Hollywood’s biggest night of 2026, the 98th Academy Awards, was held on Sunday Mar. 15, and delivered a Best Picture lineup that highlighted 10 gorgeous films ranging from bloody action to delicate explorations of grief. 

This year’s nominees proved that there is no single formula for a great film, except for bold storytelling. I saw every Best Picture nominee, so you don’t have to, and here’s how the contenders line up, in my own opinion, from best to worst.

1. One Battle After Another (Best Picture Winner)

One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, was easily my favorite film of 2025. Clearly, I am not the only one who thought so, because it took home six Oscars for Best Picture, Best Casting, Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor. It follows an ex-revolutionary on a relentless journey to rescue his daughter who has been kidnapped by a resurfaced enemy. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti.

2. Hamnet

Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet is devastating in the most beautiful ways. It is a film that highlights the relationship between William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, the growth of their family, loss of their son Hamnet, and how Shakespeare’s grief translated into the making of his play Hamlet. Actress Jessie Buckley plays Agnes, and she delivered a performance that portrayed the rawest grief, that felt so real, it’s almost uncomfortable to watch. She took home the Oscar for Best Actress, and I couldn’t have picked someone more deserving. This is definitely a film that makes you feel.

3. Bugonia

Bugonia was an unforgettable film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos starring Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, and Aidan Delbis. It was so incredibly bizarre and embraced all of the unpredictable moments. The film follows two conspiracy-obsessed men who abduct a powerful CEO, who they think is an alien and humanity’s biggest threat. It’s funny, claustrophobic, and completely unhinged in the best way possible. The score is absolutely incredible, and I’m a little upset that they didn’t take home any physical wins, but this easily wins 2025’s boldest film.

4. Sinners

In full honesty, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners took some time to grow on me, but after seeing it three times, I can confirm that this is one of the most spectacular and immersive experiences from last year. The film is set in a 1930s Jim Crow South, and it follows twin brothers, both played by Micheal B. Jordan, who are forced to confront the consequences of their past actions through a vampire horror. Sinners took home four well-deserved awards for Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Actor. This film really places you in a world where music truly is the heart. Personally, I felt like its pacing is slow early on, but right in the middle, there’s a powerful shift that transforms the story into something unforgettable. I promise you won’t miss it. I also think it is so important to recognize a historic win for Autumn Durald Arkapaw, as she is the first woman to win an Academy Award in Cinematography. In addition, Sinners recived a record-breaking 16 nominations making it the most nominated film in the Academy’s history.

5. Sentimental Value

Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value is such a tender film. It’s a Norwegian film about two sisters who are forced to confront their absent father who is trying to make a film with one of his daughters. The story brings up a lot of unhealed family wounds, messy memories, and it becomes a beautiful work about reconciliation through art. Sentimental Value stars Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Films about film making are very hit or miss, but this one lands so well. Sentimental Value took home the Oscar for Best International Feature Film, making history as the first film Norway has ever won in this category. 

6. Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is so unbelievably stunning. Every frame is meticulously crafted and it’s no wonder that it won three Oscars for Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Production Design. The film stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Mia Goth, who all deliver spectacular performances. As someone who has read Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, and seen a few other film adaptations of it, seeing her novel come to life under del Toro’s direction was truly spectacular. It is about a scientist who learns to create life out of various deceased body parts, and the rejection of his own creation becomes something that destroys them both. I especially knew the film deserved the award for makeup and hairstyling the second I realized Mia Goth played both Elizabeth and Victor’s mother because I hardly recognized it was the same person. Del Toro deserves all the praise for this gothic drama.

7. Marty Supreme

Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme is messy and energetic in the best ways possible. It stars Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin O’Leary, Odessa A’zion, and Tyler Okonma. It follows a young table tennis player in a desperate pursuit of greatness as he makes his way through the chaotic and competitive world of his sport. The film has great pacing and a solid soundtrack. The main character is egotistical and isn’t exactly likable, but I think that’s the point. And yes, Kevin O’Leary, also known as Mr. Wonderful, made an unexpected appearance, but after seeing him in the role he played, I couldn’t imagine anyone else.

8. The Secret Agent

The Secret Agent is a Brazilian film directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho starring Wagner Moura, Udo Kier, and Maria Fernanda Cândido. The film is visually striking and politically charged, as it explores innocent people being put in the crossfire of corruption. It follows a former professor forced into hiding during Brazil’s dictatorship, as he tries to flee with his son. Its vibrant style with the contrasting darker themes creates a film that is engaging and unsettling in the best ways.

9. Train Dreams

Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams is one of those humble but powerful films that lingers with you long after it’s over. The film follows a traveling railroad worker whose life is shaped by intensive labor, the loss of his wife and daughter in a wildfire, and years of loneliness as he watches the modern world slowly replace the rugged one he once knew. Starring Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, and Kerry Condon, Train Dreams is a quiet story highlighting nature being slowly overtaken by industrialization. It’s so simple, yet feels timeless and personal. 

10. F1

Closing out the list is F1 directed by Joseph Kosinski. Apparently the tracks were pretty accurate to real Formula One tracks, which is technically impressive, but the film is really just a predictable racing drama. It stars Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, and Javier Bardem in a film about a former F1 racer who comes out of retirement after 30 years to help save an old teammate’s failing team by mentoring a rookie as he chases redemption. F1 took home one award for Best Sound, and although this movie wasn’t personally striking for me, its realism is impressive nonetheless.

One thing that all of this year’s nominees had in common was that they reflect a film industry bold enough to experiment and take risks. These films prove that cinema is still capable of surprising us, even at a time when audiences are drifting away from theaters to stream at home. If we want ambitious, bizarre, and beautiful stories like these to keep being made, we have to show up for them. Cinema isn’t dying because it’s out of ideas, it’s fading because we’re not in its seats. The future of film depends on us choosing to keep the magic alive.