2025 was an exceptional year for film, with many mainstream movies immediately gaining critical praise and becoming favorites for casual movie-goers and cinephiles alike. However, this makes the upcoming Academy Awards, or Oscars, even more tense, with many of the categories filled with top-notch performances, screenplays, and directors. I will cover which films, actors, and directors are favored to win each major award, as well as my personal picks and any snubs in each category.
Favored for Best Picture: One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Known for masterful cinematography, brilliant acting from a star-studded cast, and a blend of action and emotion, One Battle After Another received a whopping 13 nominations and is favored to win many awards, beat out only by Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. John Paul King for Washington Blade describes the film as “Visually masterful, superbly performed, and flawlessly delivered by a cinematic master.”
My Pick: Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler (13 Nominations)
Snubs: Wicked: For Good
Favored for Best Actor: Timothée Chalamet in Marty Supreme
Many are calling Chalamet’s performance the best of his career, with Peter Debruge for Variety writing, “In the defining performance of his still-burgeoning career, Timothée Chalamet makes you want to believe in this instantly iconic character.” His performance has been further labeled as transformative, electric, and phenomenal, fully capturing his talents. This is Chalamet’s third nomination for Best Actor, and it is looking to be his best chance yet of winning.
My Pick: Michael B. Jordan in Sinners (1 Nomination)
Snubs: Paul Mescal in Hamnet, Oscar Isaac in Frankenstein
Favored for Best Actress: Jessie Buckley in Hamnet
One of the most raw, heartwrenching, and transformative performances of the year, Jessie Buckley is the wide favorite to take home Best Actress. Buckley fully descends into her character throughout the film, making for some of the most devastating scenes in all of cinema. One of my personal favorite performances of all time, Buckley outshines the rest, with her mere presence on the screen evoking emotion.
My Pick: Jessie Buckley in Hamnet (1 Nomination)
Snubs: Cynthia Erivo in Wicked: For Good, Jennifer Lawrence in Die, My Love
Favored for Best Supporting Actress: Teyana Taylor in One Battle After Another
This is Taylor’s first Oscar nomination, and it has come with much critical acclaim from the get-go. Critics have called her performance nuanced and raw, while perfectly melding in intensity and power, matching the film’s action-thriller genre. While there has been some discourse about the character Taylor plays in the film, her performance as a mother and fighter has been widely loved and is being called “revolutionary.”
My Pick: N/A
Snubs: Ariana Grande in Wicked: For Good, Odessa A’zion in Marty Supreme
Favored for Best Supporting Actor: Stellan Skarsgård in Sentimental Value
With both his performance and the film overall being widely praised, Skarsgård is the favorite for Best Supporting Actor. He delivers an emotional performance as a flawed but layered father and patriarch, with David Sexton for The New Statesman saying that his “best ever performance” has been brought out. Skarsgård has been further praised for his command of the screen, as well as his raw interactions with the other actors in the film.
My Pick: Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein (1 Nomination)
Snubs: N/A
Favored for Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another
Already boasting an impressive 14 Oscar nominations and winning many other awards, Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the most decorated and nominated directors of his generation. Matt Neglia for Next Best Picture says, “He has made countless films that have stood the test of time, but he has never made a film quite like One Battle After Another… This remains easily one of Anderson’s most accessible and crowd-pleasing films to date.”
My Pick: Ryan Coogler for Sinners (1 Nomination)
Snubs: Guillermo del Toro for Frankenstein
