If I Chose the Oscar Winners 2026!

In this video, Brian, the host of The Awards Contender, shares his personal picks for the winners of the 98th Academy Awards, if he were an Academy member (0:04-0:12). He covers various categories, starting with the "below-the-line" technical categories and then moving on to the top eight major awards (0:25-0:29).

Here's a breakdown of his choices and reasoning:

Best Animated Feature: Brian chooses K-pop Demon Hunters, praising it as a "lovely surprise" (1:08-1:26).

Best Casting: Having worked in casting previously, Brian highlights the difficulty of the job and selects Marty Supreme for its creative and brilliant casting choices (1:30-2:56).

Best Cinematography: He picks One Battle After Another, his favorite film of the year, specifically commending the third act's car chase scene (3:34-5:01).

Best Costume Design: Brian leans towards Frankenstein due to the variety and superb quality of its costumes, especially Mia Goth's outfits (5:54-6:58).

Best Documentary Feature Film: He emotionally selects Come See Me in the Good Lights, an LGBTQ+ documentary about a couple's journey through illness (7:28-8:07).

Film Editing: Brian votes for One Battle After Another, emphasizing its extraordinary editing that seamlessly navigates different storylines and characters (9:19-10:27).

International Feature Film: His choice is Sentimental Value, which he considers brilliantly written, directed, and acted (11:00-11:49).

Makeup and Hair Styling: Brian's clear pick is Frankenstein for Jacob Elordi's "all-timer" makeup (12:24-12:52).

Best Original Score: He selects Bugonia for its boldness and creativity, though he also expresses disappointment that Marty Supreme wasn't nominated (13:36-14:23).

Original Song: Brian chooses "I Lied to You" from Sinners, appreciating its deeper role in the film's narrative compared to other nominees (14:45-15:27).

Production Design: He again picks Frankenstein, commending its outstanding production design that "wows the viewer" (15:30-16:37).

Best Sound: Brian's vote goes to Sinners for its phenomenal sound design, particularly the blending of music with action and terror scenes (17:08-17:40).

Best Visual Effects: He unequivocally chooses Avatar: Fire and Ash, acknowledging its astonishing and seamless visual effects work (17:45-18:59).

Best Adapted Screenplay: Brian selects One Battle After Another, driven by his desire to see Paul Thomas Anderson finally win an Oscar (19:23-20:28).

Best Original Screenplay: He picks Marty Supreme, considering it a masterpiece (20:51-21:43).

Best Supporting Actor: His vote goes to Shawn Penn for One Battle After Another, highlighting his "villain character for the ages" (22:44-24:43).

Best Supporting Actress: Brian makes it a "landslide" choice for Amy Madigan in Weapons, praising her impressive performance (25:53-26:32).

Best Actor: He chooses Timothy Chalamet for Marty Supreme, calling his performance an "all-timer" (27:40-28:45).

Best Actress: Brian picks Jesse Buckley for Hamnet, deeming it the "performance of the year" that deeply moved him (29:24-30:39).

Best Director: He again selects Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, emphasizing his long-awaited Oscar win (30:42-32:30).

Best Picture: As his favorite film of 2025, Brian's ultimate choice for Best Picture is One Battle After Another (32:59-33:33).