disagree? Got your own picks in hindsight? Don’t forget to join the discussion with The Popcorn Diet, a podcast for those who live on a steady diet of movie theater popcorn and other movie snacks! Like, rate, & subscribe now on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Google Play, TuneIn, or wherever you listen to podcasts and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!