Like many young couples, the inhabitants of this Brentwood home moved in and didn’t do much at first, except to buy a bunch of decent-quality furniture from big box stores. However, they remained largely unhappy with the results. They reached out to designer Peter Dunham, a friend of the family who had a connection to the husband’s parents through LA designer Suzanne Rheinstein, who had designed the family’s houses. So they had grown up in well-thought-out homes with plenty of style.
Interior Designer Peter Dunham Takes on a Brentwood Home
The new structure itself is basically a spec house, with an odd layout that created what Dunham calls “flyover” rooms, spaces you basically ignored to get to areas like the kitchen and the family room. It was a shame because the owners love to entertain and want their home to be a place where people congregate, but the flow wasn’t serving that. (The flyovers were the living and dining rooms!) Dunham made the side entrance the main entry point, creating an entirely new way of approaching the home.
“I’m always thinking about how I can manipulate the experience in a better way that’s maybe not the standard way.” He recalls having seen, early on, items such as a billiards table and a guitar setup (the husband gets guitar lessons) in the living room, as well as high ceilings and nice proportions. “It was a shame the rooms didn’t get more use,” Dunham comments.
Now, after coming into the house and making a left turn, you are able to experience the garden, and you almost forget that it is a front garden of a standard suburban house. It’s now become something else: a private outdoor space.
Embracing What’s Already There
Part of the reason some of the rooms were ignored was that they didn’t receive much light. Rather than fight it, Dunham enveloped the spaces in pattern to make them exciting, as a way to visually warm them up. Now they’re adult entertaining spaces where everyone wants to congregate. Even the guitar gets put into service, with the husband and sometimes friends playing songs for the group. “We turned it into a space that really felt like a party area,” says Dunham. The home in general is now a place where the whole family—including siblings and parents—comes for holidays, birthday parties, and many other occasions.
Furnishings have a strong presence but are never overly fussy or screaming for attention. Patterns play an important role but never overwhelm. The look is tailored but still very relaxed, with a mix of styles and pieces that feels like it was assembled over a long time. Details such as a black and white marble top on the dining room sideboard bring unexpected visual texture.
Integrating Dunham’s Textiles
A thread of blue in myriad shades unites the various rooms. The living and dining rooms share one of Dunham’s wallpaper designs, Cosima, in blue and pink, a pattern that also shows up as draperies in the dining area. A sofa in the primary bedroom is another Dunham offering, Oona, again in blue and pink, but in higher contrast.
In a cozy fireplace area, a small blue chair provides a moment of fun contrast. A blue and white Chinese vase accents a mangle, and a barium blue pendant, a collaboration between ceramicist Natan Moss and Dunham’s line for Hollywood at Home, hangs in the kitchen (see one of Dunham’s expert table settings). And there are, of course, many exciting moments in other hues, including a custom floral print hanging behind the bed.
In a corner of the primary bedroom is a tranquil place to read or relax, with a T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings high-back lounge chair by Widdicomb, antique Moorish inlaid side table, and vintage lamp. Works of two local artists bring color and narrative to the space. On the left is A Murder in Larchmont by Nils Benson, and on the right Walk With Steve in Silver Lake (2022).
As Peter Dunham begins to prepare for his trip to Pittsburgh for the Women’s Committee’s ON DEC fundraiser, we got an exclusive Q&A to see what exactly he’s looking forward too.
Story by Stephen Treffinger Interior Design by Peter Dunham Photography by Victoria Pearson
Hosting an Oscar party doesn’t require days of prep or a catering budget. With a bottle or two of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut and five of our standout hors d’oeuvres recipes, you can create an evening that feels both elegant and relaxed—letting you and your guests focus on the glamour on screen, not the stress in the kitchen.
Host a Luxury Party for the Oscars
Why Veuve Clicquot?
