It's that time again! Awards season is now upon us, with some of cinema's most gifted directors, actors, cinematographers, screenwriters, composers, costume and VFX artists, and beyond being rightly recognized for their talents and contributions to art and film over the past year. With the nominees now announced, the deliberations just beginning, and the final ballots still to be cast, we've now got a few weeks to wait until the big night's winners are finally revealed.
So, here are some listening recommendations to keep you company while you place your bets on those winner brackets and plan that Best Picture-themed cocktail and charcuterie board for your awards night soiree. (Our picks for best nibbles: Everything Bagel Bites for Everything Everywhere All at Once and Hound Dogs-in-a-Blanket for Elvis ... but maybe skip the, er, finger food for Banshees of Inisherin.)
If you loved Everything Everywhere All at Once, try this heartrending tale of a woman exploring all the lives that could have been, discovering the value of finding love, joy, and meaning amidst life's trials and imperfections.
If you loved The Banshees of Inisherin, this radiant Man Booker Prize winner about an Irish widower returning to the seaside town of his youth is a must-listen meditation on life, death, memory, and what we leave behind.
If you loved Tár, revisit the drama and intensity of the orchestra pit with this nonfic account from renowned conductor John Mauceri, a listen that explores all the passions and intangible magic of making music.
If you loved Triangle of Sadness, dive into this similarly satirical take on influencer culture and beauty-driven consumerism, an unfiltered skewering of social media fame and fodder.
If you loved Women Talking, immerse yourself deeper in the story by listening to the poignant novel that inspired it, a fictional account of the real-life assaults of more than 100 Mennonite women and girls.
If you loved Top Gun: Maverick, get the inside scoop on the real TOPGUN Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor school—and everything from dogfights to the decks of aircraft carriers—from founder Dan Pedersen.
If you loved Elvis, don't miss this memoir from Presley's former wife, Priscilla, who intimately recounts their relationship, from the first time they met to the deep affection that lives on long after the King's untimely death.
If you loved Avatar: The Way of Water for its themes of colonialism, environmentalism, and anti-militarism, try Ursula K. Le Guin's sci-fi classic about the mystical planet Athshe and the conquerors who would see it destroyed.
If you loved The Fabelmans for Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical focus on adolescence and the magic of filmmaking, you might enjoy movie legend Akira Kurosawa's account of growing up, creating art, and making it big.
If you loved All Quiet on the Western Front, revisit the anti-war classic that served as the movie's muse, a novel that laid bare the atrocities of war and the lasting effects on those forced to endure them.
If you loved Babylon for its decadent exploration of all things Golden Age Hollywood, this heavily-researched, long-running podcast on the forgotten yarns of the industry's first century is a must-follow.
If you loved The Whale for its shattering examination of loneliness, isolation, and the fortitude of the human spirit, this devastating yet deeply compassionate character study is sure to captivate.
If you loved Blonde, give its source material a listen. Joyce Carol Oates's historical fiction aims to dismantle the mythology of Marilyn and leave an unsparing portrait of Norma Jeane in its wake.
If you loved Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, delve deeper into the lore of Wakanda with this anthology, featuring stories from Tananarive Due and Nikki Giovanni, read by JD Jackson and Joy Sunday.
If you loved Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in all its twisty hilarity, this kidlit whodunit is sure to appeal, with its own cast of eccentric, mismatched characters and zany millionaire at its center.
If you loved Navalny for the documentary's focus on the intricacies of Russian politics and corruption, this National Book Award-winning title will deepen your understanding of autocracy and activism throughout the nation's history.
If you loved All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, learn more about the rise and fall of the infamous Sackler dynasty in this utterly engrossing and infuriating listen, which fearlessly explores the origins of the opioid epidemic.
If you loved A House Made of Splinters for its stirring study of children forced to mature all too soon in a nation marred by conflict and thoughts on the notion of home, you'll be moved by this harrowing memoir from a young Ukrainian refugee.
If you loved Close for its deft analysis of male friendship and intimacy in a culture rocked by a fraught concept of masculinity, Max Dickins's personal journey offers additional insights into men's faltering relationships.
If you loved Fire of Love for its glimpse into the passion shared by volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, you might also love this listen, recounting the complex working and romantic relationship between physicists Marie and Pierre Curie.
If you loved Argentina, 1985, revisit the historical world of the film with this novel from Argentine writer Patricio Pron, which centers both personal and collective memory to consider the lasting legacy of oppressors and resistors alike.
If you loved All That Breathes for the film's contemplation of how ecosystems intersect and its reverence for avian species, this listen from the author of The Genius of Birds sheds more light on the complex lives and communities of birds.
If you loved Aftersun for the portrayal of a young girl's perception and internalization of a parent's pain, teenage protagonist Nao's perspective on her depressed, socially secluded father will also emotionally resonate.
If you loved Empire of Light for how it dealt with identity and sexuality within a narrative celebrating cinema, try this listen, which muses on similar themes with a different angle, focusing on two female filmmakers.
If you loved Living, listen to the Tolstoy novella that inspired both Kurosawa's Ikiru and this British adaptation. Then, check out anything from Living's screenwriter, the brilliant Kazuo Ishiguro.
If you loved Causeway for its authentic portrayal of PTSD as it afflicts soldiers of today and the reality of what awaits vets when they return home, this gutting novel of the Iraq war touches a similar nerve.
If you loved The Quiet Girl, listen to the novel that served as the basis for the film, a touching coming-of-age story set in 1980s rural Ireland that captures the shattering of a child's world.
If you loved The Batman for its study of the psyche of a young, tortured Bruce Wayne, get in touch with the Dark Knight's mind using this smart, insightful work of criticism.
If you loved To Leslie and how it handled the throes of alcoholism and the impact of addiction, try this crushing portrait of dependency and the ghosts it leaves behind.
If you loved Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, continue your abstract existential journey with this kaleidoscope of a novel from the master of the surreal.
If you loved Eo and find yourself yearning for more donkey-centric expeditions and travelogues, this listen, a story of travels with a donkey named Gribouille, is full of the same heart and depth of soul.
If you loved Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio and its imaginative retelling of a fable told many times in many ways, return to the folktale that inspired it all, brilliantly told through the performance of Simon Vance.
If you loved Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, creator (and the voice of Marcel himself) Jenny Slate's delightfully strange collection of quirky essays, at once magical, musical, and tenderhearted, is a must-listen.
If you loved Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and are looking for a lighter listen starring the shoed feline, this Audie-winning tale set to music, with a full cast led by the incomparable Jim Dale, is sure to delight.
If you loved The Sea Beast for its whimsical rendering of the monster hunting story and a lead youngster troubled by loss, this fresh kidlit adventure is the perfect match—a fun fantasy romp with a bright outlook.
If you loved Turning Red for its thoughts on growing up and its dynamic cast of gloriously awkward tweens, this delightful installment continues the everyday escapades of Meilin and her offbeat pals.
