The Father stars Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins. Photo / Supplied
It's been a strange year for award season. The pandemic has seen major studios go straight to streaming with several major releases. But nothing can fully dampen the glitz and glamour of Hollywood stardom.
This year, you can watch some of the top films from the comfort of your own home, and there are great films to please everybody despite Covid-19's impact on the box office across the globe.
Here's how you can watch all of the best picture nominees in New Zealand before the trophies are handed out on Monday.
Check back on nzherald.co.nz/entertainment on Monday for all the Oscars action from midday.
Darius Marder's film is a brutally honest portrait of a heavy metal drummer who loses his hearing. It is one to watch with the music fans in your life.
The emotional movie stars Riz Ahmed as the main character Ruben and has received widespread critical acclaim. The best part: you can watch it from the comfort of your couch.
Streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.
Total nominations: 6
Oscar voters love a movie about old Hollywood, and this year's contender plays the nostalgia card right.
David Fincher returns with his first feature film since 2014's Gone Girl and takes us back in time to the 1930s. Go behind the scenes of Citizen Kane as screenwriter Herman J Mankiewicz tries to finish the screenplay for Orson Welles.
It is shot in black and white and features an impressive cast, including Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried and Lily Collins.
Watch Fincher's new classic on Netflix.
Total nominations: 6
This film will spark many important conversations long after the credits roll, and many will recognise the director from the latest season of The Crown.
In between playing Camilla Parker-Bowles, Emerald Fennell wrote and directed an electric film about Cassie (Carey Mulligan) avenging her friend's death.
It's a powerful exploration of trauma and consent and while not for the faint-hearted, Mulligan's on-screen chemistry with comedian Bo Burnham and the pop-fueled soundtrack make for thrilling viewing.
It is an incredible cinematic experience and the movie is still showing at some cinemas, so catch it while you can.
Total nominations: 5
Two Oscar winners in Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins front this tear-jerker about family and dementia.
Colman plays Anne trying to do her best for her father (Hopkins) despite him refusing treatment for his dementia. It looks at the painful truths of memory loss and the need to hold on to dignity in the face of the devastating disease.
Both Hopkins and Colman are nominated in the best acting categories, and either could add another Oscar to their trophy cabinet this year. A critic for the Chicago Sun Times called Hopkins' performance extraordinary and said he was "at the peak of his powers".
Now playing in cinemas.
Total nominations: 6
Shaka King directed this Fred Hampton biopic about the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party.
It's received a slew of positive reviews from film critics. The Herald's own review praised the performances from Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield and said both stars deserve award recognition.
Screening in select cinemas.
Total nominations: 6
Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) is known for his witty dialogue and, with Borat funnyman Sacha Baron Cohen thrown into the mix, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a very entertaining watch.
The film is mostly set in a courtroom but that doesn't hold this movie back from displaying the best skills of the star-studded cast.
Fans of HBO's Succession will find favour in Jeremy Strong's hilarious performance, and it also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Eddie Redmayne and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.
Streaming on Netflix.
Total nominations: 6
Frances McDormand stars in this haunting portrait of a woman building a new life for herself on the road after the global financial crisis.
It's a slow burn, and it demonstrates Chloé Zhao's expert directing talents. It won the Golden Globe award for best motion picture - drama and it could repeat the glory on Oscars night.
Now playing in select cinemas.
Total nominations: 6
Winning major awards at Sundance, Minari could be poised for Oscar night greatness, following in the footsteps of Bong Joon-ho's win for Parasite last year.
The American film's dialogue is mostly in Korean and the story is an exploration of cultural identity and family. It centres on a family of South Korean immigrants who move to Arkansas in the 1980s, and it was shot in just 25 days.
It's produced by A24, the same studio that helped lead Moonlight, Lady Bird and Hereditary to critical acclaim. The story is loosely based on writer-director Lee Isaac's Chung's own upbringing.
Minari is screening now in select cinemas.
Total nominations: 6