2025 was a great year for cinema, and no better way to celebrate than another Oscar nomination season. So, what are people saying about this year’s Oscar noms? And what movies should you make sure to hit before March 15th?
Nomination Lead
The big winner this year is Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld. This period-piece turned thriller was a smash hit for both fans and critics this year, so it is no surprise that it took away the most nominations from not only any other film this year, but of any film ever. The film received 16 nominations, surpassing the previous record of 14 held by La La Land, Titanic, and All About Eve. Some of these Academy Award noms included Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Cinematography. It’s also important to note that a woman has never won the award for best cinematography, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw is currently nominated for her work on Sinners. I personally will be rooting for her, as well as the rest of this talented cast and crew, on awards day. If you haven’t seen this one yet, I highly recommend watching it before the awards. This was one of my favorite films of the year, and the cinematography, performances, and story are all top-notch. It is no surprise that this film is a frontrunner to win Best Picture on March 15th.
Oscar Snubs
This year is no exception when it comes to dramatic Oscar snubs. Wicked For Good, the dramatic sequel to the highly rated Wicked: Part 1 from 2024, got a grand total of zero nominations. Although this may have come as a shock to the major Wicked fans, movie critics aren’t nearly as surprised. The movie got 10 noms last year, and a lot of movie critics have moved on from this dramatic musical saga. 2025 was a very competitive year in terms of award-deserving films, and this sequel didn’t get the attention that some might have felt it deserved. Although one can argue there were some serious snubs in the acting category, especially for leads Ariana Grande and Cynthia Arivo, the “sequel-itis” nature of the film causes it to get overlooked when being considered for the Academy Awards. What may have been a final hurrah has turned out to be the end of an era, but maybe that’s okay. The fandom and excitement drawn in by these movies will not be quickly forgotten by their fanbase. Song Sung Blue, the Neil Diamond-centered biopic, only took away one nomination, and it was for lead actress Kate Hudson. I am not a huge fan of biopics myself, so I am glad to see other films taking a lead when it comes to the filmmaking-centered awards this season. Other films such as The Smashing Machine, Christy, and A House of Dynamite also didn’t take any nominations home this year. In a season with lots of hard-hitters, check out this article to see if any of these snubs might become your next on-repeat.
Film Highlights
Luckily, some other great films came away with lots of nods this year. Besides Sinners, high-performers included Marty Supreme (directed by Josh Safdie), One Battle After Another (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson), and Hamnet (directed by Chloé Zhao). Marty Supreme was a crowd-favorite, and I personally loved the high-stakes action sequences, storyline, and incredible performance by Timotheé Chalamet. Hamnet, a breathtaking drama about the life of Shakespeare, also took away a great deal of nominations, including best directing for the female director Chloé Zhao. One Battle After Another was an incredibly impactful film, and I think Leonardo DiCaprio has a strong shot at claiming Best Actor for his performance in the film. I would recommend all three of these films if you haven’t seen them yet, as I think they will all come out with awards this season. Check out this list of all the nominations, and settle in for another great show on March 15th, 2026.
