The 2026 Critics Choice Awards are not only a precursor to the Oscars in March, but an affirmation of where film and television are headed. Alongside the Golden Globes earlier this award season, this ceremony helped establish the tone of this year’s entertainment landscape while highlighting the performances and productions gaining momentum. This year’s Critics Choice Awards, held on January 4 at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, celebrated modern storytelling and many performances including those from Paul Thomas Anderson and Timothée Chalamet. From expected frontrunners to surprising wins, the Critics Choice Awards once again offered a revealing snapshot of what critics believe defined the past year in entertainment.
Unlike fan-voted awards, the Critics Choice Awards are decided by professional critics, such as Sarah G. Vincent and Adam Olinger. Organized by the Critics Choice Association, a group made up of more than 500 film and television critics from across the U.S. and Canada, members watch and evaluate new releases each year. Members then vote nominees and select winners in each category, presented at the award show. Some categories for performance include Best Picture, Best Actor orActress and Best Ensemble, as well as awards for technical positions such as Cinematography, Editing and Costume Design.
One of the most significant moments of the night came when “One Battle After Another” received the Best Picture award, solidifying its place as a popular favorite of the year. Released in 2025, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Teyana Taylor and tells the story of a paranoid revolutionary searching for his daughter, exploring themes of U.S. immigration and political repression. Rather than relying on performance alone, “One Battle After Another” resonated with critics for its emotional weight and Paul Thomas Anderson’s directing, earning its Best Picture victory. “This is the best time I ever had making a movie, and I feel like it shows,” said Anderson in an interview with The New York Times.
Another win was Timothée Chalamet earning Best Actor for his performance in “Marty Supreme.” Critics consistently praised his performance for its nuance and emotional control in the self-produced movie. Meena Kodali ’27 thought “it was clear that [Chalamet] did a lot of preparation for the role and his influence in the production was also noticeable.” Kodali also said that his production made her “respect him more as an artist.”
Kodali is not the only one impressed by Chalamet’s work in “Marty Supreme.” The Guardian’s film critic and opinionist Peter Bradshaw wrote that “‘Marty Supreme’ is on its own spectrum of determination and emotional woundedness, and Chalamet hilariously enacts an unstoppable live-wire twitch, powered by indignation and self-pity.”
The winner of Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television had a young recipient. Sixteen-year-old Owen Cooper earned this win for his outstanding performance in the drama series Adolescence, a series following a13-year-old Jamie Miller arrested for the suspected murder of his classmate. What makes this show so unique is that each episode was shot in one continuous take. Sasha Gilyadoff ’26 said that Cooper “was able to memorize a script worth of 50 minutes two weeks before the take.” Gilyadoff said that it is “beyond impressive to have that type of talent, especially without practice.” Cooper is also the youngest male actor to win a Primetime Emmy Award.
As awards season moved forward, attention drifted from the Critics Choice Awards to the Golden Globe Awards which offer an alternative perspective on the year in film and television. Unlike the Critics Choice Awards being voted by critics, the Golden Globes are decided by an international voting committee made up of hundreds of entertainment journalists, including Raffi Boghosian and Ramzy Malouki, giving the ceremony a global perspective. The Globes also stand out for their unique category split between drama and musical or comedy, often allowing a wider range of performances and projects to be recognized. This year’s ceremony continued that tradition on January 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. “Hamnet” won Best Motion Picture in the Drama section, and “One Battle After Another” also won Best Motion Picture but in the Musical or Comedy section. They also had the Best Motion Picture category for Animated movies and Non-English Language movies.
The Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes offered a clear snapshot of a year defined by authentic performances and moviemaking. As award season continues, these wins help shape the conversation around entertainment, reminding audiences why these films resonated in the first place.