98TH ACADEMY AWARDS

Nominations Announced: January 22, 2026
Awards Ceremony: March 15, 2026

Ninety-seven years of Oscar history, and somehow the Academy still finds new ways to break my heart. Last year's ceremony denied Demi Moore the crowning moment of her The Substance comeback while handing Best Picture to Anora, a perfectly fine film that I guarantee nobody has thought about since. The first Academy Awards ceremony took place on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, with just 270 attendees and a fifteen-minute presentation. Wings took Best Picture. Emil Jannings won Best Actor. The whole thing cost five dollars to attend. Nearly a century later, it's become the most-watched non-sporting event in television history, a global phenomenon that still shapes careers and cements legacies. And yet here I am, not sure I'm ready to get hurt again.

This year's race lacks the variety that makes award season genuinely exciting. Looking across the precursors, you'd think maybe twenty movies came out in 2025. Nobody's taking risks. Where's the challenger? The scrappy indie that sneaks into the conversation? The performance that comes out of nowhere and scrambles everyone's predictions? The nominations feel locked before a single ballot is cast, and several of the "sure things" leave me scratching my head. Benicio del Toro in One Battle After Another is perfectly fine, but a Supporting Actor nomination? There are at least four men delivering stronger work who aren't even in the conversation. The buzz on Wicked: For Good has cooled considerably, and I think we give Ariana Grande the year off to let Wunmi Mosaku's devastating work in Sinners claim the recognition it deserves.

And then there's The Testament of Ann Lee, a film being ignored on a truly striking scale. A gorgeous production made for just ten million dollars, it's exactly the kind of craft-driven, talent-forward filmmaking the Academy claims to champion. Daniel Blumberg's haunting songs deserve Original Song consideration, but instead we'll get Diane Warren's latest bland ballad from her own biopic as a guaranteed nominee. Warren has written some forgettable tunes that secured nominations over the years, but you'd think she'd deliver something undeniably good for a movie about her own life to triumphantly claim an Oscar in competition. Apparently not. The odds favor One Battle After Another to win it all, but that film has been far overhyped for my taste. Sinners represents where filmmaking is right now, but the Academy would never go for it. So even before nominations drop, I'm sticking with what I predicted months ago: Hamnet is the dark horse to win Best Picture while Paul Thomas Anderson takes the directing prize for One Battle After Another.

The one bright spot? Amy Madigan in Weapons. If she secures the nomination (still a hurdle, but I think she makes it), conventional wisdom says she'll win. And then the Demi comparisons will start. Our hopes will rise. The narrative will write itself: veteran actress, long overdue, delivering career-best work. Oscar night will arrive, and I'll sit there knowing exactly what's coming but still foolish enough to believe. The Academy has ninety-seven years of history. In that time, they've crowned unexpected champions (Moonlight over La La Land after that unforgettable envelope disaster), rewarded long-suffering legends (Peter O'Toole waited forty years for his honorary Oscar), and made choices that aged like milk (Crash over Brokeback Mountain still stings twenty years later). Whatever happens on March 15, it'll add another chapter to that complicated legacy. I just hope this year's chapter doesn't leave me heartbroken again.

🏆 Oscar Morning Update! 🏆

Well, the nominations are officially out — and lo and behold, The Academy did have a few surprises up its sleeves. The kind that shove out a couple "sure thing" nominees and make room for contenders who actually deserve the spotlight.

I have to start by saying how thrilled I was to see Kate Hudson recognized for Song Sung Blue (its only nomination, sadly). This comes 25 years after her Supporting Actress nod for Almost Famous, and it's easily her best work since — honestly, I'd argue it's even better. If that means it bumped out expected nominee Chase Infiniti for One Battle After Another, I'm fine with that trade. Infiniti has plenty of time ahead of her to rack up nominations. Hudson's been waiting long enough.

And I've been disappointed to see Delroy Lindo shut out on Oscar nomination morning before... so today, I cheered when his name finally came up as part of Sinners' massive haul: 16 nominations. That's a new record, topping previous champs All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land, which each landed 14. Lindo joins fellow acting nominees Wunmi Mosaku (who surged into the Supporting Actress race over the last month) and Michael B. Jordan, cementing Sinners as one of the defining films of 2026.

