19 Oscar-nominated movies to tick off your list that are available to stream now
Oscar-nominated movies are something you cannot go wrong with when you want to unwind on the sofa to be entertained, enlightened and inspired. And with the 95th Academy Awards hot on the horizon, there's a bevvy of new films from the last year that have made the coveted shortlist of Best Picture nominations that have genuinely earnt their place there.
All Quiet on the Western Front, The Banshees of Inisherin, Avatar: The Way of Water, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, Tár, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness and Women Talking have all made the Oscars' 2023 nominees list for film category, and we cannot wait to see who wins. While it'll be a major moment for the winner, we can't help but acknowledge that all these films should be celebrated because, at the end of the day, making the nominees list is a culmination of every aspect of that movie, from the cast and crew to production to lighting to cinematography, etc. A lot goes into making a great movie.
The Golden Globe winner was part of this nostalgic '00s TV show.
With that said, it's also a great time to settle in to watch an Oscar-nominated (and winning!) movie from years past because the number of great choices is endlessly diverse. For example, the movie Life of Pi, about an Indian boy who gets lost at sea with a Bengal tiger, was a visionary spectacle. On the other hand, Chloé Zhao's moving drama about a woman living a nomadic lifestyle in 2020's Nomadland was incredibly nuanced in its delivery, while Slumdog Millionaire made us constantly reach for the tissues box. We also love that a horror (yes, a horror!) made the shortlist in 2007 in the form of Jordan Peele's Get Out, while song and dance amid a devasting tale of fame and addiction were celebrated with A Star Is Born, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Real-life-inspired movies centred on legendary figures from the past also fare well at the Oscars, and 2001's A Beautiful Mind, starring Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly, is always a keen reminder as to why.
Honestly, we could go on about our favourite award-season movies all day long, but we've taken it upon ourselves to narrow down the list to the 19 best Oscar-nominated movies for you to get lost in. Enjoy!
Warner BrosThe Blind Side, 2009
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron, Tim McGraw, Lily Collins
Plot: Based on the 2006 book of the same name, The Blind Side follows the journey of a Caucasian family who adopts a homeless African-American teenager Michael and helps him overcome his learning difficulties while achieving success in American football. An absolutely tear-jerking and emotional watch.
Where to watch: Prime Video
NBC Puma/NBCPassport siteBlacKkKlansman, 2018
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Spike Lee
Cast: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace, Lauren Harrier, Ryan Eggold
Plot: Based on actual events, Ron Stallworth, an African-American detective from Colorado Springs, successfully infiltrates the local Ku Klux Klan in order to take down and dismantle the supremacist hate group before they appeal to the mainstream. This is an essential watch with powerful performances.
Where to watch: Prime Video
TM and © 2011 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Not for sale or duplication.Life of Pi, 2012
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Ang Lee
Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu
Plot: Santosh and Gita Patel board a freighter with their sons and a few remaining animals after deciding to sell their zoo in India and move to Canada. However, when a terrible storm sinks the ship, the Patels' teenage son, Pi, is the only survivor. However, he's not alone, as a male Bengal tiger also survives and finds refuge aboard the boat. The two learnt to trust each other to survive as the weeks turn into long, gruelling months.
Where to watch: Disney+
DisneyNomadland, 2020
Acknowledgement: Winner
Director: Chloé Zhao
Cast: Frances McDormand
Plot: After losing everything in the Great Recession, a woman in her sixties embarks on a nomadic and incredibly scenic journey through America's West. Along the way, she crosses paths with fellow nomads who teach her important survival skills in a world that seems lonely. This movie dominated award season in 2020, and it's clear why.
Where to watch: Disney+
SonyErin Brockovich, 2000
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Julia Roberts
Plot: The movie that turned Julia Roberts into a bonafide star and bagged her the Best Actress gong at the Oscars! In this movie, the titular lead begs her attorney Ed Masry for a job at his law firm after becoming involved in a car accident. There, she stumbles upon some medical records that see her delving deeper and investigating a cover-up from a major corporation involving contaminated water causing horrific illness among local residents.
Where to watch: Prime Video
FoxSlumdog Millionaire, 2008
Acknowledgement: Winner
Director: Danny Boyle
Cast: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan, Anil Kapoor
Plot: 18-year-old Jamal Malik achieves fame and recognition as he appears as a contestant on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”, while flashbacks show precisely how he got there, from being orphaned as a young boy to life to surviving a life of crime on the streets of Mumbai. It's also the movie that introduced the stunning Freida Pinto to us, so it's a must-watch.
Where to watch: Disney+
Niko TaverniseJoker, 2019
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz
Plot: Failed comedian Arthur Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the infamous criminal mastermind Joker after failing to find any kind of connection in the streets of Gotham City. While the film was nominated for an Oscar, Joaquin bagged an Oscar for his portrayal of the complicated, layered main character.
