Oscars in the age of streaming: When you can watch 7 of the 9 nominees at home
Hollywood's old guard may not like the streaming age, but it has only benefited its audience. The 91st Academy Awards air Feb. 9 - less than a month from now - and film fans will be able to watch seven of this year's nine best-picture contenders from their couch before the stars hit the red carpet.
Most of us never even had a chance to watch two of the nominees in a movie theater. "The Irishman," Martin Scorsese's epic tale of mobsters in Jimmy Hoffa's circle of influence, and Noah Baumbach's actors' showcase "Marriage Story," starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, were both released by Netflix and received very limited theatrical runs before beaming to our phones and TVs.
Just a year ago, there was much hand-wringing over Alfonso Cuarón's "Roma" being a Netflix movie, with many saying that fact would cost it the top prize at the Oscars. Steven Spielberg took a rare PR hit when he said Netflix releases should be relegated to the Emmys, showing his clear support for the theatrical experience.
"Roma" did lose to "Green Book," but Cuaron took home the directing Oscar (and two others), a testament to the ability of his widescreen imagery to transcend the smaller screen. Netflix's contenders this year, which also include "The Two Popes," earned a total of 24 nominations, the most of any studio. And they will almost certainly loom large over next year's Oscars with a 2020 release slate that includes "Mank," a David Fincher movie that goes behind the scenes of "Citizen Kane"; Ron Howard's adaptation of "Hillbilly Elegy," starring Amy Adams; and new films by Spike Lee, Ryan Murphy, Dee Rees and Charlie Kaufman.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves - you want to know when and how you can watch this year's nominees. Well, here you go:
"Ford v Ferrari," starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon as a racer and mechanic tasked with building a Ford that can beat a Ferrari at Le Mans, will be released Feb. 11 on Blu-ray and DVD. There is no date for digital purchase/rental platforms like iTunes and Vudu as of this writing, but expect it two or three weeks prior to the physical release - just in time for Oscar night.
"The Irishman" is streaming on Netflix.
"Jojo Rabbit," Taika Waititi's anti-fascist satire starring the director as an imaginary friend named Adolf Hitler, arrives on digital platforms for purchase Feb. 4. Digital rental, Blu-ray and DVD follow on Feb. 18.
"Joker," in which Joaquin Phoenix reinvents the classic comics villain, is now available on digital purchase and rental platforms, Blu-ray and DVD.
"Little Women," Greta Gerwig's fresh take on the Louisa May Alcott classic, is in theaters and has no home video date as of yet.
"Marriage Story" is streaming on Netflix.
"1917," Sam Mendes' one-shot war epic, is in theaters and has no home video date as of yet.
"Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood," Quentin Tarantino's fractured fairy tale about a fading star, his stuntman and his neighbor Sharon Tate, is now available on digital purchase and rental platforms, Blu-ray and DVD.
"Parasite," South Korean director Bong Joon Ho's twisty tale of class warfare, became available for digital purchase earlier this week. Digital rental, Blu-ray and DVD follow on Jan. 28.
• Sean Stangland is an Assistant News Editor who would vote for "Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood." Follow him on Twitter at @SeanStanglandDH.