And how to watch them now!
The full list of contenders for this year’s Academy Awards is officially out, and it includes so many incredible films that you could get through several boxes of popcorn making your way through them all.
As delightful as that sounds, it’s probably not feasible. After all, pesky responsibilities like our jobs and our families tend to limit the amount of extended couch time we can enjoy on any given day. So as much as we’d all love to see every single nominee by the time the big night rolls around, let’s be realistic.
To help you enjoy the best of the best without becoming permanently fused to your furniture, we’ve compiled this list of the 10 best Oscar-nominated movies up for trophies this year, and how to watch them. We’ve got titles to please everyone, including comedy, drama, action, documentary, and even something you can watch with the kids. So grab that remote, get on your most glamorous sweatpants, and let’s dive right in.
When are the 2023 Oscars and how can you watch them?
The 95th Academy Awards will air on Sunday, March 12, 2023, live on ABC and abc.com, though subscribers can also watch using the ABC app. Oh, and if you’re throwing or attending an Oscars party, we’ve got some tips for all your celebratory must-haves.
You can live stream the Oscars using services like Sling TV, Hulu, Fubo TV, AT&T TV, and YouTube TV. Non-subscribers will need to purchase a streaming subscription, but don’t worry, many of these streamers offer free trials.
And now, on to the cream of this year’s crop…
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Michelle Yeoh stars as a laundromat owner with a tax problem and a struggle to accept her daughter for who she is — until she’s unexpectedly drawn into a multidimensional fantasyland that shows her all the alternate universes she could have lived in if she hadn’t made the choices she actually did. This thrilling film is overloaded with dazzling effects and surprising twists and turns, but don’t let those fool you: At its heart is a deeply relatable story about family and finding meaning in the way things are, not the way you once wished them to be.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score
Where to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once: Paramount+, Showtime, The Roku Channel, and Prime Video.
Tár
Cate Blanchett has already won two Oscars, but if she pulled off a hat trick with her performance in Tár, the repetition would be totally justified. She plays celebrated orchestra conductor Lydia Tár, an undisputed genius with an ego the size of a grand piano. The film wrestles with the thorny question of how much bad behavior can be overlooked in the spirit of appreciating a one-of-a-kind talent, and you’ll be thinking about Blanchett’s stunning and complicated performance long after the credits roll.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing
Where to watch Tár: Apple TV, YouTube Movies, Vudu, Google Play, Redbox
The Fabelmans
Steven Spielberg is the genius behind some of the most successful, critically acclaimed films of our time, and with The Fabelmans, he turns his eye to a much different kind of story: his own. Co-written with the illustrious Tony Kushner, the movie chronicles the story of Sammy Fabelman, a Spielberg stand-in who aspires to be a filmmaker, and the rich family life in 1950s America that helped him get there. It’s the most personal project yet from a true master of the cinema, and it’s not to be missed.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Original Score
Where to watch The Fabelmans: Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube
Navalny
This gripping documentary tells the story of Alexei Navalny, an opposition leader in Russia who dared to challenge Vladimir Putin — and then was poisoned. He was flown to Germany to receive medical treatment, then he started the investigation that became the crux of this film: a search for answers about who attempted to kill him and why. This is one of Katie’s favorite movies of 2022, and it’s definitely a must-see.
Nominated for: Best Documentary Feature Film
Where to watch Navalny: HBO Max, DirecTV
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
The tragic death of Chadwick Boseman could have totally derailed this promising franchise after just one movie, but the wizards at Marvel managed to turn the pain of losing this gone-too-soon star into a powerful meditation on grief. Rather than re-cast the central role of T’Challa, director Ryan Coogler instead focuses the story on how the people of Wakanda can soldier on without their beloved leader, which allows women to take center stage. T’Challa’s sister, played by Letitia Wright, assumes more responsibility than ever, and Angela Bassett’s powerful performance as his mourning mother is currently the frontrunner for the Best Supporting Actress trophy on Oscar night.
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Song, Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Where to watch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: Disney+
Women Talking
Another of Katie’s favorites of last year, this stirring drama is based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Miriam Toews. It tells the story of women in a Mennonite colony who realize that they’ve been repeatedly drugged and raped by some of the men they live alongside, and they must decide how to deal with these shocking truths while navigating the traditional roles prescribed to them by their religion. In the capable hands of director Sarah Polley and a star-studded cast including Claire Foy, Rooney Mara, and Frances McDormand, this one comes with a whole lot to unpack.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay
Where to watch Women Talking: Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, Vudu
Top Gun: Maverick
The idea of “Oscar bait” usually conjures up visions of dark dramas, period pieces, and opaque art films, but when a huge Hollywood blockbuster gets everything right, the result is a crowd-pleasing fan favorite that can compete with the most serious of serious fare. Thirty-six years after the original, Tom Cruise returns in all his movie-star glory to reprise the iconic role of Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. It recaptures the magic of the first film while also delivering new thrills and cinema tricks that could only be possible in the 21st Century.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound
Where to watch Top Gun: Maverick: Paramount+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Elvis
The bigger-than-life existence of Elvis Presley is so overstuffed with high highs and low lows that it could probably supply enough material for several films, but visionary director Baz Luhrmann fit it all into one rollicking package with this unforgettable biopic. The commitment of star Austin Butler — who says he didn’t see his family for three years while preparing to play The King — delivered a memorable portrayal of this singular artist, but the film has also taken on additional meaning due to recent events: The final public appearance of Elvis’s daughter Lisa Marie Presley before she died at 54 was her visit to this year’s Golden Globe awards to celebrate this very movie.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound
Where to watch Elvis: Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Vudu, Google Play
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
The origin of this movie goes back to 2010, when creators Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer Camp posted a hilarious YouTube video that has since amassed 33 million views. Its subject is a tiny shell named Marcel, who lets viewers in on the unique elements of his very small existence (and, yes, he also wears shoes). More than a decade later, Marcel gets the big-screen treatment in this surprisingly moving tale of his search for his family. And while your kids will love this just as much as you do, it’s definitely not a traditional “children’s movie” — the themes will resonate deeply with anyone who’s thought about their place in the world and the loved ones who occupy it with us.
Nominated for: Best Animated Feature Film
Where to watch Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
OK, so this one doesn’t speak to the significant social themes of a lot of the movies on this list, nor is it a particularly groundbreaking piece of filmmaking. But it is an extremely fun dose of escapism, and who doesn’t want that? Lesley Manville plays a widowed housekeeper in 1950s London who’s enamored with fashion, but she doesn’t have many dazzling duds of her own — until she decides to make a trip to Paris to get her very own couture gown from Christian Dior. The movie’s Oscar nomination comes, fittingly, in the costume category, and the sumptuous designs on display provide enough eye candy to tickle your imagination for days.
Nominated for: Best Costume Design
Where to watch Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris: Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu
