Belfast
Belfast is a historical drama set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The film follows the life of nine-year-old Buddy (Fionn Whitehead) and his family as they are caught up in the violence and conflict of the time. Kenneth Branagh, who has been nominated for seven Oscars, directs and wrote the screenplay. Judi Dench, Ciarán Hinds, and others have been nominated for awards at this year’s Academy Awards. ..
CODA
“Ruby,” a film about a deaf girl, is set to be released in theaters this year. The movie stars Emilia Jones as the protagonist and Troy Kotsur, the first deaf male actor ever to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor or, in fact, any acting Oscar. ..
Apple TV is a great way to watch streaming video. You can watch live and on-demand content from a variety of sources, including networks, cable providers, and online services.
Don’t Look Up
Don’t Look Up is a cautionary tale about a world that doesn’t much care about its impending doom. Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio, this satire comes from Adam McKay, who also directed The Big Short. While Meryl Streep hasn’t been nominated for any Academy Awards this year, she does appear in Don’t Look Up as the President of the United States.
Netflix is a streaming service that allows users to watch movies and TV shows online. ..
Drive My Car
This film, based on the popular Japanese author Haruki Murakami’s short story “Love and Loss,” has also been nominated for Best Director (Ryusuke Hamaguchi), Best International Feature Film, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
HBO Max is a streaming service that offers a variety of programming including documentaries, short films, and feature films. This week’s selection is “The Lobster,” a documentary about the lobster industry.
Dune
Based on the beloved Frank Herbert sci-fi novel, Dune was originally released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. In addition to the Best Picture nod, Dune has also received Oscar nominations in these categories: Costume Design, Cinematography, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Original Score, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound and Best Visual Effects. Strangely, though, director Denis Villeneuve was not nominated. Nor were actors Javier Bardem and Timothée Chalamet.
King Richard
The nomination of Will Smith for the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Richard Williams, father of tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams highlights the tenacity of father and daughters as they make tennis history. ..
Licorice Pizza
In Licorice Pizza, set in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s, newcomer Alana Haim stars opposite Best Director nominee Paul Thomas Anderson and Bradley Cooper, Tom Waits and Sean Penn. Anderson wrote the role with Haim in mind, and she shines as the star of this coming-of-age story. ..
The Licorice Pizza movie is now in theaters.
Nightmare Alley
This psychological thriller has been in the works since 2017. Based on the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham, it is the first film from Guillermo del Toro that doesn’t have supernatural elements. The film is very dark, and del Toro said he hoped for an R rating. “Big R. Double R!” The film has also been nominated for Best Costume Design, Cinematography, and Adapted Screenplay.
Hulu or HBO Max are great options for streaming live TV. Hulu offers a variety of channels, including many that are not available on traditional cable TV, such as HBO and Showtime. HBO Max is a more expensive option, but it offers a wider range of channels than Hulu.
The Power of the Dog
“The Rider” is a 2017 American western film directed by Jane Campion and written by Campion and Tony McNamara. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Woody Harrelson, and Ruth Negga. It tells the story of a rancher who becomes drunk on power after winning an election in a small town. ..
Netflix has just announced that it will be streaming the entire “The Crown” series starting on April 6th. The show is a historical drama about the reign of King George II of England and his wife, Queen Victoria. The series is set to be released over six episodes each, with the first episode available today.
West Side Story
Steven Spielberg has won a nomination for Best Director for his remake of the classic musical about forbidden love, Maria. The film stars Ariana DeBose as Maria and interestingly, DeBose’s first television appearance was on So You Think You Can Dance. Since then, she’s appeared in several Broadway musicals, including Hamilton. The film has also been nominated for Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography.
Disney+ and HBO Max are both streaming services that offer a variety of programming. Disney+ offers a library of movies and TV shows to watch, while HBO Max offers a variety of programming, including documentaries, series, and movies.
Other Nominations
Best Actor nominee Andrew Garfield in Tick, Tick … Boom! and Best Actress nominee Olivia Colman in The Lost Daughter are both available on Netflix.
Hulu has the best selection of programming for Best Actress nominees Kristen Stewart and Jessica Chastain. Summer of Soul is nominated for Best Documentary Feature on HBO Max.
The Best Animated Feature category is open to films that are either nominated for or have won awards in the preceding year. This year, there are several nominees that are available to stream on various platforms. The most popular nominee this year is Luca, Raya and the Last Dragon, which is available on Disney+. Another nominee that is available on Hulu and Netflix is Flee.
