Every week, we’ll take a look back 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years into the box office past to explore how Oscar’s nominees were doing at the box office that weekend historically. All data is taken from Box Office Mojo. The first section under each year is the positioning of all Oscar nominees during that weekend at the box office. The second 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. Please let us know if you like our new feature or if you want to see more information and we’ll see what we can do!

This Year: Potential Oscar Nominees Releasing This Weekend

Still Alice (Limited)

Oscar Potential: Actress (Julianne Moore).

5 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 15-17, 2010

Weekend Box Office:

1. Avatar – $42,785,612 ($493,252,617 total) {week 5}
3. The Lovely Bones – $17,005,133 ($17,471,796 total) {week 6}
5. Sherlock Holmes – $9,889,154 ($180,082,554 total) {week 4}
9. The Blind Side – $5,557,274 ($226,766,539 total) {week 9}
10. Up in the Air – $5,445,379 ($62,818,397 total) {week 7}
13. The Princess and the Frog – $2,777,707 ($96,307,038 total) {week 8}
14. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $1,073,303 ($4,825,194 total) {week 4}
15. The Young Victoria – $950,411 ($6,105,172 total) {week 5}
17. A Single Man – $843,600 ($3,290,100 total) {week 6}
18. Invictus – $801,341 ($34,970,393 total) {week 6}
19. Crazy Heart – $647,473 ($2,075,069 total) {week 5}
20. Nine – $581,564 ($18,148,467 total) {week 5}
26. Precious – $238,797 ($44,758,541 total) {week 11}
27. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $206,226 ($19,930,825 total) {week 10}
29. An Education – $147,510 ($8,387,048 total) {week 15}
39. The White Ribbon – $77,945 ($273,065 total) {week 3}
40. The Last Station – $73,723 ($73,723 total) {week 1}
49. The Messenger – $18,240 ($710,650 total) {week 10}
58. Coco Before Chanel – $8,337 ($6,056,759 total) {week 17}
95. Departures – $132 ($1,493,513 total) {week 34}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Avatar – $44,032,848 ($507,631,337 total)
3. The Lovely Bones – $17,500,847 ($17,981,113 total)
5. Sherlock Holmes – $10,177,431 ($185,332,109 total)
9. The Blind Side – $5,719,273 ($233,376,970 total)
10. Up in the Air – $5,604,116 ($64,649,605 total)
13. The Princess and the Frog – $2,858,679 ($99,114,467 total)
14. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus – $1,104,591 ($4,965,852 total)
15. The Young Victoria – $978,116 ($6,283,143 total)
17. A Single Man – $868,192 ($3,386,009 total)
18. Invictus – $824,701 ($35,989,809 total)
19. Crazy Heart – $666,347 ($2,135,559 total)
20. Nine – $598,517 ($18,677,510 total)
26. Precious – $245,758 ($46,063,289 total)
27. Fantastic Mr. Fox – $212,238 ($20,511,825 total)
29. An Education – $151,810 ($8,631,537 total)
39. The White Ribbon – $80,217 ($281,025 total)
40. The Last Station – $75,872 ($75,872 total)
49. The Messenger – $18,772 ($731,366 total)
58. Coco Before Chanel – $8,580 ($6,233,319 total)
95. Departures – $136 ($1,537,050 total)

Oscar Details:

• Avatar: Picture, Director, Original Score, Film Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects [O]
• The Blind Side: Picture, Actress (Sandra Bullock) [O]
• Coco Before Chanel: Costume Design
• Crazy Heart: Actor (Jeff Bridges) [O], Supporting Actress (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Original Song (“The Weary Kind”) [O]
• Departures: Foreign Language Film [O]
• An Education: Picture, Actress (Carey Mulligan), Adapted Screenplay
• Fantastic Mr. Fox: Animated Feature, Original Score
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Art Direction, Costume Design
• Invictus: Actor (Morgan Freeman), Supporting Actress (Matt Damon)
• The Last Station : Actress (Helen Mirren), Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer)
• The Lovely Bones : Supporting Actor (Stanley Tucci)
• The Messenger : Supporting Actor (Woody Harrelson), Original Screenplay
• Nine: Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz), Original Song (“Take It All”), Art Direction, Costume Design
• Precious: Picture, Director, Actress (Gabourey Sidibe), Supporting Actress (Mo’Nique) [O], Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing
• The Princess and the Frog : Animated Feature, Original Song (“Almost There”), Original Song (“Down in New Orleans”)
• Sherlock Holmes: Original Score, Art Direction
• A Single Man: Actor (Colin Firth)
• Up in the Air: Picture, Director, Actor (George Clooney), Supporting Actress (Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick), Adapted Screenplay
• The White Ribbon : Cinematography, Foreign Language Film
• The Young Victoria : Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Makeup

