It’s time for my annual review of the 10 Best Picture Oscar-nominated films. In this episode, we review three nominated horror films: Frankenstein, Weapons, and Sinners. I’m not going to be able to finish all of these reviews by the March 15 Oscar ceremony, but even if I can’t get them recorded, I will write the scripts and post them on the podcast website and on Patreon. Post comments and tell me what you thought of these films.

Hello, this is Chris Young. Welcome to Episode 108 of Contemplating Life – Oscar Edition.

For the third year in a row, over the next few episodes, I will review all 10 films nominated for Best Picture by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a.k.a. the Oscars. We will also review all films that received acting nominations but were not nominated for Best Picture. Also, we will include some comments on a couple of films that did not get nominated. I may have time to recommend a couple of quality films that were passed over for this year’s awards.

The good news is, I was able to see all 10 films and all of the films that received acting nominations. The bad news is, I will not be able to produce enough episodes to cover them all before the awards are presented on March 15. I may be able to write scripts for all of those episodes, and if so, I will post them on the podcast website and Patreon. I will probably record them for audio and video versions later. There will not be loads of video clips and still images in the YouTube version. I really enjoy including such clips, but they take a lot of time to edit. I just don’t have time.

Of the 10 Best Picture nominees, only one of the films left me flat. I would not have nominated it for any awards. Another one I thought was amazing right up until the ending. That ending ruined the experience for me. I greatly enjoyed the remaining eight films.

To bring you up to speed on some terminology, the Golden Globe Awards were presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association on January 11. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards were presented on February 22. The Actor awards, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, were presented on March 1. I will refer to these as SAG Actor awards because just calling them “Actor Awards” would be confusing. Additionally, the Internet Movie Database or IMDb reports dozens of other minor awards, most of which you’ve never heard of. We will report IMDb’s total nominations and wins, even if they’re for obscure awards. Any box office numbers we report are courtesy of IMDb. With that business terminology out of the way, let’s get to the reviews.

I don’t know if I’m good at seeing patterns where none exist, or if once again this year’s films can be grouped into specific categories or themes.

We have a group of stories about struggling entertainers. A pair of dramas about men whose work takes them away from home. A group of films about the battle for justice against fascism and corruption. All of the above explore the struggle to maintain family connections amid these pursuits. There are two stories of obsessively driven sports competitors who are the best in their fields. We have a pair of bizarre, surrealistic stories about mental illness. Finally, in this episode, we explore three phenomenal horror stories, one of which set the record for the most Oscar nominations for a single film.

The title of this episode is “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” This quote comes from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” Act 4, Scene 1. The full quote is delivered by a witch who says, “By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes.” However, this is not the episode where we review the movie about William Shakespeare. And despite the word “Wicked” in the title, it’s not about that film either. But there will be thumb-pricking involved.

Briefly, “Wicked: For Good”, the sequel to last year’s “Wicked,” received 135 nominations, including nominations for SAG Actors Awards, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs. The Oscars completely bypassed it. I enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as I enjoyed part one. You may recall that last year, part one inspired an entire series of episodes exploring my fandom for fantasy films. This one was okay, but did not affect me as much as the original.

So, what are we talking about in this episode?

Let’s start with the reimagining of what many claim to be the very first science fiction story ever written… Frankenstein. The film was written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, based on Mary Shelley’s classic story.

My first question was, “Do we really need another Frankenstein movie?” According to Wikipedia, as of January 2026, a body of 469 known feature films, 236 short films, 93 TV series, and 394 TV episodes feature some version or interpretation of the character Frankenstein’s monster, first created by Mary Shelley in her 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. I’ve included a link to Wikipedia’s list of films featuring Frankenstein’s monster.

Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein, who is believably obsessed to the point of abandoning morality, yet avoids the sort of over-the-top manic portrayals we have seen in other versions of the story. The creature is magnificently portrayed by 6’5” Jacob Elordi, who is nominated for a supporting actor Oscar that is well-deserved. His portrayal is of a creature who is initially enslaved by his maker, escapes, and goes on a quest for revenge against that maker for creating him in such an awful state.

My best estimate is that I only read parts of the original story sometime in 1973. In that year, there was a made-for-TV movie called “Frankenstein: The True Story.” They were not implying that this was a true story, but that this version was the most true to the original work. It wasn’t what I was expecting. So, I went to the library, checked out the original, and only got a few pages in before I realized that the TV movie was nothing like the original novel. I don’t recall if I read the entire book. Once I realized how bogus that TV version was, I had proved my point.

