NFL
By: Matt Overton
AMC Theaters has been putting on some form of Best Picture Showcase for a few years now. Before 2026, they programmed a 24-hour marathon, screening all ten nominees straight. I was intimidated by such a serious commitment. However, this year they split the ten films into two separate Saturdays. It was a much more palatable 12-and-a-half-hour marathon. I attended the second scheduled showcase, featuring Sentimental Value, F1: The Movie, Marty Supreme, Sinners, and Bugonia.
The first day had Train Dreams, The Secret Agent, One Battle After Another, Hamnet, and Frankenstein. If by chance you’ve been following along, Day Two was obviously the better choice. I had some plans of my own, influenced by previous theatrical visits and multiple repeat viewings. The turnout for the TWELVE-AND-A-HALF-HOUR marathon was surprising. In the largest non-premium theater at my local AMC, at least 35% of the seats were filled. Please enjoy my thoughts on each scheduled and non-scheduled film from AMC’s Best Picture Marathon.
Film 1: Sentimental Value (9 nominations, Winner Best International Feature Film)
Forty dollars and change, that’s how much AMC was charging to see five of the best films of 2025. Twelve and a half hours of cinema, with a few short breaks and one scheduled dinner break—to maintain some sort of sanity—is how I intended to spend my Saturday. A major selling point of this was indeed Sentimental Value being up to bat first, the only nominee I had not seen yet.
Joachim Trier’s finale to his Oslo Trilogy, The Worst Person in the World, was received with widespread love and acclaim. It was the film that introduced me to his art. Thankfully, as he set out on his latest endeavor, he remembered to bring Renate Reinsve along. He also invited the stellar Stellan Skarsgård. Sentimental Value is an extremely touching familial drama crafted from a deep passion for cinema itself.
Reinsve plays an actress named Nora. Her mother recently passed away, and her father is an esteemed film director named Gustav. The death inspired this estranged father to return home and rekindle his relationship with Nora and her sister Agnes. Centered on their gorgeous family home, the relationships among these three characters unfold beautifully. It’s written with such precision that it all feels natural.
Nora perceives her father in a complicated light. Partially because he abandoned the family, but also because she sees so much of herself in him. The way she shuns most emotional connections, the importance of her artistic career, and threads of abandonment abound. Admittedly, she is an incredible gift-giver, because what do you mean she’s giving her 9-year-old nephew Criterions for his birthday? The way Nora explores these relationships is supercharged by Reinsve’s delicate performance. It is a masterful display of her craft that she and Trier have molded over three projects together.
Reinve and Skarsgård are truly eye-opening here, with a very engaging supporting performance from Elle Fanning. However, my favorite aspect of this film was Trier’s script. It is layered wonderfully, and only too much on the nose for a brief moment towards the end. His endless love for the medium of cinema and its power as an art form is evident throughout the film. It has endearing nods, references, and a very entertaining meta texture. I don’t know if it was intentional, but Nora is talking about ASMR with her theater troupe in one scene. Shortly after, her sister is digging through some graphic documents at the library. It’s shot in a very ASMR-y way—big, big fan of that moment.
I could’ve walked out of this Best Picture marathon after this film rolled credits and been entirely satisfied. Sentimental Value is a monumental cinematic accomplishment and undoubtedly one of the best films of 2025. Trier succeeds in directing Reinsve through another deeply emotional and impassioned character that illuminates so much about the human condition, doing it all in and around cinema and the arts. My only complaint is that this was the first of four movies today, and it is inevitably going to get buried. Thankfully, Criterion is dropping a 4K posthaste, which will be an immediate pickup.
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Film #2: Kiki’s Delivery Service
The programming had F1: The Movie lined up next, but I had other plans. As much fun as Kosinski’s participation trophy nominee was the first two times, I wasn’t itching to go for round three. By the grace of cinema, Kiki’s Delivery Service recently got a 4K makeover. The reissue was starting at exactly the perfect time for this to serve as a replacement. So I ducked out of the designated marathon theater, moseyed on over to theater one, IMAX, and settled in for the second film of the day.
