Ten movies are vying for Best Picture at the Academy Awards next weekend.

Why it matters: If you've got an Oscar party on your calendar, these are the three you should watch to sound smart.

🎬 ✊ "One Battle After Another" on HBO Max.

Nothing is guaranteed, but Paul Thomas Anderson's Pynchon-inspired magnum opus is almost surely this year's Best Picture.

• The tale of ersatz political revolutionaries fighting back against an authoritarian government force is the type of timely film that Hollywood loves to reward.

Why you should watch: If you've only got time for one, this is it. It's an action flick, a satirical comedy and a political statement all at once.

• Add in Leonardo DiCaprio's best comedic role in years, and you'll be shocked by how quickly the almost three-hour runtime flies by.

🎵🧛🏻 "Sinners" on HBO Max.

The most-nominated movie of all-time is bonkers in the best way: part-1930s period piece, part-vampire bloodbath.

• The Academy loves to overlook horror movies, but writer/director Ryan Coogler's parable about the systemic exploitation of Black culture in American history is undeniable.
• It's the frontrunner for Best Original Screenplay and a host of other technical awards.

Why you should watch: The film was shot in metro New Orleans and features local talent.

• And, Coogler's centerpiece juke joint scene is perhaps the best of the year, an ode to the power of music that'll stick in your brain long after the movie ends.

💔 "Sentimental Value" via VOD on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and YouTube.

The best acting ensemble of the year shines in this more-fun-than-you'd-think Norwegian tale of generational trauma.

• Director Joachim Trier snagged Stellan Skarsgard and Elle Fanning for his biggest swing yet. Best Supporting Actor and Actress are some of Oscar night's biggest tossups, and this film is in play for both.

Why you should watch: The Academy is embracing more international cinema, and you should, too!

Where all are streaming

A lot more people are putting cold, hard cash on the line to back up their Oscars predictions this year.

Why it matters: It's not just the Academy Awards. In the era of prediction markets, entertainment fans can invest their cash to forecast the outcomes of everything from Rotten Tomatoes scores to celebrity divorces.

By the numbers: The number of traders participating in culture-based prediction markets has multiplied by 10 over the past year, according to data from Kalshi, one of the space's top players.

• Kalshi reports that the trading volume around this year's Golden Globes grew 165% compared to 2025's event.

What we're watching: The 98th Academy Awards are set for March 15 — and, right now, predictions markets agree on one thing: there look to be very few real toss-ups out there.

• Kalshi's Best Picture winner market has "One Battle After Another" way out ahead of "Sinners," much as it has since October.

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🏈 Cam Jordan will become a free agent next week, sources tell ESPN. He and the Saints reportedly haven't been able to reach a new deal.

• Jordan has been with the Saints for 15 seasons.

🛹 The X Games will host a summer championship event at the Caesars Superdome in July, organizers announced yesterday. It will feature the world's best skateboard, BMX and Moto X athletes. (Press release)

🫨 The strongest earthquake on record in Louisiana shook the northern part of the state yesterday. (Fox Weather)

👀 Kristi Noem, Department of Homeland Security secretary, is out. President Trump says he will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) as her replacement. (Axios)

• Noem visited Louisiana multiple times last year, including after the terrorist attack and to tour the immigration detention facility at Angola.
• Gov. Jeff Landry thanked her, while U.S. Rep. Troy Carter said the departure "reflects what communities ... have been demanding for months."

🚔 Britney Spears, who grew up in Kentwood, was arrested in California on a DUI charge. Her Instagram account was also deactivated. (CNN)

🍴 Nonno's closed its Bayou Road location and is reopening in the new food pavilion in Lafreniere Park. (The Times-Picayune 🔒)

🗓️ Mark your calendar with our Event Board.

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week Mar 9-14: New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) Global keynotes, 70+ sessions, and a closing party at Gasa Gasa. Free. One week only.

"Sinners" isn't just a commercial success — it's the latest disruptor to a film industry that covets intellectual property.

Why it matters: Director Ryan Coogler, who secured a rare agreement with Warner Bros. that grants him ownership of the film in 2050, could become the first Black person to win Best Director at the Academy Awards.

The big picture: "Sinners" signals a decisive power shift in Hollywood — from distributor back to creator.

• Coogler will directly receive royalties from streaming, broadcasts, licensing and merchandising that would normally go to the studio.
• Major studio executives are seeing other directors demand the same terms, Vulture reports.

The other side: On a recent episode of "The Town with Matthew Belloni," Sony Film CEO Tom Rothman said he turned the film down because he didn't want to "institutionalize" the type of deal Coogler wanted.

• "You can never ruin your business for one movie. ... The profitability that underlines a movie studio is its library."