Gearing up for those Oscar pools yet? If you want to make big money and impress your friends this year in one fell swoop, ditch Gold Derby and start making the calls yourself. In a rare case, every single Best Picture nominee is available to stream online. Like now. From your home. Before the awards on Sunday night. That night you typically reserve for saying things like, “Who’s even seen any of these movies?” You. You can see them.
That’s not to say every single one is worth watching! There are, however, a few gems you need to see before you kick off your Oscars viewing party this Sunday.
While the Oscars may be shaping up to be, for lack of a better word, bad, that doesn’t mean this year’s films are as equally unsettling. No more “I just couldn’t get around to the theater to see the movies this year!” excuses. Hollywood’s best and brightest films are streaming (in most cases, for free) on the biggest streaming platforms, so you’re more likely to be the odd man out of your friends if you haven’t seen The Power of the Dog or West Side Story. With five days to go, you can knock out all ten if you double up on a few of the days. (Or, as we note, maybe skip Don’t Look Up if time’s running short.)
Want the most bang for your buck? HBO Max is streaming four of the films nominated for Best Picture, and they’re the best of the bunch. Plus, they’re about to add one more this Thursday when King Richard returns to the streamer, meaning you can watch half of the nominees on just one platform. Two nominees—including this year’s frontrunner—are streaming on Netflix. (Again, one is not nearly as good as the other; still, both are equally accessible.)
Snag eight bags of microwavable popcorn (you’re saving, what, $100 in movie popcorn fees?) and crack open that laptop. It’s time to stream every film nominated for Best Picture.
Belfast
Where to Stream: Rent from $5.99, Purchase from $19.99
While it started off as one of the leading prospects for Best Picture, the hype surrounding Belfast has quickly died down. After Don’t Look Up, it’s the most skippable title on this list, especially since it’s not streaming for free anywhere (neither is Licorice Pizza, but you should shell out for that gem)—meaning you’ll have to toss in around six bucks to rent it over on Prime Video or iTunes.
That being said, Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical piece is a charmer. The film, which stars an all-serious Jamie Dornan and a brilliant Catriona Balfe as Branagh’s parents, took home the top prize at TIFF, an award said to have some Oscars forecasting. Now, as Judi Dench’s hopes for Best Supporting Actress have been crushed by Ariana DeBose of West Side Story, we’d recommend putting Belfast near the end of your Oscar’s To Do list. Sorry, Buddy!
CODA
Where to Stream: Apple TV+
CODA seems to be following the exact opposite path as Belfast: there were little-to-no hopes for the Sundance darling to take any statues, but after sweeping a few big awards at the SAG and BAFTAs, we’re more like to see it nab a statue or two—or three, actually—as conversations surrounding the feel-good film continue to skyrocket. Sian Heder’s film has a likely shot at Best Picture, an even more likely play for Best Adapted Screenplay, and an almost secured statue for Troy Kotsur in the Best Supporting Actor Category.
Streaming the film will be a pretty easy feat, too. It’s available for free for all Apple TV+ users; though it’s a less popular service, you can try it for free for a week. Watch CODA, stick around for Severance and Ted Lasso. (You also get a free year-long subscription after buying big ticket Apple items like a new iPhone or a new MacBook, but that’s maybe just a little pricier than the free trial period. Maybe.)
Don’t Look Up
Where to Stream: Netflix
Adam McKay’s divisive Don’t Look Up is a dark horse in the contention for Best Picture, but it’s likely a bigger player in the Best Original Screenplay category after its big win at the WGA ceremonies. We’d say it’s worth skipping. But maybe, just maybe, you’ll want to watch it so that you have the right to yell in fury if (when) the way-too-on-the-nose satire beats Licorice Pizza and The Worst Person in the World.
Plus, it’s an easy stream. Don’t Look Up is on Netflix, one of the streamers heavy hitters from their packed 2021 slate. Watch it for Jennifer Lawrence’s big return, Timothée Chalamet’s fingerling potatoes, and then…flip on over to The Power of the Dog, Netflix’s bigger (and better) 2022 competitor.
Drive My Car
Where to Stream: HBO Max
Don’t let the three hour runtime sway you: Drive My Car is worth streaming. Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s masterful meditation on grief is a lock for Best International Film (all of the films nominated are just as stellar, to be fair), which should make it a bigger competitor in the Best Picture race, too.
