Laugh With Me – 3rd Annual Oscar Preview with Grant Pearson

Podcast: Laugh With Me (iHeartPodcasts)
Host: Jeremy Odem (aka "Bradley Hall" in recording)
Guest: Grant Pearson
Release Date: February 25, 2026
Episode Theme: An in-depth and comedic preview of the 98th Academy Awards, including a ranked rundown of Best Picture nominees, notable performances, hot takes on Oscars trends, and predictions for the winners. The conversation celebrates both film-making highlights and the lighter side of moviegoing, including bad movies and Razzie nominees.

Episode Overview

This annual Oscar Preview episode brings together host Jeremy Odem and returning guest Grant Pearson – a highly dedicated film fan and self-confessed Letterboxd addict – to dissect the 2026 Academy Award races. The duo delivers energetic banter, honest reviews (ranging from glowing to savage), hot takes on this year's films, actors, and industry trends, plus a healthy dose of inside jokes and pop culture references.

"The man who watches more movies than Robert Ebert himself... He does watch every movie that's nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. So who else would we talk to?" – Bradley Hall (02:48)

The episode also touches on family moments, meme-worthy movie quotes, and ends with shoutouts and recommendations for overlooked films and personal projects.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Catching Up: New Jobs, Family Life, and Obscure Talents

Time: 05:00–10:20

• Grant shares updates on his busy family life (notably, his son Dez's acting role as Professor Plum in Clue at Des Moines Young Artist Theater).
• Grant bought a Super Nintendo to celebrate his new job: "Super Mario World, because it's the best game that's ever been made." (08:07)
• Jeremy jokes about the never-created grocery store simulation game, showing his lifelong nerd cred: "There was a period where...I would search up grocery store tycoon...because I'm a nerd." (09:26)

2. Grant’s Movie Watch Stats and Letterboxd Review Style

Time: 10:31–13:43

• Grant watched around 220 movies in 2025, logging over 2,400 films on Letterboxd as "BuyThisVacuum."
• His review style is often one-liner jokes: "I really need to start writing good reviews...usually I just write a one-line joke." (13:08)
• Sample review for Iron Lung: "It's how a girl becomes a woman. There is so much blood, just nonstop blood." (13:46)

3. Best Picture Nominees: Grant’s Ranking and Deep-Dive Reviews

Time: 14:43–42:50

• Grant ranks all 10 Best Picture nominees, from least to most favorite, sharing his reasoning and side commentary for each.

Grant's Best Picture Rankings & Highlights

(Timestamps for each begin with his ranking intro; discussion often continues for several minutes)

| Rank | Film | Highlights / Quotes | Timestamp | |------|-------------------------|----------------------------------|----------| | 10 | Train Dreams | "The movie...just in comparison to the other ones up there did not hit me." (15:31) | 15:12 | | 9 | The Secret Agent | "It just didn't pull me in...best part was probably the popcorn." (17:12–18:01) | 17:12 | | 8 | Frankenstein | "Would've been better on the big screen...didn't get a casting nomination but should have." (18:37–19:21) | 18:37 | | 7 | F1 | "The crowd-pleaser...I didn't think it'd be nominated." (20:36–21:45) | 20:36 | | 6 | Sentimental Value | "It's an acting movie...amazing performances, didn't care about story sometimes." (25:07–25:58) | 25:07 | | 5 | Begonia | "Jesse Plemons put on one of the greatest performances of the year...but got snubbed." (26:46–28:38) | 26:46 | | 4 | Sinners | "Immediately after I was done, I wanted to watch it again...one scene probably one of the best things ever put to film." (30:35–32:31) | 30:35 | | 3 | Hamnet | "I was not expecting a whole lot going in...This is one of my favorite movies that came out for the year." (32:46–33:38) | 32:46 | | 2 | Marty Supreme | "There are people that absolutely do not like the movie...I think everything about it was great." (39:37–40:20) | 39:37 | | 1 | One Battle After Another| "This is the movie of [PTA's] career...the one that really got out to the most people. I think this is the one that's going to win Best Picture." (42:04) | 42:04 |

4. Noteworthy Discussion: Actors, Performances, and Industry Trends

Breakout and Underrated Performers

• Emma Stone: "Our generation's Meryl Streep...challenges herself, different roles, always great." (29:43)
• Jesse Plemons: "Deserves to be nominated every single year as long as he's still working." (28:04)
• Jacob Elordi: "He can't lose right now...waiting for something to happen." (19:42)
• Glenn Powell: "He's been in a ton of stuff recently...needs more selectivity." (24:53)
• Will Poulter: "In Death of a Unicorn, his comic timing was spot on...better than Glenn Powell's movies." (79:30)

Career Oscar Wins and Directing Styles

• [Paul Thomas Anderson] "He's made such amazing movies...I think this is his year to do that. There is some of that 'career win' going on." (44:41)
• [Ryan Coogler] "Made movies that are successful, people want to watch, and have great stories behind them." (46:13)

Controversial Snubs and Surprises

• Jesse Plemons (snubbed), Glenn Powell getting "everything he wants," but not the hits.
• Animated films rarely get Best Picture nods, despite box office (e.g., K-Pop Demon Hunters).

