Many would agree that brilliant cinema and award-winning films are not mutually dependent. But that being said, recognition by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences definitely means something special to the filmmakers, actors, writers, and crew members who tirelessly work to bring a story to life. Recognized for their outstanding contributions to the world of motion picture arts, these award-winning films remain the greatest of all time. With every passing year, films nominated and awarded at the Academy Awards keep getting diverse and innovative, adding to the ever-growing list of Academy-winning movies in the history of Hollywood.
So, how do you pick what to watch? We have made it easier for you by handpicking the best titles that were honored by the Academy in the last 40-odd years, all currently streaming on Hulu. This October, indulge in exceptional films, untold stories, and once-in-a-lifetime performances of some of the industry’s greatest. Let’s admit it, watching a great piece of work on screen brings inexplicable joy. Check out the comprehensive guide below for all the Oscar-winning movies that you can watch on Hulu.
Nomadland (2020)
- Director: Chloé Zhao | Runtime: 108 minutes
- Cast: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, Swankie, Bob Wells
Independent filmmaker Chloé Zhao brings the real life of modern-day nomads to the screen in this 2020 drama film. Based on the 2017 nonfiction book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder, Nomadland follows Fern, played by Frances McDormand, who sets out in her van to live like a nomad. After losing her husband and her job, Fern decides to travel the country while living on the road. On her journey, she meets other nomads who help her learn survival skills and self-sufficiency for the road. In the film, several real-life nomads like Bob Wells appear in their fictionalized versions. Upon its release, Nomadland received critical acclaim for the story, direction, cinematography, as well as performances from the cast.
At the 93rd Academy Awards, Nomadland earned six nominations, winning Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress. Zhao became the first Asian woman and the second woman ever to win Best Director. McDormand’s performance earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the first person in history to win an Oscar for both acting and producing a film.
Ford v Ferrari (2019)
- Director: James Mangold | Runtime: 152 minutes
- Cast: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, CaitrÃona Balfe, Tracy Letts
This 2019 sports biopic is directed by James Mangold and written by Jez Butterworth, John Henry Butterworth, and Jason Keller. Set in the backdrop of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France, Ford v Ferrari follows a team of American and Swedish engineers and designers hired by Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca to build a race car that can beat the cars of Scuderia Ferrari. The film focuses on automotive designer Carroll Shelby and British race car driver Ken Miles, who join hands to create a historic, trailblazing vehicle. Matt Damon and Christian Bale portray the characters of Shelby and Miles respectively, with brilliant performances.
On its release, Ford v Ferrari was a huge commercial success and topped the box office, and was also critically acclaimed for the story, Mangold's direction, editing, and sound design. At the 92nd Academy Awards, the biopic was nominated in four categories, winning two Oscars for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Editing.
Midnight in Paris (2011)
- Director: Woody Allen | Runtime: 94 minutes
- Cast: Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Rachel McAdams
This 2011 fantasy comedy is a heady mix of love art, literature, and history, all in one story, with a little fantasy time travel thrown into the mix. Set in Paris, the film follows a screenwriter Gil Pender who is struggling with this debut novel and lands in Paris with his fiancée. Trying to escape the troubles of his relationship, Gil sets out every midnight on a journey through an alternate reality where finds himself in the company of great artists and literary figures who make him admire life in a new way. Essentially, Midnight in Paris rests on the idea of self-discovery, shown through different timelines in a dreamy, Jazz Age experience, which is only enhanced by Owen Wilson’s portrayal of the quirky but wise Gil, among a star-studded cast.
On its opening, Midnight in Paris was very positively received by fans and critics alike. At the 2012 Academy Awards, the comedy film earned four nominations and won Best Original Screenplay.
