What to watch this weekend May 12, 2023: Movie awards contenders

For the first time in a while, this is a great weekend for movies debuting on streaming services. At least two of the ones spotlighted here have decent shots at showing up in next year’s Oscar derby, but all of these films are worth checking out. There’s a tart comedy about our modern condition, a graceful documentary about a celebrated actor, a starry biopic about a shoe company, and more.

The contender to watch this week: “Air“

“Air” has all the makings of an Oscar vehicle. It’s a crowd-pleaser with electric performances, a rip-roaring script, and decent box-office receipts. Will voters remember it come awards season? With these bona fides, maybe so. In addition to Ben Affleck, who directed and stars as Nike CEO Phil Knight during the company’s efforts to land a history-making deal with Michael Jordan in 1984, “Air” features all-time-great work from Matt Damon, Viola Davis, and Chris Messina. The Amazon-backed movie is now available on Prime Video. 

Other contenders:

• “Sick of Myself”: The year’s sharpest comedy thus far is an acidic Norwegian satire about viral fame and victimhood. Kristine Kujath Thorp plays a narcissist who can’t stand that her boyfriend (Eirik Sæther) has found success in the art world, so she gives herself a ghastly skin rash that diverts everyone’s attention to her. Kristoffer Borgli, who wrote and directed “Sick of Myself,” is making an A24 movie with Nicolas Cage next, which seems to signal a bright career ahead. Catch this one on VOD. There’s a good chance it’ll be Norway’s Oscar entry. 
• “The Five Devils”: Following a Cannes premiere and modest theatrical release, the streaming service Mubi will debut this genre-hopping French film about a young girl (Sally Dramé) with a supernatural sense of smell. Is she a witch? Stay tuned to find out. Adèle Exarchopoulos (“Blue Is the Warmest Color”) and Daphne Patakia (“Benedetta”) also star. 
• “Still: A Michael J. Fox Story”: The celebrity documentary wave continues with this loving portrait of one of America’s favorite actors, directed by Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth,” “He Named Me Malala”). An Apple TV+ exclusive,”Still” traces Michael J. Fox‘s boyish rise to fame, which was threatened by his well-chronicled Parkinson’s diagnosis. Through it all, he’s become a token of optimism, becoming more and more beloved with time.
• “Saint Omer”: One of 2022’s best, “Saint Omer” made the Oscars’ most recent shortlist for Best International Feature Film. Director Alice Diop dramatized a real court case about a Senegalese-French student (Guslagie Malanda) convicted of murdering her infant. Through the eyes of a writer (Kayije Kagame) observing the trial, “Saint Omer” explores the gray areas of humanity with unflinching resolve. It’s streaming on Hulu.

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