The 2025 movie awards season is in full swing but figuring out where to watch everything can be overwhelming. Are they streaming? For free? In theaters? Only in Los Angeles and New York?
Take one of the big winners of the , a film that鈥檚 been dominating conversations since it premiered at the in September. You might be eager to see what all the fuss is about with 215 minute post-war saga, but options have been limited over the past few weeks (this weekend it did expand to 60 theaters).
The Associated Press has pulled together a guide for what you need to know about this season鈥檚 big contenders, and where to watch them.
鈥淎ll We Imagine as Light鈥� (In limited theaters)
won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and is one of the season鈥檚 most acclaimed films, but curiously was not selected by India to represent the country at the Oscars (it could still be nominated in other categories).
鈥淎nora鈥� (Available to rent or buy on video-on-demand, also in limited theaters)
about a New York stripper鈥檚 (Mikey Madison) rollercoaster romance with a Russian oligarch鈥檚 son may not have won big (or at all) at the Golden Globes, but the shine is still there 鈥� especially after Director and Screen Actor guilds nominations for Madison and Yura Borisov.
鈥淭he Apprentice鈥� (VOD)
got a SAG nomination for his portrayal of Donald Trump lawyer Roy Cohn in this film about the future U.S. President.
鈥淏abygirl鈥� (In theaters, wide release)
has been widely praised for her portrayal of a with a young intern played by It won her a top prize at the Venice Film Festival, but she was curiously left out when SAG's nominations were announced.
鈥淏etter Man鈥� (In theaters, wide release)
This unconventional biopic about the has a CGI monkey playing him.
鈥淏litz鈥� (streaming on Apple TV+)
smartly crafted World War II film about London during the German bombing raid has dropped out of most awards conversations, but there's always a chance.
鈥淭he Brutalist鈥� (In limited theaters, IMAX on Jan. 15, wide release on Jan. 24)
A major player (despite the lack of a SAG ensemble nomination), this film stars as a noted architect and Holocaust survivor who attempts to start life anew in America and gets a life-changing commission from Guy Pearce's wealthy industrialist. It won the Golden Globe for best director, best drama and best actor.
鈥淐hallengers鈥� (streaming on Prime Video)
Another one that isn't at the top of any prediction lists, except perhaps for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' synthy score (which won a Golden Globe), but this tennis menage a trois with is great fun anyway.
鈥淎 Complete Unknown鈥� (In theaters, wide release)
is rising with nominations from the DGA and SAG, including for Timoth茅e Chalamet, Monica Barbaro, who plays Joan Baez, and Edward Norton as Pete Seeger.
鈥淐onclave鈥� (streaming on Peacock)
This pulpy, smart thriller about the selection of a new pope got a DGA nom for director Edward Berger and a SAG nod for Ralph Fiennes' lead performance. It also won the best screenplay Golden Globe.
鈥淎 Different Man鈥� (streaming on Max starting Friday)
won a Golden Globe for his peformance as an aspiring actor who drastically changes his face in this psychological thriller.
鈥淒une: Part Two鈥� (streaming on MAX)
鈥淒une鈥� got a best picture nomination but was snubbed for a directing nod, which may unfortunately repeat itself for after he was left off the Directors Guild of America list.
鈥淓milia P茅rez鈥� (streaming on Netflix)
audacious about a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender affirming surgery is steamrolling through awards season with SAG noms for and Zo毛 Salda帽a, who also , and a DGA nom. It also won the best musical/comedy Golden Globe, best original song ("El Mal") and best picture not in the English language.
鈥淔low鈥� (on VOD, also in limited theaters)
This about a cat escaping a great flood has become a favorite in the animation category. It won the animation Golden Globe.
鈥淕ladiator II鈥� (on VOD, also in theaters)
It's probably most likely a crafts-only contender, but you never know: might sneak in with a nomination.
鈥淗ard Truths鈥�' (In limited theaters)
Filmmaker Mike Leigh reunites with his 鈥淪ecrets & Lies鈥� star to dive into the life of the perpetually angry and sharp tongued London woman Pansy. It is widely considered one of the best performances of the year.
鈥淚鈥檓 Still Here鈥� (In limited theaters on Friday)
stars Fernanda Torres (who won the Golden Globe) as Eunice Paiva, the wife of Rubens Paiva, a former leftist Brazilian congressman who was taken and not returned during the country's military dictatorship.
鈥淚nside Out 2鈥� (streaming on Disney+)
This about the emotions of a young girl is now the highest-grossing animated film of all time, not accounting for inflation.
鈥淭he Last Showgirl鈥� (In theaters)
continues to rack up nominations for her portrayal of an aging Vegas performer in Gia Coppola's film.
鈥淢aria鈥� (streaming on Netflix)
Angelina Jolie portrays in filmmaker Pablo Larra铆n's ("Spencer," 鈥淛ackie鈥�) experimental look at her last days, in Paris. She was not nominated by the actors guild.
鈥淣ickel Boys鈥� (In very limited theaters)
utilized first person POV to adapt Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about an abusive reform school in the Jim Crow South and for it got a best first feature nomination from the DGA.
鈥淭he Piano Lesson鈥� (streaming on Netflix)
got a supporting actress nod from SAG for her performance in Malcolm Washington's August Wilson adaptation.
鈥淨ueer鈥� (on VOD)
picked up a SAG nomination for his performance as a junkie expat infatuated with a young man in postwar Mexico in Luca Guadagnino's William S. Burroughs adaptation.
鈥淎 Real Pain鈥� (on VOD and in limited theaters)
After a Globes win and a SAG nom, is quickly becoming the supporting actor favorite in the awards race for playing the chaotic, charismatic Benji in Jesse Eisenberg's tragi-comic film about odd couple cousins on a Holocaust tour in Poland.
鈥淭he Room Next Door鈥� (In limited theaters)
about assisted suicide starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton won the .
鈥淭he Seed of the Sacred Fig鈥� (In very limited theaters)
Widely considered one of the best films of the year, (and German's Oscar submission) is a political thriller and domestic drama about Iran鈥檚 authoritarian regime.
鈥淪eptember 5鈥� (In very limited theaters, wide on Friday)
, this film is a tick-tock account of how the sports reporters at ABC covered the Munich Olympics hostage crisis live in 1972.
"Sing Sing (Theatrical re-release on Friday)
has gotten a lot of recognition for his performance as an incarcerated man who helps lead a theater program for others at Sing Sing, including from the actors guild.
鈥淭he Substance鈥� (streaming on MUBI, limited theatrical re-release on Friday)
Demi Moore's turn as an aging actor who goes to extremes to preserve her looks in already won her a Golden Globe and got her a SAG nomination.
鈥淲allace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl鈥� (streaming on Netflix)
An animated contender, this is only the film, and brings back favorite Feathers McGraw.
鈥淲icked鈥� (on VOD and in theaters, wide release)
Jon M. Chu's vibrant adaptation of the popular movie musical (well, the first half) might not have resonated with Globes voters, but it snagged a coveted , as well as individual nods for Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey.
鈥淭he Wild Robot鈥� (on VOD and in limited theaters, streaming on Peacock Jan. 24)
of Peter Brown's book about a smart robot who gets stranded in the wilderness and becomes caretaker to a young gosling is in the animated feature discussion.
The Associated Press
