98th Oscars Nominations Reactions & Predictions

Welcome back to the blog readers. We have finally arrived at my favorite time of the year (aside from when Avengers: Doomsday (2026) wins Best Picture next year): when Oscar nominations are revealed. It makes me very happy when we get to this time of year, because the chaos and insanity really begins. As I do every year, I want to talk about and react to some of the Academy Award nominations, and give my two-sense as to who I think will take home some of the major categories. What does the Academy have in store for us this year? Who got snubbed? Stick around to find out.

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Best Casting

• Hamnet - Nina Gold

• Marty Supreme - Jennifer Venditti

• One Battle After Another - Cassandra Kulukundis

• The Secret Agent - Gabriel Domingues

• Sinners - Francine Maisler

I thought I would start this year's Oscar nominations post by giving some love to the brand new category that is being added this year. Although I do find it disheartening that Warfare (2025) is not on this list, I am not unhappy at the five nominees (despite not having seen two of the nominees). My heart tells me to root for Sinners (2025) to win this category, but I have a feeling the inaugural champion will be the film I think will win the most awards: One Battle After Another (2025) (of which I will be referring to as One Battle for the remainder of this post).

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Best Cinematography

• Frankenstein - Dan Laustsen

• Marty Supreme - Darius Khondji

• One Battle After Another - Michael Bauman

• Sinners - Autumn Durald Arkapaw

• Train Dreams - Adolpho Veloso

Two of these nominees are currently loading (in terms of me seeing them), but those two probably will never stand a chance. I remember in my review of One Battle being in awe of Michael Bauman's cinematography and how I thought he was able to successfully PTA's screwball vision. I also really loved Darius Khondji's work on Marty Supreme (2025) and truly think the race will come down to the two of them. Although, do not count out Autumn Durald Arkapaw's work on Sinners. Great stuff and one of the first real toss-ups of the ceremony.

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Best Visual Effects

• Avatar: Fire and Ash - Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, and Daniel Barrett

• F1 - Ryan Tudhope, Robert Harrington, Nicolas Chevallier, and Keith Dawson

• Jurassic World Rebirth - David Vickery, Stephen Aplin, Charmaine Chan, and Neil Carbould

• The Lost Bus - Charlie Noble, David Zaretti, Russell Bowen, and Brandon k. McLaughlin

• Sinners - Michael Ralla, Espen Nordahl, Guido Wolter, and Donnie Dean

Well, that was a surprise. Not a single comic book film in the list this year around, so seeing a straight-to-streaming film like The Lost Bus (2025) on here was shocking to say the least. As is seeing Sinners, since there were not really that many effects. But is there any doubt in anyone's mind here on who will be taking this award? I hope the team of Joe, Richard, Eric, and Daniel have been ready to receive their Oscars in the mail (although they probably already got them in May, in all honesty).

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Best Original Song

• "Dear Me" from Diane Warren: Relentless - Music and lyrics by Diane Warren

• "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters - Music and lyrics by Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, 24, Ido, Teddy, and Ian Eisendrath

• "I Lied to You" from Sinners - Music and lyrics by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson

• "Sweet Dreams of Joy" from Viva Verdi! - Music and lyrics by Nicholas Pike

• "Train Dreams" from Train Dreams - Music by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner; Lyrics by Nick Cave

I truly thought "No Place Like Home" was going to be on this list because I think not only is it a great song, but it is a culturally relevant one. I also think the wrong song from Sinners is nominated: "Last Time (I Seen the Sun)" is my personal pick for the best original song of the year. But that was not going to win, because it has been clear from the start that HUNTR/X is going up, up, up and that this is their moment. Basically, "Golden" is the next real easy pick at the Oscars.

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Best Sound

• F1 - Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary Rizzo, and Juan Peralta

• Frankenstein - Greg Chapman, Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Christian Cooke, and Brad Zoern

• One Battle After Another - José Antonio García, Christopher Scarabosio, and Tony Villaflor

• Sinners - Chris Welcker, Benjamin A. Burtt, Felipe, Pacheco, Brandon Proctor, and Steve Boeddeker

• Sirāt - Amanda Villavieja, Laia Casanovas, and Yasmina Praderas

I have no plans on seeing Sirāt (2025), so no disrespect to the creators of this probably great film. Sinners probably has some of the best sound in film all year, and it is no surprise that One Battle is right there with it. Warfare not being here is a serious tragedy, but what can you do? That IED scene made me jump out of my seat. But it is clear as day to me that F1 (2025) is getting this win here. Same way Top Gun: Maverick (2022) was able to three years ago.

