An Eye for Arovision

What to watch on Welly’s local streaming service 

In the wake of this year's Academy Awards, I’m reviewing some Oscar winning—and nominated—films available to rent on Arovision. Split the cost with your friends, flatmates, or film-bros (maybe a few more than usual… there’s some pricey picks in our lineup this week!) and debate amongst yourselves  whether those trophies were rightly awarded. Go to ondemand.arovideo.co.nz and get watching!

Sentimental Value (2025) — $8

dir. Joachim Trier, Norway

“Apparently having a movie director for a father is not as fun as Francesca Scorsese’s Instagram account makes it seem” — superpulse, Letterboxd

Winner of Best International Feature

Nominations for Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Actress, Supporting Actress (x2), and Supporting Actor (but not Casting… go figure).

I saw this one last year when it screened at NZIFF. It won the Grand Prix at Cannes, so I knew it would be good. As a child of divorce who grew up with one younger sister and a previously complex relationship with her father, this was a fucking doozy. The film follows sisters Nora and Agnes after the death of their mother, when their long absent film-maker father (played by Stellan Skarsgaard) resurfaces. He has written a new film for Nora, an actor, to star in. It’s an eerily accurate depiction of her personality and life, despite his removal from it. 

This is such a beautiful film. Beautiful to look at, beautiful depiction of family dynamics, beautiful beautiful beautiful. Stellar performances from everyone—all four key cast members were nominated… but none took the win. TWO Best Supporting Actress noms and EITHER were a better pick than Amy Madigan… but whatever, I’m not salty or anything. This film had me crying in my little pink Vitz for ten minutes before I could pull out of the car park. My review? Fully deserving of its Oscar win. 

Blue Moon (2025) — $20 (eek!)

dir. Richard Linklater, USA

“They do a MCU-style Stuart Little name drop in this” — isaacgreig006, Letterboxd

Nominations for Best Actor and Original Screenplay

This is a dialogue heavy film set in 1943 New York, which takes place almost entirely in one bar. Ethan Hawke gives an Oscar-worthy performance in his portrayal of famous American songwriter Lorenz Hart, who is drinking alone (well, with the bartender) on the opening night of his ex-musical-collaborator’s new show Oklahoma! He has allegedly recovered from the alcoholism that sank his career… though keeps ordering “just one more,” as the film progresses. He is hung up on a beautiful young Yale student and can’t stop talking about her.

The score is primarily diegetic, as a young soldier/pianist plays some of Hart’s more famous songs from the corner of the bar. The conversations are incredibly witty, though this movie will still make your heart ache—in typical Linklater style. We watch helplessly as a man desperately denies that he is no longer relevant, and no woman (or man—Hawke plays a very bisexual Hart) is in love with him. I love love love this film (it's in my Letterboxd top four) but this is the kind of movie some chastise for “nothing happening.” Talking happens—lots of it—and that's plenty for me.

The Secret Agent (2025) — $20 (eek!)

dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil

“Need an entire movie about the leg” — flynnslicker, Letterboxd

Nominations for Best Picture, Actor, International Feature Film, and Casting

Awesome. This movie really raised my heart-rate. Set in 1977 Brazil, it follows Wagner Moura’s character Armano as he attempts to flee persecution in a time of military dictatorship. It takes place during the chaotic week of carnival celebrations where he is housed by a badass anarcho-communist grandma and then assumes a new identity. Before getting out of dodge, Armano (now Marcelo) is desperate to find a document that proves his dead mother existed.

This movie had me crying (shocker), but also laughing a lot! The carnival setting offers some incredible set and costume design. The soundtrack is banger after banger. The storyline is non-linear, jumping between Armano’s 1977 life and a present-day student listening to his covertly-recorded testimony. It takes such an interesting approach to presenting the climax of a story. Moura gives an incredible performance, as does every other actor in the film. An astonishing depiction of political resistance. 

It Was Just an Accident (2025) — $15 (minor eek!)

dir. Jafar Panahi, Iran

“squeak” — davidlsims, Letterboxd

Nominations for Best Original Screenplay and International Feature Film

I’m running over word count, so I’ll just say this—It Was Just an Accident offers the strongest ending to a film released last year. Five stars. Director Jafar Panahi faced political persecution for making this, so honour his efforts and go watch it. I think this film is best enjoyed if you go in blind. 

Honorable Mentions 

The big dogs of Best Picture contention, Sinners and One Battle After Another, are also available to rent on Arovision for $8 a pop. In the end, OBAA won this battle and took home the Oscar for Best Picture. It also snagged the most trophies of the night with six awards overall. Sinners came out with four, though it made history as the most Oscar nominated movie ever. While I’ll never forgive how he treated Fiona Apple, PTA is my favourite director and I think these wins were a long time coming. Best Picture easily could have gone either way, though.