Nomadland
The film that checked director Chloé Zhao into the Oscar history books and catapulted Frances McDormand into the league of the most-awarded actresses at the Academy Awards, is now available for streaming. The film follows a riveting true story of a woman who converts her van into her home and sets out to live the life of a nomad after losing everything during the Great Recession. The film, which also won Best Picture, was up for a total of six awards this year, including Best Adapted Screenplay, Editing, and Cinematography.
Where to watch: Disney+
Minari
‘Minari’ is a semi-autobiographical take on writer and director Lee Isaac Chung’s life in a family of Korean immigrants who move to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother played by Youn Yuh-jung, who took home the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance. In these trying times, the film makes for a perfect watch as it shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.
Where to watch: AppleTV, Amazon Prime
The Father
The film that won Anthony Hopkins his 6th Oscar nomination and second win, also makes for an interesting watch. ‘The Father’ takes us on a journey into an unstable world that is just as real, as it is make-believe. All you can do is watch as the character Anthony struggles to come to terms with the reality of his mental health condition that has blurred the lines between his past, present, and future.
Where to watch: Released in theatres, Amazon Prime (US) Pay-Per-View
Review:
The Father
Mank
Turn the calendar back to 1930 as Hollywood gets re-evaluated through the eyes of alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish ‘Citizen Kane’. The film, based on a screenplay by David Fincher’s late father Jack, was up for 10 Oscar nominations and won two awards for Best Cinematography and Production Design. The film also stars Amanda Seyfried and Lily Collins.
Where to watch: Netflix
Judas and the Black Messiah
Daniel Kaluuya had better speeches in ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ than he did while accepting his Best Actor Academy Award. The film tells the story of a petty car thief Bill O’Neal who becomes an FBI informant and agrees to infiltrate a black revolutionary party called ‘The Black Panthers,’ in exchange for his freedom. But will he come out unscathed from the consequences of his actions, at a time when white supremacy and police action against the black revolutionaries was at its peak, in the late-1960s Chicago? Hit the play button to find out.
Where to watch: Netflix
Sound of Metal
Riz Ahmed may have lost out on Oscar glory, but the film on him certainly more than made up for it. The film follows a drummer who loses his hearing ability and struggles to adjust to the new reality. Directed by Darius Marder, the film was up for six awards including Best Picture, Original Screenplay and Best Actor. It won two Oscars for Sound editing and Film editing.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
The Trial of the Chicago 7
History repeats itself, hence there is no harm in watching this gripping drama based on the 1969 trial of the Chicago Seven, a group of men charged with conspiracy and inciting riots during the Democratic National Convention. The film, starring Sasha Baron Cohen, Frank Langella, Eddie Redmayne, and Michael Keaton, was up for five Oscars including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
Where to watch: Netflix
Soul
What started out as a love letter to jazz, became something more when the film attempted to deconstruct a crucial element of what makes us human. The animated film features the voices of Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, in a jazz-filled family adventure about a middle-school band teacher trying to find his purpose. In addition to winning the Oscar for Best Animated Film, Soul also won Best Original Score.
Where to watch: Disney+
My Octopus Teacher
Hold your breath and take a dive into the depths of the South African coast, with the film directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed that documents a year spent by filmmaker Craig Foster forging a relationship with a wild octopus. Keep a tissue handy because those tears won’t stop falling once you get to the end of this beautiful story of a man’s short-lived friendship with an octopus.
Where to watch: Netflix
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