On January 22, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its nominees for the 2026 Oscar awards. Horror thriller “Sinners” led the group with sixteen nominations, the most of any film in Oscar history. The Leonardo DiCaprio-led “One Battle After Another” came in second place this year, with thirteen.
This year’s nominees came from a relatively small pool of movies. Only 50 films were nominated; the lowest number since 2008. Make no mistake: this number is not the product of a weak year for cinema. Instead, many films from last year were shut out of the Oscars completely. The following 2025 films were critically acclaimed but received no nominations: Ari Aster’s political thriller “Eddington,” Park Chan-Wook’s dark comedy “No Other Choice,” Wes Anderson’s “The Phoeniecian Scheme,” “The Testament of Ann Lee,” which was directed by The Brutalist co- writer Mona Fastvold, and James Gunn’s strikingly-shot blockbuster “Superman.”
Nonetheless, this year’s Oscar nominations showcase an exciting collection of movies and performances, spanning a wide range of genres and languages. With that in mind, I have collated the following takes to help prepare you for the ceremony, adding a healthy dose of personal opinions for good measure.
Most deserved: “Sinners” (all nominations)
It is rare for a stand-alone movie, not tied to any established franchise or intellectual property, to command the zeitgeist. And yet, in 2025, a Black-led, Black-directed, completely original, historical fiction vampire thriller completely dominated cultural discourse. “Sinners” was directed by Ryan Coogler, whose previous work includes “Black Panther” and “Creed.” While those films provide fresh takes on existing franchises, “Sinners” revolutionizes the Hollywood blockbuster and vampire stories altogether by contextualizing both genres in the larger history of American racism and interracial belonging. It is both wildly entertaining and laden with subtext; comical and cerebral; fear-inducing and thought-provoking.
The film is tied together by an incredible dual-role performance by Michael B. Jordan, who cements himself as one of contemporary cinema’s defining stars through his performance as twins Smoke and Stack. Newcomer Miles Canton also steals the show with striking vocal performances on an incredible blues score composed by Ludwig Göransson (“Oppenheimer,” “Turning Red”). To top it all off, the whole film is creatively shot. During fight scenes, the camera dynamically moves between actors to capture each blow with clarity and precision. Lingering wide-shots are interspersed throughout the film and perfectly capture the beauty and danger of the historical Louisiana setting. Additionally, the film’s bold and dramatic lighting serves to immerse the audience within the film’s central conflict between light and darkness. Altogether, “Sinners” is an instant classic and will be re-watched and re-examined by many for years to come.
Least deserved: “F1: The Movie” (Best Picture)
The Brad Pitt-led summer blockbuster “F1: The Movie” did make a lot of money (~$630 million USD), but its inclusion in the Best Picture category is baffling. The film follows fictional Formula 1 driver Sonny Hayes, a grizzled racing veteran returning to the sport after a treacherous accident. The film was received well by critics, scoring 82 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, in my opinion, F1 is a by-the-numbers blockbuster with a weak screenplay and uninspired visuals. In a year with so many inventive and unique films, I’m surprised and disappointed that the Academy chose to give one of its most coveted nominations to a safe, formulaic brand tie-in movie.
Biggest snub: Jafar Panahi, “It Was Just an Accident” (Best Director)
After “It Was Just an Accident” won the prestigious Palme d’Or prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, it seemed inevitable that Jafar Panahi would be nominated for Best Director. In “It Was Just An Accident,” Panahi makes full use of his actors and environment, blending complex blocking and long takes to turn simple dialogue scenes into miniature paintings. He expertly manipulates body-to-body and body-to-space relationships to subtly communicate the characters’ experiences of powerfulness/powerlessness. And yet, despite receiving near-universal acclaim for his work, Panahi was excluded from the category. Panahi, who had previously been imprisoned multiple times by the Iranian government for his work, shot the film in secret, putting himself and his family in danger to fight Iran’s oppressive regime. He is now in self-exile, and faces a one-year prison sentence and two-year travel ban if he ever returns to Iran. That Pahahi was able to make such an intricate and beautiful film under these difficult conditions is a testament to his incredible skill as a director.
Best surprise: International films
As an American organization, the Academy has an unfortunate tendency to exclude foreign films from its biggest categories. This year, however, two international films were nominated for Best Picture: “The Secret Agent” (Brazil) and “Sentimental Value” (Norway). These films are also represented in every acting category. Remarkably, the entire principal cast of “Sentimental Value” received nominations. Additionally, “Sirāt” (Spain) and “It Was Just an Accident” (Iran) each received two nominations.
Personally, I would have liked to see more nominations for “It Was Just an Accident” and “No Other Choice” (South Korea), the latter of which was shut out completely. Still, I’m glad that the Academy is giving more foreign films a chance to shine. While I have not watched every nominated international film, I have enjoyed what I have seen so far. I am particularly glad that “Sentimental Value” received as much attention from the Academy as it did. The film is a striking portrayal of generational trauma that I imagine most viewers will find deeply resonant and moving.
Best film with zero nominations: “Wake Up, Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
A number of incredible films from 2025 did not receive any nominations. My favorite of the bunch is “Wake Up, Dead Man,” the third installment in director Rian Johnson’s murder mystery series. I would also argue that it is one of the best films of its genre, period. The movie follows a young priest, played by Josh O’Connor, who is sent to a small church for training, but finds himself entangled in a web of lies and anger fomented across generations. Daniel Craig returns as enigmatic detective Benoit Blanc, but it is O’Connor who truly elevates this film above its predecessors. His nuanced and understated performance keeps “Wake Up, Dead Man” grounded, and lends the film an emotional core that many whodunnit stories lack, film or otherwise.
The 98th annual Academy Awards will be held on March 15. The show, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will air live on ABC. To read the entire list of nominees, visit https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2026.
