Althouse: The Oscar nominations are out.

January 22, 2026

The Oscar nominations are out.

I don't think I've ever been less interested in the nominations. I haven't seen or been interested in seeing any of these movies.

128 comments:

bagoh20 said...: It used to be that everybody saw at least one of the movies, or a few of them. Now the Oscars are often the first time many of us have even heard the titles.; 1/22/26, 9:59 AM
john mosby said...: I do like Sinners. It’s got everything. Worth watching just as a musicological document, with blues, bluegrass, and more. And it’s also a Faulknerian Southern gothic. And a horror movie. And Michael P. Jordan playing twins. And and and. CC, JSM; 1/22/26, 10:02 AM
Marcus Bressler said...: Hollywood is SO irrelevant; 1/22/26, 10:03 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: Looks like they’ve trying hard to make the pro illegal immigration movie a thing. Hard pass.; 1/22/26, 10:13 AM
Dogma and Pony Show said...: Seems like poor timing on the Academy's part to increase the number of Best Picture noms to ten a few years ago when there are fewer and fewer really good movies being made each year.; 1/22/26, 10:18 AM
Howard said...: I really liked one battle after another. The political angle I think was stretched to complete ridiculousness, but that's what you get with a black comedy. Sean Penn gave us his take on the Doctor. Strange Love type character. What PTA really nailed was the California experience of a bygone era. Leo and Benicio played the perfect Valley boy buddies ever. Adventurous with plenty of guts but with ignorance and stupidity to match. And the car chase. Just like the old Pearblossom highway roller coaster of negative g's.

Joe, Bob says check it out.; 1/22/26, 10:18 AM
tim maguire said...: I've only ever even heard of 2 of them:

Marty Supreme. Meh. It was ok. Too long for a small story.

One Battle After Another. unwatchable. Fortunately it is on streaming so I could turn it off after 30 minutes without feeling ripped off for my ticket money.; 1/22/26, 10:19 AM
Peachy said...: Right with you.; 1/22/26, 10:20 AM
TaeJohnDo said...: I've only heard of a few of them and haven't seen any of them.; 1/22/26, 10:20 AM
Peachy said...: Leftist Chi com paid off twaddle.; 1/22/26, 10:20 AM
Big Mike said...: “F1: The Movie” was pretty enjoyable, if you like good movies about racing.; 1/22/26, 10:21 AM
Maynard said...: I must be really out of touch with popular culture. I have not heard of a single one of those movies. I know a few of the actors, but none of the movies.

Typical Boomer?; 1/22/26, 10:25 AM
traditionalguy said...: Funny to see Hollywood still has male actors in separate categories from female actors. Boy are they behind the politically correct times.

Seriously the Academy lost my respect the year they passed over Saving Private Ryan for Shakespeare in Love.; 1/22/26, 10:25 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: Agree with Big Mike. F1 was a pleasant surprise.; 1/22/26, 10:27 AM
RideSpaceMountain said...: Marcus Bressler said, "Hollywood is SO irrelevant."

Dear Vlad, please nuke it from space so everyone can be sure. Make it glow, RSM.; 1/22/26, 10:29 AM
mccullough said...: Howard, I agree. The movie is based on a 1990 novel set in 1984. The movie swapped the late 1960s radicals and government/1984 for the 2008 radical and government/2024

Would have been better movie if they kept the original timeline.

The Deep State in late 1960s/mid 80s was conservative. Now it’s progressive. So the movie, though a dark comedy, lacked a better punch; 1/22/26, 10:30 AM
Lawnerd said...: Was 1999 the last year of great movies?; 1/22/26, 10:31 AM
Ann Althouse said...: I'd rather go to the Criterion Channel and almost randomly choose something from more than 50 years ago.; 1/22/26, 10:31 AM
Ann Althouse said...: I'm old. Maybe it's just that. But who cares?; 1/22/26, 10:32 AM
Achilles said...: AI generated movies are already better than the slop these losers have been shoveling.

