This is an attempt to evaluate the 21st Century’s Best Picture Oscar winners on pure merit alone — cinematic eloquence, high craft, emotional impact, profound metaphorical scores — but with no great weight given to those films which won because of p.c. woke political considerations (Moonlight, Parasite), and a certain amount of weight given to those that won despite attacks from your snide and snooty p.c. elite (Green Book).

Bottom of the Barrel (5):

22. The Artist (’11)

21. Crash (’05)

20. The King’s Speech (’10)

19. Chicago (’02)

18. Slumdog Millionaire (’09)

Mezzo-Mezzo Middle Ground (10)

17. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (’03)

16. The Shape of Water (’17)

15. Argo (’12)

14. Gladiator (’00)

13. Parasite (’19)

12. Moonlight (’16)

11. A Beautiful Mind (’01)

10. Nomadland (’20)

9. Moonlight (’16)

8. Green Book (’18)

The Top Tier (7)

7. Birdman (14)

6. 12 Years A Slave (13)

5. The Departed (’06)

4. Spotlight (’15)

3. Million Dollar Baby (’04)

2. The Hurt Locker (’09)

1. No Country for Old Men (’07)