Where to watch: Prime Video
20th Century FoxThree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2017
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Peter Dinklage, Caleb Landry Jones
Plot: Proving to be an essential watch, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, focuses on devasted Mildred Hayes as she protests and challenges the police after they fail to get justice when her daughter is brutally raped and murdered.
Where to watch: Disney+
Dale RobinetteLa La Land, 2016
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone
Plot: Set under the bright lights of Los Angeles, pianist Sebastian and actress Mia follow their passion in Hollywood, but they are soon torn between their love for one another and their demanding careers. Expect to see loads of amazing dance sequences and glamorously vintage shots of the famous West coast in this stylish Damien Chazelle-directed stunner,
Where to watch: Prime Video
© Universal Pictures.Get Out, 2017
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Jordan Peele
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, LaKeith Stanfield
Plot: Horrors don't, unfortunately, fare well at the Oscars, but Get Out was a massive exception. This brilliant Jordan Peele-directed movie, which has racial and socioeconomic themes, sees Chris, an African-American man, visiting his Caucasian girlfriend's parents during the weekend. While things seem normal initially, everything goes wrong quickly, leaving him fighting for his life.
Where to watch: Netflix
Warner Brothers PicturesA Star Is Born, 2018
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Bradley Cooper
Cast: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper,
Plot: Seasoned musician Jackson Maine battles his personal demons, including alcoholism, as he falls in love with struggling artist Ally. After encouraging her to pursue her dreams in the spotlight, she soars to fame, but their relationship takes a turn for the worse, leading to devastating consequences. The movie has an incredible soundtrack that you'll be belting your heart out to until the early hours.
Where to watch: Prime Video
NIKO TAVERNISE/NETFLIXDon't Look Up, 2021
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Adam McKay
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio
Plot: Two low-level astronomers are failed to be taken seriously by anybody who crosses their path as they go on a giant media tour to warn the human race that an approaching comet will destroy planet Earth. It's hilarious and timely at the same time, making it a crucial watch. Bonus, we love Jennifer Lawrence, so anything with her in it is a winner in our eyes.
Where to watch: Netflix
Focus FeaturesPromising Young Woman, 2020
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Emerald Fennell
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Jennifer Coolidge
Plot: Cassie is traumatised by the tragedy of her best friend Nina, who committed suicide after being raped by their classmate Al Monroe, and takes it upon herself to seek vengeance against him and others who cross her path. The movie is stylistically shot and features Paris Hilton's hit single Stars Are Blind in the soundtrack, so if that isn't reason enough to watch it, we don't know what is.
Where to watch: Now TV-(1)-copy.jpg)
© 2015 Element Pictures / Room Productions Inc / Channel Four Television Corporation 2015. Distributed by STUDIOCANAL LIMITED.Room, 2015
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Lenny Abrahamson
Cast: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay
Plot: Room is a heartbreaking and emotional watch that centres on the life of Joy and her young son Jack as they attempt to integrate back into society after years of being held captive in an isolated shed by a kidnapper. Brie Larson won Best Actress for this tear-inducing film, so have a box of tissues nearby.
Where to watch: Apple TV+
©Warner BrothersMillionaire Dollar Baby, 2004
Acknowledgement: Winner
Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Clint Eastwood
Plot: When working-class Missouri women Maggie Fitzgerald arrives at a veteran Los Angeles boxing trainer's gym to learn his expertise, he is initially reluctant. But after giving in, he trains Maggie, which leads to a close, life-changing bond between the two.
Where to watch: Apple TV+
E112 Years A Slave, 2013
Acknowledgement: Winner
Director: Steve McQueen
Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt.
Plot: 12 Years A Slave is a drama that focuses on the journey of a free African-American man Solomon Northup who is promised a job in Washington DC, but upon arrival, he realises that he has been sold into slavery. An award-season powerhouse, this movie is not one to be missed
Where to watch: Netflix
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© (current year) UNIVERSAL STUDIOS AND DREAMWORKS LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.A Beautiful Mind, 2001
Acknowledgement: Winner
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Ed Harris
Plot: Inspired by the life of John Forbes Nash Jr, this emotional drama explores the life of the mathematical genius as he won international acclaim thanks to his astonishing discoveries but also endured a private battle with paranoid schizophrenia.
Where to watch: Prime Video
© 2006 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.Little Miss Sunshine, 2006
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Valerie Faris
Cast: Abigail Breslin, Paul Dano, Toni Collette, Steve Carell
Plot: The Hoovers will do anything necessary to support their young daughter's ambitions to compete in the Little Miss Sunshine contest, even if that means piling everyone, including their extended family, into a VW bus and travelling to California with some major challenges along the way.
Where to watch: Disney+
KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIXThe Power of the Dog, 2021
Acknowledgement: Nominated
Director: Jane Campion
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst
Plot: Tensions arise in 1925 rural Montana as a ruthlessly domineering wealthy rancher cruelly mocks his brother's new wife and her son until he is finally exposed to the possibility of love.
Where to watch: Netflix