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Best Film Editing

• F1 - Stephen Mirrione

• Marty Supreme - Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie

• One Battle After Another - Andy Jurgensen

• Sentimental Value - Olivier Bugge Coutté

• Sinners - Michael P. Shawver

This is one I can sort of have a subjective opinion on since I saw all but one of the films in this category thus far. F1 has more of a shot in this category than you may think, especially with how the races were edited together. Sinners is Sinners and will probably get some votes here, as will Marty Supreme, but I think this will be one of the technical awards that One Battle will trade off with Sinners this awards show. One Battle and Andy Jurgensen is my pick for this one.

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Best Original Score

• Bugonia - Jerskin Fendrix

• Frankenstein - Alexandre Desplat

• Hamnet - Max Richter

• One Battle After Another - Jonny Greenwood

• Sinners - Ludwig Göransson

This category is funny to me, especially since the three nominees I have not seen yet have literally no shot of winning this one. This category is basically a two horse race between Jonny Greenwood and Ludwig Göransson. Greenwood's score in One Battle is one of the film's highlights for me, and really showcases what the Radiohead guitarist is truly capable of. But there are very few composers that are on the level that Göransson is on, and he is going to dominate on his way to his third win. And in a year from now, we will be talking about his fourth win.

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Best Original Screenplay

• Blue Moon - Robert Kaplow

• It Was Just an Accident - Jafar Panahi (in collaboration with Shadmehr Rastin, Nader Saïvar, and Mehdi Mahmoudian)

• Marty Supreme - Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie

• Sentimental Value - Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier

• Sinners - Ryan Coogler

Again, I find it hilarious that this is one of the easiest categories in the entire Oscars race. Three of the films in this category are basically here to be here, and the only real competition for Sinners is in the Adapted Screenplay category. The only real competition in this category happens to be Marty Supreme, and that is not really much competition. I really do want to see all the films in this category (minus Marty Supreme and Sinners).

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Best Adapted Screenplay

• Bugonia - Will Tracy; based on the film Save the Green Planet! (2003) by Jang Joon-hwan

• Frankenstein - Guillermo del Toro; based on the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

• Hamnet - Chloé Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell; based on the novel Hamnet by O'Farrell

• One Battle After Another - Paul Thomas Anderson; based on the novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon

• Train Dreams - Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar; based on the novella Train Dreams by Denis Johnson

The two films that will be competing with Sinners for the big prize are in this category in terms of their writing. I have not seen Hamnet (2025) yet (and I will be as part of my Best Picture Expedition), but this is the only film that can compete with One Battle, which is my official prediction to win. While it may not be the greatest script of the year, it is definitely something that could appeal to Academy voters.

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Best Supporting Actor

• Benicio del Toro - One Battle After Another

• Jacob Elordi - Frankenstein

• Delroy Lindo - Sinners

• Sean Penn - One Battle After Another

• Stellan Skarsgård - Sentimental Value

Before I get onto my thoughts on this category, how the FUCK did Paul Mescal not get a nomination for Hamnet? I have heard he is the best part of it behind Jessie Buckley. But with that being said, I feel vindicated in my calling that Delroy Lindo should get a Best Supporting Actor nomination. I think this is a two-horse race between Sean Penn and Stellan Skarsgård, but I think the Academy will give this one to Skarsgård in the end. It's about damn time he gets some recognition, especially for his monologue in the first season of Andor (2022-25).

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Best Supporting Actress

• Elle Fanning - Sentimental Value

• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value

• Amy Madigan - Weapons

• Wumni Mosaku - Sinners

• Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another

It is such a surprise to see Elle Fanning and Amy Madigan on this list, but it feels so wrong to have these nominees and not have Ariana Grande for Wicked: For Good (2025). I would have switched out Wunmi Mosaku for her. With that being said, I am aware that Madigan won the Critics' Choice for taking on the role of Aunt Gladys, but there is not a single chance she beats Teyana Taylor in this category. I mean, she is a Golden Mask winner. If Madigan wins, I will fall out of my chair.