And, lucky for you, Drive My Car just landed on HBO Max. If you’re running low on time, skip Belfast and Don’t Look Up to make time for this one. The basic premise is a little sprawling—an actor loses his wife and, after the title credits drop 40 minutes into the film, he decides to put on a production of Uncle Vanya while a chauffeur escorts him around against his will—but every minute is as intense as the last. Split it up into three parts, if you must!
Dune
Where to Stream: HBO Max
If you didn’t catch Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic in theaters when it first debuted, Dune is already back on HBO Max—though you missed out on an amazing theatrical experience. Still, why not set up a Dolby sound system in your own home to feel your couch reverberate underneath you as you watch Timothée Chalamet fight a big space worm?
Sadly, Dune isn’t considered a major contender for the top award of the night, but expect it to pick up trophies some of the lower-tier (but still equally important!) categories. We’re talking Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Cinematography, and though he faces tough competition from Jonny Greenwood, Hans Zimmer has a strong shot at getting a second Best Score trophy.
King Richard
Where to Stream: Rent from $5.99, Purchase from $12.99, Returning to HBO Max March 24
Rumor has it that the Academy has already started engraving Will Smith’s Oscar, an absolute lock for Best Actor after snagging pretty much every award this season. He’s not the only reason to watch King Richard, though, as he’s accompanied by a flurry of talented actresses like Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, and Demi Singleton.
The Venus and Serena Williams story debuted on HBO Max last fall, but sadly, was removed after its one-month-only release. Luckily, King Richard will be back on HBO Max on March 24. Too eager to watch this sports delight? King Richard is also available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms like Prime Video and iTunes in the meantime.
Licorice Pizza
Where to Stream: Rent from $5.99, Purchase from $19.99
Licorice Pizza has yet to land on a major streamer, but that $5.99 price stamp shouldn’t dissuade you from watching the film before the Oscars this Sunday. Think about it this way: you’re saving at least $5 by not seeing it in a theater, right? (And like $15 if you live in places like Los Angeles or New York City.) Paul Thomas Anderson steps up his game with this Haim-led tour de force.
There is, however, an outpouring of controversy towards this film. Folks are upset about the age gap between the two leads, further, a big debate was sparked over a scene involving John Michael Higgins putting on a racist accent. Considering the uproar, it’s unlikely that Licorice Pizza will secure any awards on the big night. Again, though: it’s worth watching! Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman are revelations. Catch it on VOD platforms like Prime Video and iTunes.
Nightmare Alley
Where to Stream: HBO Max or Hulu
Host Amy Schumer already cut her heinous joke about Nightmare Alley—and thank goodness, because Guillermo del Toro didn’t need anything to tarnish his fantastical triumph. Alongside Dune, Nightmare Alley is another one that could sweep technical awards like Best Production Design and Best Costumes.
Bradley Cooper leads this dreamy horror, an adaptation of the classic 1947 noir. While it’s not one of the most talked-about films of the year, Nightmare Alley is thoroughly entertaining, especially for folks who live for the thrill. Who wouldn’t love Toni Collette as a manipulative psychic? Nightmare Alley can be streamed for free on either HBO Max or Hulu, a real steal.
The Power of the Dog
Where to Stream: Netflix
The biggest competitor of the year is probably the easiest to watch. Seriously: if you haven’t seen The Power of the Dog yet, what are you waiting for? Jane Campion’s western—lauded as a “piece of shit” that’s full of “allusions to homosexuality” by Sam Elliott, which should be perceived as a compliment—marks her big return to feature filmmaking. If she nabs Best Director, it’d be the first time a woman director has won in back-to-back years. (But she’ll still only be the second woman to earn such a feat. Sigh.)
The Power of the Dog is on Netflix, and a Best Picture win would mark the first for the streamer (ROMA, you deserved this title). While it’ll likely lose Best Adapted Screenplay and the acting categories, the film deserves every award it can get. This one’s for you, Bronco Henry.
West Side Story
Where to Stream: HBO Max or Disney+
West Side Story’s lack of potential at this year’s Oscars is quite shocking. Doesn’t anyone want to see Steven Spielberg make another movie musical? Were the millions of Twitter threads picking apart each shot not enough? Didn’t Rachel Zegler put on a brilliant enough performance to earn a nomination—scratch that, an invite to the Oscars? Sorry, CODA: the real race should be between The Power of the Dog and West Side Story.
Ariana DeBose is another actress who practically has her hands around the trophy already, and rightfully so! All of the West Side Story performers (sub Tony) kill it under the hand of Spielberg, with Mike Faist, Rachel Zegler, and David Alvarez leading the pack. West Side Story is a breeze to watch, especially since it’s now streaming for free on HBO Max and Disney+.
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