Every week, we’ll take a look back in 5-year intervals at the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office each 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 shots 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

The Nice Guys (Wide)

Oscar Potential: Production Design, Costume Design.

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 27-29, 2011

Weekend Box Office:

2. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $47,656,302 ($53,460,431 total) {week 1}
4. Bridesmaids – $16,551,355 ($85,157,910 total) {week 3}
7. Midnight in Paris – $1,929,562 ($2,834,546 total) {week 2}
10. Rio – $1,804,883 ($134,846,157 total) {week 7}
15. The Tree of Life – $372,920 ($372,920 total) {week 1}
16. Rango – $359,511 ($121,715,382 total) {week 13}
24. Incendies – $199,060 ($888,568 total) {week 6}
30. Jane Eyre – $160,360 ($10,656,311 total) {week 12}
32. Tangled – $131,938 ($200,803,309 total) {week 27}
52. In a Better World – $37,708 ($749,325 total) {week 9}
67. Barney’s Version – $6,544 ($4,422,090 total) {week 20}
87. Biutiful – $932 ($5,098,562 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Kung Fu Panda 2 – $49,098,611 ($55,078,401 total)
4. Bridesmaids – $17,052,279 ($87,735,199 total)
7. Midnight in Paris – $1,987,960 ($2,920,333 total)
10. Rio – $1,859,507 ($138,927,251 total)
15. The Tree of Life – $384,206 ($384,206 total)
16. Rango – $370,392 ($125,399,076 total)
24. Incendies – $205,085 ($915,460 total)
30. Jane Eyre – $165,213 ($10,978,822 total)
32. Tangled – $135,931 ($206,880,584 total)
52. In a Better World – $38,849 ($772,003 total)
67. Barney’s Version – $6,742 ($4,555,924 total)
87. Biutiful – $960 ($5,252,869 total)

Oscar Details:

• Barney’s Version: Makeup
• Biutiful: Actor (Javier Bardem), Foreign Language Film
• Bridesmaids: Supporting Actress (Melissa McCarthy), Original Screenplay
• In a Better World: Foreign Language Film [O]
• Incendies: Foreign Language Film
• Jane Eyre: Costume Design
• Kung Fu Panda 2: Animated Feature
• Midnight in Paris: Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay [O], Art Direction
• Rango: Animated Feature [O]
• Rio: Original Song (“Real in Rio”)
• Tangled: Original Song (“I See the Light”)
• The Tree of Life: Picture, Directing, Cinematography

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 26-28, 2006

Weekend Box Office:

5. Poseidon – $5,650,026 ($45,292,763 total) {week 3}
9. United 93 – $808,545 ($29,632,960 total) {week 5}
21. Water – $306,517 ($1,378,596 total) {week 5}
22. An Inconvenient Truth – $281,330 ($404,879 total) {week 1}
59. Sophie Scholl – $15,446 ($595,898 total) {week 15}
67. Tsotsi – $11,178 ($2,866,194 total) {week 14}
74. Joyeux Noel – $6,855 ($1,013,501 total) {week 24}
79. Transamerica – $4,959 ($9,012,033 total) {week 26}
86. Mrs. Henderson Presents – $3,722 ($11,032,916 total) {week 25}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

5. Poseidon – $7,047,437 ($56,494,943 total)
9. United 93 – $1,008,521 ($36,962,028 total)
21. Water – $382,327 ($1,719,562 total)
22. An Inconvenient Truth – $350,911 ($505,017 total)
59. Sophie Scholl – $19,266 ($743,280 total)
67. Tsotsi – $13,943 ($3,575,085 total)
74. Joyeux Noel – $8,550 ($1,264,168 total)
79. Transamerica – $6,186 ($11,240,963 total)
86. Mrs. Henderson Presents – $4,643 ($13,761,668 total)

Oscar Details:

• An Inconvenient Truth: Original Song (“I Need to Wake Up” [O]), Documentary Feature [O]
• Joyeux Noel: Foreign Language Film
• Mrs. Henderson Presents: Actress (Judi Dench), Costume Design
• Poseidon: Visual Effects
• Sophie Scholl: Foreign Language Film
• Transamerica: Actress (Felicity Huffman), Original Song (“Travelin’ Thru”)
• Tsotsi: Foreign Language Film [O]
• United 93: Directing, Film Editing
• Water: Foreign Language Film

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 25-27, 2001

Weekend Box Office:

1. Pearl Harbor – $59,078,912 ($59,078,912 total) {week 1}
2. Shrek – $42,481,425 ($99,019,205 total) {week 2}
6. Bridget Jones’ Diary – $3,349,459 ($61,543,789 total) {week 7}
8. Memento – $1,565,255 ($14,129,905 total) {week 11}
14. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – $382,111 ($126,047,135 total) {week 25}
17. Traffic – $369,086 ($123,616,998 total) {week 22}
999. Moulin Rouge! – $193,098 ($510,650 total) {week 2}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Pearl Harbor – $85,278,217 ($85,278,217 total)
2. Shrek – $61,320,361 ($142,930,549 total)
6. Bridget Jones’ Diary – $4,834,820 ($88,836,176 total)
8. Memento – $2,259,388 ($20,395,994 total)
14. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – $551,563 ($181,944,363 total)
17. Traffic – $532,762 ($178,436,550 total)
999. Moulin Rouge! – $278,730 ($737,104 total)