Veuve Clicquot’s crowd-pleasing versatility makes it the perfect anchor for an Oscar spread. Its crisp acidity and brioche undertones pair seamlessly with both savory and rich foods, cutting through indulgence while enhancing delicate flavors. Whether you’re serving caviar or popcorn, this champagne elevates without demanding attention—much like a great supporting actor.
The Menu: Five Recipes That Set a Glamourous Tone
Deviled Eggs with Caviar start the evening with elegance. The creamy yolk and briny caviar create a sophisticated bite that Veuve Clicquot’s classic flavor notes complement beautifully. Prepare these ahead of time; they’re one-bite perfection during award announcements.
Brown Butter Crab Toast brings coastal luxury without fuss. Crab’s delicate sweetness is a textbook champagne pairing and serving it on crisp toast means guests can eat standing up while debating Best Picture frontrunners. Or an award whose winner seems surprising.
Roasted Oysters with Cornbread Leek Banana Pepper Crumble add drama, flavor, and substance. Oysters and champagne are inseparable partners, and the cornbread crumble adds unexpected texture and warmth—ideal for a long evening of conversation about the best red carpet looks and your favorite films.
Edamame and Kale Hummusoffers a lighter, verdant hors d’oeuvre option. It’s vegetable-forward, easy to make ahead, and provides textural contrast to richer bites. Serve with crackers and vegetable crudites.
Popcorn Panna Cotta, served in individual glasses, closes the evening on a playful note. This dessert-snack hybrid feels whimsical yet refined—perfect for the post-ceremony wind-down or during commercial breaks. Its creamy texture and subtle sweetness pair gorgeously with champagne’s acidity. Plus: a night spent celebrating movies should include some popcorn!
How to Get Ready for Your Party
Make sure you have enough champagne glasses (and champagne!) for everyone on the guest list. Buy some black or white cocktail napkins, perhaps edged in gold.Collect your favorite small plates and forks. Have some candles ready to light when guests arrive. Maybe a bouquet of flowers too.
The popcorn panna cotta can be made a day ahead. So can the deviled eggs and hummus. Toast the bread for the crab thirty minutes before guests arrive. Roast the oysters and sautée the crab as people settle in. This staggered approach means you’re never trapped in the kitchen during crucial moments—like when the Best Supporting Actor or Actress award sneaks up on you.
Set the Vibe on Awards Night
The beauty of this menu is its restraint. Each dish is memorable but not fussy. Veuve Clicquot’s approachability and familiarity means everyone can relax. You’re not serving a wine that steals the scene; you’re serving one that enhances the night. Your guests will only look back to remember the champagne’s elegance and the food’s deliciousness, not a sense of fussiness or effort.
An Oscar party should celebrate cinema, not stress. These five recipes and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot deliver exactly that: luxury that feels effortless, food that tastes like you tried, and an evening where everyone leaves satisfied—whether their favorite film wins or not.
It’s appropriate for a film that builds to a desperate, outnumbered standoff: For the 2026 Oscar award predictions, it will be Sinnersagainst everybody.
Who’s Going to Win Come Oscar Night 2026?
Ryan Coogler’s masterful film is already a record holder, garnering 16 total nominations. That means it will compete in all but one of the categories in which it theoretically could’ve been nominated — and, with the film raking in trophies at precursor awards, it should be considered a contender in nearly every field.
That includes most of the top awards. The Best Picture race has turned into a sprint between Sinners and One Battle After Another, as Paul Thomas Anderson’s comedy-thriller has emerged as this year’s other top contender.
While the respected auteur shouldn’t be considered a lock (nearly nothing is this year), he’s widely expected to take his first Best Directing prize. Coogler, who also wrote Sinners, is much more likely to claim Best Original Screenplay. (That leaves Best Adapted Screenplay, the rare Sinners-free category, to One Battle — although there’s a small chance that Hamnet could play spoiler.)
The Acting Races Are More Competitive Than Usual
On many an Oscar night, one competitor or another has so handily dominated awards season that an Academy coronation is all but inevitable. This year is an exception, with three fairly competitive races — and one that may be closer than it appears.
