Every week, we’ll take a look back in 5-year intervals in the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office that weekend historically. All data is collected from Box Office Mojo. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office (as well as a section looking at the inflation-adjusted numbers). The third section is an alphabetical list of those films and the categories in which they were nominated. And to start each week off, we’ll be looking at the films releasing over the weekend that have the best chance of getting Oscar nominations and specifying the categories where we think they have the best chance at this stage of the game. If you have any suggestions for more data you’d like to see, please let us know.

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

Time Out of Mind (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actor (Richard Gere).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 10-12, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

10. Inception – $2,802,390 ($282,211,978 total) {week 9}
18. Toy Story 3 – $761,996 ($409,976,037 total) {week 13}
22. Salt – $630,059 ($116,451,621 total) {week 8}
31. The Kids Are All Right – $261,057 ($20,241,948 total) {week 10}
37. Winter’s Bone – $136,115 ($5,809,081 total) {week 14}
41. Animal Kingdom – $110,171 ($718,873 total) {week 5}
46. I Am Love – $56,129 ($4,770,291 total) {week 13}
57. Restrepo – $29,542 ($1,220,901 total) {week 12}
70. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $14,009 ($3,238,651 total) {week 22}
85. The Secret in Their Eyes – $7,231 ($6,359,831 total) {week 22}
107. The Milk of Sorrow – $1,438 ($8,518 total) {week 3}
110. Dogtooth – $1,134 ($55,892 total) {week 12}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

10. Inception – $2,901,841 ($292,227,105 total)
18. Toy Story 3 – $789,038 ($424,525,250 total)
22. Salt – $652,419 ($120,584,251 total)
31. The Kids Are All Right – $270,321 ($20,960,293 total)
37. Winter’s Bone – $140,945 ($6,015,233 total)
41. Animal Kingdom – $114,081 ($744,384 total)
46. I Am Love – $58,121 ($4,939,579 total)
57. Restrepo – $30,590 ($1,264,228 total)
70. Exit Through the Gift Shop – $14,506 ($3,353,584 total)
85. The Secret in Their Eyes – $7,488 ($6,585,528 total)
107. The Milk of Sorrow – $1,489 ($8,820 total)
110. Dogtooth – $1,174 ($57,875 total)

Oscar Details:

• Animal Kingdom: Supporting Actress (Jacki Weaver)
• Dogtooth: Foreign Language Film
• Exit Through the Gift Shop: Documentary Feature
• I Am Love: Costume Design
• Inception: Picture, Original Screenplay, Original Score, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound Mixing [O], Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects [O]
• The Kids Are All Right: Picture, Actress (Annette Bening), Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), Original Screenplay
• The Milk of Sorrow : Foreign Language Film
• Restrepo: Documentary Feature
• Salt: Sound Mixing
• The Secret in Their Eyes: Foreign Language Film
• Toy Story 3: Picture, Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“We Belong Together”) [O], Sound Editing
• Winter’s Bone: Picture, Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Supporting Actor (John Hawkes), Adapted Screenplay

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 16-18, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

7. The Constant Gardener – $3,618,254 ($24,289,337 total) {week 3}
10. March of the Penguins – $2,518,327 ($70,393,482 total) {week 13}
16. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $737,101 ($203,563,984 total) {week 10}
23. Corpse Bride – $388,166 ($388,166 total) {week 1}
25. Batman Begins – $343,694 ($204,646,787 total) {week 14}
29. Junebug – $263,859 ($1,752,234 total) {week 7}
38. War of the Worlds – $149,127 ($233,122,751 total) {week 12}
41. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $88,357 ($380,101,660 total) {week 18}
48. Hustle & Flow – $49,484 ($22,125,461 total) {week 9}
65. Murderball – $25,256 ($1,473,964 total) {week 11}
84. Cinderella Man – $8,060 ($61,597,795 total) {week 16}
103. Howl’s Moving Castle – $4,642 ($4,698,161 total) {week 15}
118. Darwin’s Nightmare – $1,654 ($55,723 total) {week 7}
121. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $1,451 ($4,064,421 total) {week 22}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

7. The Constant Gardener – $4,611,722 ($30,958,484 total)
10. March of the Penguins – $3,209,787 ($89,721,490 total)
16. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – $939,488 ($259,456,747 total)
23. Corpse Bride – $494,745 ($494,745 total)
25. Batman Begins – $438,062 ($260,836,856 total)
29. Junebug – $336,307 ($2,233,347 total)
38. War of the Worlds – $190,073 ($297,131,494 total)
41. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – $112,617 ($484,466,546 total)
48. Hustle & Flow – $63,071 ($28,200,471 total)
65. Murderball – $32,191 ($1,878,672 total)
84. Cinderella Man – $10,273 ($78,510,762 total)
103. Howl’s Moving Castle – $5,917 ($5,988,140 total)
118. Darwin’s Nightmare – $2,108 ($71,023 total)
121. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room – $1,849 ($5,180,393 total)

Oscar Details:

• Batman Begins: Cinematography
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Costume Design
• Cinderella Man: Supporting Actor (Paul Giamatti), Editing, Makeup
• The Constant Gardener: Supporting Actress (Rachel Weisz) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Origianl Score, Editing
• Corpse Bride: Animated Feature
• Darwin’s Nightmare: Documentary Feature
• Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room: Documentary Feature
• Howl’s Moving Castle: Animated Feature
• Hustle & Flow: Actor (Terrence Howard), Original Song (“It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp”) [O]
• Junebug: Supporting Actress (Amy Adams)
• March of the Penguins: Documentary Feature [O]
• Murderball: Documentary Feature
• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: Makeup
• War of the Worlds: Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 15-17, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