Oscar Details:

• Bridget Jones’ Diary: Actress (Renee Zellweger)
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“A Love Before Time”), Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Memento: Original Screenplay, Film Editing
• Moulin Rouge!: Picture, Actress (Nicole Kidman), Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup, Sound
• Pearl Harbor: Original Song (“There You’ll Be”), Sound, Sound Editing [O], Visual Effects
• Shrek: Animated Feature [O], Adapted Screenplay
• Traffic: Picture, Directing [O], Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing [O]

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 24-26, 1996

Weekend Box Office:

2. Twister – $29,645,430 ($136,647,882 total) {week 3}
7. Toy Story – $1,311,861 ($186,182,078 total) {week 27}
8. Primal Fear – $1,429,961 ($53,020,214 total) {week 8}
9. The Birdcage – $1,263,789 ($118,764,272 total) {week 12}
12. James and the Giant Peach – $783,869 ($26,776,358 total) {week 7}
999. Braveheart – $1,468 ($75,608,214 total) {week 53}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Twister – $54,797,096 ($252,582,171 total)
7. Toy Story – $2,424,865 ($344,141,986 total)
8. Primal Fear – $2,643,163 ($98,003,427 total)
9. The Birdcage – $2,336,008 ($219,525,815 total)
12. James and the Giant Peach – $1,448,916 ($49,493,856 total)
999. Braveheart – $2,713 ($139,755,454 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Birdcage: Art Direction
• Braveheart: Picture [O], Directing [O], Original Screenplay, Original Dramatic Score, Editing, Cinematography [O], Costume Design, Makeup [O], Sound, Sound Effects Editing [O]
• James and the Giant Peach: Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Primal Fear: Supporting Actor (Edward Norton)
• Toy Story: Original Screenplay, Original Song (“You’ve Got a Friend in Me”), Original Musical or Comedy Score
• Twister: Sound, Visual Effects

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 24-26, 1991

Weekend Box Office:

1. Backdraft – $12,686,200 ($12,686,200 total) {week 1}
4. Thelma & Louise – $6,101,297 ($6,101,297 total) {week 1}
11. Home Alone – $1,942,192 ($271,986,320 total) {week 28}
13. The Silence of the Lambs – $1,292,143 ($119,828,381 total) {week 15}
15. Dances With Wolves – $1,209,017 ($171,221,399 total) {week 29}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Backdraft – $24,619,063 ($24,619,063 total)
4. Thelma & Louise – $11,840,284 ($11,840,284 total)
11. Home Alone – $3,769,052 ($527,821,433 total)
13. The Silence of the Lambs – $2,507,555 ($232,541,062 total)
15. Dances With Wolves – $2,346,240 ($332,275,256 total)

Oscar Details:

• Backdraft: Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects
• Dances With Wolves: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Kevin Costner), Supporting Actor (Graham Greene), Supporting Actress (Mary McDonnell), Adapted Screenplay [O], Original Score [O], Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound [O]
• Home Alone: Original Song (“Somewhere in My Memory”), Original Score
• The Silence of the Lambs: Picture [O], Directing [O], Actor (Anthony Hopkins) [O], Actress (Jodie Foster) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Sound
• Thelma & Louise: Directing, Actor (Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon), Original Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Cinematography

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 23-25, 1986

Weekend Box Office:

2. Poltergeist II: The Other Side – $12,357,190 ($12,357,190 total) {week 1}
3. Top Gun – $9,449,432 ($21,666,458 total) {week 2}
11. Hannah and Her Sisters – $594,156 ($32,266,671 total) {week 16}
12. The Color Purple – $439,528 ($94,175,854 total) {week 23}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

2. Poltergeist II: The Other Side – $27,212,464 ($27,212,464 total)
3. Top Gun – $20,809,127 ($47,712,928 total)
11. Hannah and Her Sisters – $1,308,424 ($71,056,254 total)
12. The Color Purple – $967,909 ($207,389,953 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Color Purple: Picture, Actress (Whoopi Goldberg), Supporting Actress (Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Miss Celie’s Blues (Sister)”)
• Hannah and Her Sisters: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Michael Caine) [O], Supporting Actress (Dianne Wiest) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Film Editing, Art Direction
• Poltergeist II: The Other Side: Visual Effects
• Top Gun: Original Song (“Take My Breath Away” [O]), Editing, Sound, Sound Effects

35 Years Ago: The Weekend of May 22-24, 1981

Weekend Box Office:

3. Outland – $3,059,638 ($3,059,638 total) {week 1}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. Outland – $8,991,814 ($8,991,814 total)

Oscar Details:

• Outland: Sound