That last race: Best Actress, widely expected to be a win for Jessie Buckley, the powerhouse performer who stars in Hamnet. This is as safe a bet as you’re likely to make this year … though Rose Byrne, of If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, has stolen a few trophies from Buckley along the way. Don’t be stunned if Byrne nabs an Oscar — but if you’re filling out a pool, pick Buckley.
In Best Actor, Timothée Chalamet was widely expected to earn his first trophy for Marty Supremeuntil Sinners star Michael B. Jordan took home the prize at last week’s Actor Awards. The Academy’s largest voting bloc consists of actors, many of whom overlap with the Actor Awards voters, so that could be a bellwether. This one is close.
Best Supporting Actress is also tight, as Weaponsscene-stealer Amy Madigan has claimed a number of precursor prizes; the Academy loves rewarding a comeback from a long-beloved star. Teyana Taylor, of One Battle, and Wunmi Mosaku, who gave the most memorable of many great supporting performers in Sinners, could also claim the prize. In Best Supporting Actor, two-time winner Sean Penn is favored by many for his unhinged turn in One Battle — though both Stellan Skarsgård, of Sentimental Value, and Sinners favorite Delroy Lindo are in the race.
Okay — There Are a Few Sure Things
Further down the ballot, a few races look fairly certain. Expect Sinners to take the inaugural Best Casting award, based on its formidable ensemble. Frankenstein, a much admired picture that likely won’t break through in any major category, will likely nab Best Costume Design as something of a kind gesture from the Academy; it’ll probably take Best Makeup and Hairstyling, too. Surprise Best Picture nominee F1has no chance at the top award, but it’ll likely (and justifiably) win Best Sound.
And expect a Golden night: KPop Demon Hunterswill probably win Best Animated Feature, and the ubiquitous title track is a favorite for Best Original Song (though, as always, Sinners could pull an upset).
Below, find our predictions in every category. While we fully expect more misses than the average year, we’re pretty confident that these answers will help you win the pool at your Oscar party … unless you’ve got a real cinephile sitting across the couch. (Or another TABLE reader.)
Our 2026 Oscar Predictions
Best Picture — Sinners
Best Director — Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Best Actress — Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
Best Actor — Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
Best Supporting Actress — Amy Madigan, Weapons
Best Supporting Actor — Stellan Skarsgard, Sentimental Value
Best Adapted Screenplay — One Battle After Another
The culmination of awards season calls for a celebration, and there’s no better way to toast the magic of the movies than with a cocktail inspired by the year’s biggest films at your Oscars watch party. As the Best Picture nominees take center stage at the Oscars, we’re raising a glass to each standout story with recipes that capture their spirit with bold, dramatic flavors, sparkling showstoppers, and playful twists. Be sure to watch each of these films prior to the show then tune in March 15 at 7 p.m. with your tray of Best Picture cocktails to celebrate the winners.
One Battle After Another is the high intensity action film starring Leonardo Dicaprio as a father whose daughter is being targeted by a military leader (Sean Penn). Between the films’ outstanding cast, stellar script, and immersive atmosphere, it’s one to watch again and again.
Our next Best Picture nominee takes us on a thrilling adventure through Brazil and its Carnival celebration. The Secret Agent follows Marcelo (Wagner Moura) who is forced to go into hiding and escape the prying eyes focused on him. For this film, we showcase a Brazilian Caipirinha, the official cocktail of the country.
Sip on this refreshing drink as you watch The Secret Agent compete for Actor in a Leading Role (Wagner Moura), Casting (Gabriel Domingues), International Feature Film, and Best Picture nomination for producer Emilie Lesclaux.
The world of Bugonia takes us inside the operations of the massive fictional corporation Auxolith when the CEO becomes captured by two conspiracy theorists. The whole movie is a battle of wits. You’ll find yourself wondering if the conspiracy theorists are right about the CEO being an alien hell-bent on destroying Earth…or if they’ve kidnapped an innocent woman. Yorgos Lanthimos makes his adaptation of this South Korean film using his favorite actors: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Aidan Delbis.
