Northeast Ohio movie lovers discuss 2025’s best films, Oscars predictions

The 2026 Oscars The 98th Academy Awards are this Sunday. Conan O’Brien returns as host for a second-annual ceremony, and this year's Oscars could break historic records. "Sinners" leads the field with 16 nominations, while "One Battle After Another" has 13. Both films could challenge the record for most Oscars won in a single night, which currently stands at 11. Ryan Coogler, nominated for Sinners, could become the first Black director to win Best Director. Chloé Zhao, nominated for "Hamnet," could become the first woman to win the award twice. Who will take home the biggest awards of the night? And looking back at the past year in film, which movies deserved a little more love than they received? Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," a panel of local cinephiles will share their thoughts. Guests: - Ygal Kaufman, Multiple Media Journalist, Ideastream Public Media - George Thomas, Staff writer, Akron Beacon Journal - Bilgesu Sisman, Director of Cinematheque, Cleveland Institute of Art - Nat Dinga, Producer/Instructor, Tri-C Film Academy Shuffle Later in the hour, a new installment of "Shuffle." After decades of writing and performing folk songs across the region, Ashley Brooke Toussant found a new source of inspiration: Kids. On this week's installment, Ideastream Public Media's Amanda Rabinowitz talked with Toussant about how elementary students contribute to her songwriting. Guests: - Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "Shuffle" and "All Things Considered" - Ashley Brooke Toussant, Singer-songwriter