Split Decision: "Sinners"

In the Split Decision series, our writers pair up and face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Tonight, LYNN LEE and NICK TAYLOR discuss Sinners.

NICK: Lynn, I think you’re one of the only people on this site - maybe in the entire world - whose opinion on Sinners I don’t know. The most nominated film in Oscar’s history deserves a volley before the big night! For my part, I think Ryan Coogler’s ambition is off the charts, and I genuinely can’t wait to see what he and his team are going to do with their blank check. The execution of that ambition, from plotting to formal execution, is very uneven to me, and I have a hard time reconciling what’s so exciting with what’s undernourished. But before I continue, please tell me what you think of Sinners!!

LYNN: Funny, I feel like I've been singing the praises of Sinners so much lately, I'm finding it difficult to avoid repeating myself!  It was my #1 movie of 2025, and I think it deserved many, if not most, of its Oscar nominations...

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Split Decision: “Marty Supreme”

In the Split Decision series, our writers pair up and face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Today, ABE FRIEDTANZER and CLÁUDIO ALVES discuss Marty Supreme...

ABE: In 2024, I achieved an exciting milestone: seeing all the major Oscar movies before Thanksgiving. The last one I caught was the late-breaking Timothée Chalamet movie no one had seen yet, A Complete Unknown. Since I'm not into music all that much, I was impressed but not wowed, but happy at least, even if just for prognostication purposes, to have seen a film that was going to factor into the Oscar race.

It's amusing that, one year later, the film that nearly eluded me and turned out to be close to my last one to screen was also a little-seen late-breaking Timothée Chalamet movie. The difference here, however, was that Marty Supreme had its surprise premiere at the New York Film Festival, and then I managed to RSVP for an FYC screening in mid-October in LA that disappeared from listings moments later. I got to the Academy Museum and only found my seat ten minutes after the screening was supposed to start, stunned at how popular this hard-to-see film was. I knew nothing about it other than that it was Josh Safdie's first time directing a movie on his own in many years, and Chalamet was supposed to be incredible. Several hours later, I found myself in solid agreement…

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"You Might Know Her From" Alert!

by Nathaniel R

Heads up that yours truly did a guest stint on the wonderful actressexual podcast "You Might Know Her From" last week which is up just in time for the Oscars.  "You Might Know Her From" is hosted by queer comedians and best friends Anne Rodeman and Damian Bellino. For their main episodes they interview character actresses. Recent guests have included Tony winner Cherry Jones (The Handmaid's Tale, The Eyes of Tammy Faye), Oscar nominee June Squibb (Nebraska, Thelma, About Schmidt), and other fun guests like Dana Ivey (The Color Purple, Addams Family, The Help), and Wendi McLendon-Covey (Bridesmaids, Reno 911). But they also have sidebar "extra" episodes, with non-actresses like myself or to discuss tv shows or cultural happenings.

We talked about this year's Lead and Supporting Actress categories -- I shared why I think Amy Madigan should win for Weapons but it's obviously a tight race --  as well as sidebar chatting about Oscarless 80s and 90s giants like Glenn Close, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Annette Bening. I had so much fun talking to Damian & Anne. Here's an excerpt from the episode.

Split Decision: "Bugonia"

In the Split Decision series, our writers pair up and face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Tonight, ERIC BLUME and CLÁUDIO ALVES discuss Bugonia...

ERIC: Cláudio, a friendship is nothing without honesty, so I'll honor our friendship by saying I've been putting off our conversation on Bugonia, because it's a film that brought me such perverse joy and basic movie-movie satisfaction...and I know you are not a big fan of Lanthimos' aesthetic and style, his partnership with Emma Stone, and some of Stone's key performances.  They all mean a lot to me, so diving into this pit seems a bit challenging. 

But what is the purpose of being a passionate cinephile if you can't dive into the pit, right?  I'll start by saying that I think Bugonia is great, crazy, zany fun, and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.  That's just basic-level movie audience talk, but it's true, and I can't say that about a lot of movies, not even a few that I rank higher in my top ten list this year!  Now, proceed, my friend.

CLÁUDIO: For the record, I'm not anti-Lanthimos nor am I anti-Stone…

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Split Decision: "F1 The Movie"

In the Split Decision series, our writers pair up and face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Or, in this case, both are "split" on. Today, BEN MILLER and NATHANIEL R discuss F1 The Movie...

F1 THE MOVIE - nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Picture

BEN: Of the Best Picture nominees, F1 is clearly the one that barely made the list.  We talked a bit about director Joseph Kosinski and his film during our Best Director discussion, but I'm curious where your thoughts on the film land.  

Personally, I feel like F1 is an entertaining carbon copy of Top Gun: Maverick, but with Formula One race cars instead of Navy fighter jets (in a good way).  It certainly did not sniff my top films of the year, but it felt like the Academy needed another mainstream hit to shut up the discourse machine for a few days.  On that front, I think they did a great job.  But, like I said, there is no world where F1 is one of the top ten films of the year, despite liking it.  It's too long and lazy at times, but I was never anything less than entertained.  I have a feeling you are not as high on it as I, and I'm pretty middling on it as it is...

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