Bugonia receives four nominations for Actress in a Leading Role (Emma Stone), Music Original Score (Jerskin Fendrix), Writing Adapted Screenplay (Will Tracy), and Best Picture.
Any movie starring Timothée Chalamet is bound to be a hit but Marty Supreme surpassed expectations. We head back to the 1950s where Marty Mauser is determined to make something of himself, particularly as an international table tennis player. In his quest he gets himself into endless darkly hilarious trouble as the audience roots for the characters that surround him and seem to be most effected by his actions.
Nine nominations grace Marty Supreme, including Actor in a Leading Role (Timothée Chalamet), Casting (Jennifer Venditti), Cinematography (Darius Khondji), Costume Design (Miyako Bellizzi), Directing (Josh Safdie), Film Editing (Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie), Production Design (Jack Fisk and Adam Willis), Writing Original Screenplay (Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie), and Best Picture.
The tale of Frankenstein has haunted libraries and screens for ages but with Guillermo del Toro‘s take we get a gothic daydream where the themes of abuse, grief, and ego come into play. Oscar Isaac in the role of Victor Frankenstein gives us a deeper look into this evil-geniuses brain. Even though Victor is often the hero, this new adaptation gives a better focus to his Creature (Jacob Elordi) and his love interest (Mia Goth).
Sinners is the vampire story we’ve all been waiting for. Outside of basic tropes, Sinners makes vampires actually terrifying again with a new design, as well as deeper writing. Taking place in the deep South during the time of Jim Crow laws and rampant racism, this film explores the effects of colonization, what community can mean, and a look into how race is treated even today. One of the best parts of this film is the ability of Michael B. Jordan to play a set of twins, Smoke and Stack, creating two characters with two different personalities and sets of quirks.
We cannot forget to mention that it is beautiful to look at, thanks to Oscar nominated cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw.
Sinners also sets a new record at the Oscars with its 16 nominations. A quick run down of these nominations takes us through Actor in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role, Casting, Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music Original Score, Music Original Song, Production Design, Sound, Visual Effects, Writing original Screenplay.
You’ll need a cocktail to get through this devastatingly beautiful film. A pine-infused vodka cocktail brings the nature of Train Dreams right to your kitchen. The story of Train Dreams is a novella adaptation that follows Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a logger and railroad worker at the turn of the 20th century. His work keeps him away from his wife and newly born daughter but when tragedy strikes, he learns it may just of been the happiest point of his life regardless. This movie examines what is worth living for and what life can mean.
We focus in on the color purple to represent the tear-jerking story of Hamnet. Adapted from the novel, Hamnet takes us into the lives of Agnes and William Shakespeare as they battle with the loss of their young son. The processing of his grief leads William to write his famous play, Hamlet. The color purple here represents the mourning, sorrow, and nobility that settles upon the Shakespeare family. Plus, it features Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in the starring roles.
Sentimental Value is a film for anyone who has felt out of place in their family. When an estranged father (Stellan Skarsgård) tries to reconnect with his two daughters after their mother’s death, he offers his daughter Nora (Renate Reinsve) the starring role in a film inspired by their family. When she declines, he brings in a young Hollywood star Rachel (Elle Fanning) to take her place which leads to a whole can of worms opening to reveal true feelings.
With a touching story and unbelievable acting, this Norwegian film earns its spots for Actor in a Leading Role (Stellan Skarsgård), Actress in a Leading Role (Renate Reinsve), two for Actress in a Supporting Role (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning), Directing (Joachim Trier), Film Editing (Olivier Bugge Coutté), International Feature Film, Writing Original Screenplay (Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier), as well as Best Picture.
