With about a month until the Oscars, there’s so much to watch in so little time.
Fortunately this time around, most of the top Academy Award noms are available on streaming platforms.
Aside from the nominees for best picture, a bunch of flicks up for awards in other categories are streaming now too! We bless the father, son and House of Gucci for that.
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So plop down on the couch, get cozy (some of these clock in at more than two and a half hours, so get really cozy), and revel in these cinematic gems.
Based on the 1947 neo-noir of the same name, “Nightmare Alley” follows Stan (Bradley Cooper) on his ascend from mysterious nomad to promising carny to Machiavellian mentalist. Stan learns the tricks of the trade — emphasis on the tricks — so much so that he flees the carnival life and makes quite a name and fortune for himself through his act, which he plays alongside love interest and good-hearted carny Molly (Rooney Mara).
Enter Lilith (Cate Blanchett), who acts as the slot machine to Stan’s greed. He pushes the boundaries of deception further and further, straddling the line between party trick and detrimental deceit.
With an all-star cast — featuring steadfast characters by Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen and many more — it’s no surprise that another one of Guillermo del Toro’s films is nominated for an Academy Award.
“Nightmare Alley” is currently streaming on HBO Max and Hulu
How long has the new “Dune” been anticipated? “Since 1985,” joked Greg Orlandini, KYW Newsradio broadcast managing editor and longtime “Dune” fan.
We think he was only half-kidding … we think. Devotees of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” novels have been clamoring for a big-budget do-over of David Lynch’s infamous 1984 misfire. Orlandini said that only grew louder with the announcement of acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049”). “He’ll bring a focus on storytelling that the 1984 Lynch version missed,” said Orlandini.
“Dune” is available for purchase on YouTube and Prime Video
Oscar-winning filmmaker Jane Campion (Best Original Screenplay, “The Piano”) comes to Netflix for her first movie in a decade, and her first Western.
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Phil, a cruel rancher who turns his ire on Rose (Kirsten Dunst), a widow who captures the eye of his gentler brother George (Jesse Plemons). But when Rose’s son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) starts to grow closer to Phil, relationships shift and secrets emerge.
Campion’s film has gotten rave reviews for its performances and keen dissection of toxic masculinity through a Western lens.
Plus, we ship an Oscar-winning couple in Dunst and Plemons.
“The Power of the Dog” is currently streaming on Netflix
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Adam McKay’s latest movie, “Don’t Look Up,” is a star-studded satire about climate change, but to the director’s chagrin, that key issue was overshadowed by the collapse of his friendship with Will Ferrell.
In a way, that’s kind of amazing, because “Don’t Look Up” features Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Timothée Chalamet, Tyler Perry, Ariana Grande and Meryl Streep as the president of the United States. That’s one hell of a cast to overshadow, especially in a movie about a comet on a collision course with Earth. DiCaprio and Lawrence play a pair of astronomers out to warn mankind of its impending doom.
But in a way, it’s only fitting that life imitates art. Just as the protagonists face an uphill battle to save the world, so too does McKay, finding his earnest message diverted, as these things often are, by more digestible drama.
“Don’t Look Up” is currently streaming on Netflix
Movie musicals have been having a renaissance lately, and the comeback of this delightful genre was rewarded handsomely with this year’s Academy Award nominations. The new iteration of the 1961 classic film was nominated in seven categories, including Best Picture, Best Director (Steven Spielberg), and Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose as Anita).
Unlike the original — which cast mostly white actors to play people of color — Spielberg was clear in his mission to cast Latino actors and actresses to play the Sharks, including Ana Isabelle, who we chatted with a few months back about how much it meant to be a Puerto Rican playing a Puerto Rican on screen. He also set out to portray more “realistic” violence, so this new version may be grittier than what you’d expect.
There is one familiar face, though. Rita Moreno, who made history for being the first Latina actress to ever win an Academy Award for her portrayal of Anita in ’61, is back in a reimagined role as Valentina, who runs Doc’s Drugstore, where Tony works. It’s a twist on the paternal figure from the original, but one that Moreno and film enthusiasts embraced.
Unfortunately, Spielberg’s “West Side Story” won’t be available on streaming until March 2. Until then, just “play it cool,” and give the original a watch so you’ll have something to compare it to.
“West Side Story” (1961) is currently streaming on HBO Max
“West Side Story” (2021) will be available to stream starting March 2 on Disney+
Director Kenneth Branagh’s own childhood growing up in Northern Ireland during the rise of the Troubles inspired his new film, “Belfast,” which is nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay.
The story follows a Protestant family living in Belfast in the late 1960s: 9-year-old Buddy (Jude Hill), his Ma (played by Caitríona Balfe), and Pa (Jamie Dornan). Buddy and his family have to navigate the growing religious and political conflict in Belfast as rioting and attacks become more and more a part of their everyday life, and decide whether or not staying in their home is even safe anymore.
Branagh has a wealth of awards under his belt as both an actor and director, but he hasn’t won an Oscar, yet. Could this semi-autobiographical story about coming of age during one of the worst political conflicts in modern Irish history finally be what earns him a win? We’ll find out on March 27.
“Belfast” is available for purchase on Prime Video
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This one is for the tennis fans. “King Richard” is essentially the origin story of all-star tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams. And famously at the center of their origin story is their father, Richard Williams, played by Philly’s own Will Smith.
Richard Williams was notorious for being both aggressive and determined to bring his daughters success — which he outlined in a 78-page plan (yes, this really happened).
Smith is looking at a potential Oscar win. Aside from best picture — Smith is named as one of the film’s producers — he is also nominated for best actor in a leading role for his portrayal as Richard. Long live the king.
“King Richard” is currently available for purchase on Apple TV, Prime Video or YouTube
The only foreign language film on the best picture nomination list, “Drive My Car” is a dark horse. The Japanese drama is based on a short story by acclaimed writer Haruki Murakami, in which a widowed stage actor and director (Hidetoshi Nishijima) has to reckon with the unanswered questions left after his wife’s death while juggling a new show he’s directing.
He strikes up an unlikely friendship with a chauffeur (Tōko Miura) that was forced upon him by the theater company, and the two — despite their initial tension — bond over life, love and loss.
“Drive My Car” will be available to stream on HBO Max starting March 2
Awkward New England teenager Ruby (Emilia Jones) loves to sing, but only when she is alone. And she is alone a lot. Dedicated as she is to her parents (Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin) and brother (Daniel Durant), she feels isolated as the only hearing person in her family. As a CODA (child of deaf adults), she can crank up the volume on her eclectic record collection whenever she wants. So much for the rebellious teenager.
It turns out that simply moving forward with her life is rebellion enough. Ruby wants to apply to Berklee College of Music — an ambition her family can neither fully appreciate nor take seriously. CODA effectively shows the point of view of its deaf characters to a hearing audience. But Ruby feels the weight of responsibility to the family fishing business. When their livelihood is threatened, she finds herself frustrated and paralyzed by the fear of abandoning her home. And, her parents find themselves struggling in their own ways with the prospect of losing the daughter they have come to rely on so much.
Oh, and there's also a budding romance to deal with after her music teacher slyly pairs her with a boy for a school concert duet. You will not soon forget their rendition of “You’re All I Need To Get By” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell — even if only for its repetition.
Ironically, yet fittingly, one of the biggest treats of this film is the music. Stick around for Jones’ emotionally visual performance of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” in Ruby’s Berklee audition scene. It is a heart-swelling coda — in the musical sense — that captures the heart and depth of this movie.
“CODA” is currently streaming on Apple TV
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Honorable Mention: Licorice Pizza
“Licorice Pizza” is a love letter to Southern California in the 1970s featuring neither licorice nor pizza. Its opening fast-paced walk-and-talk sets up the rhythm of the whole film, where high schooler Gary Valentine immediately — and confidently — flirts with twenty-something Alana Kane.
Their age difference is a controversial one — about 10 years — which is maybe more noticeable in 2022 looking back at 1973. But it balances self-assured romantic confidence with utter youthful nonsense — see: teens leading a successful waterbed side hustle, a gas-less truck rolling down the Valley, and Sean Penn drunkenly performing motorcycle stunts. (Plus another Bradley Cooper cameo, by the way. We can’t get enough of this guy.)
Alana Haim, of the band Haim, and Cooper Hoffman, son of the late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, make their debuts in the leading roles. From start to finish, “Licorice Pizza” is a feel-good rush of youthful candor and longing.
Sadly, it is not available for streaming yet, but movie buffs predict it will hit Amazon Prime Video this spring. In the meantime, enjoy another Paul Thomas Anderson flick on the polar opposite side of the spectrum from “Licorice Pizza”: Daniel Day-Lewis kills (literally) as the murderous and greedy oilman in “There Will Be Blood.” It’s currently available to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount + and YouTube.
And speaking of honorable mentions, we couldn’t help but fangirl over some Oscar flicks that are nominated in other categories. Binge wisely, friends.
“Being the Ricardos” is available on Prime Video
“tick, tick...BOOM!” is available on Netflix
“Encanto” is available on Disney +
“The Eyes of Tammy Faye” is available on HBO Max
“Spencer” is available on Hulu
“The Lost Daughter” is available on Netflix
“Summer of Soul” is available on Hulu
“House of Gucci” is available to purchase on select streaming platforms
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