POLL: Best Picture of the 1970s?

The Sting is a decent flick—solid, but nothing more than that.

man... what a lineup... whatever though, I'm voting for Flight

Haven't seen everything on this list, but nothing beats The Godfather for me... I'd say Braveheart is up there somewhere, but The Godfather is just an absolute legend 🙏

We are looking at a collection of absolute masterpieces, or at the very least, films that have left an indelible mark on cinema. However, "The Sting" and "Rocky" truly sting when you consider the historical slights; the fact that the former lost the Oscar to "American Graphite" and "The Exorcist," and that "Rocky" was bypassed for "Taxi Driver," remains one of the greatest injustices in the history of the Academy.
It is difficult to select a single standout from this list, but if forced to choose, I would point to "The Godfather Part II." It sits there, breathing down the neck of "The Godfather," "French Connection," and "The Deer Hunter."

Alright, here goes:

The Godfather
Patton
The Godfather Part II
French Connection
Flight
The Hunter

I haven't even seen "Annie Hall" or "Midnight Cowboy".🙈

"Sting" is just a blast, nothing more.

"Rocky" is...☕

1 The Hunter
2 Flight Above the Coward's Nest

Finally snagged Flight over the coward's nest after hunting for it for years🙏 🙏 🙏
Let's see if it actually manages to top The Godfather...

Looking at this lineup, it’s pretty obvious that the 70s might just be the absolute peak of American cinema. Back then, the directors were truly calling the shots—it was about their vision, not just what some producer wanted to push through.
Honestly, it would be just as impressive to see a list of all the films that missed out on an Oscar.
But man, looking at this specific selection, picking a single winner is almost impossible...

I’d personally take Rocky off this list. Both Taxi Driver and Network were filmed that same year, and honestly, they’re both better movies. I’m with you on Annie Hall; even though I’m not a huge fan of Woody, he definitely brought something fresh to the table with that one. Patton doesn't quite fit for me either, especially looking at it alongside M. A. S. H.
Of course, the OP isn't looking for criticism since they just posted a list, but my critiques are aimed at the Academy. So many 70s classics didn't actually win anything—think about A Clockwork Orange, Straw Dogs, or how Chinatown only took home an award for screenplay...
Midnight Cowboy really belongs to 1969. Since the Oscars are handed out in February, it was technically 1970, but chronologically, it’s a 60s film. It’s similar to how an Oscar was missed in 1979 (Kramer vs. Kramer) when Apocalypse Now was the main competition... the ceremony was held in '80, but the movie is firmly a 70s film.