The quick speed of F1 can’t wait for a cocktail to be mixed. Instead, a canned cocktail comes in handy here so that you can crack it open and get back to the action. Tip Top Proper Cocktails carries classic cocktails in their canned form that somehow feel fresh out of a shaker. Their varieties include everything from the Paper Plane to an Espresso Martini, an Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, and so much more. So grab your favorite and then meet race car driver Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) in the pit as he returns to racing 30 years after his terrifying accident.
DWR’s Atlason Composed Modular Sofa and Sectional by Hlynur Atlason
Design Within Reach’s (DWR) new Pittsburgh store brings an additional point of light to the ever-evolving Strip District. DWR, like Orrs Jewelers, Archive, Posman Books, and a handful of other retail boutiques, extends the neighborhood’s identity as a hub of commerce into a new era.
Design Within Reach Now Open in Pittsburgh’s Strip District
DWR’s blend of blend of modern design, livable luxury, and thoughtful curation adds something quite new to one of the city’s most energetic corridors. Inside you’ll find iconic mid-century furniture by legends like Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, George Nelson, and more. Their now-classic designs are shown adjacent to contemporary work by rising stars like Icelandic designer Hlynur Atlason. His Atlason Composed Modular Sofa and Sectional is a new DWR gem. Its various configurations connect together in myriad ways to expand a home’s seating options as far as the imagination will go.
In addition to fantastic furniture pieces, DWR also offers textiles, lighting and home accessories, all infused with a modern take on design. The new store’s generous windows bathe all in natural light. The building’s industrial bones invite a visitor to imagine themselves at home in one of the neighborhood’s beautiful loft apartments. It’s a treat to be able to test the sit of an architect-designed chair, and to customize it with custom choices of leathers and textiles.
A Place to Ask for Help
DWR’s design professionals are on hand to offer expert advice.
The neighborhood is familiar to most of us as a bustling depot for wholesale and retail food sales and distribution. That identity was born in the early 20th century and cemented in 1929 with the establishment of the Strip District Terminal (originally the Pennsylvania Railroad Fruit Auction and Sales Building). The Terminal is now a sequence of retail shops, personal care businesses, and restaurants. Performances and programming liven up its colonnade in good weather. Just a block away from the still food-focused Penn Avenue, it’s bringing a new, often younger, clientele to the area.
If your energy flags as you take it all in, take advantage of The Strip’s growing number of coffee houses. After a quick re-caffeination, venture back out to wander the neighborhood. Perhaps finish your afternoon with a drink and a bite at Balvanera, a delicious Argentine outpost adjacent to DWR. Its sophisticated menu and beautifully designed space offer further evidence of the changing tone of the Strip.
Inspired by fevered faith, forbidden desire, and creeping evil, Sinners’ Beet the Devil cocktail is the perfect pour for under a blood-warm Southern sky. In a world where twin brothers return home to Mississippi only to find something ancient as well as hungry waiting in the dark, a brown sugar beet reduction and a helping of whiskey lend a hand. This cocktail carries the same slow-burn tension we love in the Oscar-nominated film Sinners. Whiskey smolders like a backwoods juke joint after midnight, while the brown sugar–beet reduction bleeds a deep crimson sweetness, earthy and unrepentant. One taste feels like stepping up to the creaky bar at Smoke and Stack’s hang where salvation and damnation sit side by side, waiting to see which one claims you first.
What Oscar Academy Award Nominations Did Sinners‘ Receive?
The film Sinners starring Michael B. Jordan as a set of twins is now the most-nominated film in history at the Oscars with 16 nominations. This surpasses previous films like All Above Eve, Titanic, and La La Landall with 14 nominations. While it may surprise some that a vampire film is now at the top of the list, this movie is about so much more than just a touch of horror. It examines race in the past and in modernity, colonization and its after-effects, a lust for community, and so much more.
James Whale’s 1935 film The Bride of Frankenstein is the best of Universal’s golden-age monster flicks — even though its title character only appears on screen for about five minutes. Nearly a century later, Maggie Gyllenhaal has decided to give The Bride!her movie back.
