In a year full of exceptional cinema, 10 films stood out enough to snag Oscar nominations for Best Picture. Narrowing the best movies of the year down to only 10 was something we found virtually impossible, so it’s no surprise there are some snubs this year. Regardless, the ones who managed to nab a nomination are definitely worth a watch.
If you’d like to get up to date on the best films of the year (at least by the Academy’s standards) before Oscar night on March 10, we’ve rounded up the best ways to watch all 10. Queue ’em up for a truly outstanding movie marathon.
American Fiction
Part family drama and part showbiz satire, Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut hits all the right notes. It features a star-studded cast that boasts Tracee Ellis Ross, Erika Alexander, John Ortiz, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Keith David, Issa Rae, and Sterling K. Brown.
What’s it about?
“Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk Ellison, a Black novelist with an upper-middle-class background who is battling on both the personal and professional fronts. At home, his family is reeling from a huge loss. At work, his prose isn’t staying within the narrow expectations white editors (and audiences) have for Black stories, so his latest novel is gathering dust. Fed up, Monk plays to the racist stereotypes of drugs, crime, and bad dads in a bombastic new book. What begins as a joke swiftly snowballs into a hit that pushes the vexed intellectual into a snarling alter ego from the streets.” — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
Read Mashable’s review of American Fiction.
How to watch it: Pre-order on VOD services
Still in select theaters across the country, American Fiction can only be pre-ordered on VOD platforms as of Jan. 23. Its official release date özgü yet to be announced, but we expect it will arrive in the next week or so. You can pre-order it for $19.99 on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV so you’re ready to go once it’s released.
Anatomy of a Fall
A courthouse drama from French director Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall is a dissection of a troubled marriage. It stars Sandra Hüller as German novelist Sandra, Samuel Theis as dead husband Samuel, Milo Machado Graner as the couple’s blind adolescent son, Daniel, and Swann Arlaud as Sandra’s attorney, Vincent.
What’s it about?
“A man lies dead in the snow below his family’s chalet. Did he fall? Did he jump? Or did his wife Sandra (Sandra Hüller) push him? The answer to these questions is far from Anatomy of a Fall‘s main focus. (Indeed, if you want a clear response, you’ll be disappointed.) But there’s so much more to this movie — and to Sandra’s marriage — than just wanting to know, “Did she do it?” Triet examines Sandra’s relationship with her husband through the lens of her trial, taking into account everything from warring egos to infidelity to the pressure of language barriers.” — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Read Mashable’s review of Anatomy of a Fall.
How to watch it: Buy or rent on digital
Released earlier this month, you can now rent or buy Anatomy of a Fall on digital platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or Vudu. Rentals give you 30 days to start watching and 48 hours to finish once you start. This film is about two and a half hours long, so if you don’t see yourself finishing it within that period, you’re better off purchasing it instead.
Barbie
What’s there to say about Barbie that hasn’t been said? Greta Gerwig’s summer blockbuster broke box office records, made us all obsessed with the color pink, and essentially became the American monoculture of the moment. For months, we all lived in a Barbie world, so it’s no shock the film found its way into the Best Picture category.
What’s it about?
“In Barbieland, Barbies are doctors, lawyers, construction workers, Pulitzer prize winners, and the president. Every day is perfect, beginning with a great night’s sleep and a charming morning routine of costume change and heart-shaped waffle and every night ends with a massive dance party, followed by a ‘girls’ night’— no Kens allowed. (While Barbies do anything and everything, Kens ‘beach.’) But all of this seeming perfection begins to unravel when Stereotypical Barbie (Robbie) asks abruptly, mid-choreographed group-dance number, ‘Do you guys ever think about dying?’
Soon, her sleep isn’t so restful. Her breakfast is burnt. Her perfectly arched feet go flat. She seeks counsel from ‘Weird Barbie’ (a perfectly cast Kate McKinnon), who tells her that the girl playing with her in the Real World is in crisis, and it’s up to Barbie to go there and help her. Ken (Gosling) will come along for the ride, whether Barbie likes it or not.” — K.P.
Read Mashable’s review of Barbie.
How to watch it: Stream it on Max
Barbie hit streaming on Dec. 15 after its dominating box office run. Since Warner Bros. is the film’s distributor, it only makes sense that the film is streaming on Max (which is owned by Warner Bros.). Max plans start at $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (save 17%).