Summer of Soul (2021)
- Director: Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson | Runtime: 117 minutes
- Cast: Steve Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mavis Staples
Also titled Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), this 2021 documentary film explores the Harlem Cultural Festival in the summer of 1969, where thousands of people gathered to celebrate Black history, art, culture, music, and fashion. Summer of Soul features professional footage of the entire six-week event that was recorded during the festival, alongside interviews and conversations with attendees, musicians, and modern-day commentators on the history and social significance of the event. The Harlem Cultural Festival had some of the biggest musical artists of all time, including Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and many such influential names. However, its success was overshadowed by the popularity of Woodstock, which also happened during the same time. The documentary is directed by musician, record producer, DJ, filmmaker, actor, and The Roots' drummer/joint frontman, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, in his directorial debut.
Summer of Soul was critically acclaimed for restoring a significant historical moment and won Best Documentary Feature at the 94th Academy Awards. It is also considered to be one of the best music documentaries of the 21st century.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
- Director: George Miller | Runtime: 120 minutes
- Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
There have been plenty of post-apocalyptic and/or dystopian films over the years, and the Mad Max film series can be said to be a major influence for the same. This 2015 film is the fourth installment in the franchise that began in 1979, created by George Miller and Byron Kennedy. Miller returns to direct and co-produce, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris. Mad Max: Fury Road sees the return of Max Rockatansky, who teams up with Imperator Furiosa in a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland where water and petrol are scarce commodities, and fights a cult leader and his army in a long road battle. Tom Hardy plays the role of the antihero/protagonist, Max, with Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa.
On its release, Mad Max: Fury Road was a whopping box office success. Regarded as one of the greatest action films of all time, the film earned six Oscars at the 88th Academy Awards including Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. A spin-off prequel, Furiosa is set to hit theaters next summer.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- Director: Gore Verbinski | Runtime: 150 minutes
- Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Tom Hollander, Bill Nighy
Gore Verbinski returns to direct this second installment of the fantasy swashbuckler film series based on the Disneyland ride. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest picks up one year after the events of the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl. Captain Jack Sparrow is now in debt to the ghastly and ghostly Davy Jones, the captain of Flying Dutchman, and is on the hit list. Meanwhile, the now-reunited Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann’s wedding ceremony gets interrupted by Lord Cutler Beckett, who arrests the couple for hiding Jack. Beckett offers them a pardon in exchange for finding the Dead Man’s Chest containing the heart of Davy Jones, so Beckett can rule the seas. On the other hand, Jack needs that chest to escape his debt to Jones.
On its release, Dead Man’s Chest became the highest-grossing film of 2006 and the third film in history to reach the $1 billion mark globally. At the 79th Academy Awards, the film earned four nominations in technical categories, winning one for Best Visual Effects.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
- Director: Bryan Singer | Runtime: 135 minutes
- Cast: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joe Mazzello, Aidan Gillen
The journey of the man, the myth, the musical legend, Freddie Mercury comes alive in this 2018 biopic about the frontman of the British rock band, Queen. Named after their eponymous hit single, Bohemian Rhapsody focuses on Mercury’s life, starting with the band's formation in 1970 to their Live Aid performance of 1985. The story also touches upon his exceptional vocal abilities, rise to stardom, and becoming one of the greatest rock musicians, while he struggles with ego, sexuality, and a fatal disease. Rami Malek portrays the rock icon and Queen’s lead man, while Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, and Joe Mazzello play fictionalized versions of band members Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon, respectively. Queen’s manager Jim Beach serves as one of the producers while May and Taylor serve as consultants on the film.
At the 91st Academy Awards, the film won four awards, including Best Actor for Malek for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Freddie Mercury. The movie also won the Academy Awards for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
- Director: Kevin Macdonald | Runtime: 123 minutes
- Cast: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Simon McBurney, Gillian Anderson
Forest Whitaker is undoubtedly a brilliant actor, but his role in this 2006 biopic has often been hailed as one of his best. Directed by Scottish filmmaker Kevin Macdonald and written by Peter Morgan and Jeremy Brock, the historical drama film is based on the eponymous novel by Giles Foden. Titled after Idi Amin’s claim of being the King of Scotland, The Last King of Scotland is a fictionalized recounting of the dictatorship of Ugandan president Idi Amin, narrated from the perspective of Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan. A recently graduated doctor from Scotland, Garrigan, played by James McAvoy, heads to Uganda to serve at a missionary clinic, where he finds himself developing a close friendship with the Ugandan general, Idi Amin. But soon, he realizes that their friendship comes with more than he bargained for, which forces him to find an exit.
