On a Sunday night filled with familiar faces and long speeches cut short by music, one film quietly rose above the rest.
At the 2026 Critics Choice Awards on January 4, One Battle After Another was named Best Picture, sealing its place as the critics’ favorite film of the year.
For director Paul Thomas Anderson, it was more than a single win. It was a sweep that felt personal.
A film years in the making
Anderson also took home Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, returning to the awards stage for the first time since Licorice Pizza in 2021.
The new film is expansive and intimate at once — a story about political upheaval, yes, but also about the fragile bond between a father and daughter trying to find each other in a chaotic world.
Leonardo DiCaprio leads the cast, joined by Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, and newcomer Chase Infiniti. The film is now streaming on HBO Max, widening its audience just as awards attention peaks.
Recognition across the cast
The Critics Choice voters didn’t stop with Best Picture.
DiCaprio earned a Best Actor nomination, while Infiniti received a nod for Best Actress. Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro were both recognized in the supporting actor category, and Taylor landed a Best Supporting Actress nomination.
It was a strong showing that reflected how much the film leaned on performances rather than spectacle.
A competitive and creative year
This year’s Best Picture lineup painted a picture of where prestige filmmaking is heading.
There were bold literary adaptations, like Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet. Star-driven reflections on fame and aging appeared in Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, led by George Clooney.
Other nominees stretched genre and tone. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, set in 1930s Mississippi and infused with supernatural elements, led the night with 17 nominations and won the new Best Casting and Ensemble award.
Meanwhile, Wicked: For Good showed that large-scale musical franchises can still earn serious critical attention.
Why this win resonated
One Battle After Another didn’t win by being the loudest film in the room.
Its victory signaled continued appreciation for patient, character-driven storytelling — films willing to wrestle with politics without losing sight of family, memory, and personal consequence.
For Anderson, the night confirmed something many critics have long believed: his work still matters, and it still finds new ways to surprise.
As awards season continues, this win feels less like a final word — and more like a quiet benchmark for the year in film.
