Movies Update: Sorting out the best actor race.

Plus, how a 2017 song landed a 2026 nomination.

View in browser|nytimes.com January 30, 2026 By Stephanie Goodman Hi, movie fans! We're now in Phase 2 of awards season, when the campaigning for an Oscar gets underway in earnest. Our expert, Kyle Buchanan, a.k.a. The Projectionist, took a hard look at the best actor field, probably the most competitive of the races this year thanks to a roster of incredibly strong contenders. He found that each nominee has a path to the statuette even as they all face significant obstacles. That begins with Timothée Chalamet ("Marty Supreme"), who is considered the front-runner mainly because he's won televised awards like the Golden Globe and the Critics Choice. His emotional final scene in the film also helps his case. But as Buchanan has written, the academy is reluctant to vote for young actors, and there may be a feeling that Chalamet, 30, will have more award-worthy performances in his future. In Buchanan's view, that reluctance could clear the way for Ethan Hawke ("Blue Moon"), Wagner Moura ("The Secret Agent") or Leonardo DiCaprio ("One Battle After Another"), who are all in their 40s or 50s. But each must surmount a hurdle: With Hawke, the fact that his film wasn't nominated for best picture doesn't bode well. Moura, who won a Globe, isn't up for another significant honor until the Oscars. And the academy has taken DiCaprio for granted in recent years. What about Michael B. Jordan ("Sinners")? Buchanan notes that he's been nominated a lot for the performance (as twins) but hasn't picked up significant wins. Still, the fact that "Sinners" made such a strong showing in the nominations (16!) may help him. Keep your eye on these contenders. Elsewhere in awards season, my colleague Esther Zuckerman took a look at an Oscars anomaly: how a nearly 10-year-old song qualified for a nomination. It turns out to be by the book, but the story has some interesting twists. Lastly, the nominations for the BAFTAs, roughly the British equivalent of the Oscars, were released this week. "One Battle After Another" led the list, with 14 nominations, followed by "Sinners" at 13. These honors are worth paying attention to because British voters make up a strong bloc of the Hollywood academy. I can't wait to see what happens next! . The Projectionist Who Will Win the Best Actor Oscar? In an exceptionally strong field, Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan and Wagner Moura each have a way to triumph. By Kyle Buchanan A24 'The Moment' Review: Charli XCX Laughs Last The movie glances at artistic concerns like autonomy and authenticity while gleefully testing the divide between a public and a private self. By Manohla Dargis Brook Rushton/20th Century Studios Critic's Pick 'Send Help' Review: Beach Wear (and Tear) A mousy employee and her odious boss battle for dominance in this jubilantly wicked thriller. By Jeannette Catsoulis CRITICS' PICKS Jason Laciste/Amazon Prime Critic's Pick 'The Wrecking Crew' Review: Super Smash Brothers Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista play half brothers on a quest for justice in this lean, mean buddy action flick. By Calum Marsh 1-2 Special! Critic's Pick 'A Poet' Review: The Romance of Misery A once-promising writer learns some painful lessons in a tragicomic Colombian tale. By Alissa Wilkinson Janus Films Critic's Pick 'The Love That Remains' Review: Time Goes On A family navigates the year after parents separate in this funny, surrealist Icelandic drama. By Alissa Wilkinson Greenwich Entertainment Critic's Pick 'Islands' Review: A Thriller Fit for a Volcanic Island This slow-burn tale of a tennis pro and a couple gets the low-grade melancholy of a resort town right. By Lisa Kennedy ANATOMY OF A SCENE A24 Anatomy of a Scene How Timothée Chalamet Makes His Point in 'Marty Supreme' The director Josh Safdie discusses a table tennis moment from his film, featuring Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Geza Rohrig. By Mekado Murphy MOVIE REVIEWS Daniel Smith/Black Bear 'Shelter' Review: Jason Statham Dispatches Enemies From a Lighthouse A teenage girl gets stuck on an island with a rogue MI5 agent. Then, international assassins come after them. By Glenn Kenny Aidan Monaghan/Aura Entertainment 'Worldbreaker' Review: Smashed to Bits This postapocalyptic father-daughter story shamelessly recombines overused ideas. By Ben Kenigsberg Film Movement 'Paying for It' Review: Opening Up the Relationship Sonny starts bringing in new lovers, so Chester finds a solution: He starts hiring prostitutes. By Chris Azzopardi Fathom Entertainment 'Moses the Black' Review: An Overcooked Crucible Omar Epps struggles to grant this gangland Chicago religious drama divine quality. By Robert Daniels NEWS & FEATURES The Interview Chloé Zhao Is Yearning to Know How to Love The "Hamnet" director on trying to overcome her deepest fears — and open her heart. 48 MIN LISTEN Paramount Pictures 'Clueless' and 'The Karate Kid' Join National Film Registry These films, along with "White Christmas" and "Inception," are among 25 selected by the Librarian of Congress this year. By Shivani Gonzalez Alex Wroblewski/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Movie Is 'Melania,' but the Comeback Is Brett Ratner's Once a reliable Hollywood hitmaker, Mr. Ratner hasn't directed a film since accusations of sexual misconduct in 2017 that he denied. By Marc Tracy Columbia Pictures/Square Pictures Before Tilly Norwood, This C.G.I. Actress Was Considered an 'It Girl' Aki Ross was the computer-generated heroine of the 2001 film "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within." The reaction at the time presaged today's debate over A.I. By Carlos Aguilar Jeenah Moon/Reuters Amazon's Promotion of 'Melania' Has Critics Questioning Its Motives The tech giant is spending $35 million to promote its film about the first lady, far more than is typical for documentaries. By Nicole Sperling and Brooks Barnes Viva Verdi! LLC How Did a 2017 Song Get a 2026 Oscar Nomination? "Sweet Dreams of Joy," from the documentary "Viva Verdi!," was indeed eligible under academy rules even if it was recorded nearly 10 years ago. Here's how. By Esther Zuckerman Amy Lombard for The New York Times A 'Hairspray' Composer on Flops and Feats in the Musical Trenches Broadway, Hollywood and television have been kind to Marc Shaiman. But there's a reason the subtitle of his new memoir is "Showbiz Stories From a Sore Winner." By Jesse Green STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Bleecker Street and LD Entertainment Five Horror Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a disastrous vacation, a macabre homecoming and a witchy healing session. By Erik Piepenburg Jimmy Chin/National Geographic Three Great Documentaries to Stream In this month's picks, mountain climbing, dog sledding and government running. By Ben Kenigsberg 'Volcano,' the L.A. Disaster Movie That Boils Over With Unintended Comedy Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche teamed up in their heyday to save Los Angeles from lava in this big-budget 1997 film that defies all logic to fantastic, farcical effect. By Maya Salam How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to moviesupdate@nytimes.com. Like this email? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here. If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Movies Update from The New York Times. To stop receiving Movies Update, unsubscribe. 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