Want to watch the movies that will dominate Awards Season? Well, you can't.

The buzz and fever pitch of awards season is almost upon us.

Nicole Kidman is securing her hair extensions, Zendaya is sourcing the most outrageous vintage couture gowns, Paul Mescal is probably wearing his short shorts and running laps around the Beverly Hilton Hotel in anticipation of the Golden Globes.

But amidst the glitz and glamour lies the reason for the season; the release of Hollywood's newest and most exciting movies.

Every year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association kicks off the awards season with the Golden Globes. Following on are the Critics' Choice Awards, SAG Awards, Oscars; you get the picture. It's the golden time for cinephiles, as all of our favourite stars commit to lengthy press tours that dominate the pop culture news cycle.

"Where can I watch all these movies?" my friends eagerly ask me each year, like fools.

"You can't!" I reply, with the rage of a woman who has been served between 50 and 200 TikTok edits that spoil tiny portions of all the newest films.

Because in 2024, we Aussies are still waiting on almost all the best new releases.

Once upon a time in Hollywood, it made sense that the physical film product would take longer to arrive at our shores before being appropriately distributed to cinemas across this ridiculously huge country. But now, despite the tiny 15-hour time difference between us and LA — and, you know, the whole thing where technology propelled us into the digital age and also invented planes for speedy transport — we're still waiting. Hopelessly devoted to the idea that one day we might see this movie everyone is talking about, in a timely fashion.

We simply want to be in the zeitgeist. Let us in, damn it!

Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield's movie We Live In Time premiered MONTHS ago in the US. Image: Studiocanal.

This divide has been clear in 2024.

Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh's tearjerker We Live In Time premiered in the US in October this year. We won't be seeing it on Aussie screens until January 25, 2025. I've seen half the major scenes on TikTok — unintentionally, I might add. I am not a pirate, do not call me Jack Sparrow! But that doesn't stop the edits and scenes from popping up whenever I'm on the interwebs.

Awards season favourite Anora was released in October in America, but here in Aus we won't be getting the film until Boxing Day. But, hey, at least it's in the same calendar year!

If you're a pop culture fiend, you're probably consuming all kinds of content right now about films including Babygirl, Nightbitch, Emilia Pérez, A Complete Unknown, The Last Showgirl or Sing Sing. Oh, you want to see those movies before the Golden Globes on January 6, where they are all nominated? You won't! Sorry!

Now, I have to be so real and say that even in America, land of Tinsel Town, the Golden Globes come ridiculously early. It's understandable that many regular film-goers wouldn't have had a chance to see these yet, delayed release dates or not. But this is not just an awards season issue, in Australia we're sometimes left waiting months on end for topical releases throughout the year.

I recall throwing a mini-party when Bottoms was released on Prime Video in Australia in 2024, despite scoring a cinematic release in the US in 2023. The pop culture moment was huge, and I just wanted to be a part of it.

But there's actually a pretty huge — and I have to admit, obvious — reason for the different release dates.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in the ultimate 2024 blockbuster, Wicked. Image: Universal Pictures.

Big blockbusters like Wicked, Gladiator II and Barbie are more likely to premiere in tandem with the rest of the world's release dates. Thank god. In fact, sometimes we're treated to these films early thanks to a little thing called timezones.

But it's the indie darlings and mid-budget movies that often face 'delays' on their way to Australia.

It might feel like we're being excluded by Hollywood ALL of the time, but it's really just a select portion of smaller films. Unfortunately for us, those are just the ones that are most often nominated and awarded at these big industry events. Which sucks, because it seems as though we're left out of the loop. 

A big part of this, of course, is that we live on an enormous island with a small population of cinema goers — this means studios need to roll out content at a different pace in order to ensure ticket sales. They have to factor in peak times and the total slate of content, perhaps moreso than studios in the US (which boasts a population 10 times our size). 

"Around 780 films are released in Australian cinemas every year," Lori Flekser, Executive Director of the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia, told Mamamia. "And obviously, there are a limited number of days in the week and sessions in a day. So it is a fight for screens amongst films."

This means we're less likely to see Anora popping up around the same time that Wicked and Gladiator II are being released. If you're an indie film dropping at the same time as a blockbuster, you're not going to win the biggest theatre at the cinema (or the peak times).

"Pretty much 90% of the major film releases, the Hollywood studio releases, are released the same day as the US," Flekser says.

"But a lot of smaller films struggle for space in cinemas in between the big releases. So, they often try and find an alternative time… when the audience is most likely going to want to come and see them."

Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in Babygirl. When shall I see you? Image: Supplied.

Flekser points out another obvious idea, that we're based in the Southern Hemisphere and, in particular, have school holidays at different times. All things to consider when rolling out a schedule.

Another element to factor in is the budget. Of course, a big flick like Wicked premiered in Aus (or Oz) at the same time as the rest of the world. There was a ridiculous and beautiful premiere in Sydney, with all the film's stars flown in for fanfare and press junkets. It was the first stop on their tour, which basically took them around the entire world. They've got the budget to generate buzz, and the ability to launch simultaneously across the globe to ensure total dominance of the zeitgeist, no matter where you are. Plus, it helps to avoid spoilers leaking online (and has the added bonus of decreasing the likelihood of piracy). 

Marketing a movie is no joke, costing studios millions of dollars. And if there's no financial pay-off when it lands in cinemas? We've got a problem on our hands.

When it comes to awards season films like The Last Showgirl, Anora or Babygirl, there's less of a box-office guarantee and the #strategy of timing and buzz must be considered. These flicks are possibly more likely to make bank after — or during — the awards season, when their nominations and possible wins are generating further buzz. We love buzz in the entertainment industry.

Elle Fanning and Timothee Chalamet in A Complete Unknown. I mean… I guess. I won't be seeing this until January 2025.

So, there you have it. We're not being excluded for giggles, but for the hopeful profitability of these films. And if you're a movie buff, you kind of need these projects to succeed if you want to enjoy good content… you know… forever.

If there's one takeaway from this, it's please, for all that is good in this world, do not use the delayed release dates as an excuse to pirate films. Or we may very well be left with zero entertainment in the future.

Do I like fact that films are released one (or even four) months after they've aired in the US and all the furore has died down? No! I want to feel the magic in the air. I want to eat popcorn in the cinema as I stare in awe at Harris Dickinson. I do not want to be scrolling on TikTok and see all of his Babygirl scenes before I've had the chance to see the whole movie myself. It genuinely ruins the fun to always miss out on the ever-important buzz.

But do I understand it? Yes, I do.

When and where to watch all the awards season movies in Australia.

A number of exciting new releases will finally drop on Boxing Day this year, with a continued rollout all the way until late February for some of these awards season contenders. Of course, then we have the likes of Challengers and Wicked, which were released long before the season.

Scroll through for the full list.

Anora

Anora will premiere in Australian cinemas on December 26, 2024 (Boxing Day).

Nosferatu

Nosferatu will premiere in Australian cinemas on December 26, 2024 (Boxing Day).

A Real Pain

A Real Pain will premiere in Australian cinemas on December 26, 2024 (Boxing Day).

Conclave

Conclave will premiere in Australian cinemas on January 9, 2025.

Emilia Pérez

Emilia Pérez will premiere in Australian cinemas on January 16, 2025.

A Complete Unknown

A Complete Unknown will premiere in Australian cinemas on January 23, 2025.

The Brutalist

The Brutalist will premiere in Australian cinemas on January 23, 2025.

Nightbitch

Nightbitch will premiere on Disney+ in Australia on January 25, 2025.

Sing Sing

Sing Sing will air at the Perth Film Festival on January 25, 2025. It will be released in Events Cinemas as part of the travelling film festival on February 20, 2025. Yeah this one gets some extra chatter, because what? There's no word on an official release date for wider coverage at this stage.

Babygirl

Babygirl will premiere in Australian cinemas on January 30, 2025.

The Last Showgirl

The Last Showgirl will premiere in Australian cinemas on February 20, 2025.

Wicked

Following its cinematic release in November 2024, Wicked is still currently in theatres across Australia.

Gladiator II

Following its cinematic release in November 2024, Gladiator II is still currently in theatres across Australia.

Saturday Night

Following its release in October 2024, Saturday Night is available to rent on Prime Video.

Kinds of Kindness

Following its cinematic release in July 2024, Kinds of Kindness is now streaming on Disney Plus.

Challengers

Following its cinematic release in March 2024, Challengers is now streaming on Prime Video.

Dune: Part Two

Following its cinematic release in February 2024, Dune: Part Two is now streaming on Binge.

A Different Man

A Different Man is available to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

The Substance

Following its release in September 2024, The Substance is still screening in select cinemas.

Lee

Following its cinematic release in October 2024, Lee is available to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

The Apprentice

Following its cinematic release in October 2024, The Apprentice is available to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Nickel Boys

To be confirmed.

September 5

To be confirmed.

Watch the trailer for A Complete Unknown while you wait… it's going to be a while.