# Best Picture nominees at the 1998 Oscars: all five films

> All five Best Picture nominees at the 1998 Oscars, with Titanic sweeping the night against Good Will Hunting, L.A. Confidential and more.

Source: https://rankiew.app/blog/oscars-1998-best-picture-nominees
Published: 2026-10-02 · Updated: 2026-11-12
Author: Rankiew
Tags: oscars, oscars 1998, best picture, titanic, good will hunting

The 70th Academy Awards took place on March 23, 1998, hosted by Billy Crystal. Titanic won 11 Oscars, Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt won for As Good as It Gets, and Matt Damon and Ben Affleck won Best Original Screenplay.

For each nominee we explain the story, what made it a contender and what to watch for. It was a year of a giant blockbuster against smaller films made with little money, several of them still very popular today.

# How the 1998 Best Picture race played out

Titanic arrived at the ceremony as an unstoppable favorite. It had become the highest-grossing film in history and tied the record of 14 nominations, held until then only by All About Eve. On the night it won 11 Oscars, tying the record of Ben-Hur.

The other nominees were very different from James Cameron's epic. The Full Monty was a low-budget British comedy, Good Will Hunting had been written by two young actors who were still almost unknown, and L.A. Confidential was a dense crime story that won over critics.

The ceremony, hosted by Billy Crystal, became the most watched Oscar broadcast in the history of American television. Even without Best Picture, the other films left with important awards, from screenplay to acting.

# The five Best Picture nominees of 1998

The nominees appear with the winner first, then in the order of the official list. Under each one you will find the story, the awards it won and a tip for watching.

## 1. Titanic (1997) · Winner

::film[Titanic|1997]

Jack and Rose fall in love aboard the ship that would sink in 1912.

- **Director:** James Cameron
- **Genre:** Drama, History

**Why it stands out:** James Cameron's Titanic follows Jack and Rose, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, a poor artist and a young woman from high society who fall in love on the ship's maiden voyage in 1912, a few days before the sinking.

![A scene from Titanic (1997)](/blog/scenes/oscars-1998-best-picture-nominees/1.jpg)

It was the most expensive film ever made at the time, and Cameron recreated the ship in a giant tank in Mexico. Watch the second half, almost in real time, as the ship sinks, and the theme song My Heart Will Go On, sung by Celine Dion, which won the Oscar.

Titanic was the highest-grossing film in history until Avatar, also by Cameron, in 2009. Ideal for those who want a great romantic epic, but set aside more than three hours.

**Worth it if:** you want the great romantic disaster epic.

**Oscars:** Winner: Best Picture

## 2. As Good as It Gets (1997)

::film[As Good as It Gets|1997]

A rude, obsessive New York writer is changed by a waitress and a neighbor.

- **Director:** James L. Brooks
- **Genre:** Comedy, Drama

**Why it stands out:** James L. Brooks' As Good as It Gets follows Melvin Udall, played by Jack Nicholson, a rude writer with obsessive-compulsive disorder whose routine falls apart when he has to care for his gay neighbor's dog and gets close to Carol, a waitress played by Helen Hunt.

![A scene from As Good as It Gets (1997)](/blog/scenes/oscars-1998-best-picture-nominees/2.jpg)

The film mixes sharp comedy with drama, and much of the fun comes from Melvin's insults. Watch Greg Kinnear as the neighbor Simon, nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and the little dog Verdell, who steals several scenes.

Nicholson and Hunt won the Oscars for Best Actor and Best Actress, Nicholson's third Oscar. Ideal for those who like romantic comedies with difficult characters.

**Worth it if:** you enjoy romantic comedies with sharp edges.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 3. The Full Monty (1997)

::film[The Full Monty|1997]

Unemployed steelworkers in Sheffield decide to put on a striptease show.

- **Director:** Peter Cattaneo
- **Genre:** Comedy

**Why it stands out:** Peter Cattaneo's The Full Monty follows a group of unemployed steelworkers in Sheffield, England, led by Gaz, played by Robert Carlyle, who decide to put on a striptease show to make money, despite having no talent or the right bodies.

![A scene from The Full Monty (1997)](/blog/scenes/oscars-1998-best-picture-nominees/3.jpg)

Under the comedy, the film talks about unemployment, fatherhood and the self-esteem of men who lost their jobs when the steel industry collapsed. Watch the scene in the queue at the job center, when the music Hot Stuff starts and they cannot help dancing.

Made with a small budget, it became one of the most successful British films of its time and won the Oscar for its music. Ideal for those who want a funny comedy with heart.

**Worth it if:** you want a funny British story with heart.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 4. Good Will Hunting (1997)

::film[Good Will Hunting|1997]

A janitor with a genius for math faces his past with the help of a therapist.

- **Director:** Gus Van Sant
- **Genre:** Drama

**Why it stands out:** Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting follows Will, played by Matt Damon, a young janitor at a Boston university with a genius for mathematics, who is forced to see a therapist, Sean, played by Robin Williams, to avoid prison.

![A scene from Good Will Hunting (1997)](/blog/scenes/oscars-1998-best-picture-nominees/4.jpg)

The screenplay was written by Damon and his friend Ben Affleck, who also plays Will's best friend, and it won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Watch the conversations between Will and Sean, especially the scene on the park bench and the final session.

Robin Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, his only Oscar. Ideal for those who like moving dramas about friendship, talent and fear of being hurt.

**Worth it if:** you want a moving drama about friendship and talent.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 5. L.A. Confidential (1997)

::film[L.A. Confidential|1997]

Three cops in 1950s Los Angeles investigate a massacre and find corruption.

- **Director:** Curtis Hanson
- **Genre:** Crime, Thriller

**Why it stands out:** Curtis Hanson's L.A. Confidential, based on the novel by James Ellroy, follows three very different police officers in Los Angeles in the 1950s, played by Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce and Kevin Spacey, who investigate a massacre at a coffee shop and discover a web of corruption.

![A scene from L.A. Confidential (1997)](/blog/scenes/oscars-1998-best-picture-nominees/5.jpg)

The plot is full of twists and characters, so it rewards attention. Watch Kim Basinger as Lynn Bracken, a woman who looks like a movie star, a role that won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

It also won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, and many critics still consider it the best film of that year. Ideal for fans of classic crime stories and film noir.

**Worth it if:** you love classic crime stories with twists.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

# Where to start

Pick by the kind of night you want:

- **A big romantic epic:** *Titanic*.
- **Moving drama:** *Good Will Hunting*.
- **Comedy with heart:** *The Full Monty* or *As Good as It Gets*.
- **Crime and mystery:** *L.A. Confidential*.

If you have never seen Titanic, start there to understand the phenomenon that dominated that year. Then watch L.A. Confidential, the film many critics wanted to see win.

The Full Monty and As Good as It Gets are lighter and shorter, good choices for a relaxed night. Watch all five and rank them on Rankiew to see if you agree with the Academy.

# What won Best Picture at the 1998 Oscars?

Titanic won Best Picture, among its 11 Oscars, and James Cameron won Best Director.

# How many Oscars did Titanic win?

Eleven, tying the record of Ben-Hur. The record was later matched by The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

# Who won Best Actor and Best Actress at the 1998 Oscars?

Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, both for As Good as It Gets.

# Which one is your favorite?

Pick your favorite on Rankiew: rate every film, write reviews, build lists and start clubs to talk movies with friends.

[Create your free Rankiew account](/signup?lang=en)

**More from the series:** [Oscars 2022: every nominee and winner, category by category](/blog/oscars-2022-all-nominees)