Fifty million Twitter timelines can't be wrong: Award shows effing it up is half the reason we watch in the first place. But when an art form's top honors are actually bestowed on the most deserving recipients, it's like getting a thrilling glimpse into a world where quality, or at least Hollywood's version thereof, trumps commerce. With the 85th Academy Awards on their way, we're opening the envelope and honoring some of the best Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress winners below. Whether acknowledging a star in the making, conferring a capstone on a legendary career, or bucking tradition for an achievement that couldn't be ignored, these are a dozen examples of Oscar going where he belonged.—Sean T. Collins