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One Battle After Another Wins 6, Sinners at 4

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“One Battle After Another,” a political thriller set in a police state version of America, triumphed at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, winning six Oscars, including best picture. Paul Thomas Anderson, the creative force behind the film, was named best director and picked up an Oscar for best adapted screenplay.

“I wrote this movie for my kids to say sorry for the housekeeping mess that we left in this world we’re handing off to them, but also with the encouragement that they will be the generation that hopefully brings us some common sense and decency,” Anderson said while accepting his screenplay prize.

“One Battle After Another” was followed closely by “Sinners,” which earned four prizes, including awards for Ryan Coogler’s original screenplay and Michael B. Jordan’s lead performance. Both films were released by Warner Bros., capping a sizzling 2025 for the company, which included the release of hits like “Superman,” “A Minecraft Movie” and “Weapons.” The studio clearly has a lot to celebrate, but its victories come at a tumultuous moment in its history, and that of Hollywood. Warner Bros. Discovery has a deal to sell itself to Paramount for nearly $111 billion. If the sale gets regulatory approval, it is expected to lead to thousands of layoffs and could trigger even more consolidation in an industry reeling from painful job losses.

Jessie Buckley was named best lead actress for her searing portrayal of a woman coping with the death of her young son in “Hamnet,” while Jordan was recognized for playing the twin owners of a Delta juke joint in “Sinners.”

“God is good,” an emotional Jordan said. He went on to thank Coogler, with whom he has made five features. “You gave me opportunity and space to be seen,” Jordan said.

Buckley noted that her win coincided with mother’s day in the United Kingdom. “I’d like to dedicate this to the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart,” she said. “We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create against all odds.”

Supporting actor prizes went to Sean Penn for playing a racist soldier determined to become a member of a secret society in “One Battle After Another” and Amy Madigan for her scene-stealing turn as a witch with some of the wildest makeup in movies in “Weapons.” Penn, a previous winner for “Milk” and “Mystic River,” did not show up to collect his prize as he became only the fourth male performer to win three Oscars, joining Daniel Day-Lewis, Jack Nicholson and Walter Brennan. “He couldn’t be here this evening or didn’t want to,” presenter Kieran Culkin quipped of the awards-averse Penn.

Madigan, a veteran character actress, was last nominated for an Oscar for 1985’s “Twice in a Lifetime.””It’s been 40 years, and, you know, what’s different about this time? What’s different is this little gold guy,” Madigan said, gesturing to her statue.

This year’s ceremony unfolded as the movie business continues to struggle to resonate with younger viewers who are more interested in gaming and YouTube than cinema, and as the box office remains a shadow of its pre-pandemic self. It also was broadcast as much of the world’s attention is on the war in Iran. Because of FBI alerts of a possible Iranian drone attack on California, security, which is always extensive at the Oscars, was even more omnipresent with police dogs visible on the red carpet and choppers circling overhead.

It was a politically charged ceremony, with presenters like Jimmy Kimmel mocking President Donald Trump by pointing out that his wife Melania’s self-titled documentary wasn’t up for any awards, and other stars using their time on stage to advocate for different causes.

“No to war and free Palestine,” Javier Bardem said while presenting the best international feature prize to “Sentimental Value.”

“”Mr Nobody Against Putin,” a look at how Vladimir Putin has cracked down on free expression during the Russo-Ukranian war, received the award for best documentary feature. The film’s co-director David Borenstein issued a warning about the evils of autocracy that seemed clearly aimed at Americans.

“‘Mr. Nobody against Putin’ is about how you lose your country,” he said. “And what we saw when working with this footage is that you lose it through countless small little acts of complicity. When we act complicit, when a government murders people on the streets of our major cities. When we don’t say anything, when oligarchs take over the media and control how we can produce it and consume it.”

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“KPop Demon Hunters,” Netflix’s most popular film, won best animated feature and best original song for its anthem, “Golden.” The film’s co-director Maggie Kang fought back tears as she stressed how the animated feature victory is an important moment for representation. “I’m so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie like this. But it is here. And that means that the next generations don’t have to go longing. This is for Korea and for Koreans everywhere.”

It was a year of milestones, with Cassandra Kulukundis capturing the inaugural Academy Award for casting for her work on “One Battle After Another.” There was also a rare tie in the best live action short category, with both “Two People Exchanging Saliva” and “The Singers” winning the prize. And “Sinners’” Autumn Durald Arkapaw made history by becoming the first woman to win best cinematography.

Conan O’Brien returned for the second year as host. The late night icon kicked off the evening with an extended video parody that had him chased by a group of children through Oscar-nominated films like “F1” and “Sentimental Value” while dressed as Aunt Gladys from “Weapons.” His opening monologue poked fun at Timothée Chalamet’s controversial dismissal of opera and ballet, Netflix’s failed bid for Warner Bros. Discovery and the titles of nominated films, noting “Bugonia” and “Hamnet” sound like off-brand lunch meats. O’Brien also nodded to the political upheaval in the country.

“Last year when I hosted, Los Angeles was on fire, but this year everything’s going great!” he cracked.

O’Brien did strike a serious note in between the jokes.

“Everyone watching right now around the world is all too aware that these are very chaotic, frightening times,” he said. “It’s at moments like these that I believe the Oscars are particularly resonant. Check it out. Thirty one countries across six continents are represented this evening. And every film we salute is the product of thousands of people speaking different languages, working hard to make something of beauty. We pay tribute tonight not just to film, but to the ideals of global artistry, collaboration, patience, resilience and that rarest of qualities today, optimism. So let us, celebrate not because we think all is well, but because we work and hope for better in the days ahead.”

Here’s the full list of winners:


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Digit

Digit is a versatile content creator with expertise in Health, Technology, Movies, and News. With over 7 years of experience, he delivers well-researched, engaging, and insightful articles that inform and entertain readers. Passionate about keeping his audience updated with accurate and relevant information, Digit combines factual reporting with actionable insights. Follow his latest updates and analyses on DigitPatrox.
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