Will Timothe Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio score Oscar nominations?

Every year come Oscars time, I hear two things:“Who the hell cares?!” or “That movie f—ing sucked!”And that’s just my mom.True, the Academy Awards don’t get the ratings they used to.A massive 55 million Americans (about 20% of the country) watched in 1998 when “Titanic” won best picture.Last year in the US, a comparably wimpy 20.2 million tuned in to learn what “Anora” is. Still, that was enough to make the event the 17th highest-rated telecast of 2025 — on par with most Sunday Night Football games. And even considering the almost-century-old ceremony’s diminished stature, the Academy Awards still inspire passion all over the globe, both angry and euphoric. Last March, when Brazil’s “I’m Still Here” won best international feature film, revelers in Rio de Janeiro reportedly danced in the streets.And after Netflix’s excruciating “Emilia Perez” scored a leading 13 nods, and viewers at home bravely pressed play, the bizarre French Spanish-language musical became one of social media’s biggest punchlines.The Oscars, for many, still matter.Voting for the 98th Academy Award nominations closed on Thursday night, and the contenders will be announced Jan.

22. What’s going to infuriate the masses or send ‘em Samba-ing? The big kahuna this time is “One Battle After Another,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Yes, “Sinners,” the Southern vampire flick with Michael B.Jordan, could wind up with the most mentions because, beyond being an admired success, it has songs and effects. It’s a no-brainer best picture nominee.But don’t be misled by its high tally, even a potentially record-breaking one.

“Emilia Perez” got 13 in 2025 and won a measly two.“One Battle,” directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, has been steamrolling through award season even though it flopped, and there is no indication that its tour de triumph will end. Anderson — the 55-year-old director of “Boogie Nights, “Magnolia” and “There Will Be B...