Trying to predict which films will stay in our cultural imagination long after they’re released is a difficult task.
While the Academy Awards have a better track record than most, plenty of Oscar winners have quickly faded away from the spotlight.
Ahead of the 2025 Oscars, let’s look back at the films that won awards at the 2015 ceremony and how they’re thought of now.
With 10 years of data, we can perhaps better see what were truly the best films and performances from 2014.
‘Birdman’
The big winner of the 2015 Academy Awards was “Birdman,” a film that has not maintained nearly as big of a cultural imprint as its dominance might have implied.
But it wasn’t a total miss. Its push-the-boundary cinematography has been very influential.
The team of creators behind “Birdman” influenced other award contenders, such as “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri,” and “1917,” as well as more popular fare like “Creed” and the TV show “Daredevil.”
The honors for “Birdman” also recognized the renaissance of Michael Keaton, who has continued to be a regular player in notable films since.
Forgettable honorees
“Foxcatcher,” “Boyhood,” “Mr. Turner,” and “Unbroken” all received multiple nominations for major awards in 2015, but they’ve largely disappeared with time.
“Boyhood” is perhaps the most striking example. While it was hailed by many (including myself) as a modern masterpiece due to its unique 10-year filming schedule, it has largely been forgotten, likely because of its understated story.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘John Wick’
It’s rare for genre flicks from major studios to break new ground. But two films in that category from 2014 have put major stamps on the films that have come after, in addition to producing several sequels themselves.
“Guardians of the Galaxy” was recognized at the 2015 Academy Awards ceremony for makeup and special effects, but its sound mixing and adapted screenplay that have been more influential.
Just about every movie franchise has tried to capture its tone and style, most recently “Star Trek: Section 31.” And its director, James Gunn, was brought on to create an entire cinematic universe for DC in the style of “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
“John Wick,” meanwhile, was entirely ignored by the Academy after its release in 2014, but it revitalized the “gun-fu” aesthetic as well as practical stunts.
The visual appeal of “Bullet Train,” “Atomic Blonde,” and “Nobody” goes back to the success of “John Wick.”
Enduring hits
Of course, the 2015 Academy Awards did recognize several films with lasting influence.
Perhaps most notably, they recognized the then-under-the-radar “Whiplash.” That film has not only remained among the decade’s most notable movies, but it may also have had the biggest influence, as the industry has begun to treat the toxic artists the film identifies differently.
Other films such as “The Theory of Everything,” “Imitation Game,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Selma” continue to be watched and thought well of 10 years on.
‘Interstellar’
Christopher Nolan’s ninth feature film was recognized for its technical achievements across the board at the 2015 Oscars, but not in any of the artistic categories.
Yet, the re-release of “Interstellar” last month was a massive success, making it the eighth highest money earner of the year.
It’s clear that Nolan’s attempt to merge love, sci-fi and family drama created a film that will hold a beloved place in our culture well beyond what it was recognized for in 2015.
The Misses
Several films that turned out to be quite influential in the TV and film industry were entirely shut out of the 2015 awards.
“Snowpiercer” spawned a TV series and brought Bong Joon Ho, who would later win Best Picture for “Parasite,” to popular attention.
Jake Gyllenhall’s performance in “Nightcrawler” is now remembered as one of the great acting performances of all time, but he wasn’t nominated.
And “Ex Machina,” with its story of an AI robot coming to self-awareness, has virtually established its own sub-genre— of which the new film “Companion” is a part.
“Edge of Tomorrow” has come to be well respected in the action-sci-fi space and showed that the “Groundhog Day” device could span genres.
And the first “Paddington” film has spawned a series that has become among the best-reviewed family films ever.
Animated Movies
Perhaps the Academy’s biggest whiff in 2015 was in the Animated film category.
Several of the nominees were fine. “How to Train Your Dragon 2” remains well-regarded. “The Tale of Princess Kaguya” has never caught the popular zeitgeist, but it remains among the most enchanting films ever made.
But the award for best film went to “Big Hero 6,” a slick attempt by Disney to use their Marvel IP in their animated division.
While the film certainly has fans, it is now regarded as one of Disney’s lesser efforts.
Meanwhile, “The Lego Movie,” which touched the creative hearts of children everywhere, wasn’t even nominated. It remains among the most beloved animated films ever made, and it demonstrated the creative potential of Lego at the movies, leading to movies like “Piece by Piece,” a documentary about Pharell.