Note that in the first draft of this podcast, I incorrectly identified this bogus “true story” as another made-for-TV film from 1992, which included the tagline, “The legend has been told for generations… The real story is the most horrifying of all.” I don’t know how accurate that version was. I’m pretty sure the one I remembered was from 73 because I was routinely going to the library in those days and not in 92. Anyway…

From what I recall of that reading, and reviewing the plot summary on Wikipedia, this version is a hell of a lot closer to Shelley’s story than any other version I’ve seen. My one initial disappointment in this latest retelling was the absence of Frankenstein’s hunchbacked assistant Igor. A Google search informed me that that character was not in the original novel. I have linked a Wikipedia article that explains the origin of the character sometimes called Fritz and other times called Ygor (with a “Y”) and how this character became fixed in our imaginations. It’s fascinating reading.

This latest retelling is a quality film with quality performances. The creature had a slightly more supernatural inability to be killed than I would have liked, given that the overall feeling of the film was not supernatural beyond the premise that the doctor was able to reanimate a stitched-together corpse.

Overall, I enjoyed it. I can recommend it. However, it is not a strong enough recommendation for me to urge you to say, “Don’t miss this must-see film.”

It’s 9 Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Supporting Actor for Jacob Elordi, Best Adapted Screenplay for Del Toro, Original Music Score by Alexandre Desplat, Cinematography, Sound, Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling. IMDb lists 59 wins and 257 nominations total. It has an estimated budget of $120 million. Made for Netflix, it grossed only $114,496 in limited theatrical release to make it Oscar-eligible. It is currently available on Netflix.

Our next film’s only Oscar nomination is for supporting actress Amy Madigan. We are talking about the box office hit “Weapons” from writer/director Zach Cregger. Initially, I wasn’t sure I’d bother watching it. I wanted to focus on the Best Picture and Lead Performance categories. I’m not a huge fan of the horror genre. I am very happy I checked this one out.

The story begins with a voiceover from a young girl who explains that at 2:17 AM in Maybrooke, Pennsylvania, 17 of 18 children in a third-grade classroom got out of bed, ran out of their houses, and disappeared into the night. The film begins weeks later at a town hall meeting in the school, in which distraught parents are demanding answers. Their anger is directed at the teacher, Justine Grandy, played by Julia Garner. She is as clueless as anyone else in town about what happened.

The lone survivor of the incident, Alex Lilly, is transferred to another third-grade classroom with a different teacher. Ms. Grandy is dismissed from her teaching job not only because she no longer has students to teach but because no one would ever trust her to care for their children again.

She begs the school principal, Marcus Miller, played by Benedict Wong, to allow her to speak to the boy Alex, in an attempt to uncover what really happened. The principal refuses. When she stalks the boy on his way home from school, he refuses to speak with her and says he wants to be left alone.

She busies her time drinking vodka and having an affair with a married police officer.

The film shifts focus several times, showing events from different characters’ perspectives. It’s not quite like the classic “Rashomon” storytelling technique, in which different characters observe the same events from different perspectives. Rather, each retelling of the events fits together pieces of the puzzle, gradually revealing the truth.

Minus spoilers are coming here. Trust me, there are still many plot twists and surprises I’m leaving out.

The first half of the film is a compelling mystery story as various people try to piece together what happened. It’s not until we’re nearly halfway through the film that it becomes obvious there are supernatural forces at work. These come courtesy of young Alex’s great aunt Gladys, who practices some sort of voodoo-like magic that allows her to control people and turn them into weapons. Thus, the name of the film. The voodoo magic requires the witch to prick her finger on a thorn, which makes a nice reference to the Shakespeare line we mentioned earlier.

Josh Brolin is excellent in a supporting role as the father of one of the missing children who teams up with the teacher to conduct their own investigation. There is a humorous side story about the police officer (the one who is having an affair with the teacher) who has a run-in with a homeless drug addict who plays a key role in the investigation.

When the story shifts to the young boy Alex’s perspective, only then do we realize what’s really going on. We are taken on a wild ride of violence and gore, featuring some of the most memorable horror scenes I’ve ever seen.

While some reviewers were disappointed in the ending, I felt it built to a thrilling, memorable, and satisfying conclusion.

I found the film way more entertaining than I expected. Although a bit slow-moving in the first half, the suspense of the mystery keeps you watching until all hell breaks loose.

Amy Madigan’s portrayal of the evil Aunt Gladys earned her a Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. She won a Critics’ Choice Award for the role, as well as a Golden Globe and SAG Actors nominations. The film was also nominated for a Globe under their bizarre “Cinematic and Box Office Achievement” award, given to popular films that would not otherwise have received awards. Julia Garner as the teacher and Josh Brolin as the father of one of the missing children give quality performances, but not necessarily award-worthy ones. IMDb lists 46 wins from 114 nominations, including several for the original screenplay by writer/director Zach Cregger.

With an estimated budget of $38 million, it grossed $151 million in the US and Canada and $269.9 million worldwide. It is available for purchase on Amazon Video and for streaming on HBO Max.

