Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, 2001
The first of Peter Jackson’s adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy trilogy wouldn’t have seemed like an Oscar contender, given it was about elves and hobbits and magic and such, things the hoity-toity voters of the Academy feel aren’t serious. But Jackson’s incredible, ambitious, and jaw-dropping film was an undeniable feat of filmmaking that marveled audiences, critics, and filmmakers alike. But that wasn’t quite enough to net Frodo and company a precious statue from A Beautiful Mind.