I was also genuinely delighted to see Elle Fanning make it in for Sentimental Value. With her three co-stars showing up everywhere throughout the season (and all landing Oscar nominations of their own), it would've been a major omission if she'd been left behind. Fanning has had an excellent year between this and her strong work in Predator: Badlands, and this nomination feels like the cherry on top.

Of course, with the good comes the bad — and it was crushing to see The Testament of Ann Lee completely blanked. Especially from an Academy that embraced The Brutalist so loudly last year. With much of the same creative team involved, the shutout is baffling, and it really feels like something went wrong behind the scenes. Was it a release timing issue? Did its \$70MM limited rollout fail to generate the right kind of buzz outside the industry bubble? Whatever happened, it's a shame. It's a terrific film, and Amanda Seyfried gave the performance of her career.

I'm also stunned that Bryce Dessner's score for Train Dreams wasn't acknowledged. It wasn't just part of the film — it was practically another character, and it's certainly stronger than a few of the nominees that did make the cut. Train Dreams still did well overall (Best Picture, Cinematography, Original Song, Adapted Screenplay), but I'm especially disappointed Joel Edgerton didn't land the Best Actor nomination he deserved. There are at least two nominees I would happily boot to make room for him.

A few more quick hits:

YAY for Amy Madigan — truly one of my favorite "oh thank GOD" nominations of the morning. Now the only question is... can she actually win? Because I would love to live in that timeline.

I also truly cannot believe Diane Warren received another nomination for another aggressively mid song. This is exactly why people treat this category like a running gag. And honestly? That slot should've been jettisoned for "Dream As One" from Avatar: Fire and Ash, co-written and performed by Miley Cyrus, which actually sounds like a song written for a movie and not a contractual obligation.

Speaking of Avatar: Fire and Ash — I'm still trying to process its Best Costume Design nomination. Random! Not unwelcome, just... random. Like the Academy reached into a hat, pulled out "Avatar," shrugged, and said, "Sure."

And while we're on the subject of confusion: how in the world was Wicked: For Good completely blanked? Just a year ago, the first film was a major awards contender. Even if the second chapter wasn't quite as huge of a critical hit, most of us assumed it would still land somewhere — a few technical nods, maybe a song, and possibly Ariana Grande repeating in Supporting Actress. Instead? Nothing. Which really does underline how fickle Hollywood can be. This year, nobody in the Wicked camp was flying high.

On the acting front, there are going to be snubs people will be buzzing about all day — some I'm mildly disappointed by, and some I'm not surprised by in the slightest. The biggest shock for me was Paul Mescal missing for Hamnet. He's such an essential part of that film, but his work isn't the "engine" of Jessie Buckley's performance, which may be why it was easy for voters to separate the two. Still, it stings.

Other notable misses: Jesse Plemons in Bugonia, Odessa A'Zion and Gwyneth Paltrow in Marty Supreme... the kind of performances that were "in the conversation" right up until the moment the conversation ended.

I'm also pleased to see Sirāt show up in a few categories, and I don't think I've ever cheered as loudly for a Live Action Short nomination — but once you see The Singers, you'll be cheering too. It's fantastic.

And finally: I'm sure everyone will be chattering about F1's surprise performance today, earning a Best Picture nod over Cannes Palme d'Or winner It Was Just an Accident. But this isn't like last year's race, where Anora arrived with a completely different kind of energy. It Was Just an Accident is complex, somber material — the kind of film that requires focused engagement, not casual admiration. It did land nominations for International Feature and Original Screenplay, but missed the Best Picture and Best Director recognition it seemed destined for. (Thankfully, that opened the door for Joachim Trier to make it in for Sentimental Value.)

Now that I've gotten my initial joy, shock, and mild outrage out of my system, let's dig into the full list — category by category — and see who's actually in the best position to win on Oscar night.

🏆 Oscar Night Debrief 🏆

Before diving into my thoughts, I'm happy to report that I watched all 50 Oscar-nominated films this year—and I actually finished early for once, rather than cramming them in at the last minute like I usually do!

