I love movies and I love awards season and I love lists, so naturally I had to make a ranking of all the films nominated for Best Picture at the 2026 Oscars. I wouldn't call myself a cinephile, more like a movie enthusiast at best, so obviously take everything with a grain of salt and preferably watch all of these movies to make your own opinion; at the end of the day, even though I didn't love or even like all of them, I would still argue that they're all good and should be appreciated for all the talent and artistry that went into creating them. Also, I am not always very objective in my critiques and spend a lot time yapping how I felt and how a movie affected me; this doesn't mean that I am the ultimate arbiter of art, it just means that this is my blog and I know a bit more about my thoughts and feelings than I have technical movie knowledge :)
This is probably my most controversial opinion of this season (not that I have that many), but I did not think this movie was all that great. There were definitely aspects of it that I liked, such as the cinematography or the soundtrack, the acting performances to some extent (I say to some extent because, while the cast is obviously outstanding, a recurring problem of mine when it comes to Yorgos Lanthimos movies is that while the acting is great, I am all too aware that that's all that it is - acting. It feels like I'm watching a bunch of very talented theatre kids do an acting exercise. Not yet sure if it's the scripts or the direction or what.) Ultimately I just couldn't get over how much I disliked the screenplay, which is an unpopular opinion to say the least. Hear me out though.
I came to the conclusion that there are two aspects of the screenplay that people usually praise and that simply did not work for me at all, which is why the movie failed to wow me altogether: the first one is the exploration of why and how people fall for conspiracy theories, here mostly through the conversations the characters have with one another. And while I wouldn't call the execution of it bad, I also didn't find it particularly groundbreaking; I walked out of the theatre not really having "discovered" any new ideas or perspectives, which was disappointing since that was obviously what the movie was aiming for. But it doesn't offer you much more than "often people cling to conspiracy theories because they have been hurt and failed by the system", and while in itself that statement isn't shallow at all, after 100 minutes of the characters having the same conversation again and again, I was ready to for something fresh.
Which is how we get to the ending, and I know a lot of people found it subversive/crazy/unexpected... And I can't relate to that at all because come on, it's a Yorgos Lanthimos movie, I thought we all knew she was actually gonna be an¸alien ever since the trailer dropped! Matter of fact, the plot twist was so predictable to me that I expected it to happen a lot sooner so that the movie could introduce and properly explore some new themes. To my disappointment, it only reveals Emma Stone's alien identity towards the very end, obviously serving more for shock value rather than because the movie has something genuinely interesting to do or say with it. We just spent the last almost two hours reiterating that it is easy yet wrong to believe fake news and conspiracies rather than to accept how complicated, nuanced and mundanely fucked up the real world is... only for a last minute reveal that there actually was a conspiracy all along. I don't necessarily have an issue with this twist, but I wish the film had thought more about its implications on the overall message.
And this is something that annoys me with Lanthimos' movies: he seems to always prefer the shocking yet superficial to actually diving deeper into the ideas at hand. I am, admittedly, quite harsh on him, not because I think he is a bad filmmaker, but because I think he is great and I know that he has it in him to make a movie that will stick with me - and not just because it looks cool or because something weird happens or because Emma Stone is really good in it.
(Also I have many thoughts on the graphic violence done against the main character and how Yorgos Lanthimos treats his female characters in general but this is already way too long anyway.)
This movie really rocks! When no one's talking that is. If Bugonia's screenplay was disappointing, F1's screenplay is downright atrocious, and the film's only saving grace are its technical aspects - the editing and sound nominations are 100% deserved. The montages were stunning to experience in the theater and as a Formula 1 fan, it was so fun to be able to go "I know this driver! I know this track! I know this rule!" every 15 minutes or so.
Now, the dialogue and the plot on the other hand... Oh, it was rough to say the least. Not a single conversation in this movie feels natural no matter how much you try to suspend your disbelief, despite how good (most of) the cast is. And as for the overall story... If you've ever watched a sports movie in your life, you could guess the plot pretty much beat for beat just from the trailer. Just imagine Pixar's Cars (2006) if instead of an arrogant rookie who learns that community matters more than winning, Lightning McQueen was a self-insert for an aging actor who tries to make himself seem cool and sexy but instead comes off as desperate, embarassing and out of touch. The closest this movie comes to having a message that isn't "don't be mean to Brad Pitt just because he's old" is a couple of mandatory "Those kids and their dang phones!" scenes.
