In what felt like one of the most hotly contested Oscar races in recent memory, I found myself excited for the 98th Annual Academy Awards more than I had any right to be. Don’t get me wrong, the ceremony itself was overlong and filled with awkward moments, cringey speeches and performative humanitarianism, but the films this year were truly spectacular. The entire telecast was worthwhile simply for Misty Copeland coming out of retirement to perform ballet in front of Lil Timmy Chalamet as a giant laugh in the face of uninformed privilege. (“Marty Supreme” going zero for nine in awards also proves how easy it is to derail an Oscar campaign).
Plus, with Paramount (and David Ellison in particular) nearly ready to acquire Warner Bros., we’re looking at a future that doesn’t just shake up streaming and probably violate a few antitrust laws, but puts two film studios, three television studios, two streaming platforms and a ton of cable (and news) networks under the same umbrella. That much media all owned by the same person has demonstrably proven to be bad for Earth, so with the future of film (and humanity in general) feeling so nebulous right now, I’m happy to focus on something as simple as a wonderful year at the movies.
With that said, here are some of the winners of the 98th Annual Academy Awards and whether I thought they earned it. Were you happy with the results?
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Winner
Michael B. Jordan / Sinners
Who won: Two weeks ago, I would have said Chalamet had this one on lock, but he’s been a desperate, privileged weirdo in his press tour, so Michael B. Jordan took it in a landslide.
Who should have won: Each one of these performances is an all-timer, but Ethan Hawke’s work broke my heart and DiCaprio proved once again that he gets better with every performance. Still, I’m glad Jordan took it.
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Winner
Sean Penn / One Battle after Another
Who won: Sean Penn was mighty in the film, but I don’t love that he couldn’t be bothered to go to the event. His self-seriousness is exhausting.
Who should have won: Benicio del Toro’s character in “One Battle After Another” is just so iconic, but Delroy Lindo crafted such a delicately beautiful performance in “Sinners” that I was low-key rooting for him.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Winner
Jessie Buckley / Hamnet
Who Won: Jessie Buckley had this on lock. She has been a chameleonic actress for years and is finally getting the attention she has earned.
Who should have won: As happy as I was for Buckley to get this, it was Rose Byrne’s devastating and complex work in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” that I found the most remarkable. She added so much humanity to a character that could have been unbearable.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Winner
Amy Madigan / Weapons
Who won: Madigan deserved it. What an insanely massive character that she managed to instill with a dark, pitted soul.
Who should have won: As much as I love Madigan’s creepily hilarious turn in “Weapons,” I think Teyana Taylor lights the screen on fire in just a few short minutes. She was luminous.
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Winner
KPOP Demon Hunters / Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans and Michelle L.M. Wong
Who won: “KPop Demon Hunters” has won this award all awards season and they were never going to lose.
Who should have won: “Arco” has three or four moments I’ve never seen in a film before, animated or otherwise. Truly a work of boundless imagination.
CASTING
Winner
One Battle After Another / Cassandra Kulukundis
Who won: It makes sense “One Battle” took this since I can’t imagine anyone else playing these roles.
Who should have won: I mean, “Sentimental Value” should have won since all four lead actors are up for awards.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner
Sinners / Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Who won: Autumn Durald Arkapaw is a genius who must be protected at all costs. Her work on “Sinners” is one of the highlights of the entire film. The first woman to win this award in history!
Who should have won: Arkapaw should have won, but if Adolpho Veloso had won for his gorgeous summoning of the ghosts of the Pacific Northwest in “Train Dreams,” I would still have been very happy.
COSTUME DESIGN
Winner
Frankenstein / Kate Hawley
Who won: Kate Hawley for “Frankenstein.” The Academy loves gothic costuming.
Who should have won: Ruth E. Carter recreated the 1930’s Mississippi Delta flawlessly for “Sinners” while bringing forth centuries of black culture alongside it. She designs like a time traveller, and I’m not sure any of us appreciate how astonishing her work here is.
DIRECTING
Winner
One Battle After Another / Paul Thomas Anderson
Who won: This was a race between Ryan Coogler (for “Sinners”) and PTA and I think Anderson took it only because he made a politically charged action comedy that hit at the perfect time (and he made it look easy).
Who should have won: I like “One Battle After Another” just slightly more as a film, but I was rooting for Coogler, Oakland and “Sinners” as a work of art because it’s what my heart told me to do.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Winner
Mr. Nobody Against Putin / David Borenstein, Pavel Talankin, Helle Faber and Alžběta Karásková
Who won: “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” is so important and timely in how it discusses propaganda and the importance of whistleblowers.
Who should have won: ”Mr. Nobody Against Putin” all the way.
FILM EDITING
Winner
One Battle After Another / Andy Jurgensen
Who won: “One Battle After Another” is a 162-minute film that feels like it’s 90. The editing is a big part of why. This was the clear winner.
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Winner
Norway / Sentimental Value
Who won: It was a race between “The Secret Agent” and “Sentimental Value,” but “Value’s” focus on filmmaking gave it the boost.
Who should have won: “The Voice of Hind Rajab” is about the genocide in Gaza that is still happening. This should have won because everyone on Earth should watch it. I guarantee this film will be taught in schools in the future.
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Winner
Sinners / Ludwig Goransson
Who won: Goransson’s blues-soaked score is timeless and carries the entire film along with Arkapaw’s cinematography. His music is grimy, sweaty, sexy and I’m here for it.
Who should have won: As much as I love Jonny Greenwood’s score for “One Battle,” Goransson deserved this one all the way.
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Winner
“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters; Music and Lyric by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Teddy Park
Who won: “Golden” was just too catchy to lose.
Who should have won: As much as I wanted it to be “Sinners” or “Train Dreams,” I think “KPop Demon Hunters” was always in the lead.
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
Winner
One Battle After Another / Paul Thomas Anderson
Who won: Paul Thomas Anderson constructed “One Battle After Another” as a timely political thriller, a stoner comedy and a buddy action movie simultaneously. His work here won’t be fully appreciated for a few decades, even though he has won the Oscar.
Who should have won: Anderson should’ve won, but the screenplay for “Train Dreams” is one of the most beautiful pieces of writing of the last 25 years. It should also have won. Couldn’t they both win, please?
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
Winner
Sinners / Ryan Coogler
Who won: “Sinners” was just too culturally significant to lose.
Who should have won: I personally think the script for “Blue Moon” absolutely sings with brilliance and humor, but “Sinners” should have won simply for how beautifully Coogler blends genres and layers in a hundred years of thematic power, depth and rage.
BEST PICTURE
Winner
One Battle After Another / Adam Somner, Sara Murphy and Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers
Who won: This was a race between “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” (with “The Secret Agent” and “Sentimental Value” acting as possible spoilers). “One Battle” won because of its timeliness. The only reason “Sinners” didn’t is that the Academy historically doesn’t award horror movies.
Who should have won: The more I watch these movies over and over, I think “Train Dreams” is my favorite one. Not necessarily the best, but I like what it says about life and existence. It’s sweetly and gently profound in ways I’m not sure many movies have the patience to attempt.
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