The movie that scooped the Academy Awards this week with three awards is Nomadland – winning Best Picture, Best Director (Chloé Zhao) and Best Actress (Frances McDormand). The good news is you can now watch Nomadland easily on Disney+ as the platform is now streaming Nomadland on it’s adjunct platform, Star, at no extra cost, so it’s easy to catch up with this award-winning film.
Academy award-winning film, Nomadland, is now streaming on Disney+ on Star
Even before it won three academy awards, it was obvious this film has a lot to offer. The director of the film, Chloé Zhao, has made a film with heart and passion and really – any film with Frances McDormand starring is worth watching. Zhao made history by winning the award for Best Director because in the Academy’s 83-year history, she is only the second woman and the first woman of colour to ever receive the award.
Frances McDormand won an Academy Award for Best Actress in the movie and this is her third time winning such an award. McDormand is a well-established actress known for her meaty roles – for example, Fargo, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing and Missouri.
Aademy Award nominee David Strathairn stars as well (Good Night, and Good Luck), along with real-life actors Swankie, Bob Wells and Linda May, all of whom appeared in Jessica Bruder’s acclaimed book, which Zhao adapted for the screen.
The movie revolves around Fern (played by McDormand), who, following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. McDormand produced the film as well, along with Peter Spears (Call Me by Your Name), Dan Janvey (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Mollye Asher (The Rider), and Zhao (The Rider).
Zhao directed and edited the film, with Joshua James Richards (God’s Own Country) serving as the Director of Photography and Production Designer. The movie’s sound team was M. Wolf Snyder (The Rider), Sergio Diaz (Roma) and Zach Seivers (Assassins).
Star is the new general entertainment brand, launched as part of the Disney+ platform earlier this year, bringing 160 TV series and nearly 500 movies for a slight increase in cost.
Nomadland is streaming now on Disney+ on Star…
Robin Wright makes her directorial debut with the movie, Land
Robin Wright makes her directorial debut with the movie, Land, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, earlier this year. The film is based on the character of Edee (played by Wright) who’s isolated emotionally by a horrible tragedy and the lingering grief which has made her almost suicidal. She isolates herself physically too, going to a remote cabin and trying to live off the land.
As the first film Wright has directed, Land is a surprisingly sombre, yet uplifting, tale about two people who’ve both suffered some extremely painful events in their life, yet they find purpose in one another. True to the movie’s name, alongside their pain and isolation, we see the amazing land of the Rocky Mountains in Canada – snow-covered trees, vast expanses and snow everywhere. We literally get to feel the bitter cold, see the moon setting over the mountains and the icicles dripping from the eaves.
Yet with all of this vast expanse of land, it seems that the connection between people is still one of the most important things in these two people’s lives. In the first part of the film, we see Edee driving to a remote cabin in the mountains. When she tells the man who guided her there to come and get the rental car, he suggests it’s safer to have a vehicle up here. But Edee doesn’t care about that – she wants to be alone and nothing else matters. But as the harshness of the environment and the ‘land’ shows here she won’t survive unless she smartens up, you realise she’s set this up to happen.
But what she didn’t know was going to happen was a friendship that builds with a man named Miguel (played by Demian Bichir) who finds her almost dead and helps to save her life. Miguel slowly becomes an unexpected ally and even a teacher. He promises not to tell Edee anything of the outside world, maintaining her self-isolation, and he doesn’t say much. He’s going to give her the tools to survive and then be gone.
As a director, Wright and cinematographer Bobby Bukowskis work well together and we see a lot of stunning vistas of the land but it’s not overwhelming. While the film is showing us beautiful scenery, we can’t forget that while beautiful, this country can be dangerous. When Edee goes hunting, we’re never sure what’s going to happen. It’s a dangerous world filled with wild bears, snowstorms which show no mercy and a vastness which is quietly eery.
But as to the characters, Wright does an amazing job with Edee’s character. Bichir matches her with a subtle performance that’s just as powerful. They both don’t say much but we get to know them. They tell us the story of what could happen when two people end up meeting each other and understanding what the other needs. It’s interesting to watch the story unfold and you’ll be thinking about this film long after it’s over.
Land is now screening in cinemas in Australia…
See how some get rich or get into all sorts of strife trying to, on Generation Hustle on Binge
How far would you go for power, fame and fortune? Streaming from today on Binge is Generation Hustle which follows some brilliant and brazen young entrepreneurs who use cunning and creativity to pull off the most wildly inventive high-stakes gambles. Featuring outrageous stories which have to be seen to be believed, each episode of the 10-part docuseries is now streaming on Binge.
In the standalone episodes, we see the exploits of overzealous entrepreneurs who may have gone too far. Combining true-crime capers and character studies with fresh, glossy stories, we see what the no-holds-barred quest for riches and status in the age of social media can lead to.
Generation Hustle is streaming now on Binge…
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has streamed the last episode in the latest season, if you missed it
Well, it’s finally here. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 6 is an action-packed finale for the show. Hopefully it isn’t a series finale and we’ll see the series continue into Season 2.
This season has served its narrative purpose and provided some solid entertainment along the way. It’s hard to say yet how The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be remembered because, like so much MCU product, it’s hard to gauge its full impact until we see how it ripples through future projects.
This finale episode opens up where the last episode ended — a lockdown at the GRC. Sam flies through a window and says, “I’m Captain America.” That’s right – you are!
Then we go on to the ending with a party! As “On and On,” by Curtis Harding, plays, Bucky, Sam, Sarah, and the locals celebrate on the pier. So now we have a new Captain America. Keep watching to keep up with everything that’s happening.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, episode 6, is now streaming on Disney+…
Crikey! It’s a Baby! is now streaming on the free Discovery platform
The Irwins are filled with excitement as they prepare for the birth of Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell’s daughter, documented in the new Discovery special – Crikey! It’s A Baby! It’s truly an Irwin family affair as Terri and Robert Irwin do all they can to help Bindi and Chandler while the family continues their wildlife conservation efforts.
Crikey! It’s A Baby! includes intimate moments leading up to the birth of Bindi and Chandler’s daughter, Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, including their homecoming as a family to Australia Zoo. As well, it includes Terri throwing a baby shower, complete with animals, games – and Chandler’s parents attending via Zoom from the US.
Chandler is seen giving Bindi an emotional surprise after she finishes her last day of work at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and Robert proves he’s worthy of his new nickname – Funcle – the funnest Uncle of all time – by using his dog Stella to demonstrate his baby caring skills. Bindi and Chandler prepare their overnight bags for their upcoming trip to the hospital and Robert provides updates from the hospital waiting room. We see Bindi, Chandler and their daughter coming home to Australia Zoo where they’re welcomed by the entire Australia Zoo family.
Other Crikey! It’s A Baby! stories include Terri undertaking an important task with another baby, Raflesia – a beautiful Sumatran Elephant. Robert also races to save one of the biggest babies in nature – a 12-foot baby whale shark which is stranded in shallow water on a nearby beach. And no Irwin life event is complete without stories of Steve Irwin, and Terri relates wonderful stories of Bindi’s arrival and the hilarious lead up with Steve losing his keys in total panic, arriving at the hospital with a complete film crew in tow, and the pure joy of meeting his new daughter for the very first time.
Crikey! It’s a Baby! streams on Discovery at 6.30pm on 22nd May….
For more from Women Love Tech, visit here.