Where to Stream the 2021 Oscar Films

Movie theaters still aren’t open country-wide, but that won’t stop the Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has bent its rules this year to stretch the eligibility window until the end of February while also easing restrictions about streaming premieres. While some contenders are still holding out for wider release, most are now available to stream from the comfort of your own home across Video on Demand and the most common streaming services. In fact, only one of the films nominated for Best Picture is not currently available to watch from the comfort of your own couch in one or another. Here, a rundown of where to stream the 2021 Oscar nominees.

Netflix

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Nominations: Best Actress (Viola Davis), Best Actor (Chadwick Boseman), Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, and Hairstyling

Golden Globes Scorecard: Win for Boseman, and a nomination for Davis.

Representing Chadwick Boseman’s last onscreen performance, the adaptation of an August Wilson play is a fictionalized take on one afternoon in the studio with blues legend Ma Rainey.

Mank

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (David Fincher), Best Actor (Gary Oldman), Best Supporting Actress (Amanda Seyfried), Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, and Best Sound

Golden Globes Scorecard: Nominations for Best Drama Film, Oldman, Seyfried, Fincher and Screenplay.

David Fincher’s long-in-development passion project tells the story behind one of the greatest films of all time, Citizen Kane.

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Sacha Baron Cohen), Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song

Golden Globes Scorecard: Win for Best Screenplay, and nominations for Drama Film, Cohen, Director, and Original Song.

Long a writer of awards-worthy fare, Aaron Sorkin enters the director’s race with his second directorial effort. The film follows the trail of anti-war protestors in the late ’60s and has an expansive and varied ensemble cast, many of whom may face off against each other in the Best Supporting Actor category.

Hillbilly Elegy

Nominations: Best Supporting Actress (Glenn Close).

Golden Globes Scorecard: Nomination for Close.

Together, Glenn Close and Amy Adams are number one and two on the list of living actors with the most nominations, but no wins. So news of their team-up alone generated considerable Oscar buzz. Unfortunately, the film arrived on Netflix with scathing reviews…though that doesn’t mean the performances will go unrecognized.

Pieces of a Woman

Nominations: Best Actress (Vanessa Kirby).

Golden Globes Scorecard: Nomination for Kirby.

The buzz here is on Kirby’s performance and a particularly harrowing home birth scene.

Amazon Prime Video

Borat Subsequent Movie Film

Nominations: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Maria Bakalova)

Golden Globes Scorecard: Win for Musical and Comedy Film and Cohen and a nomination for Bakalova.

The original Borat snagged a screenplay nomination back in 2006, and it’s possible the sequel might as well. Though it might be considered a bit off-beat for the Oscars, Maria Bakalova’s performance as Borat’s daughter has generated wide acclaim (and not just for surviving Rudy Giuliani’s hotel room of horrors). Expect the film to do well in the Golden Globes’ separate Comedy and Musical categories as well.

One Night in Miami

Nominations: Best Supporting Actor (Leslie Odom, Jr.), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Song.

Golden Globes Scorecard: Nominations for Odom, Jr., Director and Original Song.

Regina King makes her directorial debut with a fictionalized take on a hotel meeting between Mohammed Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown.

Sound of Metal

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Riz Ahmed), Best Supporting Actor (Paul Raci), Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing.

Golden Globes Scorecard: Nomination for Ahmed.

The buzz around this story of a noise metal drummer who loses his hearing is firmly centered around Riz Ahmed’s performance.

Hulu

Nomadland

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Chloe Zhao), Best Actress (Frances McDormand), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing.

Golden Globes Scorecard: Wins for Best Drama Film and Director and nominations for McDormand and Screenplay.

By many estimates, this film may be the one to beat in both the best film and best director categories. McDormand may end up snatching her third Best Actress trophy along the way.

The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Nominations: Best Actress (Andra Day).

Golden Globes Scorecard: Win for Day and a nomination for Original Song.

Director Lee Daniels delves into the political life of the blue icon with a stunning star turn by Day.

Another Round

Nominations: Best Director (Thomas Vinterberg) and Best International Feature Film

This Danish film about four friends who decide they should always be a little drunk had a surprise nomination in the Best Director category. Mads Mikkelson stars.

HBO Max

Judas & The Black Messiah

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield) and Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Song.

Golden Globes Scorecard: Win for Kaluuya and nomination for Original Song.

A bit of a latecomer to the race, Judas is still finding its footing, but the biggest buzz is around Kaluuya’s performance. Consider him the safest lock for a nomination, if not a win.

Video on Demand

While an unprecedented amount of films will be available on common streaming services beforehand, many are currently only available on demand.

Promising Young Woman

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Emerald Fennell), Best Actress (Carey Mulligan), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

Golden Globes Scorecard: Nominations for Drama Film, Mulligan, Director, and Screenplay.

Still, the topic of much debate, Fennell’s film has undoubtedly had an impact. (Note: the film’s VoD price has now been lowered to $5.99).

Minari

Nominations: Best Film, Best Director (Lee Isaac Chung), Best Actor (Steven Yeun), Best Supporting Actress (Yuh-Jung Youn), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Original Song.

Golden Globes Nominations: Win for Best Foreign Language Film.

The tale of a Korean family who settles in rural Arkansas is a meditation on the American dream.

The Father

Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Supporting Actress (Olivia Colman), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, and Best Film Editing.

Starring Colman as a woman dealing with progressive memory loss, the film has won numerous plaudits.

Related: Yes, There’s Already Some Oscars Drama Brewing