5. Space Cowboys – $2,515,232 ($82,202,221 total) {week 7}
6. The Cell – $2,448,021 ($54,985,122 total) {week 5}
8. Almost Famous – $2,314,646 ($2,376,387 total) {week 1}
21. The Perfect Storm – $543,376 ($179,419,774 total) {week 12}
22. Gladiator – $518,144 ($184,986,532 total) {week 20}
23. Hollow Man – $490,265 ($72,055,301 total) {week 7}
32. The Patriot – $202,832 ($112,416,239 total) {week 12}
64. Solomon and Gaenor – $39,087 ($113,732 total) {week 1}
66. Into the Arms of Strangers – $32,037 ($32,037 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Space Cowboys – $3,812,513 ($124,599,656 total)
6. The Cell – $3,710,637 ($83,344,795 total)
8. Almost Famous – $3,508,471 ($3,602,056 total)
21. The Perfect Storm – $823,633 ($271,959,101 total)
22. Gladiator – $785,387 ($280,397,025 total)
23. Hollow Man – $743,129 ($109,219,260 total)
32. The Patriot – $307,447 ($170,397,156 total)
64. Solomon and Gaenor – $59,247 ($172,392 total)
66. Into the Arms of Strangers – $48,561 ($48,561 total)

Oscar Details:

• Almost Famous: Supporting Actress (Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand), Original Screenplay [O], Editing
• The Cell: Makeup
• Gladiator: Picture [O], Directing, Actor (Russell Crowe) [O], Supporting Actor (Joaquin Phoenix) [O], Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Sound [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Hollow Man: Visual Effects
• Into the Arms of Strangers: Documentary Feature
• The Patriot: Original Score, Cinematography, Sound
• The Perfect Storm: Sound, Visual Effects
• Solomon and Gaenor: Foreign Language Film
• Space Cowboys: Sound Editing

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 15-17, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

5. The Usual Suspects – $3,017,130 ($12,423,864 total) {week 5}
6. Braveheart – $2,323,343 ($62,480,060 total) {week 17}
9. Babe – $1,855,725 ($48,143,820 total) {week 7}
15. Apollo 13 – $1,110,085 ($165,420,785 total) {week 12}
999. Batman Forever – $413,675 ($182,548,832 total) {week 14}
999. Unstrung Heroes – $185,183 ($185,183 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. The Usual Suspects – $5,666,656 ($23,334,016 total)
6. Braveheart – $4,363,612 ($117,347,607 total)
9. Babe – $3,485,350 ($90,421,841 total)
15. Apollo 13 – $2,084,918 ($310,686,854 total)
999. Batman Forever – $776,948 ($342,856,082 total)
999. Unstrung Heroes – $347,803 ($347,803 total)

Oscar Details:

• Apollo 13: Picture, Supporting Actor (Ed Harris), Supporting Actress (Kathleen Quinlan), Adapted Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing [O], Art Direction, Sound [O], Visual Effects
• Babe: Picture, Directing, Supporting Actor (James Cromwell), Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Art Direction, Visual Effects [O]
• Batman Forever: Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects Editing
• Braveheart: Picture [O], Directing [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Unstrung Heroes: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• The Usual Suspects: Supporting Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Original Screenplay [O]

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 14-16, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Postcards from the Edge – $7,871,856 ($7,871,856 total) {week 1}
2. Ghost – $5,860,523 ($141,430,824 total) {week 10}
5. Flatliners – $2,645,085 ($48,137,240 total) {week 6}
9. Young Guns II – $1,156,598 ($37,864,147 total) {week 7}
999. Total Recall – $234,900 ($117,504,542 total) {week 16}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Postcards from the Edge – $15,204,034 ($15,204,034 total)
2. Ghost – $11,319,261 ($273,165,445 total)
5. Flatliners – $5,108,828 ($92,974,291 total)
9. Young Guns II – $2,233,902 ($73,132,407 total)
999. Total Recall – $453,696 ($226,953,217 total)

Oscar Details:

• Flatliners: Sound Effects Editing
• Ghost: Picture, Supporting Actress (Whoopi Goldberg) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing
• Postcards from the Edge: Actress (Meryl Streep), Original Song (“I’m Checkin’ Out”)
• Total Recall: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects (Special Achievement Award) [O]
• Young Guns II: Original Song (“Blaze of Glory”)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Sep. 13-15, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Back to the Future – $4,134,257 ($144,929,150 total) {week 11}
6. Cocoon – $1,054,143 ($72,490,187 total) {week 13}
9. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $873,947 ($147,603,096 total) {week 17}
10. Silverado – $868,379 ($30,283,063 total) {week 10}
13. Agnes of God – $221,552 ($221,552 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Back to the Future – $9,514,614 ($333,541,171 total)
6. Cocoon – $2,426,014 ($166,829,529 total)
9. Rambo: First Blood Part II – $2,011,309 ($339,695,012 total)
10. Silverado – $1,998,495 ($69,693,697 total)
13. Agnes of God – $509,882 ($509,882 total)

Oscar Details:

• Agnes of God: Actress (Anne Bancroft), Supporting Actress (Meg Tilly), Original Score
• Back to the Future: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“The Power of Love’), Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• Cocoon: Supporting Actor (Don Ameche) [O], Visual Effects [O]
• Rambo: First Blood Part II: Sound Effects Editing
• Silverado: Original Score, Sound