It's the final countdown.
For a lot of folks, figuring out what'll be namedbest pictureon March 15 at the 98thAcademy Awards(ABC and Hulu, 7 p.m. ET/4 PT) is a relatively recent conundrum. Yet while they've only been thinking about it since late January, film critics like yours truly have been thinking aboutthis slate of 10 nominated filmsfor much of the last year. That's a lot of hemming and hawing, a lot of second- and triple-guessing, and a bevy of rewatches to gauge the worthiness of being part ofa historically significant canon. (Thankfully, they're all at least pretty good – no "Bohemian Rhapsody" lurking among themto worry about possibly winning.)
So what's the best of the best amongthis year's Oscar crop? Here are my top five:
USA TODAY Movie MeterHelp select the film of the year!
1. 'Sinners'
"The Life of Chuck" might have beenthe best movie of 2025, but"Sinners"was a close second, so it makes the top of my ballot.Ryan Coogler's vampire-filled musical period epic won best ensemble at the Actor Awards, making the Oscar race downright scintillating in the last weeks.Michael B. Jordandelivers a sensational dual performance as twin gangsters staving off bloodsuckers at their juke joint's door. It's gory and bizarre but rousing and beautiful. And "Sinners" − which would bejust the second horror moviein almost a century of Oscar history to win best picture − is the one film on this list that really feels like it'll influence a generation of filmmakers.
Advertisement
2. 'Hamnet'
At the Oscars, never count out any movie that can totally wreck a viewer emotionally (see: "CODA," "Moonlight").Jessie Buckley, a runaway choice for best actress, helps put an audience through the wringer with her heartbreaking portrayal as Shakespeare's wife dealing with the tragic death of their son. Add in Paul Mescal's solid turn as an absent Bard dad who deals with the loss in his own way, plus a cathartic final act, and director Chloé Zhao'sgut-wrenching historical dramahas a good chance of placing high on a lot of Oscar voters' lists.
Oscars are here! See which actors, directors and films are nominated for the 98th Academy Awards, to be handed out live March 15 and broadcast on ABC and Hulu." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Oscars 2026 – The top nominees in photos
Oscars are here! See which actors, directors and films are nominated for the 98th Academy Awards, to be handed out live March 15 and broadcast on ABC and Hulu.
3. 'Frankenstein'
WhileGuillermo del Torohas won the category before – with "The Shape of Water" – thisthoughtful adaptationof Mary Shelley's masterwork is his greatest hit. The "Frankenstein" mythos has been done and redone for almost as long as Hollywood has been around, but del Toro creates an all-around technical achievement – cinematography, costumes, production design, oh, my! – as his egotistical scientist (Oscar Isaac) crafts a monster.Jacob Elordi's sensational performance as the Creature is just the cherry on top of a familiar tale told exquisitely.
4. 'Sentimental Value'
Joachim Trier's wry and moving Norwegian drama smacks of the days of "Terms of Endearment" and "Ordinary People," with a well-acted family story where there needs to be some serious hugging-it-out so a dysfunctional family can come together.Stellan Skarsgårdplays an aging filmmaker whose selfish past led to an estrangement from his daughters and who wants to make a movie inspired by their mom.Renate Reinsveis the determined stage actress who's not having it, whileInga Ibsdotter Lilleaassoars as the sibling trying to mend severely broken fences.
1968: "Oliver!" | Mark Lester plays the titular orphan in the film based on Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
1999: "American Beauty" | Kevin Spacey, with Mena Suvari, won the best-actor Oscar." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2000: "Gladiator" | Russell Crowe won the best-actor Oscar." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2003: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" | Ian McKellen helped complete the Middle-earth trilogy. This is the third film to win the all-time high of 11 Oscars, and the only fantasy film ever to win the Academy's top prize." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2006: "The Departed" | Leonardo DiCaprio, left, and Jack Nicholson star in this film that also won Martin Scorsese a directing Oscar." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2008: "Slumdog Millionaire" | The movie set in India, with Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, won eight Oscars, none in acting categories." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2009: "The Hurt Locker" | Jeremy Renner received a best-actor nomination but did not win. The film, however, won six Oscars, and Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win an Oscar for directing." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2011: "The Artist" | Jean Dujardin won the Oscar for best actor while Bérénice Bejo received a best-supporting actress nomination. The (mostly) silent film won five Academy Awards." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2012: "Argo" | Ben Affleck produced, directed and starred in this best picture based on the real-life rescue of American embassy workers in Iran in 1980." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2016: "Moonlight" | In the wildest Oscars ending ever, "La La Land" was erroneously announced as best picture. But in reality, the vote went to "Moonlight," the coming-of-age drama starring Mahershala Ali, right, and Alex Hibbert. The film won three Oscars, including best supporting actor for Ali and screenplay for director Barry Jenkins." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2017: "The Shape of Water" | A voiceless janitor, played by Sally Hawkins, and her co-worker, Octavia Spencer, work in a secret government laboratory in 1960s Baltimore. The romantic fantasy earned 13 Oscar nominations and won four." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2018: "Green Book" | Mahershala Ali stars as classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley and Viggo Mortensen is Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga, his driver and bodyguard in the 1960s Deep South. Ali won the Oscar for best supporting actor." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2020: "Nomadland" | Frances McDormand stars as a nomad who lives out of her van after she loses her husband and her home when their Nevada mining town is wiped out in an economic collapse. The film won three Oscars, including best actress for McDormand and best director for Chloé Zhao, who made Oscar history as first woman of color to win the category." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2024: "Anora" | A Brooklyn sex worker (Mikey Madison) elopes with a Russian oligarch's son (Mark Eydelshteyn). The film won five Oscars, including best actress for Madison and best director (Sean Baker)." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Every Oscar best-picture winner, ever
5. 'One Battle After Another'
People who love Paul Thomas Anderson'spolitically charged action dramedyadore it, which has given it a lot of momentum throughout awards season. And it's definitely got the resume – with top prizes fromBritish Academy Film Awards,Golden Globes, plus theproducers'anddirectors' guilds– to go all the way.Leonardo DiCapriois back in Oscar-ready form as a stoner former revolutionary who is left by his spirited love (Teyana Taylor) and struggles to save his daughter (fabulous newcomerChase Infiniti) from a dastardly nemesis (Sean Penn). It's an inspired film built to meet an angry moment.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Oscar best picture 2026 nominees – 5 movies that could win