Oscar season has come to a close, and there's a new set of winners to laud and debate over. Whether any win becomes regarded as a major mistake down the line remains to be seen. It's common with the Academy Awards though, and that's part of what makes them great; we can discuss and contest our opinions on who should win, who shouldn't have, etc. As such, years of deliberation and reflection have made some Oscar mistakes abundantly clear. So, in honor of the 89th Academy Awards, here are 20 of the biggest Oscar mistakes:

1. Al Pacino not winning Best Actor for "The Godfather Part II"

Arguably giving the greatest performance onscreen, Al Pacino's work as Michael Corleone in this film is a masterclass of acting. After the first film showcased his character embracing the Mafia lifestyle, this sequel further develops the new Don of the Corleone family by having him become even more ruthless and cold while he cements his place as the ruler of the most powerful criminal empire in the U.S. As a character that audiences have already been invested in, it's absolutely heartbreaking to see this once righteous and good-hearted man simultaneously tighten his grasp as a mob boss and destroy his family. Pacino is also very understated and nuanced, commanding the screen with only a look, and he really makes you believe you are witnessing a man who is losing his soul piece by piece. The fact that he didn't win an Oscar is unanimously considered one of the Academy's biggest blunders; they tried to make it up by giving him an Oscar for "Scent of a Woman," but that is far from his best performance and was clearly more of a way to honor him as a whole.

2. "Saving Private Ryan" not winning Best Picture

"Saving Private Ryan" is pretty unanimously considered the most realistic, uncompromising, brutal, and affecting war movie of all time. It remains as one of director Steven Spielberg's finest works, and he rightfully won Best Director. However, the film itself lost Best Picture to "Shakespeare In Love." All these years later, which movie is still remembered and just as harrowing & powerful as it was nearly 20 years ago? The movie that should have won Best Picture for 1998.

3. Michael Keaton not winning Best Actor for "Birdman"

Michael Keaton's big comeback role as Riggan Thomson, a faded actor looking for legitimacy who previously portrayed a famous superhero, was eerily reminiscent of Keaton himself. Keaton has always been considered a great actor, but this performance elevated him to new heights. He's already shown since that he still has plenty of great performances left in him, but this will be seen as his swan-song in the future. If he were to an Oscar, it should have been for this; if he wins for anything else, it'll likely be a Pacino scenario where it's just to honor him for his body of work as opposed to honoring his best acting role.

4. "Pulp Fiction" or "The Shawshank Redemption" not winning Best Picture

"Forrest Gump" is, without question, a great film. However, 1994 also gave us two other movies nominated for Best Picture that year: "Pulp Fiction" and "The Shawshank Redemption." "Pulp Fiction," whether you love it or think it's overrated, is unquestionably the most influential movie of the last 20 years because of it's writing, structure, blend of genres, and iconic status. "The Shawshank Redemption," under-seen and under-loved when first released, has since been recognized as damn-near perfect and one of the greatest movies of all time. As great as "Forrest Gump" is, one of these other two movies should have been 1994's Best Picture.

5. "Dead Poets Society," "Field of Dreams," or "Born on the Fourth of July" not winning Best Picture

Setting aside the fact that "Do the Right Thing" should have been nominated for and won Best Picture in 1989, there were still three other movies that deserved to win more than "Driving Miss Daisy." That movie doesn't hold up too well with time, whereas movies like "Dead Poets Society," "Field of Dreams," and "Born on the Fourth of July" have endured & grown more appreciated. All three are heartfelt & emotional without being hokey, and they all will leave a profound impact on anyone who views them.

6. "Raging Bull" not winning Best Picture

"Ordinary People" is a great, understated film by famed actor Robert Redford, but it wasn't the best picture of 1980. Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull," however, is arguably the greatest sports movie ever, and is considered by many critics and film scholars to be the best film of the 1980's. It's got Robert De Niro's greatest performance (that won him a well-deserved Oscar), and is Scorsese at the top of his directorial form cementing his auteur status.

7. "Goodfellas" not winning Best Picture

Kevin Costner did a fantastic job with directing "Dances With Wolves," a damn good film in it's own right. However, it somehow beat Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas," largely considered the best mob movie of all time along with the first two "Godfather" films. It's another Scorsese classic that was the best picture of the year, but didn't win Best Picture.

8. "L.A. Confidential" not winning Best Picture

Still not as widely-known or as massively beloved as it should be, it's not as surprising why this film didn't win Best Picture in 1997: "Titanic" came out at the same time and was a monumental achievement. However, in retrospect, "L.A. Confidential," a story of cops & corruption in 1950's Los Angeles, holds up better than "Titanic" with a more engaging plot and stellar writing, acting, action, thrills, surprises, & era recreation.

9. Denzel Washington not winning Best Actor for "Malcolm X"

We all know what a great actor Denzel Washington is, but if anyone really needs more proof, then they only need to look at his role in this Spike Lee directed biopic about the famous Civil Rights leader. Onscreen, you don't see Denzel; you see Malcolm X. Although he was great in "Training Day," there's many who think his Oscar win for that movie was just to make up for him not winning the award for this movie. This is more debatable, but he did deserve to win for "Malcolm X" regardless.

