Nomadland has garnered much acclaim and commentary leading up to its well-deserved best picture win at the April 25 Oscars when its director Chloé Zhao became the first woman of colour to receive the best director award.   (So far it’s streaming only on Disney+.  Her previous work The Rider, also superb, is on Amazon Prime.)  Nomadland , for which Frances McDormand also received a best actress Oscar, had previously earned four major British academy awards (Baftas)—best picture, director, actress, and cinematography.  The film’s observational realism casts some actual “nomads”—aging itinerant van dwellers who make ends meet by picking up occasional temp jobs at places like Amazon warehouses.  That is the subject of the short documentary “Camperforce” which can be watched here: https://www.moviemaker.com/the-real-nomadland-doc-follows-elderly-camperforce-living-in-rvs-working-for-amazon/ .  [The film has drawn some criticism but for a vigorous defence se...

First the news that as of today the Disney+ streaming platform’s “Star” channel has added Nomadland , much acclaimed for its documentary-like realism and my best film of 2020, to its lineup.  (The movie is a favorite for the best picture Oscar to be announced April 25.  For more see: https://ew.com/awards/oscars/chloe-zhao-nomadland-oscars/ .) Disney is better known for more fantastical fare.  Interestingly, Nomandland’s Chinese-born director Chloé Zhao has since helmed the latest Marvel epic Eternals , so perhaps the connection is not so unusual.  Of course there’s tons more on the Disney platform including a new Falcon and the Winter Soldier series if you are into the superhero genre.  I’m not but the first episodes are directed by Canadian Kari Skogland and I was intrigued enough to watch a couple.  There’s a new “Captain America”, references to “post-blip” in the Marvel cinematic universe, and something about vaccines having been stolen, which I guess ...