Whilst the phenomenon of Barbenheimer brought many people back to the theatres, there are still certain audiences who aren’t venturing out beyond their living rooms to see the latest films. And if you, like so many others, are curious as to just why this year’s Academy Award nominated Best Picture options were the 10 titles widdled down to be considered 2023’s highlights, the variety of streaming and digital options look to have you covered; unless you’re the purists who are still selling out sessions of Anatomy of a Fall on a Wednesday morning session at 10am (and yes, that’s specific for a reason).
American Fiction
One of this year’s multiple-nominated efforts, it’s a shame that the Best Adapted Screenplay winner was so largely undiscovered here in Australia prior to its win. Now that Cord Jefferson’s comedy/drama – which follows a frustrated novelist-professor who writes an outlandish satire of stereotypical “Black” books, only for it to be mistaken by the liberal elite for serious literature and published to both high sales and critical praise – is an Oscar winner, audiences are sure to search for it on Prime Video, where it’s currently available to stream.
Anatomy of a Fall
Still selling out theatre sessions, this year’s Best Original Screenplay winner, which stars Best Actress nominee Sandra Hüller as a writer trying to prove her innocence in her husband’s death, where her vision-impaired son is the only witness, is available to rent and/or buy on a multitude of digital platforms; Prime Video, Fetch, Apple TV+, Google Play, and YouTube. It will also be available for physical purchase on DVD and Blu-Ray from April 3rd, 2024.
Barbie
Arguably last year’s most culturally impactful slice of celluloid, Greta Gerwig’s 8-times Oscar nominated comedy – and winner for Best Original Song for Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For” – hasn’t yet turned the Netflix logo a shade of pink. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling’s existential crisis is available for rent or purchase though, both on DVD, Blu-Ray & 4K and on Apple TV+, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Telstra TV Box Office, and Microsoft.
The Holdovers
Starring Paul Giamatti in his Oscar-nominated role for Best Actor and Da’Vine Joy Randolph in her Best Supporting Actress Oscar-winning performance, The Holdovers follows a curmudgeonly instructor at a prestigious American school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go; eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them – a damaged, brainy troublemaker – and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam. Set for release on DVD and Blu-Ray on April 3rd, 2024, Alexander Payne’s 5-times nominated outing is currently available to rent and/or buy on such digital platforms as Apple TV+, Prime Video, Google Play, Microsoft, YouTube, and Telstra TV Box Office.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese’s epic 206 minute drama was one of this year’s most celebrated titles – it was nominated for 10 Academy Awards – and went in as one of the frontrunners for Best Actress for Lily Gladstone’s heartbreaking performance. Sadly, it went home empty handed, but that shouldn’t deter audiences from witnessing the director’s powerful telling of a series of murders of Osage members and relations in the Osage Nation after oil was discovered on tribal land. Apple TV+ subscribers can currently stream or purchase the film. Telstra TV Box Office is offering the film for rent, whilst Prime Video, Google Play, Microsoft, and YouTube have the film available for purchase.
Maestro
Bradley Cooper’s passion project about legendary composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife, Felicia, earned the actor/writer/director his 12th Academy Award nomination. Whilst he and co-star Carey Mulligan walked away without a physical accolade, it earned critical praise, which audiences can view for themselves if justified as it currently streams for subscribers on Netflix.
Oppenheimer
This year’s Best Picture winner, Oppenheimer – which also earned such major awards as Best Director for Christopher Nolan, Best Actor for Cillian Murphy, and Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr – is currently available for physical purchase on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K, as well as digitally through Prime Video, Microsoft, Apple TV+, Google Play, YouTube, and Telstra TV Box Office. Those with Binge, however, won’t have to wait much longer, as the film is set to start streaming from March 22nd, 2024.
Past Lives
Celine Song’s delicate romantic drama about two childhood friends reunited in New York City after a 20-year separation is currently available to purchase on DVD, and rent or buy digitally through Prime Video, Fetch, and Telstra TV Box Office.
Poor Things
Emma Stone’s second Best Actress Oscar win is now available for all to see, following Poor Things‘ release onto Disney+. Yorgos Lanthimos’s confronting comedy, which earned a total of 11 nominations this year, including Best Picture, is also available for rent or purchase on digital platforms Apple TV+, Prime Video, Google Play, Microsoft, and YouTube.
The Zone of Interest
Jonathan Glazer’s 2-time Oscar winning drama (it took Best Sound and Best International Feature), which is loosely based on Martin Amis’s 2014 novel, itself based partially on real events, details Nazi commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig, who live with their family in a home in the “Zone of Interest” next to the Auschwitz concentration camp. It’s the sole film here that hasn’t been dated for streaming or a digital release. Physical and cinema fans can rejoice though, as the film is currently screening in select theatres across Australia and is being released on DVD and Blu-Ray on May 1st, 2024.
