My annual picks for what I’d like to see nominated this year is led, unsurprisingly, by the picture that has swept most of the nationwide critics’ accolades thus far. Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” received eleven nominations from yours truly, followed closely by Zach Cregger’s equally timely “Weapons” with ten nods. Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” and Charlie Polinger’s “The Plague” each earned seven nominations, while my favorite film of 2025, Eva Victor’s “Sorry, Baby,” snagged six nods. Mascha Schilinski’s soon-to-be-released “Sound of Falling” was recognized in five categories, and both Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” and Francis Lawrence’s “The Long Walk” landed four nominations. To make the acting categories more inclusive while still spreading the wealth, I have categorized the lead and supporting performances not by gender but, like the screenplay awards, on the basis of their material being original or adapted. 

And now, without further ado, here are the nominees—if I called the shots…

BEST PICTURE

Hamnet

One Battle After Another

The Plague

Sorry, Baby

Weapons

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore

Pee-Wee as Himself

The Perfect Neighbor

Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk

Shari & Lamb Chop

BEST FOREIGN FILM

April

It Was Just an Accident

Sentimental Value

Sound of Falling

The Voice of Hind Rajab

BEST DIRECTOR

Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”

Zach Cregger, “Weapons”

Charlie Polinger, “The Plague”

Eva Victor, “Sorry, Baby”

Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet”

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE OF AN ORIGINAL SCRIPT

Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon”

Dylan O’Brien, “Twinless”

Renate Reinsve, “Armand” and “Sentimental Value”

David Strathairn, “A Little Prayer”

Eva Victor, “Sorry, Baby”

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE OF AN ADAPTED SCRIPT

Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”

Joel Edgerton, “Train Dreams”

David Jonsson, “The Long Walk”

Jennifer Lawrence, “Die My Love”

Paul Mescal, “Hamnet”

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE OF AN ORIGINAL SCRIPT

Ebrahim Azizi, “It Was Just an Accident”

Phoebe Dynevor, “Anniversary”

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, “Sentimental Value”

Amy Madigan, “Weapons”

Josh O’Connor, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” 

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE OF AN ADAPTED SCRIPT

Embeth Davidtz, “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight”

Benicio del Toro, “One Battle After Another”

Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein”

Mark Hamill, “The Life of Chuck”

William H. Macy, “Train Dreams”

BEST BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE

Sebiye Behtiyar, “Preparation for the Next Life”

Lia Elalouf, “Come Closer”

Chase Infiniti, “One Battle After Another”

Guillaume Marbeck, “Nouvelle Vague”

Jara Sofija Ostan, “Little Trouble Girls”

BEST ACTOR UNDER 18

Everett Blunck, “Griffin in Summer” and “The Plague”

Christian Convery, “The Monkey”

Jacobi Jupe, “Hamnet”

Benjamin Pajak, “The Life of Chuck”

Lexi Venter, “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Stephen Blahut and Hikari, “Rental Family”

Zach Cregger, “Weapons”

Louise Peter and Mascha Schilinski, “Sound of Falling”

Charlie Polinger, “The Plague”

Eva Victor, “Sorry, Baby”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”

Embeth Davidtz, “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight”

Martyna Major, “Preparation for the Next Life”

JT Mollner, “The Long Walk”

Maggie O’Farrell and Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Michael Bauman, “One Battle After Another”

Fabian Gamper, “Sound of Falling”

Mia Cioffi Henry, “Sorry, Baby”

Arseni Khachaturan, “April”

Larkin Seiple, “Weapons”

BEST EDITING

Graham Fortin and Greg Ng, “The Monkey”

Henry Hayes and Simon Njoo, “The Plague”

Andy Jurgensen, “One Battle After Another”

Joe Murphy, “Weapons”

Damian Rodriguez, “Pee-Wee as Himself”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Miyako Bellizzi, “Bonjour Tristesse”

Pascaline Chavanne, “Nouvelle Vague”

Kate Hawley, “Frankenstein”

Sabrina Krämer, “Sound of Falling”

Trish Summerville, “Weapons”

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Steve Arnold, “The Life of Chuck”

Fiona Crombie, “Hamnet”

Tamara Deverell, “Frankenstein”

Rick Heinrichs, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”

Adam Stockhausen, “The Phoenician Scheme”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Daniel Blumberg, “The Testament of Ann Lee”

Ethan Gold, “Brother Verses Brother”

Jonny Greenwood, “One Battle After Another”

James Newberry, “Is This Thing On?”

Lia Ouyang Rusli, “Sorry, Baby”

BEST MAKEUP

Frankenstein

Keeper

The Long Walk

One Battle After Another

Weapons

BEST SOUND

April

One Battle After Another

The Plague

Sound of Falling

Weapons

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Anemone

The Long Walk

The Monkey

One Battle After Another

Weapons

Ten Special Mentions

Best Miniseries: “Adolescence”

Best Animated Film: “Zootopia 2”

Best Animated Short: “The Finger Wife”

Best Live-Action Short: “Private Moments”

Best Documentary Short: “The Shuffle”

Best Original Song: “No Place like Home” from “Wicked: For Good”

Best Young Ensemble: “The Plague,” led by Everett Blunck, Kayo Martin and Kenny Rasmussen

Best Belated Discovery: “The Annihilation of Fish”

Best Definitive Cut: “Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair”

Most Insufferable Film of the Year: “Marty Supreme”