Was 2025 Hollywood’s Turning Point?

Oscars Season is upon us, and consistent readers can probably guess which films I favor for the biggest awards. One Battle After Another certainly seems like a lock for Best Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay — and as our greatest working director, Paul Thomas Anderson deserves to finally be recognized by the Academy. So you’ll get no complaints about that from me. But were I to do any kind of “If I Picked the Winners” piece, it would be Sentimental Value all down the line: Director for Joachim Trier, Original Screenplay for Trier and Eskil Vogt, Lead Actress for Renate Reinsve, Supporting Actress for Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Supporting Actor for Stellan Skarsgård (who may very well win on Sunday night).