16 Award-Worthy Movies You Need To Watch Before The 2026 Oscars

Could Timothée Chalamet snag a Best Actor nomination for this anxiety-inducing period film about table tennis in 1950s New York? He’s already racked up a Golden Globe and a Critic’s Choice Award for the role. The Josh Safdie film has nominations in many categories, including Cinematography, Directing, Editing and Writing (Original Screenplay), not to mention Best Picture. It might not win in any of these categories, but it is one of the best films of the year.

In this film, an ex-revolutionary searches for his daughter, who is also being chased by a corrupt military man (Sean Penn). It is absolutely one of the top choices for Best Picture as it has been showered with trophies, including Golden Globes, Screen Actor Awards and Critics Choice Awards. Leonardo DiCaprio is nominated for Actor in a Leading Role, and Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn will duke is out for Actor in a Supporting Role. Teyana Taylor also has a shot at Actress in a Supporting Role. Other Oscar nominations include Cinematography, Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, Film Editing, Original Score for Jonny Greenwood and Writing (Adapted Screenplay).

There is a chance that "Hamnet" could upset the Best Picture race with a win for the story of how Shakespeare and his wife coped with the death of their son. Jessie Buckley has already snagged a Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for her role as Agnes and is expected to also net Actress in a Leading Role. It also has nominations for Costume Design, Directing for Chloé Zhao, Music (Original Score) for Max Richter and Writing (Adapted Screenplay).

Though this movie about Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart only has two nomination — Actor in a Leading Role for Ethan Hawke and Writing (Original Screenplay) — Hawke is the front-runner to take home the trophy. He's been nominated all around the film festival circuit with wins for Hawke in Toronto, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Austin and Berlin.

"Sinners," a musical horror film about twin brothers fighting supernatural evil in the Mississippi Delta in 1932, broke records when it got 16 nominations, the most for any film, ever. Noms included Acting for Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku; Cinematography; Costume Design; Directing for Ryan Coogler; Film Editing; Makeup and Hairstyling; Music (Original Score) for Ludwig Goransson; Original Song; and Writing (Original Screenplay). Best Picture, Directing and Writing wins are pretty likely.

From Brazil, this film follows a professor caught amid political turmoil during a military dictatorship. It’s a strong contender for International Feature Film but probably a longer shot for Best Picture, both of which it’s nominated for. Wagner Moura also has a nomination for Actor in a Leading Role. It was the most awarded film at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards.

If you loved "Wuthering Heights," check out this other Gothic romance-horror adaptation. Jacob Elordi is nominated for Actor in a Supporting Role, and the film is nominated for a lot of awards, including Cinematography, Music for Alexandre Desplat’s score, Best Picture and Writing (Adapted Screenplay). This film might slay in technical categories, especially Costume, Hair and Makeup and Production Design.

Hailing from Norway, this film about sisters reuniting with their estranged father is definitely the dark horse that could win in surprising ways. It has tons of acting nominations, including nods for Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Joachim Trier is recognized for Directing, and it’s nominated for Writing (Original Screenplay). It will most likely not get Best Picture but will win for International Feature Film.

Rose Byrne absolutely rules in this dark comedy about a mom on the edge of madness. She’s nominated for Actress in a Leading Role. She won at some of the festivals this past season and the Golden Globes but probably won’t best frontrunner Jessie Buckley, which is too bad because it’s Byrnes' best work so far.

A surprise nomination this season was Kate Hudson for Actress in a Leading Role in this musical melodrama about a Neil Diamond cover band. She did win a handful of festival awards for the part, but this one is generally a crowd pleaser, not a critical darling.

A remake of a South Korean film, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone teamed up once again to critical acclaim for this pic about a powerful CEO who’s abducted by two men who suspect her to be an alien. Unsurprisingly, Emma Stone was nominated for Actress in a Leading Role, and the film is also nominated for Music for Jerskin Fendrix’s score. It’s a long shot for Best Picture and Writing (Adapted Screenplay), but it’s one of the most unique films of the year.

It would have been nice for this horror film about missing children to eke out a Best Picture nomination, but we’re glad to see Amy Madigan get her flowers as the kooky and memorable Aunt Gladys with a nomination for Actress in a Supporting Role. The better part is that she’s the current front-runner and likely winner in the category.

The song “Golden” from this animated film was unavoidable over the summer, and we’re expecting it to deservedly get Oscar gold for Original Song. There’s a high likelihood that it will nab a win for Animated Feature Film, too, since it was a very watchable film with great other tunes, fun characters and gorgeous animation.

Gorgeous and devastating, this snippet of an average American pioneer will likely go home empty-handed from the Academy Awards, despite being nominated for Cinematography, Original Song, Best Picture and Writing (Adapted Screenplay). It took home a few awards from the Film Independent Spirit Awards, so it’s still in the race, though.

An unlikely nomination because it’s less serious awards bait and more of a popcorn flick, "F1," the movie about F1 car racing, was nominated for Film Editing, Sound and Visual Effects and, shocker, Best Picture. It will probably take home awards for Editing and Sound, so I guess you could call it a prestige popcorn flick.

In this French/Iranian film, former Iranian political prisoners question if they should seek revenge on their torturer. It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival and is nominated for International Feature Film and Writing (Original Screenplay). It could be an upset win in either category.