DVD Corner

10 Thoughts On The 2026 Oscar Nominations

The 98th Academy Awards Nominations are here and there’s a lot to talk about. Let’s get started…

1. Perhaps the biggest story to come out of the nominations is seeing 11 first time acting nominees including Michael B. Jordan, Teyana Taylor, Jacob Elordi, Elle Fanning, Wagner Moura, Stellan Skarsgard, Delroy Lindo, Rose Byrne, Renate Reinsve, Wunmi Mosaku, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Very nice to see new faces instead of the same old nominees.

2. “Tron: Ares” getting snubbed for Best Visual Effects and Nine Inch Nails getting snubbed for Best Original Song and Best Score is a real shame.

3. It’s great to see the best film of the year in “One Battle After Another” getting a whopping 13 nominations, but Chase Infiniti should have made it 14.

4. Always happy to see Richard Linklater movies getting love from the Oscars. Although the lack of “Nouvelle Vague” is disappointing, 2 nominations for “Blue Moon” (Ethan Hawke and Best Screenplay) is a pleasant surprise.

5. I’m not even a fan of “Wicked: For Good,” but seeing the film get shut out is positively shocking. The film should have been an absolute shoo in for awards like Best Costume Design, Best Makeup And Hairstyling, Best Production Design, etc.

6. It’s always fun to see Oscar records being broken and that was certainly the case for “Sinners” getting a new record 16 nominations. Congratulations!

7. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Joseph Kosinski, but “F1” getting nominated for Best Picture is laughable. Not only is it his worst film, but this will easily go down as one of the worst films ever nominated for Best Picture.

8. “Bugonia” got plenty of love, but it was tough to see Jesse Plemons left out as he gave one of the best performances I saw in 2025. 

9. Horror films rarely get nominated, but this year was a different story. 16 nominations for “Sinners,” 9 nominations for “Frankenstein,” 1 for “Weapons” and the biggest and best Oscar surprise, 1 nomination for “The Ugly Stepsister” (my personal favorite horror film of 2025). You can even make a case for “KPop Demon Hunters” being a horror film (a hybrid at least).

10. I feel like the gem that is “Train Dreams” has gone under the radar the entire awards season, but I’m glad it was recognized here with 4 nominations (Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Song).

January 22, 2026 - Posted by nicklyons1 | List | 10 Thoughts On The 2026 Oscar Nominations, 98th Academy Awards, Blue Moon, Bugonia, Delroy Lindo, Elle Fanning, Ethan Hawke, F1, Frankenstein, horror, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Jacob Elordi, KPop Demon Hunters, Michael B. Jordan, One Battle After Another, Oscar Snubs, Renate Reinsve, Rose Byrne, Sinners, Teyana Taylor, The Ugly Stepsister, Train Dreams, Tron: Ares, Wagner Moura, Wicked: For Good, Wunmi Mosaku