Every year when the Oscars arrive, I always hear two things:
Who even cares?!” or “That film was terrible!
And that’s just my mother.
It’s true that the Academy Awards no longer attract the same number of viewers as before. In 1998, when “Titanic” won best picture, a huge audience of 55 million Americans (roughly 20% of the population) tuned in.
Last year in the United States, 20.2 million people watched to find out what “Anora” is, which was a relatively low number.
Nevertheless, this was sufficient to rank the event as the 17th most-watched broadcast of 2025 — comparable to many Sunday Night Football episodes.
Even with the ceremony’s reduced prominence over nearly a century, the Oscars continue to generate intense emotions worldwide, ranging from frustration to elation.
In March of last year, following Brazil’s “I’m Still Here” winning the award for best international feature film, it is said that people in Rio de Janeiro celebrated by dancing in the streets.
Following Netflix’s intense film “Emilia Perez,” which received a leading 13 nominations, audiences at home courageously decided to watch it, turning the strange French-Spanish language musical into one of the biggest jokes on social media.
The Academy Awards, for many people, continue to hold significance.
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The voting process for the 98th Academy Award nominations concluded on Thursday evening, with the list of nominees set to be revealed on January 22.
What will anger the public or make them dance ‘Samba’?
The main event this time is “One Battle After Another,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Yes, “Sinners,” the Southern vampire film featuring Michael B. Jordan, might receive the most references because, in addition to being a celebrated hit, it includes music and visual effects.
It’s an obvious choice for a best picture nomination.
But don’t be fooled by its impressive count, even if it’s potentially a record. “Emilia Perez” received 13 nominations in 2025 but only won two.
“One Battle,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, has been dominating the award season despite its failure, and there’s no sign that its run of success will come to an end.
Anderson, the 55-year-old filmmaker behind “Boogie Nights,””Magnolia,” and “There Will Be Blood,” has yet to win best picture or director, but many believe his moment is finally here.
The wise bet is that it will.
DiCaprio, along with co-stars Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro, is likely to be announced on Thursday, and newcomer Chase Infiniti might also be nominated for best actress.
Is there any competition for “One Battle” in the Best Picture category?
Kind of. That same night, Anderson’s action-filled satire secured the comedy Golden Globe, “Hamnet” (a better film, actually), won the drama award.
The sorrowful tale of Shakespeare’s wife, featuring its timber-framed homes and “to be or not to be” dialogues, is also expected to do well at the BAFTAs, the British equivalent of the Oscars.
But I’d be surprised if the personal, powerful story pulled a “Shakespeare in Love” surprise, despite industry praise.
It’s likely that the gold it receives on Oscar night is awarded to its brilliant star Jessie Buckley for best actress.
Yeah, yeah, Rose Byrne has been receiving praise for “If I Had Arms, I’d Punch You.” She will be nominated, but that independent film is too unconventional for the Oscars.
We all saw last year how strange Demi Moore became — nothing at all.
The competition everyone is discussing is the best actor category — and more specifically, Timothée Chalamet versus DiCaprio.
Chalamet, the 30-year-old actor from “Marty Supreme”,” seems impossible to beat to me.
Although there is admiration for DiCaprio and his solid performance in “One Battle,” it is very uncommon for an actor to receive an award for a role that the film does not depend on.
For instance, over the past six years, the winner has portrayed the lead role in their movie. (Yes, I’m including “The Whale”). DiCaprio is one member of a group, where the other actors surpass him.
Chalamet’s “Marty Supreme” would not exist without him.
He appears in almost every moment, and delivers an outstanding performance.
So, is Ethan Hawke in “Blue Moon” playing Lorenz Hart? But a friend who saw it with a crowd from the West Coast at Telluride said the movie went over everyone’s tanned heads.
If Los Angeles residents aren’t interested in a Broadway composer they’ve heard of, why would the 20% of Oscar voters living overseas care?
Returning to the best picture category, “One Battle,””Sinners,” and “Hamnet” will be joined by “Marty Supreme,” Norway’s “Sentimental Value,” and “Frankenstein.”
The remaining five spots are still undecided, but they are expected to include a combination of international movies (such as Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” or Spain’s “Sirat”) along with major releases like “F1” or “Wicked: For Good.”
Netflix’s overrated sleeping pill “Train Dreams” has a good chance.
If the Academy is wise, they would acknowledge “Weapons,” which was one of the most talked-about original films of the year and a significant commercial hit.
Could it qualify? I hope so. The Oscars require some changes.
The Golden Globes were extremely predictable, throughout the evening I wished for a more enjoyable task, like doing the dishes or completing my taxes.
The Oscars will be broadcast on Sunday, March 15. And if you’re part of the “Who even cares?!” group, don’t worry. The entire event kicks off again next week at the Sundance Film Festival!