Revisiting the 2025 Awards Season means looking back at the winners, the surprises, and the snubs that defined this year’s Oscars.

This week on Below the Line, Skid welcomes back Bill Hardy, Roger Mendoza, and Shaun O’Banion from last season’s Oscar panel. They weigh in on what the Academy got right — and where it went off course. Joining them is Katie Carroll, who missed the original conversation but brings fresh perspective to the follow-up.

Our discussion ranges across:

• Sean Baker’s Anora dominating with five Oscars, sparking debate over its strengths, flaws, and Baker’s unusual multiple credits (writer, director, editor, casting director)


• The panel weighing campaign politics, including Anora’s $6M indie turned $18M Oscar push


• Dune: Part Two emerging as a favorite for Skid and Katie, with the group questioning why it wasn’t more heavily awarded


• Split opinions on The Brutalist — admired for its scale and craft, but dismissed by some as slow or austere


• A Complete Unknown praised for performances and Mangold’s classic approach, despite being shut out on Oscar night


• Conclave respected as a compelling, old-school drama, with debate about its Catholic framing


• Emilia Pérez largely dismissed apart from Zoe Saldaña’s standout performance


• Additional shout-outs and overlooked titles, from Challengers to September 5th to the animated Flow

What stands out in this episode is the way the panel blends craft critique with industry context — from union debates to campaign spending — while keeping the conversation fast-moving and funny.

🎧 Press play and go Below the Line as we revisit the Oscar season. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.