Will Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio score…
Every yr come Oscars time, I hear two issues:
“Who the hell cares?!” or “That movie f—ing sucked!”
And that’s just my mother.
“One Battle After Another,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is an Oscars heavyweight. ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
True, the Academy Awards don’t get the scores they used to. An enormous 55 million Americans (about 20% of the nation) watched in 1998 when “Titanic” received best image.
Last yr in the US, a comparably wimpy 20.2 million tuned in to be taught what “Anora” is.
Still, that was enough to make the event the seventeenth highest-rated telecast of 2025 — on par with most Sunday Night Football video games.
And even contemplating the almost-century-old ceremony’s diminished stature, the Academy Awards still inspire ardour all over the globe, both offended and euphoric.
Last March, when Brazil’s “I’m Still Here” received best worldwide function movie, revelers in Rio de Janeiro reportedly danced in the streets.
And after Netflix’s excruciating “Emilia Perez” scored a main 13 nods, and viewers at home bravely pressed play, the weird French Spanish-language musical turned one of social media’s greatest punchlines.
The Oscars, for many, still matter.
“Sinners,” starring Michael B. Jordan, may land a document nomination tally. ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Voting for the 98th Academy Award nominations closed on Thursday night time, and the contenders shall be announced Jan. 22.
What’s going to infuriate the plenty or ship ‘em Samba-ing?
The big kahuna this time is “One Battle After Another,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Yes, “Sinners,” the Southern vampire flick with Michael B. Jordan, may wind up with the most mentions because, past being an admired success, it has songs and results.
It’s a no-brainer best image nominee.
But don’t be misled by its high tally, even a probably record-breaking one. “Emilia Perez” obtained 13 in 2025 and received a measly two.
“Hamnet” is adored in the industry, and Jessie Buckley is probably going to win Best Actress. AP
“One Battle,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, has been steamrolling through award season even though it flopped, and there’s no indication that its tour de triumph will end.
Anderson — the 55-year-old director of “Boogie Nights, “Magnolia” and “There Will Be visible injury” — has never nabbed best image or director before, and there’s a widely felt sense that his time has come.
The good money is that it is going to.
DiCaprio and co-stars Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro will all in all probability be listed off Thursday, and so may newcomer Chase Infiniti in best actress.
Does “One Battle” have any competitors in best image at all?
Sorta. The same night time Anderson’s action-packed satire received the comedy Golden Globe, “Hamnet” (a better film, truly), seized the drama prize.
Rose Byrne has been scooping up accolades, but is her film too bizarre for the Oscars? Courtesy Everett Collection
The tragedy about Shakespeare’s spouse, with its half-timbered homes and “to be or not to be”s, is also poised to carry out nicely at the BAFTAs, the British Oscars.
But I’d be stunned if the intimate, intense story pulled a “Shakespeare in Love” shocker, despite industry adoration.
Chances are the gold it will get on Oscars night time goes to its incandescent star Jessie Buckley for best actress.
Yeah, yeah, Rose Byrne has been scooping up accolades for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” She’ll get nominated, but that indie is just too bizarre for the Oscars.
We all noticed last yr what weirdness obtained Demi Moore — jack squat.
Timothée Chalamet is main the race for best actor. WireImage
The race all people’s speaking about is best actor — and particularly Timothée Chalamet vs. DiCaprio.
Chalamet, the 30-year-old star of “Marty Supreme,” appears unbeatable to me.
Despite love for DiCaprio and his strong work in “One Battle,” it’s exceedingly uncommon for an actor to win for a efficiency that the film doesn’t hinge on.
For instance, the past six years the victor has performed the title character in their movie. (Yes, I’m counting “The Whale”). DiCaprio is one half of an ensemble, the members of which outshine him.
Chalamet’s “Marty Supreme,” on the other hand, would merely not exist without him.
He’s in practically every second of it, and is completely extraordinary.
Ethan Hawke ought to be a best actor contender for “Blue Moon.” ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
So is Ethan Hawke in “Blue Moon” as Lorenz Hart. But a pal who watched it with a West Coast crowd at Telluride said the flick went over all people’s tanned heads.
If Los Angelenos don’t care about a Broadway lyricist they’ve heard of, why would the 20% of Oscar voters who live overseas?
Back to best image, where “One Battle,” “Sinners” and “Hamnet” shall be joined by “Marty Supreme,” Norway’s “Sentimental Value” and “Frankenstein.”
The other 5 slots are up in the air, but seemingly wind up a combine of overseas movies (say, Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” or Spain’s “Sirat”) and blockbusters like “F1” or “Wicked: For Good.”
Netflix’s overrated sleep assist “Train Dreams” has a good shot.
Amy Madigan in “Weapons.” AP
If the Academy is sensible, they’d acknowledge “Weapons,” which was one of the most buzzed about authentic motion pictures of the yr and a major box workplace success.
Could it make the cut? I hope so. The Oscars need some shakeups.
The Golden Globes have been so predictable, all night time I longed for a more enjoyable exercise, such as washing the dishes or submitting my taxes.
The Academy Awards air Sunday, March 15. And if you’re in the “Who the hell cares?!” camp, don’t fear. The entire exercise begins all over again next week at the Sundance Film Festival!
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