The Oscars were a huge step up from last year's ceremony. The set design leaned earthy and organic—perhaps intentionally so after last year's devastating wildfires—suggesting renewal and growth. Conan O'Brien proved once again that he understands the assignment as host. He knows how to spoof films without tearing them down, a distinction some past hosts never quite grasped. This is an awards show celebrating movies; people aren't tuning in to watch them get mocked.

The show moved at a brisk pace, and most of the extra bits actually worked. Still, the perennial question remains: if the broadcast has a four-hour block, why not use the time and let winners finish their speeches? There has to be a better system. Nominees could easily tell producers ahead of time how many people plan to speak if they win, or an announcer could warn the room when time is tight. The current method—cutting people off mid-thought—always feels awkward and unnecessary.

One of the biggest improvements over last year was the unpredictability. The 2025 races were largely decided before the show even began (aside from Best Actress… which I'm still not emotionally ready to revisit). This year, several categories felt genuinely up in the air right until the envelopes were opened. The Academy's newer rule requiring voters to confirm they've watched all the nominees before voting likely helped, and the results reflected that: a refreshingly varied slate of winners.

I was thrilled to see Amy Madigan win Supporting Actress for Weapons—exactly the kind of performance the Academy rarely rewards. While Supporting Actress is sometimes where the Oscars honor bolder work (think Ruth Gordon in Rosemary's Baby), every nominee in this category was worthy. Still, Madigan had the momentum going in.

Sean Penn won his third Oscar for One Battle After Another, though it was disappointing he wasn't there to accept it. Penn has long been uneasy with the competitive nature of the Oscars, but if that's the case he could always remove himself from consideration. Skipping the ceremony for reasons other than illness or family matters feels a little disrespectful considering everything the industry has given him.

Interestingly, the supporting categories leaned toward Hollywood veterans, while the lead acting awards highlighted the next generation of A-list talent. Jessie Buckley was the clear Best Actress frontrunner for Hamnet, and rightly so. Meanwhile, Michael B. Jordan's Best Actor win for Sinners felt like one of the most satisfying "finally" moments in recent Oscar history. Many of us have been waiting for him to win ever since seeing the film nearly a year ago. Delivering one standout performance is impressive; delivering two (arguably three) in the same year makes the win undeniable.

Sinners ultimately took home four Oscars, including Best Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler, Best Original Score for Ludwig Göransson, and Best Cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw, who made history as the first woman ever to win the cinematography Oscar.

Still, the night belonged to Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, which won six Oscars including Best Picture. Anderson finally had his long-overdue Oscar moment, winning Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay after nearly three decades of nominations. The film also won Film Editing for Andy Jurgensen and claimed the first-ever Oscar for Best Casting, a brand-new category and the first competitive addition since Best Animated Feature was introduced in the early 2000s. Between One Battle After Another and Sinners, it was a record night for Warner Bros.

While I wish Sinners had carried its momentum into Best Director and Best Picture, I'm not upset that One Battle After Another won. It wasn't my personal favorite of the year (Train Dreams, which sadly went home empty-handed, takes that title), but this was a strong year for film and several movies could have justified the top prize.

Elsewhere, KPop Demon Hunters won Best Animated Feature, while its song "Golden" became the first K-pop track ever to win Best Original Song. Frankenstein swept three craft categories—Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Production Design.

And in one of the night's rarest moments, Best Live Action Short ended in a tie—only the third tie in Oscar history.

All told, the 98th Oscars were energetic, competitive, and refreshingly unpredictable—a ceremony that actually felt like a celebration of movies again. And as a final bonus, a couple of films that absolutely deserved to go home empty-handed—Marty Supreme and The Secret Agent—did exactly that. I liked Marty Supreme well enough, but the marketing campaign (not just Chalamet's antics) became increasingly obnoxious. As for The Secret Agent, I remain baffled by the enthusiasm surrounding both the film and its star.

Sometimes the Academy does get it right.

FILM

Best Picture

⭐ One Battle After Another - WINNER! ⭐

The Secret Agent