I very much enjoyed it and can recommend it if you like any kind of horror stories.

Rounding out our trio of horror films is one of the year’s most talked-about films, which has earned a record 16 Oscar nominations. We are talking about the hit movie “Sinners” starring Michael B. Jordan and Michael B. Jordan. That’s correct. Jordan plays twin brothers nicknamed Smoke and Stack. He is nominated in the Oscar category officially described as “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.” My question is, “Which performance earned him the nomination? Was it for brother Smoke or brother Stack?”

Anyway…

The film is set in 1932 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The twin brothers, whose real names are Elijah and Elias, have just returned to their hometown after working for an organized crime gang known as the Outfit in Chicago. Using money they stole from the mob, they purchase an old sawmill to convert it into a nightclub known as a juke joint.

They recruit an old friend, pianist Delta Slim, and their cousin Sammy, who plays guitar and sings, to perform at their new venue. They are also assisted by a husband-and-wife Chinese couple who operate a supply store in town. Smoke’s estranged wife, Annie, does the cooking. She believes in hoodoo magic, which she believes has protected the twins for years. Smoke is not a believer because the magic failed to prevent the death of their infant daughter. Stack reunites with his ex-girlfriend Mary, a light-skinned black woman who passes as white. Sammy becomes enamored with an attractive singer named Pearline.

Meanwhile, an Irish-immigrant vampire named Remmick is being pursued by Choctaw vampire hunters who are trying to kill him. He sees refuge in the home of a Klansman and his wife, whom he converts into vampires.

For me, the most memorable scene in the movie is when Sammy is performing in the club, and his music is so powerful that it attracts the spirits of performers past, present, and future. This includes the spirit of the Chinese ancestors of the shopkeeper couple. It is an amazing piece of filmmaking.

Sammy’s music is so pure that it also attracts the evil of the vampires. They try to enter the venue but are not allowed. However, anyone who stepped outside was attacked by the vampires and converted. The remainder of the film is the struggle of the people inside the club to survive the evil lurking just outside and to determine who among their number may have been converted into a vampire. It is reminiscent of John Carpenter’s sci-fi horror classic “The Thing,” in which scientists in an Antarctic outpost are infected and converted by an alien. No one can be sure whether or not the person next to them has been converted.

The cinematography is magnificent. There are quality performances throughout, including the musical performances.

The 16 Oscar nominations are as follows: Best Picture, Best Lead Actor Michael B.Jordan, Best Supporting Actor Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim, Best Supporting Actress Wunmi Mosaku as Annie. Ryan Coogler is nominated for Best Director and for Best Original Screenplay. Other nominations for Cinematography, Sound, Original Score, Original Song, Casting, Visual Effects, Makeup/Hairstyling, Production Design, Costume Design, and Film Editing.

IMDb Lists 285 Wins from 481 nominations, including 13 BAFTA nominations and BAFTA wins for original screenplay and supporting actress. It turned 4 wins from 17 Critics’ Choice nominations. It won the Golden Globe for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement as well as 6 other Globe nominations. I would have nominated Miles Caton for his portrayal of cousin Sammy rather than for Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim. IMDb lists him receiving 21 wins from 36 nominations, several of which were for young actors or rising stars, and some were awards for being part of an ensemble cast.

IMDb reports an estimated budget of $90 million with a US and Canada gross of $280 million and a worldwide gross of $270 million.

Overall, I enjoyed it but thought it was a bit overhyped. It opened in early April, and some critics were already saying it was destined to win Best Picture. There were lots of memorable moments, and I understand why it received all of those nominations, but I cannot describe it as “must-see.” It did not leave a lasting impression on me the way some of the other nominated films did.

That wraps it up for part one of our review of Oscar-nominated films.

My personal life is so complicated, I don’t have time to tell you about it. The bottom line is I will not be able to record and edit all of the necessary episodes before the Oscars are presented on March 15. I hope to be able to write the scripts for these related episodes in this series and will post them on Patreon and the Contemplating Life website. I may or may not go back and record them as audio and video podcasts.

So, as always… if you find this podcast educational, entertaining, enlightening, or even inspiring, consider sponsoring me on Patreon for just $5 per month. You will get early access to the podcast and other exclusive content. Although I have some financial struggles, I’m not really in this for money. Still, every little bit helps.

As always, my deepest thanks to my financial supporters. Your support means more to me than words can express.

Even if you cannot provide financial support, please, please, please post the links and share this podcast on social media so that I can grow my audience. I just want more people to hear my stories.

All of my back episodes are available, and I encourage you to check them out if you’re new to this podcast. If you have any comments, questions, or other feedback, please feel free to comment on any of the platforms where you found this podcast. Let me know what you thought of these films.

I will see you next time as we continue contemplating life. Until then, fly safe.