10 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 21-23, 2005

Weekend Box Office:

8. The Aviator – $4,837,872 ($58,024,146 total) {week 6}
9. The Phantom of the Opera – $4,555,434 ($33,118,458 total) {week 5}
11. Sideways – $2,851,955 ($32,131,621 total) {week 14}
12. Million Dollar Baby – $1,652,078 ($8,312,424 total) {week 6}
13. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $1,622,636 ($114,592,758 total) {week 1}
15. Hotel Rwanda – $1,326,336 ($5,620,900 total) {week 5}
17. Finding Neverland – $1,222,682 ($32,538,331 total) {week 11}
18. House of Flying Daggers – $1,005,586 ($8,953,950 total) {week 8}
20. Closer – $527,519 ($32,818,696 total) {week 8}
23. The Incredibles – $520,877 ($257,408,524 total) {week 12}
24. The Polar Express – $409,314 ($161,169,517 total) {week 1}
26. A Very Long Engagement – $335,095 ($4,931,578 total) {week 9}
29. Ray – $275,420 ($73,047,990 total) {week 13}
32. Kinsey – $201,342 ($8,959,569 total) {week 11}
38. Being Julia – $118,486 ($3,841,939 total) {week 15}
39. The Motorcycle Diaries – $98,559 ($16,464,802 total) {week 18}
45. The Sea Inside – $42,559 ($317,217 total) {week 6}
46. Vera Drake – $35,819 ($2,262,713 total) {week 16}
59. The Chorus – $14,398 ($43,239 total) {week 2}
79. Born Into Brothels – $3,660 ($85,930 total) {week 3}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

8. The Aviator – $6,128,474 ($73,503,286 total)
9. The Phantom of the Opera – $5,770,690 ($41,953,491 total)
11. Sideways – $3,612,773 ($40,703,395 total)
12. Million Dollar Baby – $2,092,804 ($10,529,935 total)
13. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – $2,055,508 ($145,162,745 total)
15. Hotel Rwanda – $1,680,164 ($7,120,391 total)
17. Finding Neverland – $1,548,858 ($41,218,603 total)
18. House of Flying Daggers – $1,273,847 ($11,342,601 total)
20. Closer – $668,246 ($41,573,762 total)
23. The Incredibles – $659,832 ($326,077,569 total)
24. The Polar Express – $518,507 ($204,164,817 total)
26. A Very Long Engagement – $424,489 ($6,247,178 total)
29. Ray – $348,894 ($92,535,051 total)
32. Kinsey – $255,054 ($11,349,719 total)
38. Being Julia – $150,095 ($4,866,856 total)
39. The Motorcycle Diaries – $124,852 ($20,857,128 total)
45. The Sea Inside – $53,912 ($401,841 total)
46. Vera Drake – $45,374 ($2,866,338 total)
59. The Chorus – $18,239 ($54,774 total)
79. Born Into Brothels – $4,636 ($108,854 total)

Oscar Details:

• The Aviator: Picture, Director, Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Supporting Actor (Alan Alda), Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett) [O], Original Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography [O], Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Sound Mixing
• Being Julia: Actress (Annette Bening)
• Born Into Brothels : Documentary Feature
• The Chorus: Original Song (“Look To Your Path”), Foreign Language Film
• Closer: Supporting Actor (Clive Owen), Supporting Actress (Natalie Portman)
• Finding Neverland: Picture, Actor (Johnny Depp), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design
• Hotel Rwanda: Actor (Don Cheadle), Supporting Actress (Sophie Okonedo), Original Screenplay
• House of Flying Daggers: Cinematography
• The Incredibles: Animated Feature [O], Original Screenplay, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing [O]
• Kinsey: Supporting Actress (Laura Linney)
• Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events: Original Score, Makeup [O], Art Direction, Costume Design
• Million Dollar Baby: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Clint Eastwood), Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Editing
• The Motorcycle Diaries : Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Al Otro Lado del Rio”) [O]
• The Phantom of the Opera : Original Song (“Learn To Be Lonely”), Cinematography, Art Direction
• The Polar Express : Original Song (“Believe”), Sound Mixing, Sound Editing
• Ray: Picture, Director, Actor (Jamie Foxx) [O], Editing, Costume Design, Sound Mixing [O]
• The Sea Inside : Makeup, Foreign Language Film [O]
• Sideways: Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Thomas Haden Church), Supporting Actress (Virginia Madsen), Adapted Screenplay [O]
• Vera Drake: Director, Actress (Imelda Staunton), Original Screenplay
• A Very Long Engagement: Cinematography, Art Direction

