Low-Profile Titles Made Just Before Winning an Oscar

by yrnej | Public

Sometimes an actor can make a great film that just flies under the radar of the national conscientiousness. Here are some of those films made by recent Oscar winners shortly before winning. Which movie deserves more attention?

Discuss the list here
32 titles
The Ballad of Jack and Rose 1. The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005)

R | 112 min | Drama

6.5

Daniel Day-Lewis - Best Actor for There Will Be Blood

Basquiat 2. Basquiat (1996)

R | 107 min | Biography, Drama

6.9

Benicio Del Toro - Best Supporting Actor for Traffic

Bread and Roses 3. Bread and Roses (2000)

R | 110 min | Drama

7

Adrien Brody - Best Actor for The Pianist

Before Night Falls 4. Before Night Falls (2000)

R | 133 min | Biography, Drama, Romance

7.1

Sean Penn - Best Actor for Mystic River

Broken Flowers 5. Broken Flowers (2005)

R | 106 min | Comedy, Drama, Mystery

7.1

Tilda Swinton - Best Supporting Actress for Michael Clayton

Carnage 6. Carnage (2011)

R | 80 min | Comedy, Drama

7.1

Christoph Waltz - Best Supporting Actor for Django Unchained Also Best Supporting Actor for Inglourious Basterds

Coffee and Cigarettes 7. Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

R | 95 min | Comedy, Drama, Music

7

Cate Blanchett - Best Supporting Actress for The Aviator

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind 8. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)

R | 113 min | Biography, Comedy, Crime

7

George Clooney - Best Supporting Actor for Syriana

Fantastic Mr. Fox 9. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

PG | 87 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

7.9

Meryl Streep - Best Actress for The Iron Lady

Frozen River 10. Frozen River (2008)

R | 97 min | Crime, Drama

7.1

Melissa Leo - Best Supporting Actress for The Fighter

Greenfingers 11. Greenfingers (2000)

R | 91 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama

6.8

Helen Mirren - Best Actress for The Queen

He Got Game 12. He Got Game (1998)

R | 136 min | Drama, Sport

6.9

Denzel Washington - Best Actor for Training Day

High Fidelity 13. High Fidelity (2000)

R | 113 min | Comedy, Drama, Music

7.4

Tim Robbins - Best Supporting Actor for Mystic River Catherine Zeta-Jones - Best Supporting Actress for Mystic River

Introducing Dorothy Dandridge 14. Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999 TV Movie)

R | 120 min | Biography, Drama, Music

7

Halle Berry - Best Actress for Monster's Ball

Iron Jawed Angels 15. Iron Jawed Angels (2004 TV Movie)

TV-14 | 123 min | Biography, Drama, History

7.4

Hilary Swank - Best Actress for Million Dollar Baby

Little Voice 16. Little Voice (1998)

R | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Music

7

Jim Broadbent - Best Supporting Actor for Iris

Lords of Dogtown 17. Lords of Dogtown (2005)

PG-13 | 107 min | Biography, Drama, Sport

7.1

Heath Ledger - Best Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight

Mystery, Alaska 18. Mystery, Alaska (1999)

R | 119 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport

6.7

Russell Crowe - Best Actor for Gladiator

The New World 19. The New World (2005)

PG-13 | 135 min | Biography, Drama, History

6.7

Christian Bale - Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter

October Sky 20. October Sky (1999)

PG | 108 min | Biography, Drama, Family

7.8

Chris Cooper - Best Supporting Actor for Adaptation.

The Other Boleyn Girl 21. The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

PG-13 | 115 min | Biography, Drama, History

6.7

Natalie Portman - Best Actress for Black Swan

Persepolis 22. Persepolis (2007)

PG-13 | 96 min | Animation, Biography, Drama

8

Sean Penn - Best Actor for Milk

Ponyo 23. Ponyo (2008)

G | 101 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

7.6

Cate Blanchett - Best Actress for Blue Jasmine

Punch-Drunk Love 24. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

R | 95 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

7.3

Philip Seymour Hoffman - Best Actor for Capote

The Shape of Things 25. The Shape of Things (2003)

R | 96 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

6.6

Rachel Weisz - Best Supporting Actress for The Constant Gardener

Short Term 12 26. Short Term 12 (2013)

R | 96 min | Drama

7.9

Brie Larson - Best Actress for Room

A Single Man 27. A Single Man (2009)

R | 99 min | Crime, Drama, Romance

7.5

Colin Firth - Best Actor for The King's Speech

Testament of Youth 28. Testament of Youth (2014)

PG-13 | 129 min | Biography, Drama, History

7.2

Alicia Vikander - Best Supporting Actress for The Danish Girl

13 Conversations About One Thing 29. 13 Conversations About One Thing (2001)

R | 104 min | Drama

7

Alan Arkin - Best Supporting Actor for Little Miss Sunshine

A Very Long Engagement 30. A Very Long Engagement (2004)

R | 133 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance

7.6

Marion Cotillard - Best Actress for Ma Vie en Rose

What Maisie Knew 31. What Maisie Knew (2012)

R | 99 min | Drama

7.4

Julianne Moore - Best Actress for Still Alice

White Oleander 32. White Oleander (2002)

PG-13 | 109 min | Drama

7.1

Renée Zellweger - Best Supporting Actress for Cold Mountain