The Oscar nominations are always fun; there are the movies you expect, the movies you hope, the movies that are strangely overlooked and the odd curveball. 2026 is no exception. I’ve watched all but one of the nominated films (pour one out for late UK releases), and while I haven’t reviewed every title in full, this post brings together the ones I have written about — and includes a link to my Letterboxd — if you’re curious about my thoughts for the other titles.
I know which film I want to win — and I have a fairly good idea of which one probably will, but it would be great to hear what you think. Let me know if you want a full review for any films I didn’t delve deeper, and feel free to bookmark this page and check back for updates.
And the nominations for Best Picture are:
Bugonia
Synopsis: A satirical portrayal of paranoia, power and belief unfolds when Emma Stone is kidnapped and her capture, Jesse Plemmons, is convinced she is an alien.
My thoughts: Although I enjoyed this film and cite it to others as a more palatable Yorgos Lanthimos movie its nomination feels more perfunctory than deserved. I would have taken a nomination for No Other Choice over Bugonia.
Other nominations: Best Actress (Emma Stone), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score.
Available to rent on Prime Video.
Frankenstein
Synopsis: Adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel of the same name which gives a tender and existential voice to the one known only as Frankenstein’s monster.
My thoughts: I didn’t resonate with this one beyond thinking about how gorgeous everything looked and also being beyond impressed by the costume and production design. I will say Jacob Elordi was a standout and his nomination felt earned.
Other nominations: Best supporting actor (Jacob Elordi), best adapted screenplay, best original score, best costume design, best make-up and hairstyling, best production design, best sound, best cinematography.
Available on Netflix.
F1
Synopsis: Set in the high-octane world of Formula One, F1 follows a veteran and rookie driver as they butt heads and put pedal to the metal to try and save their company and careers.
My thoughts: Blockbuster of the summer. This film had heart, it had style and it had Brad Pitt. Although everyone is up in arms about this nomination I am all for it. After all; aren’t people constantly complaining that the Academy Awards can be quite snobbish and are up in arms about the Marvel movies being snubbed (bar Black Panther – Wakanda Forever!)? Change starts somewhere and apparently it’s with F1.
Other nominations: Best sound, best film editing, best visual effects.
Available on Apple TV.
Hamnet
Synopsis: Jesse Buckley plays a woman seen as a mystery to historians; Agnes Shakespeare. The film tracks her life, her love and her loss.
My thoughts: There is so much to recommend this film from the cinematography to the score. One thing that is utterly undeniable is that Jesse Buckley gives one HELL of a performance.
Other nominations: Best actress (Jesse Buckley), best director (Chloé Zhao), Best adapted screenplay, best original score, best costume design, best production design, best casting.
Currently in UK cinemas.
Marty Supreme
Marty Supreme Letterboxd review
Synopsis: How far are you truly willing to go to make your purpose a reality and will you be able to look yourself in the mirror after?
My thoughts: Honestly Marty Supreme was not for me – and please don’t patronise me by saying ‘maybe you didn’t get it?’. Technically I can see how it was a good film which is why I didn’t rate it lower on Letterboxd, but it’s not my kind of film and I hated the ending.
Other nominations: Best actor (Timothée Chalamet), best director (Josh Safdie), best original screenplay, best costume design, best production design, best film editing, best cinematography, best casting.
Currently in UK Cinemas.
One Battle After Another
Synopsis: A former revolutionary rejoins the fight and faces up to the past when his daughter is kidnapped by an old foe.
My Thoughts: Honestly the performances across the board for this film were 10/10 with no misses. Perhaps we all spent too long theorising about this film which didn’t really have anything to say when it was written; or maybe it was that deep, and we collectively drank the kool aid and incited one of the best film discussions of the year.
Other nominations: Best actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), best supporting actress (Teyana Taylor), best supporting actor (Benicio del Toro & Sean Penn), best director (Paul Thomas Anderson), best adapted screenplay, best original score, best production design, best sound, best film editing, best cinematography, best casting.
Available to buy/rent across various streamers.
The Secret Agent
Synopsis: A technology expert flees from a mysterious past returns to his hometown of Recife in search of peace.
My thoughts: This comes out in the UK in February, so I’ll report back.
Other nominations: Best actor (Wagner Moura), best international feature, best casting.
Coming Feburary 2026 to UK cinemas.
Sentimental Value
Synopsis: When their estranged father returns to Oslo, two sisters are forced to reconcile with the past in order to move forward.
My thoughts: That synopsis doesn’t do the film justice. This was one of my top films of 2025. Some may call this slow – which I don’t disagree with – but I prefer the term introspective. The performances are solid across the board and this deals with such a weighty subject with a unique feather-lightness. **Top 5 of 2025**
Other nominations: best actress (Renate Reinsve), best supporting actress (Elle Fanning & Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), best supporting actor (Stellan Skarsgård), best director (Joachim Trier), best original screenplay, best international feature, best film editing.
In UK cinemas now then moving to Mubi.
Sinners
Synopsis: When twin brothers Smoke and Stack move back to their childhood town to open a juke joint; dark forces gather and a night they’ll never forget unfolds.
My thoughts: An all Black Vampire horror? I was seated before I sat. There are so many interplays between dichotomies at work in this film; religion vs secular, good vs evil, pre- and post-colonialism, spiritualism and supernaturalism and a bunch of other isms that work in the background of this beautiful shot, edge of your seat horror. **Top 5 of 2025**
Other nominations: Best actor (Michael B Jordan), best supporting actress (Wunmi Mosaku), best supporting actor (Delroy Lindo), best director (Ryan Coogler), best original screenplay, best original song (I Lied to You), Best original score, best costume design, best make-up and hairstyling, best production design, best sound, best film editing, best cinematography, vest visual effects, best casting
Sinners is the highest ever nominated film at the Academy Awards with 16 nominations.
Available on Sky/Now TV.
Train Dreams
Train Dreams Letterboxd review
Synopsis: A portrait of a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of relative solitude and watches the world around him transform.
My thoughts: As far as introspective films go – this was a good’un. I think this one hit hard for a lot of men (make of that what you will). For me the cinematography and the use of nature and industrialism were what made this film so impactful.
Other nominations: Best adapted screenplay, best original song (Train Dreams), best cinematography.
Available on Netflix.
What are your front-runners for the 2026 Oscars? Or better yet; which movie would you boot from the list, and what would you replace it with?
Let me know down below #JusticeForNoOtherChoice.
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