Best picture rankings for the 2026 Oscars

For the past nine years, I have watched every movie nominated for best picture at the Oscars. Below are my rankings for the 2026 Oscars.

Best Picture Ranking

Best Picture Rankings

Sinners — 9/10 This is not simply a vampire movie, and the marketing doesn't quite prepare you for that. Set in Jim Crow-era Mississippi, it follows twin brothers who return home after World War I to open a juke joint, only to confront a supernatural force tied to vampire lore and the deeper horror of white supremacy. Michael B. Jordan's dual role as the twins is a remarkable physical and emotional achievement, doing twice the work of any other actor in the field. The film uses horror tropes to say something meaningful about racism, colonialism, and systems of oppression without ever feeling like homework. Sinners is the rare film that is both a commercial smash and a critical masterpiece — it broke the all-time Oscar nomination record with 16 nods, and that breadth of support across every category is telling.

The Secret Agent — 9/10 I went in knowing nothing about this film and loved it. The opening scene alone is a masterpiece of filmmaking. Set in 1970s Brazil during the military dictatorship, it follows Armando, a former researcher turned political dissident living under a false name, navigating a world of surveillance, resistance, and quiet terror. The film is fundamentally about memory, its unreliability, and the blurry line between fact and fiction. Wagner Moura makes something extraordinary out of an ordinary man, his composed exterior concealing turbulent currents of grief and quiet indignation.

Sentimental Value — 8.5/10 This is the most emotionally real of all the nominees. After their mother's death, two sisters reunite with their estranged father, a once-famous film director who offers one of them the lead role in his comeback film. Norwegian director Joachim Trier trusts the audience to sit in discomfort and ambiguity, building emotional weight through small moments and layered performances rather than melodrama. The decaying family house at the centre of the film is as much a character as any of the people in it, holding decades of memory and unresolved grief within its walls. This is the kind of film that grows in your mind for days after watching it.

Marty Supreme — 8/10 Great fun, but with real substance underneath. Timothée Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a young table tennis prodigy who goes to extreme and often self-destructive lengths in pursuit of the world championship in Japan. Marty is intentionally unlikeable, and the film uses that to critique the mythology of the American Dream through one of the sharpest scripts of the year. Chalamet's performance is extraordinary — brash, shameless, and utterly committed — and on its strength alone, he thoroughly deserves his first Oscar win. The late momentum has swung toward Michael B. Jordan, and I understand it, but Chalamet's work here is exceptional.

Frankenstein — 8/10 I couldn't help comparing this to the National Theatre Live production with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, which I loved, and that probably raised my expectations unfairly. Guillermo del Toro's adaptation stars Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as the Creature, and the stagecraft, costume, and makeup work are exceptional. There are moments of brilliance, but some structural and tonal issues stop it from reaching its full potential. The production design is among the best of the year, and Frankenstein will likely be one of the quiet winners of the night, taking home three Oscars in the craft categories.

One Battle After Another — 8/10 There is a great film buried in here. Paul Thomas Anderson's political satire, loosely adapted from Thomas Pynchon, follows a washed-up revolutionary living off-grid with his self-reliant daughter, until an old rival forces him back into action. The cast — Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro — is extraordinary, and several sequences are outstanding. But both the first and third acts needed trimming, and the film's message feels slightly confused, reaching for several thematic ideas without fully committing to one. It has swept virtually every precursor award going, and will likely win Oscars on the night. But for me, it is not the best movie of the year.

Bugonia — 7.5/10 Emma Stone plays the powerful CEO of a major corporation, kidnapped by two conspiracy theorists convinced she is an alien intent on destroying the Earth. The ending will divide audiences, but I think it works — it elevates the film beyond a working-class story about resentment toward corporate elites and pushes it into something stranger and more interesting. Stone brings a fearless commitment to Yorgos Lanthimos's deliberately alienating world, and I respect films willing to risk losing part of the audience to land a bigger thematic punch.

Hamnet — 7/10 Frustrating, because it has so many ingredients I love: Shakespeare, Paul Mescal, and the director of Nomadland. Directed by Chloé Zhao and based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel, it tells the story of Agnes and William Shakespeare, the death of their young son Hamnet, and how that grief gave birth to one of theatre's greatest works. Jessie Buckley is phenomenal as Agnes and a lock for Best Actress. But the film is ultimately too heavy-handed — it tells you what to feel rather than trusting the audience to arrive there themselves.

Train Dreams — 7/10 Very American, in both good and limiting ways. Set across the decades of the American frontier, it follows a solitary labourer whose quiet life is shaped by hard work, deep loss, and the vast indifferent landscape around him. Atmospheric and often beautiful, but it doesn't quite justify its Best Picture placement given the strength of some non-nominated films this year.

F1 — 7/10 Brad Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a once-promising Formula 1 driver who returns to the sport after three decades away to mentor a rookie and save a struggling team. A very enjoyable blockbuster with excellent sound and film editing, and extremely watchable. But in a Best Picture lineup, it feels like the "very good blockbuster" slot rather than top-tier cinema. Expect it to take home two well-deserved craft Oscars on the night.

Should Have Been Nominated

No Other Choice — 8.5/10 This absolutely should have been nominated. Yes, the second act drags a little, but the highs are extremely high — it reminded me strongly of Parasite in how it blends social commentary with genre storytelling. It has something important to say and says it with confidence and style. A major omission from this year's lineup, and not just my view. Critics across the board have flagged it as one of the biggest snubs in years.

Should Win vs. Will Win

Best Picture Should win: Sinners Will win: Sinners (upset pick — One Battle After Another is the overwhelming favourite, having swept the DGA, PGA, BAFTA, Golden Globes and Critics Choice. But the SAG ensemble win for Sinners and the breadth of its support across 16 nominations gives me hope. Backing the upset.)

Best Director Should win: Ryan Coogler (Sinners) Will win: Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another)

Best Actor Should win: Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) Will win: Michael B. Jordan (Sinners)

Best Actress Should win: Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) Will win: Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)

Best Supporting Actor Should win: Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value) Will win: Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)

Best Supporting Actress Should win: Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) Will win: Amy Madigan (Weapons)

Best Casting Should win: Sinners Will win: Sinners

Best Original Screenplay Should win: Marty Supreme (one of the cracking scripts of the year) Will win: Sinners

Best Adapted Screenplay Should win: One Battle After Another Will win: One Battle After Another

Best Animated Feature Should win: KPop Demon Hunters Will win: KPop Demon Hunters

Best Cinematography Should win: The Secret Agent Will win: One Battle After Another

Best Production Design Should win: Frankenstein Will win: Frankenstein

Best Film Editing Should win: F1 Will win: One Battle After Another

Best Sound Should win: F1 Will win: F1

Best Original Score Should win: Sinners Will win: Sinners

Best Original Song Should win: "Golden" (KPop Demon Hunters) Will win: "Golden" (KPop Demon Hunters)

Best Visual Effects Should win: Avatar: Fire and Ash Will win: Avatar: Fire and Ash

Best Costume Design Should win: Frankenstein Will win: Frankenstein

Best Makeup and Hairstyling Should win: Frankenstein Will win: Frankenstein