It’s Oscars time, so here’s a quick rundown of my thoughts on all ten Best Picture nominees.

My Favorites

• One Battle After Another - My favorite film of the year. Paul Thomas Anderson at his most propulsive and crowd-pleasing, even though it’s still plenty strange. Another movie feels really of the time. Benicio del Toro turns in my single favorite performance of the year.

• Bugonia - I’m a sucker for movies that take sharp turns into sci-fi, and Bugonia delivers on that. The internet conspiracy theorist element felt very of the moment too. My second favorite film of the year.

• Frankenstein - A take on the classic tale that had me all the way through. Jacob Elordi’s performance was excellent, and it’s my wife’s favorite film of the year. Probably my third favorite of the year as well.

The Rest

• F1 - Entertaining enough, even if Brad Pitt’s character would have been banned from F1 racing ten times over in the course of the film.

• Hamnet - Found most of the film a little too over the top, but the conclusion was extremely effective and moving. Jessie Buckley’s performance is hard to deny.

• Marty Supreme - A little too over the top for its own good. I was hoping for a bit of a change of pace now that the Safdies are working individually, but it felt more like Uncut Gems with ping-pong than I was expecting.

• The Secret Agent - Didn’t really come together in a way that made sense or was satisfying for me. Has a lot in common with I’m Still Here from last year, which covers similar ground better.

• Sentimental Value - Was a little too Oscar-y and distant when I first watched it, but in hindsight it has stuck with me more than I expected.

• Sinners - Highly entertaining, but made some strange story choices that I didn’t love. Can’t say no to dual Michael B. Jordans though, and even though I prefer One Battle After Another, a late campaign surge for this film would be fun.

• Train Dreams - Didn’t love this one. Wonderfully shot, but too traditionally Oscar-y. And frankly, not enough trains. If I had to pick between the vroom vroom movie and the choo-choo movie, I pick the vroom vroom movie.

My Picks

20/24 correct.

Category	My Pick	Winner
Best Picture	One Battle After Another	✓
Best Director	Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another	✓
Best Actor	Michael B. Jordan, Sinners	✓
Best Actress	Jessie Buckley, Hamnet	✓
Best Supporting Actor	Sean Penn, One Battle After Another	✓
Best Supporting Actress	Amy Madigan, Weapons	✓
Original Screenplay	Sinners	✓
Adapted Screenplay	One Battle After Another	✓
Casting	Sinners	✗ One Battle After Another
Editing	One Battle After Another	✓
Animated Feature	KPop Demon Hunters	✓
Documentary Feature	The Perfect Neighbor	✗ Mr. Nobody Against Putin
International Feature	Sentimental Value (Norway)	✓
Production Design	Frankenstein	✓
Costume Design	Frankenstein	✓
Cinematography	One Battle After Another	✗ Sinners
Makeup and Hairstyling	Frankenstein	✓
Sound	F1	✓
Visual Effects	Avatar: Fire and Ash	✓
Original Score	Sinners	✓
Original Song	“Golden” (KPop Demon Hunters)	✓
Animated Short	Butterfly	✗ The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Documentary Short	All the Empty Rooms	✓
Live-Action Short	Two People Exchanging Saliva	✓ (tie with The Singers)

Other Thoughts

• Pulling for Amy Madigan in Best Supporting Actress. Aunt Gladys forever.

• I’d be fine with Conan hosting the Oscars forever.

• I’m going back and forth on if things are really up in the air, or this is actually a surprisingly predictable year. We’ll find out soon enough.