My mother hates vampires. She never wants to watch anything supernatural and can barely tolerate mild fantasy when I try to show it to her. But this same woman not only sat through Sinners with me, but she loved every minute of it. She understood the depth of its messages despite the fact that she doesn’t speak English fluently. That, to me, is a Best Picture, and while I seldom get this frustrated at awards shows, the 2026 Oscars took us through high highs, only to deliver the lowest of lows.
Because, really, what is a Best Picture? Isn’t it supposed to be the greatest achievement of the year in filmmaking? Paul Thomas Anderson winning Best Director makes complete sense, but One Battle After Another winning Best Picture doesn’t. Full stop. Because countless people like my mother can’t sit through the movie. And sure, this isn’t the end-all be-all indication, but it’s something, isn’t it? The Best Picture of the year should be the most unique achievement in the entire list. It should be the movie that both general audiences and cinephiles adore, and this year, that movie is Sinners.
I’ve written a lot about Sinners in the past few months over at JustWatch, so I don’t want to repeat myself, but what Ryan Coogler and the entire team achieve for a horror film that average people who aren’t fans of the genre can watch is monumental. Coogler’s exemplary screenplay, which he thankfully won for, takes us through the type of emotional journey that stays with you long after the credits roll. Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s breathtaking cinematography, which she also won for as the first woman, is indescribable and beautifully historic on all fronts. I’ve thought about the movie since I first watched it, and I still don’t feel that words properly do it justice. Because, really, it’s perfect, and the longer I sit with it, the more sure of its excellence I am.
In every way where it matters, Sinners serves as a reminder to Hollywood that people not only want original stories, but we want to hear from marginalized voices. We want people of color to take center stage. We want Black people behind the camera to tell Black stories without white saviors stepping in and assuming the position of power. We want to explore the pieces of history that textbooks left out. We want to watch actors like Michael B. Jordan deliver a truly sensational performance, and then win for it.
A part of me doesn’t even want to complain because Jordan’s win, along with Coogler’s and Arkapaw’s feel so monumental, but Sinners should’ve also won Best Picture. It feels like the kind of movie that evoked the same level of awe that Parasite did. It’s a game-changer in more ways than one. It’s revolutionary, truly profound, and it leaves its mark in a way that few films manage. It’s the type of movie we’re going to think about for years to come, analyzing every small scene at random moments because we remembered it and it struck us again.
So, if it’s any consolation, if we had a say in voting, I know that all of us here at Lady Geeks would’ve cast our vote for Sinners.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Warner Bros.