The 2025 Oscars nominations announced on January 23 have officially set the stage for this year’s celebration of cinema, with the ceremony set for March 2.
As we gear up for Hollywood's most glamorous night, now’s the perfect time to dive into past Oscar winners available to watch on one of the best streaming services.
If you’re a Prime Video subscriber, you’re in for a treat, because the platform has a decent lineup of award-winning movies that have graced the Academy’s stage over the years.
I’ve scoured Prime Video’s impressive catalog to bring you five must-watch Oscar-winning movies.
To make the cut, these movies had to win in one of the major categories (Best Picture, Best Director, Screenplay, or any of the acting awards). So, whether you’re revisiting old favorites or discovering something new, here’s what you should stream right now on Prime Video to get into the Oscars spirit!
And if you’re looking for more, check out these five best Netflix movies that won an Oscar you can stream right now.
‘The Pianist’ (2002)
“The Pianist” won three Academy Awards: Best Director for Roman Polanski, Best Actor for Adrien Brody, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Ronald Harwood.
This movie is a deeply haunting story of survival that sheds light on one of the darkest and most unforgettable chapters in our history. On top of that, it’s easily one of the best movies to come out of 2002, with Brody delivering one of the most mesmerizing performances in cinema history.
“The Pianist” is based on the autobiography of Władysław Szpilman (portrayed by Brody), a Polish-Jewish pianist and composer, and it's set during World War II. It follows Szpilman as he navigates the horrors of Nazi-occupied Warsaw.
After the Nazis invade Poland in 1939, Szpilman and his family endure the escalating oppression of the Jewish community. Eventually, Szpilman is separated from his family as they are deported to concentration camps, leaving him alone to fend for himself.
As he struggles to survive, Szpilman hides in the ruins of Warsaw, enduring hunger, isolation, and the constant threat of discovery, while his love for music becomes his source of hope.
Watch it on Prime Video
‘Manchester by the Sea’ (2016)
At the 89th Academy Awards, “Manchester by the Sea” earned two Oscars: Best Actor for Casey Affleck’s raw, deeply moving performance and Best Original Screenplay for Kenneth Lonergan’s heartfelt and emotionally resonant script.
This movie also received nominations for several other major awards, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Lucas Hedges), Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams), and Best Director (Lonergan).
“Manchester by the Sea” tells the story of Lee Chandler (Affleck), a quiet and withdrawn handyman living in Boston. Lee’s life is upended when he learns that his older brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler), has passed away and named him the legal guardian of Joe’s teenage son, Patrick (Hedges).
Reluctantly, Lee returns to his hometown of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, where he must face painful memories that drove him away years earlier. Through flashbacks, the audience uncovers a devastating tragedy in Lee’s past that left him emotionally shattered and estranged from his ex-wife, Randi (Williams).
Watch it on Prime Video
‘The Hurt Locker’ (2008)
Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” dominated the 82nd Academy Awards with six wins, including Best Picture, Best Director (making her the first woman to achieve this honor), Best Original Screenplay (Mark Boal), Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.
Bigelow’s masterful direction brings a raw, almost documentary-like realism to the battlefield, establishing the movie as one of the most intense and impactful war dramas ever made.
“The Hurt Locker” follows an elite U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team tasked with disarming bombs in the middle of a war zone. At the heart of the story is Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner), a reckless yet highly skilled bomb disposal expert who thrives on the adrenaline of his dangerous job.
As James leads his team — Sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) — through a series of high-stakes missions, the movie delves into the psychological toll of war.
Watch it on Prime Video
‘L.A. Confidential’ (1997)
At the 70th Oscars, “L.A. Confidential” took home two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Kim Basinger’s standout performance as Lynn Bracken and Best Adapted Screenplay for Brian Helgeland and Curtis Hanson, based on James Ellroy’s novel.
This movie is packed with clever dialogue, stunning cinematography, and a twist-filled plot that keeps you hooked from start to finish. If you’re a fan of complex murder mysteries that leave you guessing, this neo-noir classic is a must-watch.
“L.A. Confidential” follows three very different LAPD officers — straight-laced and ambitious Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), brutal and hot-tempered Bud White (Russell Crowe), and charming, fame-seeking Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) — as they navigate a city rife with organized crime, police corruption, and sensational headlines.
The story begins with a mass murder at a diner, which appears to be a robbery gone wrong but leads to a much deeper conspiracy involving prostitution rings, political scandals, and dirty cops. As the three officers investigate the case, they uncover shocking secrets that test their loyalties and challenge their own moral codes.
Watch it on Prime Video
‘The Social Network’ (2010)
![THE SOCIAL NETWORK - Official Trailer [2010] (HD) - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lB95KLmpLR4/maxresdefault.jpg)
Three Oscars were awarded to “The Social Network” at the 83rd Academy Awards. Best Adapted Screenplay for Aaron Sorkin’s clever dialogue and storytelling, Best Original Score for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s hauntingly atmospheric music, and Best Film Editing for Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall’s pacing and tension-building cuts.
The movie takes us through the highs and lows of Mark Zuckerberg’s journey, including his quick success, the fracturing of his relationships, and the ethical questions surrounding the birth of one of the world’s largest social media platforms.
“The Social Network” chronicles the creation and rise of Facebook, focusing on the complex legal battles and personal betrayals that accompanied its journey. The movie centers on Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), a Harvard student who creates a website called “Facemash” that eventually evolves into Facebook.
What starts as an ambitious idea soon leads to a legal battle with two of his former friends, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and the Winklevoss twins (Armie Hammer), who claim that Zuckerberg stole their idea.
Watch it on Prime Video
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