These people are as worthless as the WEF parasites who are being detached.; 1/22/26, 10:32 AM
Ficta said...: "the pro illegal immigration movie"
Is it though? I mean, everyone in the French 75 is kind of an idiot and untterly ineffective. I do wonder what exactly PTA was up to (maybe he's been explicit in interviews, I haven't seen any). Everything about that movie is conceptually unstable. The source material was set in the 1970s (I've really got to get around to rereading Vineland) and the movie really shows it. Much of it seems like dispatches from the land time forgot. Unlike most of PTA's other movies, I'm not sure it's actually Oscar worthy, though; but, then, most of the nominees every year aren't worthy either.

They should have nominated Weapons.; 1/22/26, 10:34 AM
Curious George said...: "Big Mike said...
“F1: The Movie” was pretty enjoyable, if you like good movies about racing."

Ford v Ferrari also.; 1/22/26, 10:35 AM
Money Manger said...: The only one I'd bet the house on is "It Was Just an Accident" for International Film. Solidarity with the people of Iran, and all that.; 1/22/26, 10:36 AM
Chris said...: No one cares anymore.; 1/22/26, 10:36 AM
Ficta said...: Oh, right, mccullough, the book is about the 80s hangover from the 70s. So, not *set* in the 70s. Like I said, I've got to get around to rereading it.; 1/22/26, 10:37 AM
bagoh20 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/22/26, 10:37 AM
PM said...: List reads like an Onion parody.; 1/22/26, 10:39 AM
Money Manger said...: The way I watch the late televised football game these days is to go to YouTube Highlights early the next morning. Sometimes I can intentionally avoid pre-knowing the outcome. With huddles and commercials cut out, I can see every play in 1/10th of the time.

I assume YouTube will be providing the same service for the Oscars ceremony.; 1/22/26, 10:41 AM
Eva Marie said...: I looked at the nominees. They’ve added a new category: Best Casting Director. Apparently they’ve been pushing for this award since the 90s but it feels like a stretch to me. “It’s designed to honor the invisible art of casting.” OK. Let’s honor all the invisible arts. Anyway, the casting branches nominate the nominees and the Academy members vote for the winner.
In 2028 they’ll add Best Stunt Design. That one seems more legitimate to me.; 1/22/26, 10:42 AM
RideSpaceMountain said...: I nominate Emmanuel Macron for the lifetime achievement award...for his lifetime heterosexual performance.; 1/22/26, 10:43 AM
mccullough said...: It’s more about fragmentation and saturation. People consume entertainment differently now. Hundreds of different channels/streams/social media reels & posts. The Oscars, like the NBA Finals, just aren’t as big as they used to be.

Animated movies rake in $$ because kids like to go to movies. The Devices & Social Media haven’t taken over their brains yet; 1/22/26, 10:44 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Springsteen sad-ass biopic totally skunked, as predicted. LOL.; 1/22/26, 10:47 AM
Money Manger said...: Ann, I once had the pleasure long ago of sharing a beer with Reed Hastings of Netflix. A massive classical movie fan. I can guarantee you he subscribes to Criterion Channel, and may watch more of it than his own company's product.

i wish Netflix would make a bid for Criterion rather than for Warner/Discovery.; 1/22/26, 10:47 AM
Beasts of England said...: I haven’t seen F1 but I’d like to - same with Ford vs. Ferrari.; 1/22/26, 10:50 AM
rehajm said...: Yeah nah. They did it to themselves and because of who they ate I don’t mourn the loss…; 1/22/26, 10:56 AM
narciso said...: Nah tbeyd ruin criterion

They should have nominated black bag for something; 1/22/26, 11:00 AM
narciso said...: Its a very uneven selection sinners is perhaps the most original o the offerings even though michael b jordan plsys the same cgaracter; 1/22/26, 11:06 AM
Kakistocracy said...: Sinners is one of the better movies I've seen in several years. Atmospheric, historic, comic, shocking, thrilling and the music is amazing. Buddy Guy did a nice turn as an aged Bluesman. The cultural history is actually shockingly accurate, from the Choctaw and the Irish, to the Al Capone references. There is at least a hundred years of history and musicology in this film.; 1/22/26, 11:09 AM
john said...: Ann Althouse said...I'm old. Maybe it's just that. But who cares?

Too old to go to movies but not too old to bitch about them. (Like most of your commentariat.)

