Most years the Oscars are predictable. Most years, the winning films and achievements go to standard dramas and period pieces. Maybe there’s some comedy in there, like say The King’s Speech (well over a decade ago,) but nothing feels like it’s for young audiences or like it’s actually hip and fun. Not since the Departed, winning back in 2007 (just about twenty years ago,) have we gotten a best picture winner that actually appeals to somewhat younger audiences.
Well, this year, right here in 2026, we got Oscars achievements that actually mean something. Movies that are not strictly for the older drama-seeking grandparent crowd. Three movies in particular that each got wins which will all resonate and have affects on the future. The movies are Sinners, Weapons, and K Pop Demon Hunters. Each of them, this year, won the kinds of awards that actually make a difference.
Let’s start with Sinners. This was by far the coolest movie of the year, taking the From Dusk Till Dawn, half a movie about a club the other about vampires attacking the club – idea to the next level. It was a horror movie. Maybe thriller meets horror. Maybe drama meets horror. It was certainly the smartest, most enjoyable horror flick since Get Out (another movie that was in large part about black culture.) And both movies won screenplay awards, which are huge. But at the end of the day, there are two of those awards (adapted and original.) If there had been only one, I’m pretty sure One Battle After Another would have taken it (it won best picture over Sinners.)
But the award that really stands out for Sinners winning is Best Actor for Michael B Jordan. It was all teed up for Timothy Chalamet to take this one for Marty Supreme. And Chalamet was great in that. Supreme was my second favorite movie of the year, in fact. There was only one movie I enjoyed more… Sinners. So, yeah, I was thrilled that Michael B won it. But most of all, I was thrilled because it meant a horror movie could win such an award. A movie that wasn’t for the older generation, but for our generation.
Similarly, in the best supporting actress race, we got Amy Madigan winning for Weapons. And what a crazy story that is. Her performance is off the wall bonkers in ways that are so perfect for the movie. She basically plays a witch. And she is wild and creepy as hell. Was it an outstanding performance? Hell yeah. Was it the kind that one might ever expect to win an Oscar, Absolutely not. And that’s what’s so amazing. This was such an out of left field role and win that it reminds me of Marisa Tomei winning for My Cousin Vinny. Now that’s a comedy, of course, not a horror film, but comedies are also hardly ever recognized by the Oscar’s. And to win like that, out of nowhere, both wins for best supporting actress, was tremendous.
What all of this means is that horror movies are back in the running. Smart horror movies. Thrillers. It’s almost too great to believe. The last time anything like this happened, was in the early nineties with The Silence of the Lambs. That movie cleaned up at the Oscar’s, between acting awards, best picture, director, the whole batch. Sinners didn’t quite do that, but between Sinners and Weapons, the genre came in strong. And the early nineties was thirty years ago, so it’s about dam time!
The other big accomplishment was K-Pop Demon Hunters winning. It won best animated movie and best song. Both awards were well deserved. That song “Golden” was everywhere, and it was pretty great. The movie itself wasn’t amazing, but it was sure pretty cool. It had the poppy, quick pace and humor that appeals to a young generation the same way that Scott Pilgrim vs the World did. Only Demon Hunters was a global sensation, and it’s really cool that the academy recognizes that. Hopefully all of these great honors leads to a continued embrace of interesting films that aren’t traditional, but are certainly a lot of fun! If so, we’ve got an exciting future ahead of us at both the movies and their awards!