Oscar Volley: "Best Original Screenplay" is sewn-up for Ryan Coogler. It's his coronation.

The Oscar Volleys continue. Today, LYNN LEE and BEN MILLER discuss the volatile Oscar race for Best Original Screenplay.

BLUE MOON took the slot many thought/hoped would be filled by SORRY, BABY.

LYNN: Ben, it’s been a long if not especially strange road getting here, and we’re in the homestretch now!  Other than the surprise of Blue Moon being the sleeper nominee, this race seems to be running pretty much as expected.  What do you think of the nominees?  Does Sinners have this in the bag, or could one of the international nominees score an upset?  I don’t think Marty Supreme is winning this one, and I swear it’s not just because it's my least favorite of the nominees.

BEN: As much as I love Blue Moon, I have to pour one out for my beloved, Eva Victor's Sorry, Baby...

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Drag Race RuCap: "Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball Rusical"

"Fannie: The Hard Knock Ball Rusical" as told through wigs.

NICK TAYLOR: It appears a major theme of this season’s post-talent show episodes is the psychological torment of Juicy Love Dion. The diva has gone from being season 18’s first two-time winner to sending home two of her closest friends in the competition, including her own grandmother. She’s been struggling hard, and who knows how long this gauntlet of pain will last. You can tell Ru really wants to push her queens this season, all the better to win that Emmy and make some drama. This push has led to the best Rusical since season 15 and a heartbreaking lip sync battle, in spite of a guest judge and lip sync song with the combined impact of powdered milk. The race is tight, the queens are on fire, and the teaser promises even more shenanigans to come. But let’s not hit the end before the beginning, yes? What’d you think?

CLÁUDIO ALVES: What did powdered milk ever do to you? Anyway, I’m happy that my predictions in our private convos have proven mostly right, while also begrudging the show for being so damn predictable in its storytelling…

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Oscar Volley: “Best Supporting Actor” is one wild ride!

The Oscar Volleys continue. Today, NATHANIEL R and CLÁUDIO ALVES discuss the volatile Oscar race for Best Supporting Actor. 

Andrew Scott in BLUE MOON | © Sony Pictures Classics

NATHANIEL: So Cláudio, it falls to you and me to discuss Best Supporting Actor, and I will try reeaaaaaaaaly hard not to bring up my broken-record pet peeve about this category because I know readers have heard it a million times.  I don't want to talk about it anymore, so for the duration of this conversation, I'm going to pretend that all the actors are in roles perfectly sized for this particular category. And so we're here to discuss everything else... but not that!

Performance quality-wise, I think this is a good quintet - even if I'm still seriously angry that people wouldn't give Andrew Scott the time of day for Blue Moon since his performance is stronger than Hawke's AND he is giving you so much backstory and giving it so economically and with laser minimalist precision. Such a generous actor - he doesn't steal scenes so much as immerse you in them and what's going on between these characters. Anyway, I just love him, and I had to get that off my chest first. It's been a struggle.

So my opening question to you is struggle-themed. I'm curious who you think had the most difficult role to play here and why...

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The 14th Annual Team Experience Awards: "OBAA" and "Sinners" lead the nominations

by Cláudio Alves

SINNERS | © Warner Bros.

One Battle After Another and Sinners lead the 14th annual Team Experience Award nominations. Both films scored twelve nods each, a bit below their Oscar haul in the horror flick’s case, but still respectable. However, neither beat the Team Experience Awards record set by The Favourite, which scored 13 nominations in 2019. As ever, it’s worth reminding that these honors are voted on by The Film Experience writers, excluding Nathaniel, who does his own Film Bitch Awards, wholly separate from this list. He probably wouldn’t have allowed the tie that expands this year’s Best Director roster to six slots. Oh well, it’s more cinema to celebrate, more artistry to cheer and applaud. So, let’s get to it!

Discover the full list of nominees, in our 20 categories, after the jump…

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Nathaniel's "Best" of 2025 (Part 2)

by Nathaniel R

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

Consider today's list of abundance a sequel to Tuesday's overflowing cup of film joy. We previously covered honorable mentions which featured films from Brazil, Argentina, France, Vietnam, the American indie scene and Hollywood. Today we move on to the cream of the crop. Herewith a baker's favourite dozen films of the year. I heartly recommend seeing each and every one of them.

My absolute favourites of the year proved to be largely contemporary pictures coincidentally set in the only two countries I happen to have ever lived in: the US and Norway. The latter country arguably had their best film year ever with not one but five multiple award-winning pictures (Sentimental Value, The Ugly Stepsister, Dreams, Sex, Love) in international release. That said, this best / favourite list cannot be so easily pinned down to two countries in the present day. The best movies of 2025 transcend time and place just like that phenomenal "I Lied to You" sequence in Sinners, to include turn of the century England (17th century to be precise), the Jim Crow era South (rural Mississippi in October of 1932 to be exact), and the corner of 42nd and Madison here in New York City... albeit in some alternate universe where it's both now and also the 1960s. Aside from those detours and contemporary peaks at life and lives in the US, UK, and Norway, this list runs through a bustling night market in Taiwan, and holds tight to a dream home in South Korea that is really far more than its owners can responsibly afford.  Let's go to the movies...

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