Try Hamnet some weekend afternoon when it's cold outside. I think you might like it.; 1/22/26, 11:14 AM
Dude1394 said...: The only movie I will see in theaters this year will be Melania.; 1/22/26, 11:16 AM
Iman said...: Of those listed, I saw…

F1: a fairly good movie… it feels like you’re in the driver’s seat

One Battle…: a Democrat’s wet dream of a film. I was able to watch about an hour, before deciding to wax a couple of our cars.

Marty Supreme: Fast moving and very entertaining. Excellent performances by a number of actors.

Train Dreams: interesting plot and some good performances. A heartbreaker.; 1/22/26, 11:16 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: Two sports movies -Marty Supreme and F1
Two horror movies - Frankenstein and Sinners
Two foreign films - Sentimental value and Secret Agent
Two costume dramas - Hamnet and Train Dreams
A Leftwing propaganda film - One battle after another
A black Comedy - Bugonia; 1/22/26, 11:20 AM
narciso said...: Emma stone keeps plsying freakish people?; 1/22/26, 11:22 AM
Quaestor said...: I'd enjoy seeing Nakima Levy Armstrong's performance when she was arrested this morning. That would have been deliciously dramatic, even Oscar-worthy if there was one for Most Delectable Ironic Reaction to an Open-and-Shut Case of Klan-Style Intimidation by an Actress in a Leading Role.; 1/22/26, 11:25 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: Bugonia is basically a Hollywood remake of a successful South Korean film "Save the Green Planet!"

Jang got signed up to direct the English speaking remake then got ditched for an American director. The CEO in the South Korean film was changed to a woman CEO - Emma stone. No doubt all the "soul" got left out.; 1/22/26, 11:26 AM
Readering said...: Hopefully Criterion Channel around long enough to show 2025 movies, not necessarily Oscar winners. Speculation going around what Nexflix will do if it successfully acquires TCM cable channel.; 1/22/26, 11:27 AM
gilbar said...: are they STILL doing those?
i mean MOVIES, not awards; 1/22/26, 11:30 AM
Quaestor said...: "Ford v Ferrari also."

Not really a movie about racing. It's about visionary engineers versus corporate bedwetters.; 1/22/26, 11:32 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: Marty Supreme is about a Jewish Ping-pong player. Good grief, can you get more boring?
Hamnet, another Shakespeare costume drama -zzzz.
Trains, something about a trouble man in the 1920s - Yawn.
Sentimental Value - A mum, tortured by the Nazis commits suicide. Her son investigates.
Sinners - standard horror film - but with a black cast.
F1 - standard race car movie.
Frankenstein - Guess this is for people who havent seen the other 20 versions.
One battle - we all know its crap.
Secret Agent - A brazilian journalist tortured by the police blah blah.; 1/22/26, 11:33 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: I'll watch save the green planet. Remakes are rarely better than the originals.; 1/22/26, 11:35 AM
Peachy said...: Is One Battle After... a leftist propaganda film?

gotta kill all those evil right wingers. Like Charlie Kirk.

eh - leftwing hollywood can rot.; 1/22/26, 11:45 AM
FredSays said...: 10 nominations for Best Picture……you get a nomination and you get a nomination and you get a nomination…. It’s like youth soccer, participation trophies.; 1/22/26, 11:48 AM
Peachy said...: The Oscars is now a celebration of insular delusional leftist crapola.
will not watch... again.; 1/22/26, 11:48 AM
Iman said...: Perhaps you should stick with the Marvel or animated movies, RCOcean.; 1/22/26, 11:51 AM
narciso said...: Given that, there are some salvageable ones; 1/22/26, 11:51 AM
Dave Begley said...: I saw that “Frankenstein” and, apply the cruelly neutral test, it wasn’t that good. My “Frankenstein, Part II” is ten times better.; 1/22/26, 12:06 PM
Enigma said...: The justification for theater movies died between the rise of home theater systems and the horrid behavior of the COVID autocrats. Hollywood's actors then slit their own throats with aggressive Woke and TDS content starting in 2016.