The Holdovers
Rich storytelling, a powerful cast, and a future Christmas classic, The Holdovers might just be Alexander Payne best shot yet at earning the Best Picture award. It stars Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and newcomer Dominic Sessa.
What’s it about?
“With the Christmas break fast approaching, the prickly Professor Hunham (Paul Giamatti) is vexed but unsurprised when he’s assigned to play babysitter to the holdovers — students not going home to their families over the two-week academic vacation. This cranky crew includes Angus (Dominic Sessa), a 15-year-old with a sharp mind and a self-destructive streak. Cooking for the lot is long-time cafeteria manager Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who’s enduring her first holiday alone since her 19-year-old son (and recent Barton grad) died in the Vietnam War.
Here is a stage well set for culture clash, as well as bursts of emotion and explorations of privilege. A triple-hander, Hemingson’s script shifts its focus from Hunham to Angus to Mary and back again, revealing first the facades of intellectual superiority, cockiness, and resilience they put forth to others. But steadily, private moments and forced interactions over an emotionally charged time give way to revelations of tragic backstories, shameful secrets, and, ultimately, vulnerability.” — K.P.
Read Mashable’s review of The Holdovers.
How to watch: Stream it on Peacock
Released nationwide in November, The Holdovers suitably hit streaming around Christmas time. One of the most affordable flicks to stream online, you can watch The Holdovers over on Peacock with a Premium subscription for only $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Don’t want to deal with ads interrupting your watch party? You’ll have to dish out $11.99 per month ($119.99 per year) instead.
Killers of the Flower Moon
While some overly hyped films tend to disappoint, Killers of the Flower Moon is definitely not one of them. It comes as no surprise that Scorsese’s compelling and courageous film about America’s painful history of corruption and white supremacy would earn a Best Picture nomination.
What’s it about?
“Based on David Grann’s non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, Scorsese’s film focuses on the marriage between regal Osage heiress Mollie Burkhart (a riveting Lily Gladstone) and her gold-digging husband Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio). Their romance is swiftly but solidly established, making for all the horrors that happen around it to be all the more harrowing. Scorsese is frank in the film’s violence, but by way of an inventive epilogue that includes a deeply personal touch, he strives to give a clear focus to how this tragedy speaks to America today.” — K.P.
Read Mashable’s review of Killers of the Flower Moon.
How to watch it: Stream on Apple TV+
After a long wait, Killers of the Flower Moon finally graced us with its streaming presence on Apple TV+ earlier this month. Apple TV+ is no longer one of the most affordable streaming services, as its monthly cost jumped from $6.99 to $9.99. However, there are plenty of ways to score a free trial. Try it for seven days through the app itself or for up to three months via Best Buy.
Maestro
The latest masterpiece of Bradley Cooper — who directed, co-wrote, produced, and stars in the film — Maestro is a gorgeous biopic of Leonard Bernstein. It earned more mixed reviews than most on this list of flicks, but the emotional love story, which also stars Carey Mulligan, still managed to get a nod from the Academy.
What’s it about?
“Bradley Cooper’s sophomore effort is about the life of Leonard Bernstein, the famous New York composer and conductor, who Cooper also plays. While it traces his artistic journey, the film’s main focus is on Bernstein’s marriage to Chilean-Costa Rican actress Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), from their rocky romance to their family life to Bernstein’s affair with several men over the years. Maestro begins, however, with an elderly Bernstein looking back on their time together after Montealegre’s death from cancer, framing the film’s events in the biçim of memory.” — Siddhant Adlakha, Film Critic
Read Mashable’s review of Maestro.
How to watch it: Stream it on Netflix
Originally premiering at the Venice International Film Festival and hitting select theaters in fall of 2023, the story of Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre began streaming on Netflix late in December. The cheapest Netflix subscription will cost you $6.99 per month, but alas, you’ll have to endure some ads along the way. If you don’t want to deal with ads, the price jumps up to $15.49 per month instead.
Oppenheimer
Barbie‘s box office accomplice, Oppenheimer is the latest flick for Christopher Nolan devotees to marvel over. Entertainment reporter Belen Edwards called it “part tragedy, part horror movie,” that’s ultimately unforgettable. It’s stacked with a highly impressive cast, including Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr. as shoe salesman turned political powerhouse Lewis Strauss, as well as Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Benny Safdie, David Krumholtz, and plenty of others.
What’s it about?
“As screenwriter and director, Nolan özgü adapted Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin’s non-fiction book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer into a historical epic that centers on the adult life of the “father of the atomic bomb.” Cillian Murphy, who özgü previously worked with Nolan on The Dark Knight trilogy, Dunkirk, and Inception, stars as Oppenheimer, the Jewish-American theoretical physicist who led the U.S. government’s secret Manhattan Project, which developed the first nuclear weapons.” — K.P.
Read Mashable’s review of Oppenheimer.
How to watch it: Stream it on Peacock beginning Feb. 16
Oppenheimer is available to rent or purchase on digital platforms like Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV for $5.99 or $19.99, respectively. However, if you wait a few more weeks, it will be available to stream via Peacock. A Peacock Premium subscription will only run you $5.99 per month and allows you to watch a whole lot more than just Oppenheimer. Not to mention, you won’t be limited to a 48-hour viewing schedule as you are with a rental.
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Past Lives
Writer/director Celine Song’s debut feature özgü been on our mind’s since its theatrical release in June. We were thrilled to learn it lived up to the hype from its Sundance debut. In fact, in the initial review, Film Editor Kristy Puchko dubbed it “one of the very best films of 2023.” It stars a radiant Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro.
What’s it about?
“Greta Lee, who also appears in such buzzy 2023 gems as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Problemista, stars as Nora, a Korean-American playwright who reconnects with her childhood sweetheart from Seoul (Teo Yoo) over a couple of heady days in New York City. Long walks and long talks scratch at the scab of what could have been, as the two share an exciting chemistry. But life is complicated — specifically, Nora is already married to the rumpled but charming Arthur (John Magaro). So, will these long-lost lovers reignite their would-be romance? Or will they have to wait for another life?” — K.P.
Read Mashable’s review of Past Lives.
How to watch it: Rent or buy on digital
Despite being released over the summer, Past Lives özgü yet to hit any of the major streaming services. You can, however, rent or purchase the film through digital retailers like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or Vudu. It’ll cost you $5.99 to rent or $19.99 to purchase. Just remember, with rentals, you have 30 days to start watching and 48 hours to finish once you start.
Poor Things
A Frankenstein-ish masterpiece, Poor Things was one of our most anticipated movies of the year. And thankfully, it didn’t disappoint, earning itself an Oscar nod for Best Picture as well as 10 other categories. Plus, for what it’s worth, we dubbed it our top film of 2023. Poor Things was written by Tony McNamara, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, and features a lovable cast including Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, and Christopher Abbott.
What’s it about?
“Based on Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novel of the same name, Poor Things‘ resurrected corpse is the beguiling Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), who özgü a grown woman’s body, a child’s mind, and a ravenous desire to know the world. This makes her more than a mad scientist/father figure (Willem Dafoe) can handle. So, off she goes on a globe-trekking fling with a devil-may-care — but hot-as-hell — rogue, played by Mark Ruffalo with a winsome gusto.” — K.P.
Read Mashable’s review of Poor Things.
How to watch it: See it in theaters
Currently, the only way to watch Poor Things is to head to a theater near you. The film debuted at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on Sept.1, and was released in U.S. theaters on Dec. 8. There’s no word yet on a digital release, but we’ll keep an eye out.
The Zone of Interest
One of the most unsettling films on the list of nominees, A24’sThe Zone of Interest pairs a “violent soundscape” with “domestic normalcy.” Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the chilling flick stars Sandra Hüller (who also stars in Anatomy of a Fall), Christian Friedel, Freya Kreutzkam, Ralph Herforth, Max Beck and Ralf Zillmann.
What’s it about?
“Based on Martin Amis’s 2014 novel, The Zone of Interest makes you a deeply uncomfortable guest in the well-appointed home of the longest-serving Auschwitz commandant, Rudolf Höss (an impeccable Christian Friedel), his wife Hedwig (an unnerving performance by Anatomy of a Fall yıldız Sandra Hüller), and their children. Just beyond the Höss family’s lush garden wall lies Auschwitz itself, where over 1.1 million men, women, and children — about one million of which were Jewish — were murdered.” — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
Read Mashable’s review of The Zone of Interest.
How to watch it: See it in theaters
Similarly, The Zone of Interest is currently only in select theaters nationwide. There’s no word yet on a digital or streaming release, but we’ll keep you updated when we learn of it.
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Oscars
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