Made outside of China's censorship system, these films were lauded as dreamy and raw; his vision focused, almost unwittingly, on the country's tumultuous past and the plight of individual folk, often seen through the eyes of a strong female lead.
The book Alternate Oscars looks at every Oscar awarded in the big three categories -- picture, actor, and actress -- from 1927-28 on and offers, when appropriate, a better choice. But it stops with the 1991 Oscars, which leaves the last 20 years wide open.