Chapo Trap House Movie Mindset - Oscars Preview ‘26
Mar 15, 2026
Two professional film critics race through this year’s Oscar contenders with sharp takes on PTA, Del Toro, and Lanthimos. They spar over fascism in films like The Secret Agent and F1, debate parenting and existence in Frankenstein and Hamnet, and unpack standout performances from Timothée, Michael B. Jordan, and Wagner Moura. Expect quick riffs, awards predictions, and plenty of cinematic snark.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Domestic Drama Reveals Lingering Fascist Trauma
- Sentimental Value highlights quiet adult compromises and unexpectedly reconnects to WWII fascist trauma via a grandmother's imprisonment.
- Will and Hesse note Scandinavian civility on screen produces disgust comparing it to US social failures.
Missed Screening Then Vindicated By Marty Supreme
- Hesse describes being locked out of an early screening of Marty Supreme and later loving the film for its relentless anxiety-dream energy.
- Will compares the movie's pull to Uncut Gems and praises its cast, comedic edge, and pacing.
PTA's Film Is A Lament For Leftist Failure
- One Battle After Another is read as a film about failure of the left and intergenerational hope, blending satire and real terror about rising authoritarianism.
- PTA's movie uses humor and despair to argue current leftist strategies have failed and hopes lie with the next generation.
