On Jan. 22, 2026, the academy released their list of this year’s best picture nominees, including outstanding films like “Sinners,” “Bugonia,” “One Battle after Another” and “Frankenstein.”
Unlike the rest of the nominees (“Marty Supreme,” “F1,” “Hamnet,” “Sentimental Value,” “The Secret Agent,” “Train Dreams”), the four films defy the standards to which ordinary Oscar nominees typically adhere; their plots go beyond the realms of reality into the realms of vampires, aliens and revolutions, offering an unexpected medium to troubled viewers.
Oscar history suggests, however, that such a deviation from the normative conventions of Oscar nominated films is not necessarily unprecedented. Guillermo Del Toro’s film “The Shape of Water”—a love story between woman and creature—won best picture in 2017. The third movie in the Lord of the Rings franchise, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” similarly won best picture in 2003.
The uniqueness of this year’s nominees rests on the prominence of atypical films and their foregoing success.
“Sinners,” Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller, made history as the film with the most Oscar nominations (16) in history, beating out “La La Land”’s 14. In addition to its critical success, its estimated revenue exceeds $365 million globally.
“Bugonia” and “One Battle After Another,” while not matching “Sinners” at the box office, were still incredibly popular, amassing a combination of four and 13 total nominations, respectively.
The widespread success of films centered on vampires, aliens, revolutions and monsters raises questions about what drives their acclaim.
In the midst of heightened political and socio-economic tensions, viewers often turn to movies for an escape.
“A lot of people probably wouldn’t go see a heavy-handed emotional movie about racism and cultural assimilation,” said Brenna France, a future film major and current short-film director. “But they will go see a movie like Sinners with the same themes told through vampires, cool fight scenes, and beloved actors like Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld.”
The common thread that draws the four films together is their connection to absurdity, through which they conceal an overarching message under an unbelievable plot.
Sinners
“Sinners,” for example, is not simply about vampires. The horror of the film subverts itself under the manipulation tactics of the vampires. Their inherent lust for blood – which is analogous to a lust for power and control – is masked by the promise of freedom and relief. The supposed freedom they offer is, in actuality, submission disguised as a promise for something better.
As the characters grow more exhausted, their surrender to the vampires becomes easier.
The clearest analogy in the film is the relationship between the vampires and the white savior complex and colonialism. Extending from that analogy is the burden of communal exhaustion.
The expository scenes of “Sinners” showcase the seclusion in which the black community lives. The town is quite literally split in half between the white and Black communities. The vampires exploit this division, offering false salvation through kinship and a community free from oppression.
Bugonia
In “Bugonia,” Jesse Plemons’ portrayal of a conspiracy theorist, who is convinced that the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company is an alien, showcases the dangers of echo chambers and the susceptibility of trauma victims.
Plagued by his mother’s suffering, Teddy (Jesse Plemons) successfully convinces himself and his mentally challenged cousin that aliens have infiltrated the planet to inflict unnecessary suffering onto humanity.
Beyond the surface-level plot, Plemons chases a distant reality to shield himself from the possibility that his pain is random. The prominence of echo chambers that fuel his conspiracy, paired with a conditioned distrust in authority, creates the perfect justification for his actions.
In a broader context, the film analyzes the impact of paranoia, conspiracies and the human desire for distinction.
One Battle After Another
And in “One Battle After Another,” the film offers a common critique of left-wing supremacy and right-wing supremism. The characters live in a state of extremism. Whether that be through their participation in an ultra-elite white, racial purity group or a revolution, their success is consequently elusive.
The only winner in the film is Sergio’s character (Benicio Del Toro) whose quiet revolutionary actions actuate real impact. His lack of vocality juxtaposes Perfidia’s (Teyana Taylor) overtly expressive nature and the extent of his impact as the quiet boss of an operation to hide undocumented immigrants juxtaposes Bob’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) lack of impact.
Real-world Impact
The collective success of the three films signifies a drastic change in the movie industry, or perhaps a reversal to antiquated patterns. As viewers turn towards movies as a means for escape, filmmakers exploit this reality to conceal a hidden meaning under the guise of escapism.
While still offering viewers the out-of-world experience they were promised, the films also challenge them to take a stance through their rhetoric.
“The arts are always a snapshot of a moment in time,” said AP Lang teacher Angie Staber. “Whether the work’s setting is present day, past, or futuristic, the writer/speaker/director is commenting on the present social issues…or their fears for the future. I don’t believe movies hide their message–it’s just if you’re opened to thinking beyond the basic plot. Filmmakers want us to think and feel. Great films make us think.”
The lack of subtlety in real world messaging requires films to tackle complex moral and societal issues discreetly. Their popularity stems from the fact that they also do what they’re asking of the audience: they take a stance.
The only stories that stand the test of time are those in which a universal truth is woven intricately into the plot. In an era of polarized discussions, films must find a way to navigate through political discourse without sacrificing their purpose as agents for change.
Perhaps the unexpected success of intrinsically layered films like “Sinners” and “Bugonia” indicates that a new era of film is approaching. Though the extent of their critical success is undetermined—with the Oscars scheduled to take place on Mar. 15—their popularity suggests that this might be the escape viewers yearn for.
“Film is the pinnacle of human expression,” France added. “And people make movies for the same reason they make any kind of art: to share parts of their own unique human experience in a way that is entertaining and maybe even profound.”
