That's the reputation you earn when you don't reward "Citizen Kane" Best Picture, or when "Crash" topples "Brokeback Mountain," or "Dances with Wolves" nabs the big prize.
But there are also plenty of times that the Academy got it right.
In truth, there's no way of knowing whether a film will have staying power through the years. But sometimes, voters make truly great and interesting choices.
Here are the 12 greatest Best Picture winners of all time: