The Golden Globes are back, just in time to kick off one of the most chaotic and bizarre awards seasons we’ve seen in a while. From reschedule-Emmys to shows with no host, nothing’s really certain this year (except that Oppenheimer and Barbie will likely be battling for all the big categories). Still, there are some terrific movies nominated in both the Best Picture – Drama and Best Picture – Comedy races so, if you’re filling out your ballot, here’s where you can watch them before the show airs on Jan. 7th.
Oppenheimer (Rent/Buy)
Christopher Nolan’s riveting historical biopic scored a handful of nominations at this year’s awards ceremony with critics praising its cast, direction, and masterful score. Currently, the only way to watch Cillian Murphy stare despondently as he invents a weapon that will help humanity destroy itself is via your wallet. The film is available on demand, or you can copy Nolan’s preferred viewing method and buy it on Blu-Ray.
Here’s our review:
In the end, JFK was about Jim Garrison’s quest to uncover the truth, if there actually was a hidden truth or not. Oppenheimer shares that DNA (and style and structure) with Nolan’s fixation on the truth about J. Robert Oppenheimer. As Emily Blunt’s Kitty Oppenheimer tells her husband, “Will anyone, ever, tell the truth about this?” Christopher Nolan has obviously accepted this question as his charge.
Killers of the Flower Moon (In Theaters/On Demand)
Martin Scorcese’s lengthy epic chronicling the tragic true story of the Osage people will soon find its streaming home on Apple TV+ — for now, you can see it in theaters or buy it on demand. That means, before Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and/or Robert de Niro take home trophies for their performances, you’ll be able to watch as they steal, murder, and get revenge on one another in 4K.
Maestro (Netflix)
It took Bradley Cooper six years to learn how to conduct an orchestra so that he could make this biopic about legendary composer Leonard Bernstein but, thanks to Netflix, you don’t have to wait nearly as long to stream it. The film is already queued up on the platform so dissect Cooper’s podium technique (and his prosthetic nose) all you want.
Past Lives (Rent/Buy)
Celine Song’s bittersweet love story broke our hearts when it landed in theaters last year. The film follows Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), two sweethearts separated in childhood who reunite years later. As of now, the only way to cry hysterically while watching Lee give a masterclass in acting is to rent or buy it via Apple or Amazon Prime.
The Zone of Interest (In Theaters)
Jonathan Glazer directs this eerie nightmare about Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his quest to build the ideal family life next to the most notorious concentration camp in Germany during the war. Unsettling and thought-provoking, the film has already earned Oscar buzz, but the Golden Globes are its first stop on the awards season circuit. Catch it in theaters now, and likely on Max when that window ends.
Anatomy of a Fall (Rent/Buy)
This French courtroom drama stunned critics when it won the Palme d’Or and the Palm Dog Award (yes, this is a real thing) at the 76th Cannes Film Festival last year. In it, Sandra Hüller plays a novelist accused of killing her husband. Whether she did or not is less interesting than how director Justine Triet presents the case. The best way to stream this thriller is via on-demand.
Barbie (Max)
The summer blockbuster that launched a worldwide shortage of the color pink is finally streaming on Max so get ready to have the most iconic lines from this soon-to-be Greta Gerwig classic etched into your brain. “Do you guys ever think about dying?” Only when we imagine a world in which this movie doesn’t rack up all of hardware come awards night.
Here’s our review:
I truly wonder if Mattel signed up for “shrewd, biting, and hilarious cultural commentary about their product.” Or, if they even realized, of course, that’s what they were going to get with Gerwig and Baumbach involved. To the point, throughout the film’s running time, I just kept thinking to myself I can’t believe this exists and I can’t believe they got away with it.
Poor Things (In Theaters)
This delightfully quirky, strangely feminist coming-of-consciousness story from Greek Weird Wave ambassador Yorgos Lanthimos is still playing in theaters. But then again, wouldn’t you want to watch Emma Stone frolick and f*ck her autonomy on the big screen? It’s her performance, plus that of Mark Ruffalo as an enamored sleazy lawyer that could upend the Golden Globes this year.
Here’s our review:
Emma Stone gives the performance of a lifetime in this. The best word I can give here is “fearless.” She does a lot of things in this movie that a lot of actors would never do.
American Fiction (In Theaters)
This comedy, based on a novel by Percival Everett finally gives actor Jeffrey Wright the kind of leading man material he deserves. As Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a novelist fed up with stories filled with outlandish Black stereotypes who decides to write one of his own out of spite, Wright is sympathetic, funny, and insightful in equal measure. You’ll likely be able to watch this one on Amazon Prime before the Oscars but for now, it’s only in theaters.
The Holdovers (Peacock)
Paul Giamatti plays a grumpy professor tasked with babysitting a group of troublesome students with nowhere to go over the Christmas break in this heartwarming comedy teeming with nostalgia and some terrific performances from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa. Catch it on Peacock before it competes for some major awards this season.
Here’s our review:
The other night I had dinner with a friend who saw The Holdovers and it quickly became one of their favorite movies of the year. What’s interesting is he said he was shocked by how good it is, even though he went in expecting it to be good.
May December (Netflix)
Whether Todd Haynes’ loose interpretation of the Mary Kay Letourneau scandal is a comedy or not is still up for debate. There are certainly some hilarious moments in the film, most notably Julianne Moore’s obsession with hot dogs. But what’s undeniable is how good everyone is in this, from Natalie Portman who plays an actress preparing for a career-defining role to Moore’s sexual predator in denial, to Charle Melton’s heartbreaking portrayal of the boy she took advantage of. Check it out on Netflix now.
Air (Amazon Prime Video)
Remember Air? The movie about Michael Jordan that’s not really about Michael Jordan but instead, about the Nike sneakers Michael Jordan made popular and the white guys who pitched those sneakers to Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan was the Michael Jordan? Yeah, we’re surprised it’s here too. But it’s available to watch on Amazon Prime Video in case you want to catch Ben Affleck wearing the worst wig in cinematic history.