The Oscar Special: Raising a Few Small Beers to PTA & OBAA

The New Casting Category: We discuss what the Academy's pick for best casting will mean for the future of the Oscars and cover how OBAA might have been the "safe" choice to kick off the award. PTA’s Triple Crown: Paul Thomas Anderson finally secures "Academy Award Winner" status, taking home Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The Oscar "Snubs" & Shocks: We talk through why films like Eddington and No Other Choice were left out of the celebration and why you should hit play Linklater's Nouvell Vague and Blue Moon. Post-Show Wrap-up: Toasting "One Battle After Another" as we recap the surprises, the lows of the three-hour-plus telecast, and why this year felt like a victory for original, auteur-driven cinema. Skip forward for Michael's hot take on the "I Lied to You Performance." The Friendly Wager: Michale and Ian pit their Oscar ballots against each other with a friendly wager. Whoever picks the most winners gets to choose any movie they want for a future episode. Grab a small beer and join the conversation as we put the 2026 awards season to bed. upleftmedia.com ~~ 00:00:00 - Start 00:09:43 - The Hoppers’ Best Picture Rankings 00:59:57 - Some Recognition for the 2026 Snubs 01:01:09 - The New Category for 2026: Casting 01:06:14 - The Post-Oscars Show: Surprises 01:15:23 - Raising a few small beers to PTA 01:16:17 - Oscar Ballot Wager Winner 01:20:20 - Highs & Lows of the Night 01:28:21 - The wrapup