25 best movies that never won an Oscar

13. Being John Malkovich

Real talk, it’s a miracle that Being John Malkovich got any awards-season love at all. It’s more than deserving of that kind of recognition, but it’s so relentlessly weird that it’s hard to picture more traditionalist Academy members latching onto it. Remember, this is a film about people vying for control of actor John Malkovich’s body. It wasn’t exactly going for wide appeal from the get-go.

At least the Academy showed a little appreciation of director Spike Jonze and writer Charlie Kaufman’s magnum opus by nominating those two for Best Director and Best Writer at the 2000 Oscars. Catherine Keener even received a Best Supporting Actress nod for being the object of literally everyone’s affections in that film. Of course, none of them won.

Being John Malkovich was a victim of circumstance, as 2000 was the year that American Beauty swept the major categories. American Beauty was a juggernaut, and a niche, quirky film like Being John Malkovich was destined to be passed over. Keener lost to Angelina Jolie for her Girl, Interrupted performance, which made sense at the time and still does in retrospect.

Of course, if we were redoing these awards today, the baggage from Kevin Spacey’s transgressions would probably sink American Beauty before the nominations were announced. It would be fascinating to see how Being John Malkovich would’ve done against the likes of The Sixth Sense and The Insider. We can only wonder.