Watched: 01/22/2026
Format: HBOmax
Viewing; Second
Director: Ryan Coogler
I guess they announced the Oscar nominees, and Sinners (2025) is up for a record 16 Oscars. Jamie had already asked to watch this movie a few times, and I figured - hey, tonight's the night. (I'd delayed because the movie is 2+ hours, and I wanted to do it in one sitting.)
In my 2025 Favorite Movies list, it came in as Honorable Mention, just behind Flow, which I called my Favorite of 2025. But I'll let you in on a little secret (pssst. Scoot closer) Ya see - it's kinda arbitrary. I could have picked either movie.
I will say, Sinners isn't a different movie on a rewatch, but it's really, really good as a rewatch - and is a different experience. It's very well written and edited (along with everything else, which is why they're throwing award noms at it), so when you know what's coming - things definitely have a different weight to them.
All that said, I don't actually want to talk too much about the movie again. I dunno, here's my post from April. I probably liked it even better on a second viewing.
Yes, it has received a lot of nominations, and it's kind of wild, but there are a variety of reasons that's true - including the film's overall popularity and watchability while still managing to reflect on the sorts of themes Academy voters tend to like to nominate. The performances across the board sell the movie, and it's, if nothing else, pretty @#$%ing novel.
“tend to like to nominate” is the accurate key phrase here. If voters actually watch the film, I think it has too much From Dusk Til Dawn and not enough white saviors for them to really give it the big statues. 16 noms lets it run away with a bunch of technical awards and maybe Delroy with the Hollywood Workman Gets His Best Supporting Flowers award, without having to break the mold too much with the top prizes. Coogler negotiated a deal away from the studio - is the Academy really gonna help him gild that lily? I remain skeptical.
ReplyDeleteI'm not convinced that some of the message of the movie vis-a-vis liberal white folks, appropriation and hegemony is the warm hug Academy voters tend to reward. Coogler, notably, is not part of the Academy for reasons I'd agree with - he thinks giving out awards makes little sense. And, yeah, it does feel like movies that get all the noms tend to lose out through voter fatigue or whatever. maybe earned the noms, but folks will find reasons to rank vote other movies higher. I didn't see anything new this year that will be in the running, but the Academy will do what it does. But I don't think Coogler's deal will impact much when it comes to votes. And may have the opposite effect as it will be seen as supporting the filmmakers and not the execs.
DeleteI think it’s An Honor To Be Nominated: The Movie
DeleteCould be. I haven't seen anything else, and likely won't, so I have no real insight or opinion other than that the Minecraft movie got snubbed.
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