As CGI is used for everything except for actors, movies are just a bunch of photorealistic cartoons. Bring on AI. Fewer acting jobs will increase the Starbucks recruiting pool.; 1/22/26, 12:14 PM
Jim Gust said...: I enjoyed F1, but the notion that it deserves an Oscar nomination is preposterous. I'm looking forward to seeing Song Sung Blue, can't decide if it's worth a trip to the theater.

When the awards are broadcast in March I already have something else planned. I expect a new low viewership.; 1/22/26, 12:16 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: From their trade record Variety:
"Oscars diversity report: ‘Sinners' ties record for most Black nominees from a single film, plus milestones for Chloe Zhao, Guillermo del Toro and more / Hollywood still has work to do when it comes to diversity, but many people are still finding their ways to shine.
From Black talent continuing to break records to unprecedented achievements for Latino artists and international storytellers, this year's Oscar nominations delivered an impressive list of inclusive and boundary-pushing titles, performers and artisans."

There is no reason to go to college, when you can go to the movies, at a bargain in comparison, to get your degree in Wokeness.; 1/22/26, 12:19 PM
Skeptical Voter said...: Heck I'm not even interested in looking at the list. Being a crusty old codger (and long before that) the only folks in my house who watched the Oscar Ceremonies were my wife and daughters. I don't think I've been in a movie theater more than twice in the last ten years. Last film I saw was the biopic on young Bob Dylan.; 1/22/26, 12:27 PM
Known Unknown said...: "Is One Battle After... a leftist propaganda film?"

I saw it and it comes off as farce. I mean, Sean Penn's character name was Steven Lockjaw for crying outside.

Everyone (left, right, middle) is incompetent and foolish to a degree. The leftist revolutionary/terrorist group is self-destructive and largely ineffectual in creating change. Their leader gets nabbed and largely sells them out.

I think most people talking about it have not seen it and are only using a cursory understanding of it in their points of view.; 1/22/26, 12:27 PM
Known Unknown said...: Marty Supreme is good but not the best of the bunch. Do yourself a favor and see No Other Choice. The Koreans (Park-Chan Wook in particular) make movies Hollywood should be making. Of course it was snubbed with zero nominations.; 1/22/26, 12:29 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: “I haven't seen or been interested in seeing any of these movies.”

Ditto, except F1 was pretty good, mostly for the driving sequences rather than the rather pedestrian plot. I saw the streaming version since in general I think going to a theater to see a movie is silly, but if it comes back to IMAX I’ll probably go.; 1/22/26, 12:38 PM
William said...: I'll take the advice of some people here and watch One Battle After Another. Just because a movie is up for an Oscar doesn't mean it's necessarily bad. Try to keep an open mind......I saw the first half hour of so of Frankenstein. It's visually arresting, but the characters and narrative don't grab you. I'll keep trying. Maybe it gains traction......I saw Anora. It won some Oscars last year. It had a lot of female nudity which is always a plus. In addition the action sequences were funny in a Three Stooges way. The movie held your attention throughout. Additionally, the last ten or fifteen seconds of the movie were extremely poignant and, all of a sudden, the movie made sense. I've never seen a movie with an ending that revelatory and that packed so much punch.; 1/22/26, 12:47 PM
Jaq said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/22/26, 12:47 PM
Jaq said...: This is a pretty funny AI interpretation of the prompt "Is One Battle After Another woke?"

"The film "One Battle After Another" is described as consciously distancing itself from "wokeness"<> and features clear moral distinctions, portraying its antagonists as white supremacists rather than focusing on more abstract social issues. It is characterized as a liberal fantasy that combines elements of sex, violence, and a fight against clear adversaries, making it appealing across a broad political spectrum." - DDG AI Assist

