What to watch March 1, 2024: Movie awards contenders
At long last, the finish line. Oscar voting is over, most of the season’s precursor awards have been doled out, and the last Best Picture nominee to hit digital platforms has finally arrived. It’s the quirkiest of the bunch, and you’ll have multiple ways to watch it before Oscar night, including the select theaters where it’s still playing.
The contender to watch this week: “Poor Things“
More from GoldDerby
Yorgos Lanthimos‘ hyper-stylized “Frankenstein” satire recently crossed the $100 million mark in global earnings, surpassing “The Favourite” to become the director’s highest-grossing movie to date. It’s also fresh off five BAFTA wins, including Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Emma Stone‘s Best Actress prize — all accolades the Oscars might also bestow upon the film, which claimed 11 nominations in total. “Poor Things” is newly available for purchase on VOD before joining Hulu’s library on March 7.
Other contenders:
“Menus-Plaisir — Les Troisgros”: One of 2023’s best films was Frederick Wiseman‘s four-hour documentary about a prestigious restaurant in France’s pastoral Loire region. Wiseman, who received an honorary Oscar in 2016, chronicles the establishment’s inner workings with a mesmerizing eye for detail. Think “The Bear” without any yelling, or “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” without the inspirational undercurrent. The movie didn’t make the Oscars’ documentary shortlist, a major oversight. Lucky for you, it’s streaming on PBS.
“Napoleon“: Ridley Scott‘s historical epic about Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) is competing for three below-the-line Oscars: Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design. After grossing $221 million worldwide, it’s streaming on Apple TV+.
“Monica”: Trace Lysette earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her moving turn in this mother-daughter drama co-starring Patricia Clarkson, which is streaming on Hulu.
“Monster”: Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda followed up “Shoplifters” and “Broker,” the former of which nabbed a Best International Feature Film nomination in 2019, with this complex drama about a single mother (Sakura Ando) who grows concerned when her preteen son (Sōya Kurokawa) comes home from school injured. After winning the Queer Palm at Cannes last year, “Monster” collected rave reviews and a handful of critics’ prizes. It’s available on VOD.
“Lisa Frankenstein“: If “Poor Things” isn’t enough to scratch your “Frankenstein” itch, check out this comedy starring Kathryn Newton as a troubled ’80s teenager who reanimates a Victorian man. It’s written by Diablo Cody and directed by Zelda Williams, daughter of Robin. You can rent or purchase it on VOD.
PREDICT the 2024 Oscar winners through March 10
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?
SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
Best of GoldDerby
Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.