Top movies reflect deep splits in culture, politics

The 2026 Academy Awards were not only a celebration of cinematic achievement, but also a reflection of the growing social and ideological divisions shaping the United States.

Film critics said One Battle After Another, which won Best Picture, and its closest rival, Sinners, dominated both the ceremony and the broader cultural conversation. While distinct in style, both works were widely interpreted by critics as engaging with issues of race, identity and competing visions of US society.

Together, they offer a revealing lens into a country grappling with polarization not only along political lines but also across cultural and historical dimensions.

Yet for some scholars, the prominence of these themes reflects continuity rather than change.

"For me, this year is not unprecedented," said Stanley Rosen, a professor of political science and international relations at the University of Southern California.

"Race, identity, social divisions, institutional power and marginalized communities have often been themes in American films, not just this year," Rosen said.

His observation highlights a central question raised by this year's Oscars — whether the recognition of such films signals a shift in cultural narratives, or reflects longstanding tensions reemerging in a new context.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another draws inspiration from Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland and situates its story within a broader tradition of political and cultural critique.

Its narrative centers on activism, generational differences and contrasting ideological perspectives — themes that resonate with ongoing debates in the US.

Critics have noted that the film not only portrays social tensions but also satirizes them. Rather than aligning clearly with a particular political position, it has been interpreted as critiquing extremes across the spectrum.

Some reviews describe left-leaning activist characters as disorganized or ineffective, while figures associated with conservative or right-wing views are portrayed as more disciplined but ethically questionable.

This portrayal suggests that the film's focus lies less in promoting a specific viewpoint than in examining the consequences of polarization.

Bob Underwood, a writer and producer, said the film reflects divisions in public opinion.

"The film is kind of a mirror for the real-world tensions now," Underwood said. "It shows how people on different sides see the world very differently."

Such narratives resonate with audiences because they reflect a society in which consensus is increasingly difficult to achieve, he added.

Sinners, which approaches similar themes through symbolism, uses elements of Gothic horror to explore how past experiences continue to shape present identities.

Veteran film producer Andre Morgan described the film as "very clever filmmaking", noting its layered storytelling.

"It starts out being a story about black people starting a bar in the poorest part of America," Morgan said. "By the end, it deals with history, symbolism and identity in a much deeper way. You have to understand the significance of what you're seeing."

He pointed to a broader shift in US filmmaking, noting a decline in post-apocalyptic narratives.

"For the last 40 years, the US has made movies about dystopian America," he said. "But in recent years, there's been a downturn. The closer those stories get to reality, the less people are interested in being entertained by them."

Social discussions

Films like One Battle After Another resonate not because they depict imagined futures, but because they reflect current social discussions.

"The battles are not always war; they can be battles over ideas or truth, and they don't stop," Underwood said.

While the themes explored by this year's Oscar-winning films are closely tied to present-day debates, Rosen cautioned against drawing broad conclusions about shifts in US cinema.

Critics said the two films offer different but complementary ways of understanding divisions in US society.

Meanwhile, director Anderson's satirical approach introduces another layer, suggesting that polarization itself, rather than any single ideology, has become a defining feature of contemporary US life.

These debates are not new, but their continued prominence on one of the world's most visible cultural stages indicates that they remain unresolved, Rosen said.