AI doesn't "think," it regurgitates it training, whether the finest sterling or plain garbage, it can't tell the difference anymore than a small child can judge its mother honestly. Ersatz intelligence is a better moniker; 1/22/26, 12:48 PM
ALP said...: I mainly watch Korean and Chinese historical dramas, which leaves little time for other movies and genres. "Frankenstein" is the only one listed here that I've seen. I'm unsure what "Production Design" entails, but it was visually stunning so the crew of that movie deserve any recognition they get.; 1/22/26, 1:19 PM
Ficta said...: @Jaq That AI summary of OBAA is hilarious. It reminds me of the FBI summary of Fathers and Crows when they were trying to decide if William T Vollmann was the Unibomber. Turns out the FBI are really bad at understanding novels.; 1/22/26, 1:21 PM
CJinPA said...: The President of Hollywood asked me personally several years ago to stop watching their movies, and I complied.; 1/22/26, 1:23 PM
Readering said...: My local multiplex is playing Sinners, Marty Supreme and Zootopia 2 this weekend. Which to see? All screens will be empty based on experience. 1 Battle also playing but when it was on one of only 4 Vistavision screens in the world I went.; 1/22/26, 1:33 PM
Joe Bar said...: Thanks for the reminder. I need to watch “F1” this weekend.; 1/22/26, 1:46 PM
RobinGoodfellow said...: “Big Mike said...
“F1: The Movie” was pretty enjoyable, if you like good movies about racing.“

I liked it. But the only reason it stands out is the completed craptacular list of competing movies; 1/22/26, 1:46 PM
Narr said...: I'm just here to get my curmudgeon ticket punched. Like the Prof, I haven't seen and have no interest in these productions.

My wife will probably go see Hamnet if she can find someone to go with. She loves that Elizabethan shite.; 1/22/26, 2:13 PM
Hassayamper said...: Does anyone remember the last time the villain in an action movie was anything other than a white man? Neo-Nazi white Christian corporate executives have become as indispensable and formulaic as hideous bloodthirsty Jews in a medieval passion play...; 1/22/26, 2:13 PM
LilyBart said...: I haven't seen any of these movies. And I used to love to go to movies. Have I aged out, or are they really as awful as they seem to me?; 1/22/26, 2:16 PM
narciso said...: They have been mostly meh this year as others; 1/22/26, 2:17 PM
narciso said...: The last mission impossible was dissapointing; 1/22/26, 2:19 PM
Rocco said...: Don’t worry; the movies may suck but at least we’ve got Starfleet Academy.; 1/22/26, 2:21 PM
narciso said...: For best (unintentional comedy); 1/22/26, 2:28 PM
BG said...: Curious George said...
"Big Mike said...
“F1: The Movie” was pretty enjoyable, if you like good movies about racing."

Ford v Ferrari also.

"Ford vs. Ferrari" was the last movie I saw. I was interested mainly because my first car was a '66 Mustang convertible. Liked the movie. (Of course, ha ha!); 1/22/26, 2:34 PM
narciso said...: Gene roddenberry is screaming in the ether; 1/22/26, 2:36 PM
Leland said...: Is Mayor Frey a nominee?; 1/22/26, 2:46 PM
Craig Mc said...: The only one on the list I've seen is Blue Moon, which was excellent. Hawke was fantastic, so a well-deserved nomination there.; 1/22/26, 2:47 PM
Craig Mc said...: "I'd rather go to the Criterion Channel and almost randomly choose something from more than 50 years ago."

You and me both. Unfortunately we don't get Criterion here. They won't even ship discs here.; 1/22/26, 2:49 PM
Aggie said...: Why would anybody watch The Oscars?

And no, I don't need to review the list of nominees - I would probably recognize some names, but I've seen no movies, and what clips I have seen carry no persuasive content.

What a sad chapter, maybe an ending, to an artistic era, the advent of moving pictures. And now the human creative condition is going to be wholly directed toward trying to stay in control of A.I.'s creative output. Wait 'till the machine mischief starts, it's going to be some kind of fun.; 1/22/26, 2:54 PM
RideSpaceMountain said...: Leland said, "Is Mayor Frey a nominee?"

He should be for best actor in a supporting role.; 1/22/26, 3:00 PM
RideSpaceMountain said...: Screaming In The Ether would've been a great episode title!; 1/22/26, 3:01 PM
Jim at said...: Too old to go to movies but not too old to bitch about them. (Like most of your commentariat.)

Speaking only for myself, I'm not too old to go. I just refuse to put my disposable income into the pockets of people who hate my guts.; 1/22/26, 3:51 PM
baghdadbob said...: I liked Song Sung Blue. Great performannces by Jackman & Hudson, great music, made me cry.; 1/22/26, 3:58 PM
Mason G said...: The Oscar nominations are out.