Whitaker stars as the real-life dictator in a powerful portrayal of a brutal and corrupt politician which earned him his first and only Academy Award for Best Actor.
Sophie's Choice (1982)
- Director: Alan J. Pakula | Runtime: 151 minutes
- Cast: Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol
This 1982 psychological drama is classic, and its name has become synonymous with making the most difficult choices in life. Written and directed by Alan J. Pakula, Sophie’s Choice is based on William Styron's 1979 novel of the same name and stars Meryl Streep as the titular protagonist and Kevin Kline in his debut role. Zofia "Sophie" Zawistowski, a Polish immigrant with a dark past, lives in a boarding house in Brooklyn with her lover, Nathan, where she befriends Stingo, a writer, and develops an emotional bond. As their friendship grows, Sophie finds herself in turmoil with making a series of difficult choices. Streep’s performance of a woman balancing a strained relationship and a growing friendship, while also dealing with her own emotional struggles is regarded as one of the most moving performances, making Sophie’s choice a heartbreaking film.
The film earned five nominations at the 55th Academy Awards, with Streep winning the Best Actress award.
Man on Wire (2008)
- Director: James Marsh | Runtime: 94 minutes
- Cast: Philippe Petit
Directed by British filmmaker James Marsh of The Theory of Everything fame, this 2008 documentary film chronicles the real-life events of the 1974 high-wire stunt by Philippe Petit, based on Petit’s 2002 book, To Reach the Clouds. A French high-wire artist, Petit gained recognition and fame for his adventurous walks across the Notre Dame Cathedral and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Man on Wire recounts his high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City on 7 August 1974. The film documents the hour-long performance by Petit and features rare footage from before the walk as well as still photographs and interviews of participants. The film also shows re-enactments of certain scenes from the past, where Petit plots out every detail of the stunt, from gaining access to the building and enlisting a group of friends to help him, which eventually leads to the astonishing act, making it appear like a heist film.
Man on Wire won the Best Documentary Feature at the 81st Academy Awards and remains one of the six documentaries ever to get The Big Four Critics’ Awards.
Free Solo (2018)
- Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | Runtime: 100 minutes
- Cast: Alex Honnold, Sanni McCandless, Jimmy Chin, Tommy Caldwell
Another Academy-winning documentary on this list, Free Solo recounts the experiences of professional rock climber Alex Honnold. His attempts to be the first free solo climber of the 900-meter vertical rock, El Capitan at the Yosemite National Park put him in the limelight and earned him fame. Directed by documentarians Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the film is a death-defying, edge-of-the-seat exploration of the world-famous 3000-feet rock, where Honnold attempts to beat the height without a rope, making it a must-watch for thrill seekers and adventurers. However, the dizzying camerawork could be overwhelming for those with a fear of heights. Besides the stunning imagery and recount of a single man’s attempt to defy death and fear, Free Solo also examines Honnold’s emotional journey before and after, by looking at his personal relationships.
The documentary film earned critical acclaim and several accolades and won the Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards.
Another Round (2020)
- Director: Thomas Vinterberg | Runtime: 116 minutes
- Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, Lars Ranthe
Also titled Druk (Danish) this Danish black comedy drama film finds Mads Mikkelsen in a role that makes us see the already talented actor in a whole new light. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round follows four high school teachers who try to take a new stance on alcohol and its consumption through a social experiment. They believe that by maintaining a certain level of alcohol in their blood consistently, they can improve their lives, which leads to them drinking throughout the day and testing its effects on their social and professional lives. But as you would expect, the experiment also comes with its side effects. With themes of intoxication, alcoholism, and fighting social norms, the film essentially serves as an exploration of a midlife crisis told with a darkly comedic narration, with Mikkelsen’s award-worthy performance only making it better.
At the 93rd Academy Awards, Another Round won the Best International Feature Film with Vinterberg nominated for Best Director. A Hollywood remake of the original Danish film is in the works.