Kiki’s Delivery Service may not be a 2025 Best Picture nominee, but it is one of the best pieces of animation in history. This slotted well in today’s lineup because it is a nearly perfect film that is perfectly watchable at any time for anyone. Miyazaki is one of my favorite filmmakers, and it has been a real treat to watch more of these Studio Ghibli films get the 4K treatment. Princess Mononoke in IMAX was a highlight from last year, so with this latest entry. I sure hope they keep these up.
This was a wonderful little side quest during the marathon today. The auditorium was nearly full, with moviegoers of all ages completely glued to the glorious screen. Everyone was laughing at just the right moments, with just the right amount of enthusiasm. Jiji was the clear fan favorite, but there was a steady amount of laughs all the way through the quick 103 minutes. Kiki’s Delivery Service is like all of the best Ghibli films in that you can put it on in any kind of mood. Under any circumstance, you are guaranteed to be filled with more joy than you started with. It’s always a treasured time when a Miyazaki film is playing in IMAX, and certainly not an opportunity you want to pass up.
Film #3: Marty Supreme (9 nominations, Winner 0)
From the lineup for today, I was least enthused about seeing Marty Supreme. Don’t get me wrong, I love the film, but three viewings were probably more than enough. Josh Safdie’s monumental directorial feat is still an exhilarating theatrical experience on the fourth go around, although the cracks might be a little more obvious.
A24 may have been pushing this film harder than any other in their history. Looking solely at the merchandising they’re selling: Marty Supreme sports balls ($15-$48), inflatable blimp ($36), New York sports caps ($45), paddles (sold out), branded tennis shoes ($235), and a limited edition table tennis table ($850). I swear this film alone is turning A24 into a hype beast manufacturer. It helps their case that Marty Supreme is the perfect film to capitalize on in this regard. Still, it just feels so overdone and blatantly obvious.
Meanwhile, Timothée Chalamet didn’t do any favors by basically going on a How to Lose an Oscar in 10 Days spree. The ballet/opera comments on top of the distasteful Safdie brothers’ story that resurfaced. The general vibe of schadenfreude around this film going home empty-handed was admittedly funny, and this is still a great film, but give me Sinners.
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Film #4: Sinners (16! nominations, Winner Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Score, Best Original Screenplay)
I have watched three movies in a row at home before. In theaters, I’ve done a handful of double features, and once I saw the same movie (Dune: Part Two) in two different states on the same day. However, never before have I spent this much time in a theater at once. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in doing a theatrical marathon. Make sure you are mentally, physically, spiritually, morally, and emotionally prepared to commit.
As the final film of my planned quadruple feature, Sinners was the perfect way to end this marathon. Bugonia was the final planned film in the marathon. Keeping my physical and mental well-being in mind, I decided it’d be best to head home early. I definitely got my money’s worth already. It was fun that AMC slotted the paranoia thriller at the end of the day to maximize the film’s effects and the taxing twelve-hour marathon. But since I had planned to skip Bugonia from the start, Sinners was waiting for me at the end of the road, which kept me motivated.
Having just watched this at home in January, I was happy to find it instantly enjoyable back in the theater. When I heard Ryan Coogler was doing a vampire movie, I might’ve been a little skeptical, but I never could have imagined what kind of instant cultural classic he was about to serve. Göransson’s score elevates Coogler’s vision to unbelievable heights. Unlike Highest 2 Lowest, this is how a movie about music incorporates a transformative score to elevate the script to its fullest thematic potential.
Sinners was the perfect end-cap to this eleven-hour marathon. I think I walked out in a much better mood than I would have if I stayed through Bugonia. Coogler breaking Oscar history with this film was definitely not in my predictions, but it’s such a triumph that I am ecstatic about it all. This will be in the regular rotation for years to come.
In closing, everyone should go listen to Baby Keem’s new album, Ca$ino. His cousin Kendrick has a great feature on “Good Flirts” with an awesome Sinners reference.