TL;DR: Gorgeous cars, beautiful cars.
I can see why so many people love Marty Supreme, it just didn't really resonate with me personally. If I was a 17 year old boy I would have been obsessed, but for some reason I just didn't really connect to the story that much, which just happens sometimes. Might have just been 'cause I was recovering from a pretty rough tummy ache. I did enjoy the chaos though, I'm a big fan of when movies do something crazy that makes you go "surely it can't get more absurd" and then it does.
To be completely honest, I wasn't all that infatuated with this this movie when I walked out of the theatre - sure, I thought it was objectively very good, but that was pretty much it. But as I kept coming back to it in my thoughts, I started appreciating it a lot more, bit by bit. As of now, One Battle appears to be the frontrunner for Best Picture and while there are six other films I like better in this year's lineup, I won't be mad if it ends up winning.
It is also the entry I would pick (and probably also the lock) for Best Original Screenplay. Despite the online discourse, I liked Paul Thomas Anderson's portrayal of leftist rebellions/resistances, including the times he is critical of them (e.g. The contrast between The French 75 being very flashy, more ideological and "performative", which ultimately leads to its downfall, compared to Sensei Sergio's circle's more underground, community focused methods and efforts. Reminds me a bit of the second season of Andor that came out this year.). The script also does a great job at making the far-right, white supremacist villains both genuinely scary and laughable at the same time, like in the supermarket scene where colonel Lockjaw talks to Bob about his daughter - he sounds laugh-out-loud ridiculous, but you also understand how scary and dangerous he is. Same with the Christmas Adventurers moments; the power and sheer evil of these men makes you uncomfortable and terrified for the protagonists, but you also can't help but find them silly.
We'll see how well the acting performances do with the Academy (and yes I'm still upset about Chase Infiniti being snubbed in Leading Actress), but the entire cast does such a great job that I believe they'll secure at least one of the categories. I'm not gonna get into them individually because then this post would end up being twice as long as it is but I adored each and every one of them.
Due to Netflix producers assuming everyone watches movies while on their phone and therefore demanding every single thing to be explicitly commented on and spelled out, Frankenstein is about as subtle as a brick ("You're the real monster, Victor!"), but I don't really care. Well, I do care, but it is still so good that I loved it anyway. Guillermo del Toro, for me, is just one of those directors that I'm so in tune with that I sometimes wonder if he sees into my head or something.
When it comes to adapting books, especially classic literature, there's always going to be disagreement over what should be included, what should be reworked and what should be discarded altogether and del Toro's Frankenstein is no exception; it is not very faithful to the plot of the original novel, but in my opinion it does a great job of taking the book's themes (man playing god, humanity vs. monstrosity, loneliness and the need for companionship) and translating them into an entirely different medium for an entirely different audience, at least on an emotional level. And for how clunky the screenplay is most of the time, there are some absolute bangers in there ("You think me monstrous but to myself I simply am!" and "The miracle is not that I should speak but that you should listen!" are some of my favourite lines in particular).
Oscar Isaac is doing this dumb accent that made me giggle multiple times and probably should've been taking me out of the movie, but instead it was so fun I found myself somewhat endeared. Mia Goth was, predictably, great as Elisabeth - I believe GDT said she was his only pick and I absolutely see why, she just possesses this singular soft, somewhat alien energy that is so perfect for a character that is very kind and caring but ultimately doesn't fit in. And then there's Jacob Elordi, who I can't believe was a last minute replacement, because of just how much his performance as The Creature elevates this film. It's probably one of the very few times I genuinely believed a character was actually a child in an adult body, and it is so important for the film to work that you do see The Creature as a newborn thrust into a world that doesn't treat him like one. I would actually be quite happy if he won in the Supporting Actor category (he won't but it would be really cool).
