Culture Crash: 2022 Best Picture Nominees

Oscar nominations were recently released and, as tends to be the case, there are some movies up for Best Picture that many people likely haven’t seen, but don’t worry, the ceremony isn’t until March 27, so there’s time to catch up.

A lot of the movies are actually currently available at home. Don’t Look Up, a comedic look at ignoring scientists, on Netflix, as is The Power of the Dog, a slow-burn western about a cruel rancher. Coda, the tender story of a hearing girl in an otherwise deaf family, is on Apple TV+. Nightmare Alley, about a wayward carny, is on HBO Max and Hulu.

Other nominees – Belfast, Dune and King Richard – are available on video on demand. Belfast is Kenneth Branagh’s recollection of a childhood set against the troubles in Ireland. Dune is a big, blockbuster-y adaptation of the sci-fi classic from Frank Herbert, and King Richard is an account of Richard Williams as he raised two tennis superstars in Venus and Serena Williams.

And then you’d be left with just three more nominees – Drive My Car, Licorice Pizza and West Side Story – that are only in theaters. Drive My Car is a Japanese film about a chauffeur, Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age film set in the 1970s San Fernando Valley, and West Side Story is a Tony Kushner and Steven Spielberg adaptation of the classic musical.

Ten nominees for Best Picture is a lot, but the good news is that if you want to go down a Best Picture rabbit hole, you have plenty of chances to get started at home.