With Oscar season still abuzz and a whole lot of winning and nominated movies to catch up on, movie buffs will be glued to their screens over the next few weeks. Thanks to smartphones, we no longer need to set specific times for movie watching or queue for movie tickets. All you need is a comfy seat, internet and a good phone.
To make your viewing experience more eventful, here are some tips to bring the cinematic feels to the palm of your hands.
Get the movies
Thanks to streaming services, watching the 2023 Oscar nominees is much more convenient. Here is a list of Oscar winning and nominated films and streaming platforms where they are available (note that some of these may be subject to change):
Netflix
- All Quiet On The Western Front
- Bardo
- Blonde
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
- RRR
- The Elephant Whisperers
- The Martha Mitchell Effect
- The Sea Beast
Apple TV
- Causeway
- The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse
Disney+
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Fire of Love
- Le Pupille
- Turning Red
HBO GO
- Everything Everywhere All At Once
- Elvis
- Navalny
- The Batman
- Top Gun: Maverick
Immerse yourself in audio
If you’re watching the movies while on a train ride home or a plane you’ll want to invest in some good quality noise cancelling headphones. Sound design is a major consideration in these highly crafted movies so every little bump or whisper should not be missed. We recommend the AirPods Pro 2 for iPhone users or the Galaxy Buds2 Pro for Android users. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, we recommend the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 or Skullcandy Dime 2.
Watch with friends and family
While watching movies by yourself is totally fine, doing so with friends and family is way more fun. With smart devices, you can watch movies with friends remotely. For now, iOS 16 allows watch parties via Apple TV which you can access via FaceTime. There are also apps that are available for both iPhones and Androids such as Rave or Hearo.
Do not disturb
When watching movies on your phone, interruptions are bound to happen. There are a few ways to go about this. On iOS you can set focus modes, allowing messages or calls from specific contacts. Both iPhone and Androids have Do Not Disturb options that are customisable to ensure that you are distraction free when immersed in The Elephant Whisperer.
The right angle
Oscar nominated movies can run for seriously long amounts of time. Avatar: The way of water for example, runs for 3 hours and 15 minutes. This could be bad news for your posture if you’re too immersed to the point of ignoring the way you sit or view your screen. While holding your phone, the angle of your head is likely to be directed downwards, this puts a massive strain on your neck. If possible, invest in a mount or a bigger screen that allows you to view your screen around eye-level.
A bigger screen
Another way to enhance your viewing experience is to get a bigger screen. Now there are a few ways to go about this. You could get a monitor or TV that allows you to cast your phone onto the screen, you could get a projector for a fully cinematic experience or you could get a tablet that you can watch directly from.
Conclusion
The 95th Oscars was an especially memorable one for Malaysians with Michelle Yeoh winning best actress for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Watching the performances that she was up against makes her win even more extraordinary. Looking for a better device to upgrade your viewing experience? Check out some of the Dolby Vision capable devices on our store, like the iPhone 13, Galaxy S22+ or Xiaomi 12.