Following the conclusion of the 94th Academy Awards, the interest in Oscar-winning movies has spiked. Hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes on March 27, 2022, the Academy Awards ceremony recognized the best movies released between March 1 and December 31, 2021. Because of the prolonged impact of the pandemic on cinema, the eligibility criteria adapted from last year’s ceremony were still in effect. These involved the inclusion of films that were released through streaming and video-on-demand. As such, all winners are readily available to watch online.
Prior to the news of Will Smith hitting Chris Rock, the 94th Academy Awards already received criticisms for its decision to shorten the final program and incorporate more comedy and musical performances. Eight awards, including Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design, were not included in the live broadcast. Instead, they were presented by actors Josh Brolin and Jason Momoa off-air. Regardless, the ceremony still ran for 3 hours and 42 minutes.
Additionally, the Oscars ceremony, with its theme of “Movie Lovers Unite,” launched an Oscars Fan Favorite Contest. Twitter users voted for their favorite film and favorite cheer moment, with Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead and Justice League ultimately bagging the two awards. While most of the news was overshadowed by the Chris Rock-Will Smith Oscars altercation, there were filmmakers and actors who broke history at the 94th Academy Awards. With that, here is a quick guide on where the winning films can be watched.
Dune
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune was the most-awarded film of the night, winning Best Sound, Best Original Score, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design. The science-fiction epic is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.
CODA
CODA broke history not only by winning all of its nominations, but also by being the first streaming film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. It also won Best Adapted Screenplay for Sian Heder, while Troy Kotsur became the first deaf man to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. CODA can be watched on Apple TV+.
The Power of the Dog
The 12-time Oscar nominee The Power of the Dog, which was also a Best Picture contender at the 94th Academy Awards, eventually took home the Best Director for Jane Campion. She became the third woman in history to win the said award, after Kathryn Bigelow and Chloé Zhao. The Power of the Dog is available on Netflix.
King Richard
The sports drama King Richard gave Will Smith his first-ever Oscar. Capping the critical acclaim for his performance, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film can be streamed on HBO Max.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Winning Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Actress for Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye was first released in September 2021. Starting in February 2022, the biographical film was made available for streaming on HBO Max.
West Side Story
Steven Spielberg’s award-winning musical can be streamed for free on both Disney+ and HBO Max. Aside from reversing a recent movie trend, West Side Story was also a successful remake of the 1961 film adaptation. Ariana DeBose, who played Anita, won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This made her the first openly queer woman and the second Latina, after Rita Moreno who portrayed the same role 60 years ago, to bring home the award.
Belfast
Winning Best Original Screenplay, Kenneth Branagh directed and wrote “his most personal film,” Belfast. Following a nine-year-old’s childhood, this coming-of-age movie can be rented online through Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, YouTube, Redbox, or Vudu.
Encanto
While its original song “Dos Oruguitas” did not win, Encanto was the 94th Academy Award’s Best Animated Feature. The movie defeated fellow Disney entries such as Luca and Raya and the Last Dragon. Viewers can stream it for free on Disney+.
No Time to Die
No Time to Die, Daniel Craig’s final James Bond movie, was nominated for three Academy Awards. Its original song “No Time to Die,” written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, won at the end of the ceremony. Although not available on streaming platforms for free, the film can be rented online on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, or Google Play.
Cruella
Cruella was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Costume Design, taking the latter award home. In May 2021, it was simultaneously released in theaters and on the streaming platform Disney+.
Drive My Car
Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car received universal acclaim, getting recognized in four Academy Award categories. Its nomination for Best Picture was also one of the biggest Oscars 2022 surprises. While it was also nominated for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, the drama-road film won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Viewers can watch it on HBO Max.
Summer of Soul
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) received the Best Documentary Feature at the 94th Academy Awards. After its limited theatrical release last year, the film can now be accessed via streaming on Hulu.
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