This post is about the Oscars. 2026. Awards. And a haphazard collection of my opinions. I’ll go through the main categories. Share who I think were snubbed, who should be replaced. And who I would vote for – among the actual nominees – and why. Standard stuff. Very interesting to read, I’m sure.
A C T I N G !
Best Supporting Actor
Snubs:
Jacobi Jupe for “Hamnet“. An unknown name, because he is the kid playing the titular Hamnet. I have not been this impressed by a kid in a long time. Jessie Buckley’s anguished screaming may have done a lot of heavy lifting, but the death scene does not work without Jupe’s performance. Both the child-like purity he displays leading up to it, as well as the physicality of extinguishing.
Lee Sung-min for “No Other Choice“. You’ll notice that film tiltle a few times, since it got a grand total of ZeRo nominations. For shame, Academy. If it had got the attention and respect it deserved, I would think this performance would have gotten more attention. He is the first potential victim of the main character and is only in a handful of scenes. But with the time given, makes a big impact. A quintessential good supporting performance. Lee even gets an emotional monologue which is essentially the movie’s thesis (or one of the theses). A bit over the top, but appropriate.
Kick out:
Jacob Elordi for “Frankenstein” for one. It wasn’t a bad performance, but definitely the weakest of the bunch. As for the second person to kick out, it’s a bit tougher. Both Penn and Del Toro should stay. And I like Skarsgard and Lindo, they both deserve recognition in general as actors. So let’s go with Skarsgard then, since I liked “Sinners” more than “Sentimental Value”. That seems fair and balanced.
To win:
I suppose Sean Penn for “One Battle After Another“.
Something irks me about this. He is in so much of the movie. Perhaps I am still sensitive from last years award, where Kieren Culkin won for what was actually a lead performance. But then again Sean Penn isn’t really a lead and these sorts of roles should be acknowledged as well. It is hard to deny his idiosyncratic colonel wasn’t the most memorable of the bunch. Great physical performance with his goofy walk and posture.
Best Supporting Actress
Snubs:
Here I don’t have any impassioned hot takes. But I’ll choose someone for the sake of it. An obvious pick, but obvious for good reasons: Odessa A’zion for “Marty Supreme”. It is a dynamic role as Marty’s friend/girlfriend/situationship: plenty of crying and conniving and arguing.
Kick out:
One of the “Sentimental Value” gals. Probably Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, though it is fun to have some non-Americans nominated. So unfortunately, I would boot Elle Fanning. A servicable performance that doesn’t really elevate the story. Feels more like a background character.
To win:
It is a tough choice. All the three remaining women are worthwhile winners. Perhaps it should go to Teyana Taylor for “One Battle After Another”. A morally complicated character which carries the first chapter of the film and whose impact resonates throughout. But I would vote for Amy Madigan for “Weapons”. It is so rare for such wild and eccentric roles from horror movies to be up for such prestigious awards.
Best Actor
Snubs:
Jesse Plemmons for “Bugonia” Obviously. Not to take away from Emma Stone and Aidan Delbis who also did an excellent job, but Plemmons carried this movie. He has to be both in control and out of his depth. Both seems like he knows what he is talking about and out of his mind. He cries, he rages. With Jessie Buckley being the presumptive winner for Best Actress, it would have been awesome for the two Jess(i)es to win the same year. A reunion of the best movie of the decade thus far “I’m Thinking of Ending Things”. For which they both should have also gotten acting nominations beeteedubs.
Joel Edgerton for “Train Dreams”. A quiet performance of a quiet man. He is more of an observer than a mover and shaker, but Edgerton is still able to convey so much emotion and humanity with just a glance. There is a richness of soul just below the surface that leaks out here and there.
Kick out:
The reason why he was snubbed, was because it was quite a good year. Don’t really want to kick anyone out. But were I to choose, it would be Wagner Moura for “Secret Agent”. It is a subtle performance that may have resonated with me more if the movie itself had. Giving the second boot is harder as the remaining four are all worthy. Begrudgingly, it would be Michael B. Jordan for “Sinners”. The strength of “Sinners” is the entire cast, without one performance in particular being the standout. It should definitely win for best casting.
To win:
Thomas Champagne for “Marty Supreme” Sorry to the other nominees, even if it would be awesome for Ethan Hawke to win one, even if this would be a better win for DiCaprio than “The Revenant”, even if Michael B. Jordan impressed in his dual-roles, but Marty Mauser is electric. Chalamet is putting on a performance of a hustler, someone who himself is always performing. Charismatic yet pathetic. Talking 100 miles/hour, playing ping-pong like his soul hangs in the balance, and running around like a wild animal. Marty is likely to be an infamously iconic character the likes of Tyler Durden, Jordan Belfort, Patrick Bateman and do societal damage via the emotionally stunted men who idolize them. But still, it is the best performance of the year hands down.
Best Actress
Snubs:
Lea Myren for “Ugly Stepsister”. Been a while since a hipster pick. She plays the titular ugly stepsister and Myren imbues the role with the necessary sense of innocence. But one that gradually turns into frustration, rebelliousness, entitlement, and ultimately anguish. It’s a really good movie that wouldn’t work without Myren’s performance.