15 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 21-23, 2000

Weekend Box Office:

3. The Hurricane – $6,502,595 ($22,889,316 total) {week 4}
4. Stuart Little – $6,407,532 ($117,086,082 total) {week 6}
5. The Green Mile – $5,387,502 ($109,592,337 total) {week 7}
7. Girl, Interrupted – $4,314,547 ($16,165,256 total) {week 5}
8. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $3,710,484 ($68,230,758 total) {week 5}
10. Angela’s Ashes – $3,217,591 ($3,635,585 total) {week 5}
11. Toy Story 2 – $2,948,281 ($231,228,567 total) {week 10}
14. The Cider House Rules – $2,256,157 ($15,534,227 total) {week 7}
15. Magnolia – $2,109,687 ($15,063,338 total) {week 6}
17. The End of the Affair – $1,656,668 ($5,081,644 total) {week 8}
18. Bicentennial Man – $1,553,058 ($54,404,394 total) {week 6}
20. Snow Falling on Cedars – $1,401,250 ($10,388,608 total) {week 5}
21. Anna and the King – $908,709 ($35,956,876 total) {week 6}
24. Sleepy Hollow – $547,330 ($96,664,966 total) {week 10}
26. American Beauty – $431,045 ($73,318,172 total) {week 19}
28. Topsy-Turvy – $362,566 ($769,937 total) {week 6}
30. Being John Malkovich – $302,702 ($20,158,402 total) {week 13}
31. All About My Mother – $296,184 ($3,829,011 total) {week 12}
32. Sweet and Lowdown – $293,062 ($1,679,367 total) {week 8}
34. The Sixth Sense – $247,751 ($277,709,407 total) {week 25}
40. Titus – $145,481 ($460,640 total) {week 5}
44. The Straight Story – $85,647 ($4,991,750 total) {week 15}
46. Boys Don’t Cry – $79,106 ($3,190,627 total) {week 16}
48. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $65,165 ($430,984,033 total) {week 36}
53. The Insider – $49,865 ($26,586,371 total) {week 12}
56. Fight Club – $37,081 ($36,864,186 total) {week 15}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

3. The Hurricane – $9,796,117 ($34,482,606 total)
4. Stuart Little – $9,652,905 ($176,389,422 total)
5. The Green Mile – $8,116,237 ($165,100,144 total)
7. Girl, Interrupted – $6,499,837 ($24,352,853 total)
8. The Talented Mr. Ripley – $5,589,820 ($102,789,194 total)
10. Angela’s Ashes – $4,847,280 ($5,476,985 total)
11. Toy Story 2 – $4,441,566 ($348,344,335 total)
14. The Cider House Rules – $3,398,886 ($23,402,212 total)
15. Magnolia – $3,178,230 ($22,692,821 total)
17. The End of the Affair – $2,495,760 ($7,655,464 total)
18. Bicentennial Man – $2,339,672 ($81,959,866 total)
20. Snow Falling on Cedars – $2,110,974 ($15,650,370 total)
21. Anna and the King – $1,368,964 ($54,168,800 total)
24. Sleepy Hollow – $824,549 ($145,625,144 total)
26. American Beauty – $649,366 ($110,453,350 total)
28. Topsy-Turvy – $546,203 ($1,159,905 total)
30. Being John Malkovich – $456,019 ($30,368,502 total)
31. All About My Mother – $446,199 ($5,768,380 total)
32. Sweet and Lowdown – $441,496 ($2,529,955 total)
34. The Sixth Sense – $373,235 ($418,367,418 total)
40. Titus – $219,166 ($693,951 total)
44. The Straight Story – $129,027 ($7,520,039 total)
46. Boys Don’t Cry – $119,173 ($4,806,659 total)
48. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – $98,171 ($649,274,647 total)
53. The Insider – $75,121 ($40,052,195 total)
56. Fight Club – $55,862 ($55,535,657 total)

