Nicolas Cage Oscar
Nicolas Cage (left) is an Oscar winner. Reuters

The Oscars take place on Sunday and while hindsight is 20/20, there will be a few winners that will be soon forgotten. That's not meant to discredit the work or films, but there always will be a few regrets and surprises. Before the 87th Academy Awards, let's take a look at a few forgotten Oscar winners.

Nicolas Cage

You'll be forgiven if you forgot Cage was considered a serious actor. The "National Treasure" and "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" actor is more famous now for his love for Superman and the memes that have popped up across the Internet, but he does have an Oscar under his belt. Cage won as best actor 1996 for "Leaving Las Vegas" and also was nominated for best actor for 2002's "Adaptation." So, yeah, Cage has an acting Oscar while Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, Bill Murray, Peter O'Toole and a whole host of others do not.

X-Rated Films

There have been three X-rated movies that have been nominated for Oscars. "Midnight Cowboy" was nominated for seven Oscars in 1970 and won for best picture -- the only X-rated movie ever to do so -- director and adapted screenplay. "A Clockwork Orange" was nominated for four Oscars in 1972, including best picture; "The French Connection" took the top prize. "Midnight" and "Clockwork" have been re-classified as R-rated movies, but "Last Tango in Paris" remains rated NC-17, as the X is now known. "Last Tango" was nominated for two Oscars in 1974, for star Marlon Brando and director Bernardo Bertolucci.

Whoopi Goldberg

Yes, Whoopi's got an Oscar. A comedy legend and long-running host of "The View," Goldberg has plenty of range as an actress and has starred in "Sister Act," "Girl, Interrupted," "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "The Color Purple." She won a best supporting actress Oscar for her role as Oda Mae Brown in "Ghost" and was a best actress nominee for "Purple."

'The Artist'

Remember that thing about hindsight? "The Artist," while very good, may be one of those movies that will get lost in the discussion about Oscar winners. The 84th Academy Awards had a pretty decent field of contenders, but there was no controversy like there had been 16 years earlier when "Pulp Fiction" lost to "Forrest Gump." "The Artist" won best picture, actor, director, costume design and original score.

Cher

Cher has been in a few movies and won a best actress Oscar in 1988 for "Moonstruck." She also was nominated for best supporting actress for 1983's "Silkwood."

The Beatles

We know all about the Beatles, so it shouldn't be surprising the Fab Four have an Oscar to go with all the other awards on their mantel. As a group, they won a best original score Oscar for 1970's "Let It Be." Paul McCartney has two additional nominations for best song, "Vanilla Sky" and "Live and Let Die."

Marisa Tomei

Tomei's win for best supporting actress for "My Cousin Vinny" in 1993 may be better known for the urban legend surrounding it. The story goes that Tomei was awarded the Oscar by mistake and Vanessa Redgrave was supposed to win for "Howards End."

'Gladiator'

"Gladiator" was a really fun movie, but its five Oscars sting a bit when you look at what was nominated for 2000. While some years are stronger than others, the 73rd Academy Awards featured movies like "Traffic," "Erin Brockovich," "Requiem for a Dream," "Chocolat," "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

'The Silence Of The Lambs'

Horror movies rarely get any Oscar attention, so it was great to see "The Silence of the Lambs" win the "Big Five" at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992. "Silence" won best picture, Jonathan Demme won for director, Anthony Hopkins for actor, Jodie Foster for actress and Ted Tally for adapted screenplay.

'Shaft'

Issac Hayes won a best song Oscar in 1972 for "Theme From Shaft" and was nominated for best score.