From ‘The Brutalist' to 'Wicked,' where to watch this year’s top awards movies

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 Golden Globes, “The Brutalist,” a film that’s been dominating conversations since it premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September. You might be eager to see what all the fuss is about with Brady Corbet’s 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’s big contenders, and where to watch them.

“All We Imagine as Light” (In limited theaters)

Payal Kapdia’sluminous portrait of three women in Mumbai won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and is one of the season’s 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).

“Anora” (Available to rent or buy on video-on-demand, also in limited theaters)

Sean Baker’sPalme d’Or winner about a New York stripper’s (Mikey Madison) rollercoaster romance with a Russian oligarch’s son may not have won big (or at all) at the Golden Globes, but the shine is still there — especially after Director and Screen Actor guilds nominations for Madison and Yura Borisov.

“The Apprentice” (VOD)

Jeremy Strong got a SAG nomination for his portrayal of Donald Trump lawyer Roy Cohn in this film about the future U.S. President.

“Babygirl” (In theaters, wide release)

Nicole Kidman has been widely praised for her portrayal of a married, high powered CEO who begins a dangerous affair with a young intern played by Harris Dickinson. It won her a top prize at the Venice Film Festival, but she was curiously left out when SAG's nominations were announced.

“Better Man” (In theaters, wide release)

This unconventional biopic about the British pop star Robbie Williams has a CGI monkey playing him.

“Blitz” (streaming on Apple TV+)

Steve McQueen's 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.

“The Brutalist” (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 Adrien Brody 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.

“Challengers” (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 Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor is great fun anyway.

“A Complete Unknown” (In theaters, wide release)

James Mangold's acclaimed Bob Dylan biopic is rising with nominations from the DGA and SAG, including for Timothée Chalamet, Monica Barbaro, who plays Joan Baez, and Edward Norton as Pete Seeger.

“Conclave” (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.

“A Different Man” (streaming on Max starting Friday)

Sebastian Stan won a Golden Globe for his peformance as an aspiring actor who drastically changes his face in this psychological thriller.

“Dune: Part Two” (streaming on MAX)

“Dune” got a best picture nomination but Denis Villeneuve was snubbed for a directing nod, which may unfortunately repeat itself for “Part Two" after he was left off the Directors Guild of America list.

“Emilia Pérez” (streaming on Netflix)

Jacques Audiard's audacious musical crime thriller about a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender affirming surgery is steamrolling through awards season with SAG noms for Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoë Saldaña, who also won at the Globes, 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.

“Flow” (on VOD, also in limited theaters)

This wordless Latvian film about a cat escaping a great flood has become a favorite in the animation category. It won the animation Golden Globe.

“Gladiator II” (on VOD, also in theaters)

It's probably most likely a crafts-only contender, but you never know: Denzel Washington might sneak in with a nomination.

“Hard Truths”' (In limited theaters)

Filmmaker Mike Leigh reunites with his “Secrets & Lies” star Marianne Jean-Baptiste 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.

“I’m Still Here” (In limited theaters on Friday)

This Brazilian film from Walter Salles 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.

“Inside Out 2” (streaming on Disney+)

This Disney sequel about the emotions of a young girl is now the highest-grossing animated film of all time, not accounting for inflation.

“The Last Showgirl” (In theaters)

Pamela Anderson continues to rack up nominations for her portrayal of an aging Vegas performer in Gia Coppola's film.

“Maria” (streaming on Netflix)

Angelina Jolie portrays opera legend Maria Callas in filmmaker Pablo Larraín's ("Spencer," “Jackie”) experimental look at her last days, in Paris. She was not nominated by the actors guild.

“Nickel Boys” (In very limited theaters)

RaMell Ross 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.

“The Piano Lesson” (streaming on Netflix)

Danielle Deadwyler got a supporting actress nod from SAG for her performance in Malcolm Washington's August Wilson adaptation.

“Queer” (on VOD)

Daniel Craig 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.

“A Real Pain” (on VOD and in limited theaters)

After a Globes win and a SAG nom, Kieran Culkin 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.

“The Room Next Door” (In limited theaters)

Pedro Almodóvar’s English language film about assisted suicide starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival.

“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (In very limited theaters)

Widely considered one of the best films of the year, this Cannes gem (and German's Oscar submission) is a political thriller and domestic drama about Iran’s authoritarian regime.

“September 5” (In very limited theaters, wide on Friday)

A sneakily strong contender, 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)

Colman Domingo 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.

“The Substance” (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 Coralie Fargeat's body horror already won her a Golden Globe and got her a SAG nomination.

“Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” (streaming on Netflix)

An animated contender, this is only the second feature-length Wallace & Gromit film, and brings back favorite Feathers McGraw.

“Wicked” (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 best ensemble nomination from SAG, as well as individual nods for Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey.

“The Wild Robot” (on VOD and in limited theaters, streaming on Peacock Jan. 24)

Chris Sanders' charming adaptation 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.