Goodfellas vs. Dances with Wolves (1990)

Three gangsters taking each other and everyone else down with them vs. a conflicted white guy befriending Sioux Indians on the pretty American frontier. Which film do you think made the Academy proud? Scorcese's "Goodfellas" is now recognized as one of the best films of all time, but with its ultraviolence and liberal use of the "F" word (approximately 300 times, the 12th most F-packed film in history), it was bound to upset the Academy's applecart. Enter "Dances with Wolves," which swept the Oscars with wins for Best Picture, Director and Adapted Screenplay. It made audiences feel better about their ancestors having raped and pillaged the indigenous peoples of America, because maybe their particular ancestor was a nice guy like Kevin Costner who tried to stop the raping and pillaging. A comforting thought indeed, even if he was ultimately unsuccessful.