Oscar Details:

• All About My Mother: Foreign Language Film [O]
• American Beauty: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (Kevin Spacey) [O], Actress (Annette Bening), Original Screenplay, Original Score, Editing, Cinematography
• Angela’s Ashes: Original Score
• Anna and the King: Art Direction, Costume Design
• Being John Malkovich: Director, Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener), Original Screenplay
• Bicentennial Man: Makeup
• Boys Don’t Cry: Actress (Hilary Swank) [O], Supporting Actress (Chloe Sevigny)
• The Cider House Rules : Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Michael Caine) [O], Original Screenplay [O], Original Score, Editing, Art Direction
• The End of the Affair : Actress (Julianne Moore), Cinematography
• Fight Club: Sound Effects
• Girl, Interrupted: Supporting Actress (Angelina Jolie)
• The Green Mile : Picture, Supporting Actor (Michael Clarke Duncan), Adapted Screenplay, Sound
• The Hurricane : Actor (Denzel Washington)
• The Insider : Picture, Director, Actor (Russell Crowe), Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Sound
• Magnolia: Supporting Actor (Tom Cruise), Original Screenplay, Original Song (“Save Me”)
• The Sixth Sense : Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment), Supporting Actress (Toni Collette), Original Screenplay, Editing
• Sleepy Hollow: Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design
• Snow Falling on Cedars: Cinematography
• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: Sound, Sound Effects, Visual Effects
• The Straight Story : Actor (Richard Farnsworth)
• Stuart Little: Visual Effects
• Sweet and Lowdown: Actor (Sean Penn), Supporting Actress (Samantha Morton)
• The Talented Mr. Ripley : Supporting Actor (Jude Law), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Art Direction, Costume Design
• Titus: Costume Design
• Topsy-Turvy: Original Screenplay, Art Direction, Costume Design [O], Makeup [O]
• Toy Story 2: Original Song (“When She Loved Me”)

20 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 20-22, 1995

Weekend Box Office:

1. Legends of the Fall – $9,006,330 ($26,658,446 total) {week 5}
4. Nobody’s Fool – $5,354,773 ($14,630,262 total) {week 1}
9. Little Women – $2,615,897 ($37,206,543 total) {week 5}
12. Nell – $2,072,031 ($26,573,487 total) {week 6}
13. Pulp Fiction – $1,550,759 ($70,895,537 total) {week 15}
16. The Lion King – $1,367,321 ($306,374,042 total) {week 32}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Legends of the Fall – $16,811,816 ($49,762,433 total)
4. Nobody’s Fool – $9,995,576 ($27,309,822 total)
9. Little Women – $4,883,008 ($69,452,214 total)
12. Nell – $3,867,791 ($49,603,842 total)
13. Pulp Fiction – $2,894,750 ($132,338,336 total)
16. The Lion King – $2,552,333 ($571,898,212 total)

Oscar Details:

• Legends of the Fall: Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound
• The Lion King : Original Song (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” [O], “Circle of Life”, “Hakuna Matata”), Original Score [O]
• Little Women: Actress (Winona Ryder), Original Score, Costume Design
• Nell: Actress (Jodie Foster)
• Nobody’s Fool: Actor (Paul Newman), Adapted Screenplay
• Pulp Fiction: Picture, Director, Actor (John Travolta), Supporting Actor (Samuel L. Jackson), Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), Original Screenplay [O], Editing

25 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 19-21, 1990

Weekend Box Office:

1. Born on the Fourth of July – $6,228,360 ($32,607,294 total) {week 5}
7. Steel Magnolias – $2,944,080 ($60,675,730 total) {week 10}
8. The Little Mermaid – $2,823,840 ($65,247,711 total) {week 10}
9. Driving Miss Daisy – $26,243,374 ($9,123,939 total) {week 6}
10. Back to the Future Part II – $2,374,485 ($107,539,056 total) {week 9}
11. Glory – $2,221,050 ($7,135,650 total) {week 6}
13. Music Box – $1,446,900 ($1,777,017 total) {week 5}
17. Blaze – $901,907 ($16,904,620 total) {week 6}
18. Enemies, A Love Story – $619,924 ($2,282,783 total) {week 6}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Born on the Fourth of July – $11,956,095 ($62,593,671 total)
7. Steel Magnolias – $5,651,520 ($116,474,451 total)
8. The Little Mermaid – $5,420,705 ($125,250,925 total)
9. Driving Miss Daisy – $50,377,352 ($17,514,512 total)
10. Back to the Future Part II – $4,558,113 ($206,434,311 total)
11. Glory – $4,263,576 ($13,697,749 total)
13. Music Box – $2,777,501 ($3,411,200 total)
17. Blaze – $1,731,320 ($32,450,476 total)
18. Enemies, A Love Story – $1,190,020 ($4,382,080 total)

