Star Wars did not win best picture, nor was Lucas nominated as best director. There are exceptions, but the academy tends to go for the prestige pictures, (which usually aren’t competing with a sf or fantasy film in the technical awards) over what is popular. E.T. lost out to Gandhi, but which film is better remembered today?
I totally agree, was just saying that popular movies still win some awards from time to time (Star Wars in 1978 and Fury Road in 2016 have both won the same oscars, technical ok). If you want an oscar for best picture, do a biopic, or a true story.