The Bride! (2026) Movie Review
In the early going, The Bride! has a lot in common with its 91-year-old predecessor. The lead actress — Jessie Buckley — appears as both Frankensteinnovelist Mary Shelley and the title character, just as Elsa Lanchester did nearly a century ago. A talkative Frankenstein’s monster, played by Christian Bale, seeks out companionship and love, just as Boris Karloff once did. And a mad scientist, delightfully portrayed by Annette Bening, pursues unholy discoveries.
From there, though, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s film has plenty of new thoughts to share. The Bride! remains in a freewheeling, often stream-of-consciousness conversation with the many adaptations that have come before it. (Not just Universal and Hammer, either; the influence of Mel Brooks looms large.) But that conversation is not mere pastiche or recombination; The Bride! has a resonant story to offer, setting its tale in a phantasmagoric remix of mobland Chicago circa 1930.
The Bride! and Her Monster, On the Run
After digging up the hastily buried body of a murdered flapper — who may be possessed by the spirit of the aforementioned Shelley — the monster and his hired scientist (named Dr. Euphronious, in a clear echo of the original film’s Dr. Pretorious) restore life to the clearly confused corpse. For a while, it’s ill-fitting fun and deadly games; the unlikely couple sneaks off to the movies, enjoying a top-hat musical starring the monster’s favorite performer (Jake Gyllenhaal), before dancing the night away at an anachronistic underground club. (The performer Fever Ray cameos as a bizarre chanteuse.)
After the debauchery turns violent, however, a mob forms, much to the chagrin of “Franky,” who knows a thing or two about angry crowds. With a pair of deadpan detectives (Penélope Cruz and Peter Sarsgaard) on their tail, the monstrous couple decamps for New York, where they bond … even if The Bride is kept in the dark about her reanimated state.
There’s probably a bit more plot than needed here; I thought the film was wrapping up at one point, only to discover there were 40 minutes and several revelations yet to come. If The Bride! errs, it only does so in making too much clear; some restraint on the exact nature of each character might’ve helped. But any such sins pale in comparison to the remarkable vision on display.
Gyllenhaal Creates a Work of Art That Will Divide — and Endure
I’m sure there will be some viewers who don’t get on board with The Bride!. It’s a runaway train with no shortage of bold choices and surprisingly stylistic flair; if you don’t buy in completely in the early going, you may find some of its moves (dance and otherwise) absurd.
But I believe The Bride! is so singular and confident an effort that it is destined to be embraced over time. This belongs in an outre canon with films such as David Lynch’s Wild at Heart, Alex Proyas’ Dark Cityand Damien Chazelle’s Babylon. All these films have their detractors and their acolytes, in large part because they defy convention and genre in a beautifully reckless way. It’s a “hell-for-leather” experience, as our Bride is fond of saying.
Wild at Heart is probably the best point of comparison — a doomed and complicated couple on a nightmarish yet beautiful road trip. Sure, these ones are literal monsters. With monsters this entertaining, though, who needs regular old humans?
Disney and Pixar Try to Launch Another Franchise — and More New Releases
The Disney/Pixar animated film Hoppers, about an animal lover communicating with various critters via a robotic beaver, is receiving warm notices. The film boasts a 96% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the film’s humor and lively visuals. While it should top the box-office returns this weekend, the Mouse House and its sister studio have had trouble launching original properties lately; hopefully, this one catches on over time (so they have a property other than Toy Storyand Incrediblesto generate future sequels).
Dual Oscar nominee Siratexpands to more North American theaters this weekend. The film, which landed on my Top 10 list for 2025, is a harrowing tale of a desperate search in the Moroccan desert. It’s a tough watch, but a remarkable film — particularly for its sound and cinematography.
Also expanding: Pillion, the erotic drama that’s garnered considerable buzz. Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling star as mismatched lovers. The film won the Screenplay prize at Cannes.