Oscar Details:

• Back to the Future Part II: Visual Effects
• Blaze: Cinematography
• Born on the Fourth of July: Picture, Director [O], Actor (Tom Cruise), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing [O], Cinematography, Sound
• Driving Miss Daisy: Picture [O], Actor (Morgan Freeman), Actress (Jessica Tandy) [O], Supporting Actor (Dan Aykroyd), Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup [O]
• Enemies, A Love Story: Supporting Actress (Anjelica Huston, Lena Olin), Adapted Screenplay
• Glory: Supporting Actor (Denzel Washington) [O], Editing, Cinematography [O], Art Direction, Sound [O]
• The Little Mermaid: Original Song (“Kiss the Girl”, “Under the Sea” [O]), Original Score [O]
• Music Box: Actress (Jessica Lange)
• Steel Magnolias: Supporting Actress (Julia Roberts)

30 Years Ago: The Weekend of Jan. 18-20, 1985

Weekend Box Office:

1. Beverly Hills Cop – $6,475,055 ($122,104,617 total) {week 7}
3. The River – $1,686,348 ($5,638,682 total) {week 5}
6. A Passage to India – $1,507,319 ($3,844,281 total) {week 6}
9. Starman – $1,373,996 ($22,587,788 total) {week 6}
10. The Cotton Club – $1,116,979 ($21,269,268 total) {week 6}
11. 2010 – $1,111,562 ($36,830,561 total) {week 7}
14. Dune – $852,765 ($27,447,471 total) {week 6}
17. The Killing Fields – $782,986 ($2,696,318 total) {week 12}
20. Amadeus – $494,534 ($21,298,243 total) {week 18}
27. A Soldier’s Story – $76,686 ($20,544,003 total) {week 19}
28. Places in the Heart – $74,354 ($30,484,842 total) {week 18}

Weekend Box Office (Adjusted for Inflation):

1. Beverly Hills Cop – $14,810,548 ($279,292,814 total)
3. The River – $3,857,224 ($12,897,492 total)
6. A Passage to India – $3,447,727 ($8,793,116 total)
9. Starman – $3,142,774 ($51,665,588 total)
10. The Cotton Club – $2,554,893 ($48,649,706 total)
11. 2010 – $2,542,502 ($84,243,424 total)
14. Dune – $1,950,550 ($62,781,258 total)
17. The Killing Fields – $1,790,943 ($6,167,353 total)
20. Amadeus – $1,131,159 ($48,715,981 total)
27. A Soldier’s Story – $175,406 ($46,990,790 total)
28. Places in the Heart – $170,072 ($69,728,709 total)

Oscar Details:

• 2010: Art Direction, Costume Design, Makeup, Sound, Visual Effects
• Amadeus: Picture [O], Director [O], Actor (F. Murray Abraham [O], Tom Hulce), Adapted Screenplay [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction [O], Costume Design [O], Makeup [O], Sound [O]
• Beverly Hills Cop: Original Screenplay
• The Cotton Club : Editing, Art Direction
• Dune: Sound
• The Killing Fields : Picture, Director, Actor (Sam Waterston), Supporting Actor (Haing S. Ngor) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Editing [O], Cinematography [O]
• A Passage to India: Picture, Director, Actress (Judy Davis), Supporting Actress (Peggy Ashcroft) [O], Adapted Screenplay, Original Score [O], Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound
• Places in the Heart: Picture, Director, Actress (Sally Field) [O], Supporting Actor (John Malkovich), Supporting Actress (Linsday Crouse), Original Screenplay [O], Costume Design
• The River : Actress (Sissy Spacek), Original Score, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects [O]
• A Soldier’s Story: Picture, Supporting Actor (Adolph Caesar), Adapted Screenplay
• Starman: Actor (Jeff Bridges)