Ok. So what's in?; 1/22/26, 4:15 PM
Charlie said...: I got roped into watching One Battle After Another............after 20 minutes I wanted everyone in the movie to die.; 1/22/26, 4:26 PM
FullMoon said...: Last movie was Ford vs Ferrari. Pre virus. Not bad. There was a trailer for Uncut Gems. Remembered the trailer all these years, watched the movie last night. Not an Adam Sandler fan, but definitely liked the movie. I like theaters due to lack of distractions. Nothing to do but watch the movie. But only go if the movie seems worth the effort and expense.
Have realized that current movies are unfamiliar because we don't see trailers on tv as much as before.
Have seen occasional recent good stuff on Netflix, Prime, etc. that I had never heard of because never saw a trailer.
Resisting urge to get an 85 incher.; 1/22/26, 4:29 PM
lonejustice said...: Hassayamper said...
Does anyone remember the last time the villain in an action movie was anything other than a white man? Neo-Nazi white Christian corporate executives have become as indispensable and formulaic as hideous bloodthirsty Jews in a medieval passion play...
========
Have you watched Black Hawk Down? American Sniper? The Covenant? 13 Hours? I could go on and on, but since you never watch movies anymore and want to live in your preconceived worldview, it probably doesn't matter to you.; 1/22/26, 5:32 PM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: I haven’t seen any of them yet, and used to love going to see Oscar potentials on Christmas Day, but it’s been several years since I’ve been to a movie theater. According to Box Office Mojo, domestic box office receipts peaked in 2018.

I’ve been told that Song Sung Blue is good. I look forward to seeing Avatar: Fire and Ash. I see there’s a new Frankenstein movie, with Guillermo del Toro curiously nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay instead of David Begley.; 1/22/26, 5:38 PM
Mea Sententia said...: Of the ten best picture nominees, I've only seen one, Sinners. It's a story where the white people are all devils (literally), and they are killed at the end by the noble black people in a terrible blood bath that I could hardly watch. What an awful thing.; 1/22/26, 5:47 PM
Jaq said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/22/26, 6:02 PM
Biff said...: F1 was fine, albeit predictable enough that my attention wandered a few times.

How can it be that we are almost a hundred comments into this discussion, yet no one has mentioned Two People Exchanging Saliva, a nominee for Best Live Action Short Film? It's a French film about unattractive lesbians living in a dystopian world where kissing is punishable by death. Surely, it must be breaking box office records!; 1/22/26, 6:05 PM
Jaq said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/22/26, 6:07 PM
gilbar said...: Hassayamper said...
Does anyone remember the last time the villain in an action movie was anything other than a white man?

and "lone justice" screamed:
Have you watched Black Hawk Down? American Sniper? The Covenant? 13 Hours?

some people accuse "lonejustice" of being mentally challenged
other people say he's just full of **it

but here's the numbers:
Black Hawk Down is a 2001 war film
American Sniper is a 2014 war film
The Covenant is a 2023 war film
13 Hours is a 2016 war film

so,
a 25 year old film
a 12 year old film
a THREE Year old film
and a 10 year old film

"lonejustice"? are you TRYING to be stupid, or is it just how you are?; 1/22/26, 6:30 PM
john mosby said...: I prefer the BAFTAs. Much more fun. The British film industry is Hollywood for plain people. And smart people. Yes, they're nearly all lefties, but they manage to tamp it down. CC, JSM; 1/22/26, 6:40 PM
Readering said...: Re F1, i was urged to see it on Imax. Bit I saw it streaming. Can see why advised to go to Imax.; 1/22/26, 6:53 PM
Jaq said...: "Does anyone remember the last time the villain in an action movie was anything other than a white man?"

The villain in The Covenant were white men.; 1/22/26, 6:56 PM
boatbuilder said...: By coincidence I rewatched "Ford vs. Ferrari" last night.
I had bluetooth earphones (so as not to wake up my wife) and turned up the volume. Vroom!
Highly recommended.; 1/22/26, 6:56 PM
boatbuilder said...: And not just for the car porn and noise. The acting was great, and the recreation of the mid-60's fashion/tech/ambiance was cool (not that I remember--I was about 7 years old then).; 1/22/26, 7:09 PM
Nancy Reyes said...: I saw Zootopia2. Boring for me but ok for kids. Frankenstein? Boring but I only got to halfway point, so maybe it gets better. We are searching on where we can stream Brazilian Secret Agent, so can't tell you about that one. The rest? who cares.; 1/22/26, 7:14 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: "Have you watched Black Hawk Down?"

