With the announcement of the 2016 Oscar nominations occurring on Jan. 14, jubilation and outrage over the surprises and snubs of the best movies of 2015 can commence. The 88th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, Feb. 28, so while you have a month to prep, where can you watch the 2016 Oscar movies? With so many recognized films coming out later in 2015, it can be hard to keep up with the award nominees. Comedian Chris Rock will be hosting the Oscars this year and you'll want to be able to understand as many jokes as possible that he's sure to make about the 2016 Oscar nominees.
If you're interested in seeing which awards the top movies of 2016 will win after garnering a significant amount of nominations, the best way to prepare yourself is by heading to the movie theater, since most of the films are still out. Luckily, with over a month to go, you can find time to catch as many movies as possible before Hollywood's big night. As someone who caught a 10 a.m. showing of Zero Dark Thirty the day of the 2013 Oscars, I can personally attest to the struggle of seeing as many Oscar-nominated films as possible. But, when Feb. 28 rolls around, all of your efforts will be worth it.
While I make it a priority to see all of the films nominated for Best Picture (thanks, Academy, for making up to 10 films eligible to be nominated), there are other films from 2015 that you should also catch. Here's how to (legally) watch most of the heavy hitters from the 2016 Oscar nominations.
The Big Short
Adam McKay has gone legit after films like Anchorman with his Best Director nomination for The Big Short. The film was released on Dec. 23, so see why it was nominated for five Academy Awards in movie theaters.
Bridge of Spies
Is it any surprise that a movie starring Tom Hanks and directed by Steven Spielberg was nominated for Best Picture? With five additional nominations, you can see Bridge of Spies in some theaters now or wait until Feb. 2 when it will be available on Blu-ray and DVD, as well as Redbox, iTunes, and Amazon.
Brooklyn
The Best Picture nominee was only nominated for two other awards, but your best bet to check out Saoirse Ronan's nominated performance is in theaters, since it is estimated the film won't be available to own or stream until March 2016.
Carol
Not surprisingly, Cate Blanchett was nominated for Best Actress in Carol, while her costar Rooney Mara was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Getting six nominations in all (no Best Picture nom), Carol wasn't released until November of 2015, so you will have to see it in theaters.
The Martian
Another big nominee, The Martian earned Best Picture and Best Actor nominations for 2016. Since the film came out earlier in 2015, The Martian is available on digital HD, Blu-ray, and DVD. If you don't want to own the space movie, you can rent it through Redbox starting Feb. 9. You can also stream The Martian now with Amazon and iTunes.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Like The Martian, Mad Max: Fury Road came out long enough ago that you don't have to see it in theaters (though you totally should have with its amazing action sequences). With 10 nominations, Mad Max is available on Amazon and iTunes, on DVD and Blu-ray, through Redbox, and — if you have HBO — HBO on demand or HBO Go.
The Revenant
Oh, tricky Christmas release movies. The Leonardo DiCaprio film didn't come out until Dec. 25, so you'll have to see him battle a bear and Tom Hardy in movie theaters. It should be worth it since The Revenant was nominated for a whopping 12 awards.
Room
The little indie film that could nabbed Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay nominations. You'll have to see Room in theaters though since it appears the film won't be released outside of theaters until March 1.
Spotlight
Spotlight was released Nov. 6, but the Best Picture nominee is still out in movie theaters. The Blu-ray and DVD release is scheduled for Feb. 23, so you can watch it from home shortly before the ceremony.
Good luck in catching as many Academy Award-nominated films before Feb. 28 — I'm rooting for you!
Images: Open Road Films; Giphy (8); berkah-barokah/Tumblr
