The 34 Oscar nominees you can watch
Cinemas might be closed, but you can still stream many of the films
The 94th Academy Awards are announced on March 27, when Hong Kong cinemas will have been closed for almost three months.
Some of this year’s nominees, including Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic Dune and Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s critics’ darling Drive My Car, did score a release before the closure, while others went directly to streaming, including Best Picture front runner The
Power of the Dog, and Screen Actors Guild best ensemble winner CODA.
Locally, there is still no sign of big hitters like Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza, or Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley. International titles like Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers,
and Danish animated documentary Flee
remain equally elusive.
Nevertheless, 34 of this year’s 53 nominated features and shorts are available to stream legally in Hong Kong, including the following:
Netflix
The Power of the Dog: Jane Campion’s drama has 12 nominations, including best picture, best director, and acting nominations for Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
Don’t Look Up: Adam McKay’s star-studded disaster satire will contend for best picture, original screenplay, editing and original score.
The Lost Daughter: Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut is a candidate for best adapted screenplay, and features nominated turns by Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley.
tick, tick … BOOM!: nominated for best actor, Andrew Garfield is on show-stopping form as Jonathan Larson, the struggling composer who revolutionised musical theatre.
The Hand of God: nominated for best international feature.
The Mitchells vs The Machines: up for best animated feature.
Robin Robin: nominated for best animated short.
Three Songs for Benazir: up for best documentary short.
Lead Me Home: also nominated for best documentary short.
Audible: likewise a nominee for best documentary short.
Apple TV+
CODA: Following its surprise Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards success, Sian Heder’s unabashedly feel-good drama is primed to upset the Oscars best picture race. Deaf actor Troy Kotsur could also make history with a best supporting actor win.
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Denzel Washington extends his record of the most nominations for a black actor with his portrayal of the murderous monarch. Also nominated for best cinematography and production design.
Apple TV (Buy/Rent)
Dune: Despite being denied a best director nomination, Denis Villeneuve’s sweeping sci-fi epic is nominated in 10 categories, including adapted screenplay, cinematography, visual effects, sound and costume design. (Also on HBO Go)
King Richard: Of its six nominations, Will Smith has emerged as best actor front runner for his compelling portrayal of the devoted father of future tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams. (Also on HBO Go)
Spencer: Kristen Stewart scores her first nomination for her impressively nuanced portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales in Pablo Larraín’s divisive biopic.
No Time to Die: Daniel Craig’s final outing as super-spy James Bond is nominated in three categories: visual effects, sound and original song for Billie Eilish.
House of Gucci: up for best make-up and hairstyling.
Spider-Man: No Way Home: up for best visual effects. (Available March 23)
Four Good Days: up for best original song.
Amazon Prime
Being the Ricardos: Nicole Kidman’s performance as comedy legend Lucille Ball makes her a heavyweight contender for best actress; she is ably supported by fellow nominees Javier Bardem and JK Simmons. Coming 2 America: up for best make-up and hairstyling.
Disney+
West Side Story: Seven nominations for Steven Spielberg’s visually dazzling adaptation of the Broadway classic, with Ariana DeBose a lock as best supporting actress.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye: Jessica Chastain has turned the best actress race on its head after her surprise SAG win as the larger-than-life televangelist. Also nominated for best make-up and hairstyling.
Encanto: Best animated feature favourite is nominated for best original score and best original song; if it wins the latter it will make an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards) winner of composer Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Summer of Soul: up for best documentary feature, Questlove’s directorial debut revolutionises the music documentary.
Cruella: nominated for best costume design, make-up and hairstyling.
Luca: up for best animated feature.
Raya and the Last Dragon: also nominated for best animated feature.
Free Guy: a nominee for best visual effects.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: also up for best visual effects.
YouTube
The Queen of Basketball: nominated for best documentary short.
The Windshield Wiper: Best animated short.
The Long Goodbye: Best live-action short.
Vimeo (Rent)
Bestia: nominated for best animated short.