That came out in 2001 - 25 years ago.; 1/22/26, 7:18 PM
bagoh20 said...: Those four movies are all trying to tell an actual true story in a true place and time, so they can't change who the bad guys are, but if they could...; 1/22/26, 7:19 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: In any case, if Hollwyood makes 1 movie with a White Christian male hero, it makes 5 where he's the villian; 1/22/26, 7:19 PM
RMc said...: I'd rather go to the Criterion Channel and almost randomly choose something from more than 50 years ago.

Let's take a look at the ten nominees for Best Picture in 1975 and '76:

1975:
The Godfather Part II (winner)
Chinatown
The Conversation
Lenny
The Towering Inferno

1976:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Barry Lyndon
Dog Day Afternoon
Jaws
Nashville

The least of those ten is probably "The Towering Inferno", which is one my favourite movies of all time.; 1/22/26, 7:54 PM
RMc said...: "Cuckoo's Nest" was the 1976 winner. Anyway, *any* of these movies are better than the 2026 nominees.; 1/22/26, 7:56 PM
Big Mike said...: @Curious George (and others upthread), I there are racing movies I’ve liked, and racing movies I have not liked. I have yet to be see a movie about NASCAR worth watching a second time. I liked “F1,” in part because it depicts the increased role of technology in racing. The “data” about airflow they collect in “Ford v Ferrari” by watching tufts of cotton taped to the car is now collected from sensors, transmitted as telemetry, analyzed by computers in real time, and displayed to the engineers and the pit crew. I liked “Grand Prix” starring James Garner, I liked “Le Mans” despite a pretty wooden performance by Steve McQueen,* I liked “Ford v Ferrari”, and I liked “F1: The Movie.” I did not like “Winning,” despite a good performance by Paul Newman. I didn’t feel that I was watching an Oscar-caliber movie when I saw “F1,” but none of the rest could persuade me even to enter the theater so who knows?

_____________
* Fun Fact: McQueen was an accomplished race driver in his own right, and he did his own high speed driving in the movie.; 1/22/26, 8:04 PM
Leland said...: I saw only 1 movie in theater last year, and I scrolled along way before I saw it listed. F1. I may watch “The Lost Bus”, but nothing else listed seems remotely interesting.; 1/22/26, 8:21 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Post 1970 Hollywood was never really that good. Once you got past the top 10, it was pretty dreary. Today even the top 10 aren't that good.

And while Hollywood has always been far-left, in the old days had to make movies that appealed to middle-America. Now, they have such a huge world-wide audience, it can make toxic leftwing crap and still make a ton of money. Like the late-nite talk shows it can "Write off" half the country.; 1/22/26, 8:57 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Pauline Kael used to write columns in the 70s with titles like "Why do movies stink?". Now we're looking back to it as a "Golden age". LOL.; 1/22/26, 8:58 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: I was dragged to "one battle after another" and didn't have to pay for the ticket. Accordingly, I was in a good mood and generous in what I said afterwards. Why insult people who thought it was good?

It sorta like a Quinten Tarintino movie. It supposedly exists in the real world. But its really an absurd fantasy where people behave in unrealistic ways and the movie maker can create a "Movie world" where his unrealistic/ahistorical characters do funny/dramatic/cool stuff.

The problem is that large numbers of people, including impressionable kids and teenagers, think this is reality. They identify with all the "cool" violence and minorities and women killing and beating up white men. Or think there really are "fascists" like Sean Penn's character out there. You'll notice the Left never - i repeat never - allows some fictional character to push rightwing politics with the justication that "Hey its just a movie".; 1/22/26, 9:07 PM
Lazarus said...: Sinners was good until the zombies or vampires or whatever they were showed up. Before that, it had undertones of the Southern Literary Renaissance and maybe the Harlem Renaissance as well. I wanted to know how the interactions between the characters would work out. Turning machine guns on the Klansmen may have been gratifying for many, but it was on par with the supernatural angle, a distraction from what was actually interesting.

