(NAPSI)—An Oscar nomination signifies that a movie is among the years best. Although the emblematic statuette stands just slightly above 13 inches, it reigns supreme as the motion picture industrys greatest honor.

The competition is tough. According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a total of 265 films are eligible for consideration in the 2011 Academy Awards competition. In the original movie score category alone, there are 97 musical scores from eligible feature-length movies in contention for nominations. Awards are presented for outstanding individual or collective efforts in up to 25 categories.

Movie critics and cinephiles are already placing their bets on who will win Oscar gold, while the average movie buff may still have some serious catching up to do before making any educated predictions. In fact, ReelzChannels popular critic Leonard Maltin just issued The 11 Best Films You May Have Missed In 2011. But theres good news for enthusiasts who want to join the fun. Without ever leaving the house, and with the push of a button, Movies on Demand on cable means they can discover or relive some of the finest films in cinematic history throughout the awards season.

Oscar prognosticators can easily find out whats currently available and whats coming soon to Movies on Demand at www.rentmoviesondemand.com. Current buzz-generating flicks such as The Help, Bridesmaids, Midnight in Paris, along with past winning greats such as Slumdog Millionaire, Erin Brockovich, The Pianist and Million Dollar Baby, are among thousands of films available on Movies on Demand on cable.

In addition, many of the latest films are also on MOD, weeks before they can be rented on DVD and years before they become available via legal streaming subscription services. Plus, theres no waiting in line at a vending machine or waiting for a movie to arrive in the mail.

A few of the new titles now playing on Movies on Demand include Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt as Oakland As general manager Billy Beane, who assembles a successful baseball team on a budget, and Real Steel, in which Hugh Jackman turns a discarded robot into a boxing champ. Two young sisters befriend an invisible entity that lives in their home in Paranormal Activity 3. And Seth Rogen and Bryce Dallas Howard star in a comedic tale with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose chances of beating cancer are 50/50.

Lights, camera, action! Its time for a close-up. Its Oscar season, the Super Bowl of movies.

 

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