Cinema Science

An argument I can't support. One of the biggest Oscar upsets of all time, Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan for best picture in 1998. The Envelope's Tom O'Neil argues that Private Ryan isn't even a good film and that the script is laughable. This I disagree with 100%. I love Saving Private Ryan and whole heartedly think it should have won best picture that year (Spielberg won best director). I remember after seeing it (4 times in the theater) that it would be up for a whole slew of awards and was actually shocked that some of the supporting characters were not included in the nominations. In hindsight I have no problem with the decision to leave them out, it being a much more technical movie than actors movie (though Hanks was nominated). Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Shakespeare in Love, I actually like it quite a bit but it is nowhere near what I think the best movie of that year was. Within the five nominated films of that year I would now place it third (behind The Thin Red Line, my personal favorite from the year, and Ryan) and at the time I think I remember even liking Life is Beautiful more.