The 2021 Oscar nominations have been revealed, and considering what a dire year it's been for the actual business of theaters around the world, the eight films nominated for Best Picture are a pretty great bunch. Most of them can be watched at home, too, especially if you're in the US.
Below, we'll explain how to watch each of the Oscar Best Picture nominees in 2021 across both the US and UK.
British readers should note, however, that a few of these haven't released yet, likely due to the chaos caused to cinema schedules by multiple lockdowns. US readers won't have the same problem, as the majority of these are either on VOD or streaming services right now, or will release in the near future.
Mank
What is it? A biopic about screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz about the writing of cinema classic Citizen Kane, which dials in on his tensions with star/director Orson Welles, directed by The Social Network's David Fincher.
How to watch it: Let's start with an easy one. This is a Netflix exclusive, so you can stream it on this service globally.
The Trial of the Chicago 7
What is it? Aaron Sorkin-written and directed film about seven protestors on trial following violent events at 1968's Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
How to watch it: Netflix again. You can watch it globally on the streaming service, so this one is easy to access.
Nomadland
What is it? A beautiful film about a woman who loses her husband and way of life, and decides to live a nomadic life in a van across the US, directed by Chloé Zhao.
How to watch it: Watch Nomadland on Hulu in the US now. In the UK, it'll release on Disney Plus (via Star) on April 30, 2021.
Promising Young Woman
What is it? A revenge thriller and dark comedy written and directed by Emerald Fennell, about a woman plotting to get back at a man who assaulted her friend years before and derailed their career prospects.
How to watch it: If you're in the US, that's easy. Promising Young Woman is available for rental on the major VOD platform of your choice, like Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and more. In the UK, the film will stream exclusively on Sky and Now from April 16.
The Father
What is it? Florian Zeller's film about an old man (Anthony Hopkins) dealing with memory loss, after reluctantly moving in with his daughter (Olivia Colman).
How to watch it: The Father will be released on VOD on March 26 in the US, so you should be able to watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and more. If you're in the UK, you get yet another bad hand: you'll be waiting for a cinema release on June 11, 2021.
Judas and the Black Messiah
What is it? Director Shaka King's film about informant William O'Neal, who works with the FBI to monitor Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, who was eventually assassinated by law enforcement.
How to stream it: US viewers had the chance to watch this one on HBO Max until March 14, but now it appears to only be available in US theaters – we'd expect a VOD release sometime soon. In the UK, it's available to watch as a premium rental on platforms like Amazon Prime Video.
Minari
What is it? Lee Isaac-Chung's film about a Korean-American family moving to Arkansas, in pursuit of the American Dream.
How to stream it: It's available on VOD in the US, through platforms like Amazon Prime Video. Minari has shown at festivals in the UK, but it's another one that's seemingly trapped in Britain's awful, unending lockdown limbo, with a vague 'coming soon' from UK distributor Altitude.
Sound of Metal
What is it? Darius Marder's film about a drummer (played by Riz Ahmed) who loses his hearing, and finds himself struggling with depression and various old addictions in the wake of it.
How to stream it: Sound of Metal is available now on VOD in the US, through platforms like Amazon Prime Video. In the UK, it's a more annoying situation. Distributor Vertigo Releasing's listing page helpfully says it's coming to cinemas on January 29. It'll probably release if and when cinemas are widely opened again.
