Rocky (1976) - 4 stars

One sentence plot summary: A nearly burnt out small time boxer gets a fluke chance to compete for the heavyweight title.

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith, Carl Weathers, Thayer David, Joe Spinnell

Best of: A surprisingly nuanced performance by Sylvester Stallone. I always just thought of him as a dumb action star, but he really is tremendous in this.

Worst of: Watching Rocky go on training runs in Chuck Taylors hurts my feet.

Notable: Stallone wrote the original script in just 3 days.

Also nominated: All the President's Men, Taxi Driver, Network.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) - 4 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: Mental institutions are really fun!

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, William Redfield, Brad Dourif, Sydney Lassick, Will Sampson, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, William Duell, Vincent Schiavelli, Michael Berryman, Scatman Crothers

Best of: Jack Nicholson is a joy to watch. I love that the story leaves you with unanswered questions.

Worst of: All right, maybe I'd like some of those questions answered.

Notable: The first movie since It Happened One Night to win for Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and screenplay. Silence of the Lambs is the only other movie to achieve this.

Also nominated: Jaws, Dog Day Afternoon.

The Godfather: Part II (1974) - 4 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: Both a sequel and a prequel to the original, it follows Michael Corleone as he takes over the family business and Vito Corleone years ealier as he starts that same business.

Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Michael V. Gazzo, Lee Strasberg, Morgana King, G. D. Spradlin, Richard Bright, Dominic Chianese, Bruno Kirby, Danny Aiello

Best of: A brutally intense fight between Michael and Kay. The introduction of Dinero as a young Vito. Some truly gorgeous cinemantography.

Worst of: Ultimately, it's just not quite as good as the first.

Notable: Robert Dinero and Marlon Brando are the only actors ever to win an Academy Award for playing the same character in two different films.

Also nominated: Chinatown

The Sting (1973) - 5 Stars

One sentence plot summary: A small time grifter recruits the help of an experienced con man to help him seek revenge on a mob leader.

Starring: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert Shaw, Charles Durning, Ray Walston, Eileen Brennan, Harold Gould, Dana Elcar, James Sloyan, Larry D. Mann, Sally Kirkland

Best of: Extraordinary script, pitch perfect acting from Redford and Newman, classic score.

Worst of: It's nearly perfect, but I suppose the blood looks fake.

Notable: The diner set used for this film was later reused as the 50s diner in Back to the Future.

Also Nominated: American Graffiti, The Exorcist

The Godfather (1972) - 5 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: Being in the mob is totally awesome.

Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Richard S. Castellano, Abe Vigoda, Al Lettieri, Gianni Russo, Sterling Hayden, Morgana King, Simonetta Stefanelli, Richard Bright

Best of: Tremendous story, tremendous acting.

Worst of: Sonny and Carlo have a pretty fake looking fist fight at one point. Okay...really fake looking.

Notable: During rehearsals, a false horse's head was used for the bedroom scene. For the actual shot, a real horse's head was used, acquired from a dog-food factory.

The French Connection (1971) - 3 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: Two detectives investigate a major drug operation in New York.

Starring: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco, Marcel Bozzuffi, Bill Hickman, Eddie Egan, Sonny Grosso

Best of: The single best car chase I've ever seen.

Worst of: The plot eventually begins to feel like just a repetitive series of stakeouts.

Notable: Popeye's Chicken is named after Gene Hackman's character in this film.

Also Nominated: Fiddler on the Roof, A Clockwork Orange.

Patton (1970) - 4 stars

One Sentence Plot Summary: A biopic following General George Patton through his WWII campaigns.

Starring: George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Stephen Young, Michael Strong, Michael Bates, Frank Latimore, Morgan Paull, Karl Michael Vogler, John Barrie, Siegfried Rauch, Richard Münch, John Doucette, Paul Stevens, Jack Gwillim

Best of: Wonderful performance by George C. Scott. The opening speech in front of the American Flag lives up to the legend.

Worst of: The language was apparently toned down to avoid an R rating, which takes away some of the sting at times.

Notable: George C. Scott turned down his Best Actor Oscar, citing a dislike for artistic competition.

Also Nominated: Five East Pieces

Midnight Cowboy (1969) - 3 stars

One sentence plot summary: A simple minded Texas boy moves to New York City to make it rich as a male prostitute and befriends a local con artist.

Starring: John Voight, Dustin Hoffman

Best of: Superb acting by both leads.

Worst of: Dated artistic choices that keep the film locked in 1969:

Notable: The film signifies the major cultural shifts that were taking place in the country. It is the first Oscar winner to show nudity or to deal with drugs or homosexuality. Originally rated X, it couldn't have been much further from the previous years G rated family-friendly musical.

Oliver! (1968) - 2 stars

One sentence plot summary: Runaway orphan finds a home amongst singing pickpockets.

Starring: Mark Lester, Ron Moody, Jack Wild, Shani Wallis, Oliver Reed

Best of: Ron Moody is a lot of fun as Fagin, king of the pickpockets.

Worst of: An oddly undeveloped title character.

Notable: The fourth musical to win Best Picture in the 60s, and the last (hallelujah!) until 2002's Chicago.

In the Heat of the Night (1967) - 4 stars

One sentence plot summary: A black police officer from Philadelphia is called upon to help solve a murder in a racist, Southern town.

Starring: Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger

Best of: Great dialogue. Tension between Poitier and Steiger. Quincy Jones' music.

Worst of: The summer heat is supposed to be an oppresive element in the story, yet you can see both autumn leaves and fog on the breath of the actors.

Notable: Not only is this the first Best Picture winner to feature an African American lead, it is the first to feature a black role of any substance whatsoever.

Also nominated: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, The Graduate.