10 Best Picture Winners That Aged Like Fine Wine

Recent picks like Parasite and all-time greats like Casablanca rank among the Best Picture Oscar winners that have aged the greatest over the decades.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 4:47am

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People like to complain about the myriad of times that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has given out Oscars that are generally perceived as undeserved, but in all honestly, the Academy does get things right many times. Rarely has that been more strongly the case than when they have awarded the Best Picture Oscar, perhaps the most prestigious and highly coveted award in the film industry, to movies that time has treated quite well.

Why it matters

Only the passage of time can truly decide how long-lasting a movie's legacy will be, and in the case of these films, the future of that legacy is looking very bright. Many of the Best Picture winners have aged like fine wine, having gone down in history as classics that defined the Seventh Art; but their Best Picture victory itself has also aged well, contributing something invaluable to the awards' history.

The details

The article highlights 10 Best Picture winners that have aged exceptionally well, including recent picks like Parasite as well as all-time greats like Casablanca, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Apartment, All About Eve, Schindler's List, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, It Happened One Night, Lawrence of Arabia, and The Godfather films. Each film is praised for its timeless themes, enduring impact, and continued relevance.

  • Parasite won Best Picture in 2019.
  • One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest won Best Picture in 1975.
  • The Apartment was released in 1960.
  • All About Eve was released in 1950.
  • Schindler's List was released in 1993.

The players

Bong Joon-ho

The director of Parasite, which won Best Picture in 2019 and is widely regarded as one of the most perfect movies of the last 25 years.

Jack Nicholson

The lead actor in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, delivering one of the best movie acting performances of the 1970s.

Billy Wilder

The director of The Apartment, one of the most groundbreaking films of the 1960s.

Bette Davis

The lead actress in All About Eve, a drama masterpiece that is both an essential mainstream classic and a cult classic among LGBTQ+ cinephiles.

Steven Spielberg

The director of Schindler's List, a World War II epic that is easily among the greatest biopics of all time.

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The takeaway

These Best Picture winners have all aged exceptionally well, proving that the Academy can get it right when awarding the film industry's most prestigious honor. Their timeless themes, enduring impact, and continued relevance demonstrate the lasting power of great cinema.