9 Movies you can stream now that might be up for Oscars in this weird year

In a normal year, this would be the time of year when movie studios released the movies they were betting on to be 2021’s Oscar winners, the buzz has started back at the summer and fall film festivals, building up to Christmas day releases. But since this year has been anything but normal, it’s hard to even conceive of the Oscars taking place in 2021. Despite none of our butts getting into a movie theater seat, the show must go on, and studios have been making theater releases available on the small screen. (It’s kind of like we all get to be professional movie critics with Oscar film screeners that allow us to watch in the privacy of our own home, if you ignore the brutal and depressing reality.)

While we have no idea what an Oscar ceremony might look like, we do have some idea of the movies that already have Oscar buzz—and, huzzah! They’re streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime. If you want to feel like an Academy member and get a peek at the movies that may be part of the weirdest award season ever, keep reading.

1. One Night in Miami. Regina King directed this ambitious drama imagining a night between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown, which is available on Amazon Prime on Dec. 25.
2. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Count on Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman to get nods for their leading roles in this jazz drama based on the August Wilson play. Streaming now on Netflix.
3. Sound of Metal. Riz Ahmed has been getting best actor buzz for his role as a drummer who is losing his hearing in this Amazon Prime film.
4. Pieces of a Woman. The Crown‘s Vanessa Kirby is attracting awards attention in this Netflix movie, which starts streaming on Jan. 7.
5. Da 5 Bloods. Like Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, it’s one of Chadwick Boseman’s final roles, which he has also received much acclaim for. It’s streaming on Netflix.
6. Hillbilly Elegy. Amy Adams is generating buzz for her dressed-down role in this adaptation of the controversial novel, which is streaming on Netflix now.
7. Mank. Christopher Nolan’s tale of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz stars Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried, who’s said to be great. It’s streaming on Netflix.
8. The Trial of the Chicago 7. Aaron Sorkin’s political period piece has had award speculation since it came out earlier this year on Netflix, particularly for star Sacha Baron Cohen.
9. News of the World. Netflix just picked up this Tom Hanks Western, which is likely to come to the streamer in January.

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