10. "Mickey Rourke" not winning Best Actor for "The Wrestler"

Much like Michael Keaton in "Birdman," Mickey Rourke's performance as fictional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson will go down as his swan-song. With elements of his own life mirroring the character's, Rourke delivers a powerhouse performance that is so vulnerable, emotional, and heartbreaking, you'll feel so much for his character and thoroughly understand his self-destructive tendencies.

11. "E.T. the Extraterrestrial" not winning Best Picture

The year "E.T." was nominated, the historical biopic "Gandhi" won. However, according to "Gandhi" director Richard Attenborough, "I was certain that not only would "E.T." win, but that it should win. It was inventive, powerful, [and] wonderful. I make more mundane movies." That says it all.

12. "The Exorcist" not winning Best Picture

Widely considered the greatest horror movie of all time, this film, about a possessed little girl, is also one of the few horror movies to even be recognized by the Academy. Perhaps the controversy surrounding the film's content kept it from winning, but this cinematic masterpiece of horror is easily the best picture of 1973 when looking back.

13. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" not winning Best Picture

An iconic film that gave us one of the most iconic, likable, & badass characters of cinema with Indiana Jones. Taking inspiration from old adventure serials, this film may just be the pinnacle of action-adventure movies; it takes old tropes and presents them in a way that still feels fresh, and it remains exhilarating & engaging to this day. It doesn't matter how many times you've seen it, it's infinitely re-watchable and just as great every time. It's a movie that you can't help but love, and it will continue to be loved as both a classic action-adventure film and a great film in general.

14. Uma Thurman not winning Best Supporting Actress for "Pulp Fiction"

She's not in the movie for that long, but Uma Thurman's performance as Mia Wallace, the wife of a mob boss, is absolutely unforgettable. Her look alone is iconic, as she adorns pretty much anything "Pulp Fiction" related, and she steals every scene she's in: from talking with John Travolta's Vincent Vega about uncomfortable silences to dancing with him as Chuck Berry music plays to being revitalized by an adrenaline needle to the heart. It's a supporting performance for the ages, and will forever be Uma's defining work (along with her work in "Kill Bill").

15. Sigourney Weaver not winning Best Actress for "Aliens"

Rarely do science fiction, action, or horror genre films find themselves nominated for any Academy Awards, but Sigourney Weaver in "Aliens" absolutely deserved her nomination, and she deserved to win too. The character of Ellen Ripley is one of the most iconic characters in film, not even just science-fiction, and is one of the strongest, most badass female characters in cinema (if not, the strongest and most badass). Weaver builds upon the character established in the original "Alien," and delivers an even stronger performance in this sequel that is more nuanced, emotional, and empowering.

16. "Citizen Kane" not winning Best Picture

This is the big one. "Citizen Kane" is the movie that is pretty much universally agreed upon as the greatest film of all time. Nothing else needs to be said as to why it should have won the Oscar over "How Green Was My Valley" (which is virtually forgotten).

17. "Fargo" not winning Best Picture

The Coen Brothers are unlike so many directors, making movies that merge, subvert, homage, and transcend genres. One of their highlights is this dark comedy crime thriller that beautifully blends humor, violence, and quirky characters to make a unique film experience. The direction, writing, acting, and story are all superb, making for not only a distinct viewing experience, but a movie that you'll want to watch over and over again. It thankfully won Best Original Screenplay, but the film's legacy (including an acclaimed TV show) indicate that it should have also won Best Picture.

18. "Brokeback Mountain" not winning Best Picture

Just like the case with "E.T.," Paul Haggis, the director of "Crash" (winner of the 2004 Best Picture Oscar) has said, “Was it the best film of the year? I don’t think so. There were great films that year. Good Night, and Good Luck – amazing film. Capote – terrific film. Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, great film. And Spielberg’s Munich. I mean please, what a year." Nowadays, most people agree that the critically acclaimed "Brokeback Mountain" should have won the award.

19. Sylvester Stallone not winning Best Supporting Actor for "Creed"

Having played the role of Rocky Balboa for over 40 years, Sylvester Stallone pretty much is Rocky. His turn in this seventh entry in this franchise, however, proved again just how damn good of an actor he really is. His performance is even better than the one he gave in 2006's "Rocky Balboa," and is also arguably better than his initial performance in the first "Rocky." This time around, his performance is so real, raw, & heartrending that, as Rocky develops a bond with Adonis Creed and confronts his own mortality, even the strongest of people will get emotional. Stallone often hasn't earned enough credit as a dramatic actor; he certainly should have won for this outing as his signature character. Hopefully, he'll deliver another performance that finally gets him a win.

20. David Lynch not winning Best Director for "Mulholland Drive"

An artist who has mastered the surreal with films like "Eraserhead" and "Blue Velvet," David Lynch is one of the most polarizing directors of all time. He further cemented his status as an auteur of surrealism with this 2001 film that saw the highest critical acclaim of his career. Bending dreams & reality, this psychological thriller is utterly fascinating and demands multiple views, and is one of those rare movies that's brilliant because of how much it doesn't make sense. Many agree, with it widely lauded as one of Lynch's best work and one of the best films of the 21st century. Although it could have won Best Picture, Lynch himself is the one who deserved to win an award; it could have been seen as a way to honor his entire body of work, but his efforts on this film alone deserved a Best Director Oscar.