Movies I Give a Fork About
Movies I Give a Fork About is a weekly movie review podcast hosted by AJ Jones, featuring honest, spoiler-aware reviews of new releases, blockbusters, and hidden gems. Each episode uses the Fork Rating System to cut through hype and marketing and help listeners decide what’s truly worth watching. Reviews are mostly spoiler-safe, with clear warnings when deeper analysis is included. Perfect for movie fans who want real opinions, smart commentary, and a fun alternative to traditional star ratings. New episodes released regularly. So pull up a chair and let's see what deserves a fork. 🍴🎬
Movies I Give a Fork About
Episode 31 — Oscar Predictions: Best Picture
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode of Movies I Give a Fork About, AJ breaks down the nominees for Best Picture at the 2026 Academy Awards.
From intimate character-driven dramas to ambitious large-scale filmmaking, this year’s lineup reflects the wide range of storytelling the Academy recognized over the past year.
AJ revisits each nominated film and shares quick thoughts on what makes them stand out — from standout performances and directing choices to the themes and storytelling that resonated most during awards season.
Then it comes down to the final predictions:
Which film will win, which film should win, and which nominee could pull off the upset when the Academy announces the winner.
It’s the final prediction before Oscar night.
🍴 Movies I Give a Fork About
Movies don’t get stars — they get forks.
Hosted by AJ Jones, this podcast cuts through hype, marketing, and awards buzz to answer one simple question:
Is this movie actually worth your time?
🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📸 Follow on Instagram: @moviesigiveaforkabout
🌐 Podcast site: giveaforkmovies.com
New episodes drop when a movie earns a fork.
Welcome to Movies I Give a Fork About, the podcast where we don't use stars, we use forks. Because not every movie deserves your time. Not every movie earns your emotion. But when one truly does, that's when you give a fork. I'm AJ, and today's episode is the Oscar Predictions for Best Picture. There are 10 nominees this year, and if you've been listening to the podcast, you'll know I've already reviewed all of these films, so I'm going to give some quick thoughts on each before getting to my prediction. Begonia. This is definitely one of the stranger nominees this year. Dark, weird, and a bit unsettling, but also really interesting filmmaking. In my opinion, it's not a traditional best picture contender, but it is the kind of bold film that the Academy sometimes likes to recognize. F1. This is a big, high-energy racing film with spectacular technical filmmaking. The sound design in particular was next fucking level. It was visually and audibly impressive, but historically, blockbuster action films rarely win best picture. Frankenstein, a new take on the classic story that leans heavily into atmosphere and performance. Visually, it is next level, truly stunning filmmaking and cinematography. But as a best picture contender, it didn't quite get there for me. Hamnet, a beautifully crafted historical drama inspired by Shakespeare's family. It is a quiet, emotional film that has resonated strongly with critics. Chloe Zhao directs with incredible sensitivity, and it's a story that really stayed with me. So much so at the end of the awards season, I was tempted to increase my original fork rating. Marty Supreme. Some critics have described this film as a fascinating character study anchored by a strong, central performance. I could not disagree more. I absolutely hated this film, and asking me to take it seriously with Kevin fucking O'Leary involved, yeah, that's a hard no from me. One battle after another. An ambitious and politically charged film with a lot going on thematically and even a bit of dark comedy mixed in. With 13 Oscar nominations, the Academy clearly admired it. I wouldn't say I liked the film, but I definitely appreciated it. And it stayed in my head for quite a while afterward. The Secret Agent Brazil's submission this year, a gripping international thriller set in the nineteen seventies that slowly builds tension through multiple perspectives unfolding across time. Sentimental Value, a thoughtful Norwegian film about family, memory, and regret. It is subtle but powerful with standout performances in the female lead actor and both the male and female supporting actor categories. Sinners. This was my top-rated film this year. It's stylish filmmaking with outstanding performances and a film that stayed with me. It received a record-setting 16 Oscar nominations, the most in Oscar history, reflecting just how many elements worked in this movie. Directing, writing, cinematography, costumes, supporting performances, makeup, and Jordan's dual role nomination. All of it coming together into something really incredible. Train Dreams. This is one of the most beautiful films I saw this year. It is reflective storytelling with incredible performances and stunning cinematography. It's one of the quieter nominees, but deeply affecting. So my predictions, when it comes to Best Picture, I am definitely going against the grain here. One battle after another has been lauded by critics to be the winner, but Sinners was way more memorable for me. So will win, Sinners. Should win, Sinners, could win one battle after another. And that's today's fork. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show. Share it with someone who actually gives a fork about movies. Until next time, watch boldly, judge honestly, and never be afraid to give a fork.