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Best Actor

• Timothée Chalamet - Marty Supreme

• Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another

• Ethan Hawke - Blue Moon

• Michael B. Jordan - Sinners

• Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent

This may be one of the best lineups to a Best Actor category I have ever seen. I have not seen Blue Moon or The Secret Agent (both 2025) yet, I will be. But you guys should know by now where I am going with this. My world starts and ends with my boy Cha-lo-met. Both DiCaprio and Jordan gave career-defining performances this year, but it is finally time to anoint the love of my life to the status of which he belongs: the man who WILL be the next Daniel Day-Lewis. Suck on that one, Campea!

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Best Actress

• Jessie Buckley - Hamnet

• Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

• Kate Hudson - Song Sung Blue

• Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value

• Emma Stone - Bugonia

Bugonia (2025) was high up on people's predictions before award season came out, then it wasn't, but now it is. It does not matter who is in this category, because all signs are pointing to this being the easiest pick of the night. Why? Because Jessie Buckley is predicted to sweep awards season with her emotionally devastating performance in Hamnet. I have been dying to see this film to see what she is able to bring to the table.

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Best Director

• Chloé Zhao - Hamnet

• Josh Safdie - Marty Supreme

• Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another

• Joachim Trier - Sentimental Value

• Ryan Coogler - Sinners

With all due respect to Zhao, Safdie, and Trier, where the hell is Guillermo del Toro? From what I heard, he directed the shit out of Frankenstein (2025) and it feels weird to not have one of the greats here. That being said, this is basically a two-horse race. Who will the Academy decide to give this award to more? My heart says Ryan Coogler for Sinners, but I will not fall out of my seat if they decide to reward PTA for his decades of service to the craft. Besides, he is the mastermind behind There Will Be Blood (2007).

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Best Picture

• Bugonia - Ed Guiney, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, and Lars Knudsen, producers

• F1 - Chad Oman, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Joseph Kosinski, and Jerry Bruckheimer, producers

• Frankenstein - Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale, and Scott Stuber, producers

• Hamnet - Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Gonda, Steven Spielberg, and Sam Mendes, producers

• Marty Supreme - Eli Bush, Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, Anthony Katagas, and Timothée Chalamet, producers

• One Battle After Another - Adam Somner, Sara Murphy, and Paul Thomas Anderson, producers

• The Secret Agent - Emilie Lesclaux, producer

• Sentimental Value - Maria Ekerhovd and Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, producers

• Sinners - Zinzi Coofler, Sev Ohanian, and Ryan Coogler, producers

• Train Dreams - Marissa McMahon, Teddy Schwarzman, Will Janowitz, Ashley Schlaifer, and Michael Heimler, producers

I am running back the game where I rank the Best Picture nominees this year, and I will get it right this time (especially based on my expert analysis last year). It is clear that F1 and Train Dreams (2025) have no shot at winning this award, but Bugonia and The Secret Agent (2025) are in the next tier up. Frankenstein and Sentimental Value (2025) are the films I could see in the next tier up, and Hamnet and Marty Supreme are in the second level. Basically, what I am saying is that this race (meaning the entire Oscar race) is going to come down to Sinners and One Battle. And while my heart says Sinners is the best picture of the year, One Battle is going to take the most awards (including this one).

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As I did last year, I want to end by talking about the fact that Sinners broke the record and became the most nominated film in Academy Awards history with 16 (SIXTEEN) nominations, with One Battle being second with 13 and three films (Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, and Sentimental Value) tied with 9. Timothée Chalamet is the youngest actor since Marlon Brando to be nominated for three Oscars, and Emma Stone is the youngest woman to be nominated for seven. Chloé Zhao can also become only the second woman to win two Oscars if she pulls off Best Director, and Josh Safdie could be the second person to win four Oscars in the same night (since he produced, wrote, directed, and edited Marty Supreme) after Sean Baker did it last year (for producing, writing, directing, and editing Anora (2024)). This race is going to be fun, and I cannot wait to come back on March 15th and give you my two sense on who went home with trophies. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you for the next post (and the official beginning of the Best Picture Expedition).