I’ll start out with some positives from the 2026 Academy Awards. One, Conan O’Brien did a great job as host, once again, and he kept it moving and didn’t dawdle with too many long, drawn-out bits. Many of his opening jokes were amazing. Two, the show didn’t go too far over and it didn’t feel like everyone was punch-drunk by the end. Three, the Oscar wins for Sinners were ELITE! I also loved that Marty Supreme was completely shut out. Now for the bad stuff: it felt so typical of Hollywood that they gave Best Picture to One Battle After Another and not Sinners, all while positioning Sinners so prominently for months beforehand. The sound and sound mixing for the Oscar broadcast was HORRIFIC. They also bizarrely left tons of people out of the In Memoriam section. Anyway, I’m including some of my personal highlights below, these are in no way comprehensive.
So many of Conan’s jokes were great in the opening monologue, but people especially loved the ballet & opera one. The Weapons bit was great too.
The Oscars found a way to brilliantly “recreate” the juke joint scene in Sinners for Miles Caton’s performance of “I Lied to You.” It was terrific and this was the best the sound-mixing got last night. It was all downhill after this. I loved the “cameo” by Jack O’Connell too.
Sinners’ cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first-ever woman to win Best Cinematography and she’s also the first woman of color to win in this category as well. What a historic moment.
Michael B. Jordan’s win for Sinners was amazing, although it did feel like the Academy was chasing the high from his SAG/Actor win. Still, I loved the looks on Ethan Hawke, Wagner Moura and Leonardo DiCaprio’s faces – they were proud uncles! There was a cutaway to Jesse Plemons too, who is friends with MBJ from Friday Night Lights, and Jesse was so pleased for his friend. Teyana Taylor was thrilled too! MBJ really felt the weight and history of the moment – he’s only the sixth Black man to win Best Actor. I’m so glad he had his parents there too.
I loved everything about Amy Madigan and her win, up to and including her husband Ed Harris’s presence and support. He was so proud of her! What a moment!
Putting Anne Hathaway and Anna Wintour together as presenters was brilliant.
If nothing else, Ryan Coogler finally won his first Oscar, for Best Original Screenplay for Sinners. Thank God he won something.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Miles Caton (center) performs onstage during the 98th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026.,Image: 1083372006, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: LCY/Avalon
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- Ryan Coogler with the Oscar for Original Screenplay backstage with Paul Thomas Anderson with the Oscar for Adapted Screenplay during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026.,Image: 1083377266, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Richard Harbaugh / The Academy/Avalon
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- Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Goransson, Michael B. Jordan and Autumn Durald Arkapaw backstage during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026.,Image: 1083397415, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Etienne Laurent / The Academy/Avalon
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- Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler pose backstage with the Oscar for Actor in a Leading Role during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026.,Image: 1083397548, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Etienne Laurent / The Academy/Avalon
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- Jessie Buckley, Michael B. Jordan and Amy Madigan pose backstage with the Oscar for Actor in a Leading Role during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026.,Image: 1083397633, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: LCY/Avalon
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- Conan O’Brien hosts the 98th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026.,Image: 1083410274, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red/Avalon
One day, Ryan Coogler will win best director and best picture. I’m happy that Michael B Jordan won.
This. His day will come
I have to wonder if that’s part of Sinners not getting Director or Picture—Coogler is young and super talented, and the Academy assumed he’s got more great films to award at some later date. I wish they wouldn’t think that way, and would reward good work when it’s made. Like OBAA wasn’t PTA’s best work, either. It’s frustrating but I am so so glad he got Screenplay.
SINNERS was a masterpiece. It’ll be discussed and referenced for years later. I find rhe discussion within the Black community about Shaboozey participating in that sequence so us. LOL. We are very Pepperidge Farms Remember over his comments from the Grammy’s. Also love that Misty Copeland performed in part due to her movie reference that was woven into that scene. I skipped even tangentially paying attention because I knew they were going to short change SINNERS. Last, I really really hope Miles becomes the new generation Denzel.
Admittedly my social media algorithm is skewered but it felt like Sinners ruled last night: there was Autumn’s historic win and beautiful speech, everyone in that room loved MBJ (loved his speech shouting out the other black winners, particularly that he included Halle), all the winners gushed over Ryan Coogler (actually the whole damn cast and crew gushed over each other), and then the big musical number was amazing. The film didn’t win the big prizes but still felt like it got an inordinate amount of love.
It feels like Sinners will be remembered moreso than the actual winner. Sigh. Loved all the wins they did get though. Love seeing them holding those statues.
Yhis is so nice, I’m so happy for them because I really did think that they were going to get shut out. It’s one of the multitude of reasons that I stopped watching Oscars about 20 years ago. They take forever, anything that has popular appeal if it even gets nominated never wins, and half of the voting academy admits that they don’t even watch all the movies.
That being said, I am so happy that Sinners is getting the recognition it deserved. I barely go see movies in theaters anymore, and I left the theater after watching that standing in the parking lot booking a ticket to go see it again. It was just phenomenal work. I wish they had won more of the technical awards, because I do feel like that’s where it really stood out in addition to Michael’s acting and the screenplay.