5. Oscars Category Predictions & Deep Dives

Time: 42:50–58:33

Best Director

• Prediction: Paul Thomas Anderson ("One Battle After Another") considered the frontrunner for both art and career recognition.
  "I think this is his year...I think he also deserves it for One Battle After Another." (44:41)

Original Song

• Prediction: "Golden" from K-Pop Demon Hunters (48:05)
• "K-Pop Demon Hunters is going to end up with two Academy Awards on the night, and best animated feature with that takes Zootopia 2." (48:05)

Acting Awards

| Award/Category | Prediction/Comment | Timestamp | |-----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Best Actress | Jesse Buckley for Hamnet: "Her performance...was amazing. There's no way she doesn't." | 50:14 | | Best Actor | Timothee Chalamet or Leonardo DiCaprio, edge to Leo: "Would rather see Leo get another Oscar." | 52:36 | | Best Supporting Actress| Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another), but wants Amy Madigan (Weapons) to win. | 56:01 | | Best Supporting Actor | Stellan Skarsgard (Sentimental Value): "He tied the whole thing together." | 57:28 |

Screenplay

• Sinners predicted for Original Screenplay, One Battle After Another for Adapted. (58:33)

Technical Awards

• Sinners and One Battle After Another expected to outpace others on technical categories.

6. The Razzies: Worst of the Year

Time: 61:28–72:47

• Worst Picture frontrunner: War of the Worlds 2025, praised as "one of the worst things I've ever seen – I can't wait to watch it again." (63:17)
• Ice Cube singled out for Worst Actor for "just reacting to computer screens for an hour and a half." (63:50)
• Dave Bautista's Razzie nod seen as unfair, targeted more at the film's quality than his performance. (66:32)
• Worst Screen Combo nomination lauded: "Ice Cube and his Zoom camera." (70:45)
• Rebel Wilson likely for Worst Actress, but commentator notes the infamous tradition of Razzies targeting big names and embarrassing career lows.
• Extra-worst picks: Love Hurts, Electric State, Playdate ("Do not make playdates the destination for you."). (73:22)

7. Celebrating the Overlooked, Recommendations & Favorites

Time: 74:42–83:46

• Best overlooked films (not nominated or under-recognized):

  • Wake Up Dead Man (the third Knives Out, better than F1, deserved BP nom)
  • The Naked Gun (best comedy of the year, pure slapstick delight)
  • Is This Thing On? (Bradley Cooper, Will Arnett, Laura Dern – "best stand-up comedy film about relationships you'd ever see")
  • Weapons (should have replaced Frankenstein for BP nod)
  • Fight or Flight (Josh Hartnett – "best action movie nobody saw...Crank meets Bullet Train on a plane")
  • Friendship (Paul Rudd, Tim Robinson, A24 sleeper hit: "What a fun movie that was.")
  • Death of a Unicorn (Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega: "Will Poulter's comic timing is spot on.")

• Most rewatched/favorite of the year:

  • "I've watched The Naked Gun more than I have One Battle After Another. Maybe that's my favorite?"

8. Memorable Quotes & Funniest Moments

• On Razzies:
  • "James Corden and Rihanna is...one of the best-selling, most streamed artists of all time and then you have the guy who does carpool karaoke in a Smurfs movie together." (71:13)
  • "Ice Cube and his Zoom camera for War of the Worlds...he like rubs his chin and then takes his glasses off and puts them back on." (70:45, 71:03)
• On Emma Stone:
  • "She'll do fun projects just to remind everyone she has a sense of humor, she'll go do SNL and just absolutely crush." (30:05)
• On Oscar snubs and 'bad' movies:
  • "Jonah Hill, there was a time...I felt the same way about saying Academy Award nominee Jonah hill. And I'm 100% on the other side of it now." (60:13)
• On Will Poulter:
  • "He's in his Glenn Powell phase...movies are better than Glenn Powell's movies." (80:41)
• On Peyton Manning:
  • "I've been jumping around on Wikipedia pages...I had to scroll and scroll and scroll until you get past the picture of his forehead." (85:02)

9. Closing: Personal Plugs and Local Shoutouts

• Grant invites listeners to see his son play Professor Plum in Clue at Des Moines Young Artist Theater, end of April/beginning of May (87:20).
• After Midnight (the show) canceled yet again: "Let's bring back After Midnight. Can we do that?" (86:20)
• Letterboxd plug: Find Grant at "BuyThisVacuum" for all his one-line reviews.

Useful Timestamps (Selected Major Segments)

• 05:00 – Family/personal life, new Super Nintendo
• 10:31 – Grant's movie stats/Letterboxd habits
• 14:43 – Best Picture discussion begins
• 20:36 – F1 and blockbuster crowd-pleasers
• 29:43 – Emma Stone as "our generation's Meryl Streep"
• 39:37 – Marty Supreme as controversial pick
• 42:04 – One Battle After Another and Paul Thomas Anderson
• 50:13 – Acting awards deep dive
• 61:28 – Razzie nominations and bad movie love
• 74:53 – Overlooked favorites and recommendations
• 83:13 – Favorite movie of the year discussion
• 87:20 – Show-plugs and finale

Tone and Style Notes

• Conversational, irreverent, but deeply appreciative of film as art and pop culture.
• Plenty of witty asides ("He can't lose right now"; "He was hoping for...dead body"), running gags, meta-commentary about the podcasting process, and references to guest and hosts' families/friends.
• Knowledgeable detours (Oscar voting trends, Letterboxd culture, niche movie references) make for lively, nerdy, and inclusive fandom listening.
• Natural chemistry between Jeremy and Grant gives this awards preview a playful, inviting feel for both cinephiles and casual movie fans.

Final Takeaways

This episode is a layered, affectionate roast and reset of the 2025 movie year. Grant Pearson's encyclopedic (and slightly chaotic) memory fuels fast-paced reviews, sharp hot-takes, and broad recommendations. If you want a comprehensive, up-to-date, and entertaining Oscars preview, this is the episode for you—from Best Picture shoo-ins to cult flops you'll can't help but hate-watch, all delivered with puns, honest sentiment, and running jokes that make each insight stick.

For more, follow Grant on Letterboxd at BuyThisVacuum, catch Clue in Des Moines for his son's stage debut, and keep an eye out for his return next year, win or lose, at the movies.