We are now firmly in awards season, and with the Oscars just around the corner, here are the Netflix titles we suspect to hear on nomination morning.
Over the past decade, streaming giant Netflix has established itself as an awards juggernaut. Last year alone, they received 27 Oscar nominations. With films like Tick, Tick… Boom!, The Irishman, Marriage Story, and Don’t Look Up, they have proven year after year to provide some of the most popular awards films. With Oscar nominations being announced on Tuesday, January 24th, here are some movies we hope to hear that you can stream right now on Netflix.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
The latest Beniot Blanc mystery from writer/director Rian Johnson sees the detective dropped into a new case, in a new location, with an all-star cast, including Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Jessica Henwick, and more. Much like the original, this film is a good old-fashioned murder mystery comedy filled with twists, turns, and just the right amount of humor. The film dropped on Netflix over the holiday season to stellar reviews and viewership. The film currently holds a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a similarly strong audience score. The previous film, Knives Out, managed to nab a nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and we see no reason why this equally stellar sequel can’t be an awards player as well. Since this film is a sequel, Johnson will probably repeat his success and receive a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, but we could also see it outperforming the first film in terms of nominations. So far, Glass Onion has received Best Picture nominations from the Critics Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Producers Guild Awards. Janelle Monáe has also been picking up several nominations for Best Supporting Actress, so there is a strong chance she could get in as well. If you’ve seen this film and are like us, you are rooting for every award it gets.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro’s films are always brimming with imagination and heart, and that is definitely still the case with his latest stop-motion feature. While Disney+ also released a Pinocchio film this year, it is Netflix’s version that has entered the awards race with a vengeance. With a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, this adaptation of the classic story has really struck a chord with critics and audiences alike. Del Toro’s meditation on life, fatherhood, obedience, and childhood is likely not to leave a dry eye in the house, so it is very deserved that this film seems to be the front runner for Best Animated Feature. It has already won that award at both the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice, with the original song “Ciao Papa” also receiving many nominations. If the film is beloved by the Academy, like Del Toro’s previous films, The Shape of Water and Nightmare Alley, we could also see it sneaking into Best Picture. Make sure to check this one out!
White Noise
There is a good chance you haven’t seen (or even heard of) Noah Baumbach’s most recent film, White Noise, starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig. We won’t lie; this is a strange one. Based on a book of the same name by Don DeLillo, the film finds Driver and Gerwig as a married couple with children trying to deal with the lasting effects of an airborne toxic event. The film is very existential and often surreal with its tone while still being darkly humorous. It’s safe to say that this film isn’t for everyone, but that hasn’t stopped the Academy before. Considering how much they loved Baumbach’s last film, Marriage Story (they gave it six nominations and one win), then we don’t see why this movie can’t also sneak into the awards race. Its most likely nomination is for the original song “new body rhumba” by LCD Soundsystem, which has been nominated by several critics groups, and that would be well deserved. This is LCD Soundsystem’s first song in many years, and the way the song is used is a highlight of the film. If the movie itself isn’t too weird for Academy voters, we could see Driver getting in for Best Actor, as well as Baumbach for Screenplay.
Wendell & Wild
13 years after the release of Coraline, director Henry Selick returned to stop motion with the beautiful Wendell & Wild. Co-written by Selick and Jordan Peele, the film follows a young girl teaming up with two mischievous demons, voiced by Peele and Keegan Michael Key. This is Selick’s first feature since Coraline, and it finds him right back in his element of spooky yet heartfelt animation. If you loved films like Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas, or James and The Giant Peach, then this under-seen movie is for you. While the film could be outshined by Netflix’s other stop-motion film, Pinocchio, which we previously mentioned, we are still hoping it can be recognized with a nomination for Best Animated Feature. It has picked up that nomination at many critics groups, and we hope the Academy follows suit.
RRR
While Netflix didn’t produce this Indian epic, they did get US distribution, and you can watch this bananas movie there right now. This film is from Tollywood and includes tigers, dance offs, bromance, romance, and maybe the greatest piggyback ride ever put into film. So basically, it’s the perfect movie. Sadly, India did not submit the film as their pick for International Feature, so it has been deemed ineligible for that award. However, that hasn’t stopped its award chances. The original song “Naatu Naatu” has rightfully been sweeping awards, winning both the Golden Globe and Critics Choice awards. Director S.S. Rajamouli has also been making waves in Best Director. Hopefully, Academy voters see this film despite the International Feature snub and give it the praise it deserves. This film is a must see, awards or none.
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Alejandro G. Iñárritu is an Oscar’s favorite. His last films, Birdman and The Revenant, both received huge nomination packages, with Birdman winning Best Picture. While his most recent film isn’t as universally loved as his previous, we are still rooting for it. This semi-autobiographical film follows a documentarian struggling with his identity as both a native Mexican and a successful filmmaker in the US. The film is deeply personal and strikingly beautiful. Thankfully Mexico did submit Bardo for International Feature, so there is a strong chance it manages to get that nomination, but we are hoping for more. The cinematography, sound, and production design in this movie are all breathtaking, and if the voters watch the movie, then there is no reason they shouldn’t be nominated as well. This film is a true one of a kind experience and worth your time no matter what happens with the nominations.
Make sure to watch this coming Tuesday to see if any of the above films get nominations, and definitely check them all out regardless!
