24 Movies You Absolutely Won't Believe Were Nominated For an Oscar

Against all odds, Alec Baldwin's The Boss Baby — which scored just 52 percent on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes for both critics and audiences alike — picked up a surprising Oscar nod for best animated feature film in 2018.

Thanks to The Weeknd's sensual original song for the soundtrack, "Earned It," the romance got a best original song nomination in 2016 (it lost out to Sam Smith's "Writing's on the Wall" from Spectre).

This childhood classic was nominated in 2001 for best costume design, best art direction, and best makeup and hairstyling, and actually won the latter (which, all things considering, is pretty deserved when you look at what they did to Jim Carrey).

The reviews for the dismal DC antihero film were lukewarm at best. Strangely enough, that didn't stop it from getting a green light for a sequel, and it even snagged a single best picture nod for best achievement in makeup and hairstyling in 2017. And then it totally won.

The comedy picked up a nomination for best makeup and hairstyling in 2014, and although the movie is as raunchy and lowbrow as it gets, you have to give it up for Johnny Knoxville's convincing physical transformation into an old man.

Although the tragic, supernatural romance might be known for its sexy pottery wheel scene, it also picked up five nominations, two of which it won: best screenplay and best supporting actress for Whoopi Goldberg.

This movie about the exploits of an eccentric Australian crocodile poacher (Paul Hogan) grabbed a best original screenplay nomination in 1987.

Cher is a woman of many talents, you guys. She took home an Oscar for best actress in 1988 for her role as a Brooklyn woman who falls in love with the brother of the man she's supposed to marry (aka, a very young Nicolas Cage).

This 1994 movie about a male gynecologist (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who ends up becoming pregnant (yes, you read that correctly), was nominated for best original song for Patty Smyth's "Look What Love Has Done."

As much as it pains me to admit that a movie featuring Jar Jar Binks was nominated for an Academy Award, The Phantom Menace indeed got three noms for best visual effects, best sound editing, and best sound mixing in 2000.

Eddie Murphy's poorly received comedy about a shy dude (Eddie Murphy) engaged to a large-and-in-charge woman (also Eddie Murphy) miraculously got a nod for best makeup and hairstyling.

Despite the fact this film about a young boy grappling with the death of his father on 9/11 was critically panned, it eked out a best supporting actor nomination for Max von Sydow, and a nod for best picture.

The original adventure on the high seas got five nominations, including best actor thanks to Johnny Depp's swagger-filled performance as lovable pirate Captain Jack Sparrow.

This 1971 action flick about a private eye trying to track down a crime lord's daughter might not have been Oscar material on its own, but it got a best original song nomination for Isaac Hayes's "Theme From Shaft."

A comedy about Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn becoming immortal while fighting over Bruce Willis? Not exactly the kind of movie you'd expect to see at the Oscars. Still, it won best visual effects at the 1993 ceremony.

Tropic Thunder has some hilarious moments, but when you think about the fact Robert Downey Jr. scored a best actor nomination for a movie he spent the entirety of wearing blackface makeup, it's kind of mind blowing.

Everyone was in such disbelief that this movie about a loudmouth NYC lawyer got Marisa Tomei the Oscar for best supporting actress that a Hollywood urban legend claims fellow category nominee Vanessa Redgrave was supposed to get the award, but presenter Jack Palance misread the envelope and announced Tomei's name instead.

As one of the biggest flops in movie history, it's crazy that this sci-fi adventure got any recognition from the Academy whatsoever. Still, it was nominated for best sound in 1996.

It is a testament to Jessica Lange's unflinching fierceness that this clunky 1976 monster movie picked up best cinematoraphy and best sound.

This cop comedy about a Detroit policeman chasing down bad guys in Beverly Hills is pretty great, but, like, Academy Awards-level great? Apparently. It was nominated for best screenplay in 1985.

In 2009, Michael Bay must've been thanking his lucky stars when this Transformers installment got a nomination for best sound mixing. All the better to hear Shia Labeouf and Bumblebee's heartfelt conversations, right?