March 13, 2026

WIFF’S WEEKEND WATCH LIST — 3/13

Check out our recommendations of what to watch this weekend.

oscar nomination record setter

ben-hur

Vincent Georgie: This year’s Sinners now holds the all-time record for the most Oscar nominations (16). Prior to this, Ben-Hur was among a small handful of films to hold the previous nomination record (14).

Synopsis: An epic drama about an aristocratic Jew living in Judaea who incurs the wrath of a childhood friend, now a Roman tribune. Although forced into slavery on a galley and compelled to witness the cruel persecution of his family, he survives, harbouring dreams of vengeance. A battle at sea and a chariot race are among the memorable sequences. The film used 300 sets at Rome’s Cinecitta Studios and won a record 11 Oscars.

Available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

oscar nominated casts

silver linings playbook

Vincent Georgie: Sentimental Value achieved the rare milestone this year by earning acting Oscar nominations for all 4 actors in its main cast. In 2012, David O. Russell’s memorable dramedy achieved a similar feat for its 4 actors, including Best Actress Winner Jennifer Lawrence.

Synopsis: After losing his job and wife, and spending time in a mental institution, Pat Solatano winds up living with his parents. He wants to rebuild his life and reunite with his wife, but his parents would be happy if he just shared their obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles. Things get complicated when Pat meets Tiffany, who offers to help him reconnect with his wife, if he will do something very important for her in exchange.

Available on Apple TV, Crave, Plex, and Amazon Prime.

oscar speeches

goodfellas

Vincent Georgie: While Joe Pesci was unforgettable as the chatty, volatile gangster Tommy DeVito in Scorsese’s masterpiece, his Best Supporting Actor Oscar speech was the shortest in history: 5 words (“It’s my privilege. Thank you.”)

Synopsis: Henry Hill knows only too well that he must put the Mob’s interests before everything, even his family, but when the good times turn sour, his loyalties dissolve in the face of greater rewards. Faced with a terrible retribution, Hill can see only one way to get out alive.

Available on Apple TV, Crave, and Amazon Prime.

DOUBLE FEATURE

oscar dynasties

Vincent Georgie: Hollywood has a few families that are considered multi-generational royalty. This includes the Huston family (actor/grandfather Walter; filmmaker/father John; actress/daughter Anjelica and actor/son Danny). John remains the only filmmaker ever to direct both his father (in the first film) and daughter (in the second film) to Oscars.

the treasure of the sierra madre

In this classic adventure film, two rough-and-tumble wanderers, Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and Curtin (Tim Holt), meet up with a veteran prospector, Howard (Walter Huston), in Mexico and head into the Sierra Madre mountains to find gold. Although they discover treasure, they also find plenty of trouble, not only from ruthless bandits lurking in the dangerous Mexican wilderness but from their own insecurities and greed, which threaten to bring conflict at any moment.

Available on Apple TV, YouTube, and Amazon Prime.

prizzi’s honor

For Charley Partanna (Jack Nicholson), life in the Prizzi family is good as long as he honors the wishes of the Godfather (William Hickey). Partanna is respected for ruthlessly carrying out murder contracts, but his wise-talking Brooklyn existence is turned on its head when he falls for a beautiful hit woman (Kathleen Turner) from the West Coast. He follows her back to California, balancing work commitments and his love interest until a new contract makes things difficult.