And again, shout out to Guillermo "Adapting is like marrying a widow, you respect the memory of the husband, but at some point you've gotta get it on" del Toro. He just gets it!
Lovelovelove movies where a house is a character in its own right! I didn't really expect to connect with Sentimental Value on a personal level, since it's main focus is fucked up families and complicated father-daughter relationships and (not to brag but) I get along with my immediate family almost abnormally well. Still, the character of Nora hit very close to home, and the scene towards the end with her and Agnes made me ugly cry. Both Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas are incredibly impressive, as is Stellan Skarsgard and Elle Fanning. Shame on the SAG Awards for failing to recognize this film, or pretty much any foreign movies! As Bong Joon-Ho put it, once you overcome the 1-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.
This is probably the least talked about film of the bunch, which is why I was putting it off until a couple of days ago. It is visually very stunning, but I was doubting if I would be able to connect with the story of a 20th century logger at all (not unlike with Sentimental Value). And, honestly, I wasn't for a good portion of the movie, until the very end when something just clicked and I found myself bawling my eyes out. And I couldn't help but feel like that was exactly how this film was meant to be experienced, mirroring how the protagonist felt about his own life: appreciative yet disconnected until it was almost over. I think the final scene will stick with me for a good while. And also, I'm just always excited to see Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones and Kerry Condon on my screen. The only gripe I've got with this movie is the fact that it didn't have a theatrical release, which is especially unfortunate given that it is a slow movie with gorgeous cinematography that really demands your full attention - aka the exact type of movie made for theaters. David Zaslav I am in your walls.
It is genuinely surprising how cozy a movie about a scientist fleeing prosecution that doesn't even really tell you what's going on until about two thirds of the way through can be. The "coziness" wasn't the main goal of the movie, but the characters feel so real and the world is so lived in that you genuinely get the sense that you are seeking refuge among immigrants and political dissidents in 1970s Brazil as well. The Secret Agent keeps you in the dark for a large chunk of the runtime, only showing you bits and pieces, slowly letting you put the whole picture together until fully revealing what is happening - what has happened - in the final act. And then you can have your heart broken by the epilogue.
I am hoping for a Wagner Moura win in Lead Actor, though it seems to be between Chalamet and DiCaprio at the moment, and also a win the new Best Casting category. Every single actor makes this movie such a real experience, obviously because of how much talent there is within the cast but also because it is so refreshing to see a movie with characters that look like actual people and not variations of the same cosmetic procedures and plastic surgeries. Oscars get more international now!!!
I am so serious when I say that all the talk about Hamnet being "emotionally manipulative" and whatnot is just misogyny because filmbros can't handle a movie that is made by women and almost entirely centred on the feelings of women (and children). It's alright if it doesn't particularly resonate with you but sometimes you just gotta take the L and admit that maybe it's a you problem.
Anyway, this movie made me cry hysterically to the point where I had to start doing breathing exercises in the theater and when they played the trailer the next time I was seeing a movie I teared up again. It's so beautiful and so sad but also so hopeful, allows its characters to be messy and imperfect at times while making us understand that they're doing the best they can.
Jessie Buckley has the Oscar in the bag at this point and well deserved. Her performance as Agnes is so layered and heartbreaking, what a talent. The entire cast is on fire, though I will give a special shout out to Jacobi Jupe - child actors can be crazy man. I felt like it was my own kid that died.
What a gorgeous, gorgeous film. I really hope they get at least a few Oscars; on top of the obvious one for Jessie, I would love for it to win in something like Best Casting or Best Cinematography.
Movie of the year movie of the decade movie of the century!!! I'm not sure if I have anything to say about Sinners that hasn't been said already. Yeah we all know that it's great and that I Lied To You is one of the best scenes in the history of cinema and that the soundtrack goes hard. It seems like the Academy is finally getting over it's bias against horror, making this the most nominated picture in the history of Oscars (I was particularly delighted to see Delroy Lindo nominated for Supporting Actor) - let's hope that those nominations translate into wins.
Yeah, I really don't have that much more to add when it comes to this film. I feel like it speaks for itself.