I didn't like One Battle After Another, but I could stay with it until the last act, which was just a lot of driving around in the desert -- and too much Sean Penn. Bugonia was much better than last year's Poor Things. F1 was good, but not the sort of thing that gets Oscars. Wagner Moura was a good Pablo Escobar in Narcos, so maybe The Secret Agent is worth seeing.; 1/22/26, 9:25 PM
wildswan said...: I don't remember anyone through the year who tried to get people to go see any of these movies. The Commentariat is as one on the movies of 2025. Less tham meh. Meh, you went and were bored. 2025 movies - were there any?

I blame Donald Trump. Midnight Hammer. Absolute Resolve. Those were blockbusters. And there were lesser but still excellent shows. Pirates of the Caribbean: 1. The Fentanyl Boats. 2. Rangers vs. Tankers. There was tragedy, The Death of Charlie Kirk. There was comedy. JD Vance Speaks the Truth to Europe. (The loss of a civilization is a serious theme but let's not pretend we don't enjoy watching Macron and other self-important Europeans splutter, and that's part of the show.)
The movies in the theatres, whatever they were about, simply could not compete with narratives in the real.; 1/22/26, 9:53 PM
Marcus Bressler said...: I listened to a YT video last week that listed the author's choice of Hitchcock's movies - every single one of them - from worst to best. It gave me three movies to watch in the near future. As Althouse mentioned, there are much better options available from the past.; 1/22/26, 10:43 PM
Jim at said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/22/26, 10:55 PM
Jim at said...: "lonejustice"? are you TRYING to be stupid, or is it just how you are?

This is the same guy who just yesterday was screaming at Trump for destroying a stock market that's up more than 5,590 points (DJA) since his inauguration.

I'd say it's coin-flip at this point.; 1/22/26, 10:56 PM
Jim at said...: @Big Mike

Try 'Heart Like a Wheel' if you haven't already.

I might be biased since I was nursed on nitromethane.; 1/22/26, 11:02 PM
Big Mike said...: I might be biased since I was nursed on nitromethane.

@Jim at, thst’s a strange thing to get from your mother’s mammary glands but I’ll take your word for it. I did see “Heart Like a Wheel” and I loved it. Before I discovered sports cars I used to go out to US 30 drag strip a lot. Shirley Mulfowney was one Hell of a driver, and notice what I did not say. I did not say “for a woman.” She was one Hell of a driver, period. There’s a story about her as a rookie driver trying to qualify for her first race setting a new track record. Thst story is true. Take thst, Danica Patrick.; 1/22/26, 11:25 PM
Big Mike said...: I also liked “Rush,” a lot. Forgot to include it.; 1/22/26, 11:30 PM
RigelDog said...: Althouse: As an artist, you might want to give Frankenstein and Sinners a try.
Frankenstein is said to be visually stunning. I haven’t seen it but reviewers whose opinions I value all agree on this.
Sinners is more than a vampire movie. It is a period piece, it is musical, and there is one particular haunting scene of dance and mood and art that makes it worth watching the entire movie.; 1/23/26, 7:50 AM
narciso said...: Yes the lead vampire is irish who has his own gripes against thd English; 1/23/26, 8:16 AM
NeggNogg said...: I've lost interest in all the award shows over the past 20 years or so. Seems like everyone w/a big career is either the offspring of a famous actor or a Brit with with a hyphenated name descended from Old Money.
They ought to have a new category: Best Nepo Baby.; 1/23/26, 10:26 AM
MadisonMan said...: I've read in more than once place that Kate Hudson absolutely nailed a midwestern accent in Song Song Blue. So based on that one small piece of information, I hope she wins.

I've seen none of the movies nominated. Again.; 1/23/26, 10:38 AM
Known Unknown said...: "Dog Day Afternoon"

Yeah this movie was fantastic. What was it about? Oh yeah, a guy robbing a bank so his gay lover could get a sex change operation. In 1976.; 1/23/26, 3:41 PM