Today on “The Sunday Daily,” The Times’s chief movie critic, Manohla Dargis, talks with the “Daily” host Michael Barbaro about this year’s batch of Oscar nominees, which — according to her — are uncommonly good.

They discuss the performances that Dargis believes deserve to win, the dark horses that might pull off upsets, and the ambitious films that give her hope for Hollywood’s future.

On Today’s Episode:

Manohla Dargis, Chief Film Critic for The New York Times.

Background Reading:

‘Hamnet’ | Anatomy of a Scene

Delroy Lindo on ‘Sinners,’ Speaking Up and the Power of Affirmation

Photo: A24; Warner Bros. Pictures; Sabrina Lantos/Sony Pictures Classics

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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Oscars 2026: Who Will Win, and Who Should Win?

The Daily

Oscars 2026: Who Will Win, and Who Should Win?