Kick Out:
Easy. Kate Hudson for “Sing Sung Blue”. Of all the twenty acting nominations this is the most undeserving one. Begone!
To win:
Jessie Buckley is going to win. Not that she doesn’t deserve it. It is definitely the most acting being done out of everyone. I think Buckley is great, ever since I saw her in “Beast” back in 2017. I am glad she is getting wider recognition. I am sure she will be nominated again. Maybe even win again. BuuUUuuT, who likely won’t be in this position again. And who, I think, gave a better performance this year, is Rose Byrne for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”. I tend to resonate more with big performance, displays of catharsis, but this year I am rooting for the more grounded one. Byrne has a more reserved performance, but no less outstanding. You can feel life and the world weighing on her in every exasperated look. Her words may say she is fine, but everything else about her face says she is doing everything not to crack. Byrne has an uncanny ability to play tired really well (More evidence in this Portlandia sketch). In this perfect combination of role and actress, it would be so great for her to get it.
OTHER CATEGORIES
Best Director
Snub:
Park Chan-wook for “No Other Choice”. There was no other choice. Dude is an auteur in every sense and continues to have zero recognition at the Oscars. For Shame!
To Kick:
Anyone but PTA or Coogler.
To win:
PTA (One Battle After Another) or Coogler (Sinners) “Sinners” is a ‘more than a sum of its parts’ type movie, and generally the director gets credit for that. At the same time it is long overdue for Paul Thomas Anderson.
Best Cinematography
Snub:
“No Other Choice“. Yes, this again. It’s a good movie. It’s visually interesting, storytelling and emotion through cinematography.
Kick Out:
“Marty Supreme” All the other nominees are more visually interesting. Marty Supreme’s strengths are the script, perfromances, and score.
To win:
Between “Sinners” and “OBAA” again. The car chase at the end probably seals it for “One Battle After Another”.
Best Original Screenplay
Snubs:
“Twinless”. A great movie people should watch. The type of movie where it seems appropriate to receive a nomination for screenplay as its only nom. Like “Ghost World” or “In Bruges” or “Knives Out”. Well written dialogue, unique plot and characters.
Kick Out:
“Sinners”. As much as I love the movie, there are issues with the structure and plotting. Despite the coolness of the scene, the 2nd out of three endings – with the Klan – is out of place within the narrative. In fact the final third of the movie is mostly “They fight”. And I hate the trope where the first scene shows a glimpse of the aftermath, only to jump to earlier in the day. I don’t need to see that. I already decided to watch the movie, I don’t need a promise of blood and violence in the first 30seconds to keep me engaged.
To win:
“Sentimental Value”. While the film did not emotionally resonate with me, the script itself is not the problem. I think it is just Joachim Trier’s style that leaves me a bit cold. In theory, before it is put to screen, it is a great movie.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Snubs:
I don’t feel like championing anyone. I could mention “No Other Choice” again. It is the directing and cinematography that elevate the movie; the script feels somewhat sloppy.
Kick out:
“Frankenstein”. I am not even replacing it with anyone. I just want to disqualify it. Leave the category with four nominees, I don’t care. Having the line “[Victor], you are the monster,” should be a criminal offense. Bring back the death penalty.
To win:
“Train Dreams”. I actually read the novella. Really good book, and this is a really good adaptation. It adds just enough to strengthen the story that is already there, without altering it unrecognizably. Maybe the ‘screenplay’ part of the award is better with the other movies, but I appreciate the ‘adapted’ part of “Train Dreams”.
BEST PICTURE
I already posted a ranking of all my movies from last year. So you can get more detailed opinions about each nominee here, and figure out what my ranking of the ten nominees are. Or I could just rank them again
Snubs:
“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”. Spoiler alert, my favorite movie of the year. It tends to happen that the ones matching my particular taste don’t make the cut. Though this one really should have.
“Weapons” or “Ugly Stepsister”. Either of these horror movies would have been better than the one horror movie that did get nominated.
And to categorize the rest:
Really shouldn’t have been nominated
10. F1 – Not sure how it made the cut. Harmless popcorn movie that shouldn’t be in this category.
Maybe shouldn’t have been nominated
9. Frankenstein – Maybe if I had seen the visual splendor (it is a pretty movie) on the big screen, I would have been sold on it. But as it stands, no thanks.
I wouldn’t have chosen them, but I won’t complain
8. Secret Agent – Well made, didn’t resonate
7. Sentimental Value – See above.
Yay!
6. Bugonia
5. Train Dreams
4. Hamnet
Would put at the top of my ballot
3. One Battle After Another – Not that the Oscars should be political, but with this movie it is a great opportunity to have something culturally resonant win. After a year of people protesting the horrific actions of ICE unable to really bring about systemic change, this seems like the most appropriate winner.
2. Sinners
1. Marty Supreme
AWholeCroissant 