Story by Sean Collier Photos Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Born in the lab and blended to perfection, the White Chocolate Caramel Frozen Mudslide cocktail is our decadent homage to the haunting beauty of the Frankenstein (2025) movie. As the gothic reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic story earns its Oscar-nomination for Best Picture this dessert-style drink celebrates the film’s dark beauty as well as electrifying creativity. Velvety white chocolate, rich caramel, and a healthy dose of booze combine to create a cocktail that feels indulgent, dramatic, and a little bit monstrous…in the best way. Not to mention its creamy frozen texture reminds us of the icy lands that Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) and his Creature (Jacob Elordi) venture into.
What Oscar Nominations Did Frankenstein (2025) Receive?
While you may think you know the story of Frankenstein, Guillermo del Toro proves that there’s much more to tell. His adaptation dives deep into themes of cycles of abuse, grief, and also the downfall of a hubris nature. With a stellar cast backing this director’s image, the film creates a whole new world to immerse ourselves in.
Swirl caramel sauce and white chocolate syrup around the inside of a chilled glass. (You can use a frother for this just dip in the syrup and then place inside middle of the glass and turn it on to splatter the sides in a ring shape)
Combine all ingredients in blender and blender until smooth. Be careful not to over-blend or it will become watery.
If there’s one thing the characters in One Battle After Another know, it’s guns, explosives, and Modelo. This high-intensity film deserves a cocktail to match that’s sparkling, flavorful, and even resembles a stick of dynamite in its flute glass shape. Since this film earned 13 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, we thought the best way to honor the French 75 revolutionary group is with a French 75 of their own. Since our main character here Bob Ferguson (Leonardo Dicaprio) often cracks open a Modelo with Sergio (Benicio del Toro), we add in an easy-to-make Modelo reduction syrup that adds a bit of depth to this light cocktail. It’s crisp, a little malty, and completely upgrades this classic cocktail for the new world order.
What Academy Awards is One Battle After Another Nominated for at the Oscars?
If you’ve seen One Battle After Another, it’s no surprise that this film took home 13 nominations thanks to its expert acting, incredible score, stunning special effects, as well as its heartfelt and hilarious script. In acting categories, this movie earns nods for Actor in a Leading Role (Leonardo Dicaprio), two for Actor in a Supporting Role (Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn), Actress in a Supporting Role (Teyana Taylor), and Casting (Cassandra Kulukundis). It then also earns nods for Cinematography (Michael Bauman), Directing (Paul Thomas Anderson), Film Editing (Andy Jurgensen), Music Original Score (Jonny Greenwood), Production Design (Florencia Martin and Anthony Carlino), Sound (José Antonio García, Christopher Scarabosio, and Tony Villaflor), Writing (Paul Thomas Anderson), and of course, Best Picture.
The colors of Carnival and the tension of politics in 1970s Brazil sets the scene for this Caipirinha to shine. The Secret Agent is a gripping Brazilian thriller set in the atmosphere of 1970s Brazil during the military dictatorship. Starring Wagner Moura, the film follows a man forced into hiding while navigating danger, secrecy, and shifting loyalties in the city of Recife. Amid the suspense and intrigue, Brazil’s culture plays an important role in the film’s setting. The scenes take you through the energy of Carnival and into the depths of Brazilian homes. To celebrate this film’s Oscar-nominations, including Best Picture, a Caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail, seems rightly fit. Made with fresh lime, sugar, and cachaça it’s bright, bold, and refreshing. Fix yourself one as you sit down to watch The Secret Agent ahead of the Oscars.
What Oscar Academy Award Nominations Did The Secret Agent Receive?
While The Secret Agent may not have racked up as many nominations as other Best Picture nominees, the film still cements its spot as a worthy opponent. Wagner Moura’s portrayal of such an intricate character like Marcelo earns him a nomination for Actor in a Leading Role. He’s also joined in the acting categories by Gabriel Domingues who is nominated for the Casting of The Secret Agent. Along with the Best Picture nomination for producer Emilie Lesclaux, the film rightly earns a spot in the race for International Feature Film too.
