In this episode of Movies I Give a Fork About, AJ examines the nominees for Best Director at the 2026 Academy Awards.

This category recognizes the filmmakers responsible for shaping the entire vision of a movie — guiding performances, controlling tone, and bringing the story to life through visual storytelling.

AJ looks at the distinctive styles of this year’s nominees — from sprawling political filmmaking to quiet emotional observation — while also addressing the continued representation challenges within the category itself.

Then it comes down to the predictions:

Who will win, who should win, and which filmmaker could pull off an upset on Oscar night.

🍴 Movies I Give a Fork About  

Movies don’t get stars — they get forks.

Hosted by AJ Jones, this podcast cuts through hype, marketing, and awards buzz to answer one simple question:

Is this movie actually worth your time?

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts  

📸 Follow on Instagram: @moviesigiveaforkabout  

🌐 Podcast site: giveaforkmovies.com

New episodes drop when a movie earns a fork.