The French Connection
1971 Best Picture

100 Words
Let us take a moment to acknowledge that the main character is named Popeye. Thank you.

This is one of the shortest Best Picture winners to date and that is likely because it makes you feel like you are holding your breath the whole time. Gasp for air.

Two cops – Popeye and the guy who needs a bigger boat – pursue a lead to quash New York’s heroin problem. As everyone reading this can surmise, quashing a drug problem is costly and there’s money to be made in keeping everyone hooked.

The ending doesn’t pull any punches. Are you fucking kidding?