Every year, we make our staff watch every single major Oscar film, and rate them. To some, this is torture, and borderline slavery (we’ve not paid anyone for the last three years). For others, this is just pure torture, but like, they’re into it. There are so many movies! And so many on streamers! And another “Brad Pitt in a sports movie but this time it was like not nearly as good as Moneyball“!
Anyway. We did the work. Here’s our ranking of the best picture nominations for the 2026 Academy Awards.
1: Sinners
What’s It About?
Blues music, racism, and vampires. Very normal film.
Should It Win
Yes. 100% yes. It probably won’t, and for dumb reasons, but this was the best movie of the year.
Will It Win?
Sadly, probably no. It was released in the summer, and it’s a horror film essentially which is a genre that the Academcy routinely ignores (only seven or eight that you could put in the genre have been nominated, and of those only Silence of the Lambs has won).
It should though! Ryan Coogler is a true visionary, he made an original piece of IP that not only made over $350 at the box office, but he also made a vampire movie that somehow folded in blues, racial politics, and was really one of the only movies released this year that you really HAD to see in theaters.
It set a record for most nominations, but we feel it’ll end up with a Best Director or Screenplay win as a consolation (keep in mind, Emilia Perez had the most nominations last year and only won two) ((also Emilia Perez was trash, Sinners is very very much not trash))
2: One Battle After Another
What’s It About?
Also racism, but also family trauma, anti-capitalist revolutionaries, and again, lots of family trauma. Very normal film.
Should It Win
In a world without Sinners that’d be yes. Paul Thomas Anderson is in the Scorsese/Leo category of “he deserves a trophy” but the film itself is Oscar-worthy.
Will It Win?
Probably. It has momentum, and a good narrative behind it, and it is one helluva film. It has a lot of, let’s just say, topical aspects to it, which could help or hurt its chances. But we think it’ll either be Coogler for Best Director and One Battle for best picture, or vice-versa. Anderson DID win the Director’s Guild trophy so it might end up with Coogler getting screenplay as a placation.
3: Sentimental Value
What’s It About?
Not racism! But the Holocaust randomly makes an appearance. It’s a successful theater actress, her estranged dad, and her doting sister (all of whom were nominated for acting awards). Basically, Daddy Skarsgård is an alcholic prolific director/writer who hasn’t made a movie in 15 years. He writes his magnum opus, with his daughter in mind to play. She refuses. Elle Fanning (also Oscar nominated) is cast instead. We’ll avoid too much spoilers, but it ultimately is about both the craft of acting, creating a thing, and also surviving through an imperfect family. It’s…like really good.
Should It Win?
It’s GREAT, to the point we were shocked at how much we liked it. But the top two contenders are just too strong that there’s not really a chance it’ll win. It better win Best Foreign Film though because, well, we have thoughts on the other film nominated in that category that you’ll see here.
Will It Win?
Not a chance, but if it ended up as a dark horse winner, we’d not mind. Like, it DOES have 9 Oscar Nominations and a lot in major categories. And it’s a really great movie.
4: Train Dreams
What’s It About?
Following the life of a railroad worker, basically. Looking at the picture above you’d be surprised that a biplane is involved at some point.
Should It Win
No, but it’s a era film that spans decades. Listen. We’re just furious that Joel Edgerton didn’t get an acting nomination. YOU MUST GIVE THIS MAN A TROPHY!
Will It Win?
No, it doesn’t have a chance. It’s been nominated for basically every award, but hasn’t won any outside of the “top 10 films” variety.
5: Hamnet
What’s It About?
Shakespeare, but like, through his wife. Did you know he had a kid named Hamnet that (spoiler) died of the black plague? We didn’t either. And most of us are English Majors. We gotta do something about the education system in this nation.
Should It Win
Ugh, sadly no. It’s really good, like REALLY good. But it’s also that kind of good that is like “so give us our Oscar please?” which is a bit of a bummer. It’s nominated for eight categories, though shockingly Paul Mescal, who literally is tasked to give classic Hamlet monologues throughout while dealing with the death of his kid, did not.
It very much is worth a watch, but it has lost a lot of momentum, so probably won’t get the final prize.
6: Frankenstein
What’s It About?
You ever hear about this Frankenstein guy? Yo. Sit down. It’s wild. Did you know a man, named Frankenstein, he took a bunch of body parts, sowed them together, then electrocuted it back to life? It’s often known as the monster, here it’s known as the creature, but let us just blow your mind away with this original thought…
Maybe.
The real monster.
Was Dr. Frankenstein.
Woahhhhhhhhh
Should It Win
No, not really. It’s well done, but hasn’t really gotten any big awards, and Del Toro already has his statues for The Shape of Water, aka the fish fucking movie, so he doesn’t need the “we owe you” award.” It’s a good movie but nothing really screams “give this an Oscar” outside of maybe the supporting actor category.
Will It Win
See above. Nope
7: Marty Supreme
What’s It About?
You remember when we all lost our shit over The Queen’s Gambit, aka, chess, but sexy? This is that, but with Ping Pong. Timotheeeee Chalamet is said sexy sport player. He has been giving theater kid energy this entire award cycle.
Should It Win
No, not really. It’s like a well done version of Cocktail (the lead male is good at what he does but shitty to women) and frankly they’re trying way too hard to get statues. We’d be annoyed if this ended up winning. Fun movie though.
Will It Win
We’re thinking no. All the above is part of it but it also just hasn’t gotten the momentum going for it.
8: The Secret Agent
What’s It About?
Please skip this if you don’t want spoilers but we absolutely need to talk about this.
This is the first Brazilian movie to be nominated for best picture. It’s about a professor who becomes involved in a political movement, and becomes the target for assassination. And.
Again, skip ahead if you want to see this. Last chance to avoid spoilers.
But
We
Need
To
Talk
About
The
Zombie
Leg
This is not a bit. There is a scene. ONE (1) scene. Where a severed leg just goes nuts on a bunch of people hooking up in a park in Brazil. It is never explained. There is no follow up. Just, a leg stump beating up dudes making out. This movie is just wilding.
Should It Win
Nope. It is…just wilding.
Will It Win
No. Maybe best international film but frankly after seeing Sentimental Value that would just make us actively mad.
9: Bugonia
What’s It About
Two Men kidnap a CEO who they think is an alien, and shave her hair because that way she can’t transmit anything to her aliens. Trust us, it gets more crazy
Should It Win
Emma Stone is great in here. Jesse Plemons should have been nominated. But no.
Will It Win?
No. It’s too weird, It’s sci-fi adjacent which doesn’t poll well, and honestly it’s a good but not super memorable movie.
10: F1
What’s It About?
*Jay Leno Voice*
You hear about dis F1 thing? People seem to love this F1 thing. Fast cars, you know I love cars, but it’s in Europe, mostly. There’s a Netflix thing about it. Anyway, Brad Pitt did an F1 movie, wa wa we wah.
Should It Win
Of course not. It’s the yearly “pick a blockbuster to nominate for ratings” pick. Fun movie, but, like, come on.
Will It Win
There is roughly a zero percent chance this will win. Like, again, come on.
And those are our picks! We’ll be posting our predictions for actors, actresses, and technical categories in the coming week!
America Fun Fact of the Day 