Culture Crash: Academy Award Nods

The Academy Awards Best Picture lineup is here and it stands in contrast to previous years which would frequently include titles that were difficult for audiences to see. For instance, maybe a movie or two would still be in limited release or stuck in no-man’s-land between theatrical release and home video. But with theatrical exclusivity deals shorter than ever before, this year’s lineup is comprised mostly of movies that can be watched from home right now, many on streaming services people may already have access to.

HBO Max subscribers can right now check out Banshees of Inisherin, which is a personal favorite of mine full of wonderful performances led by Colin Farrell, and Elvis, which is my least favorite of this year’s nominees, but is widely acclaimed regardless. 

Meanwhile, Paramount+ is currently streaming two blockbuster hits in Top Gun: Maverick and Everything Everywhere All at Once, which is a truly unique Academy movie about a family’s exploration across the multiverse that is also streaming on Showtime. 

Netflix subscribers can watch the harrowing war nominee All Quiet on the Western Front, and Peacock users can watch Tár, an intense character study with an all-timer lead performance from Cate Blanchett.

So that is 6 of the 10 nominees, leaving The Fabelmans and Triangle of Sadness, which are both available on VOD platforms, and finally Avatar: The Way of Water and Women Talking, which are still running only in theaters.

All 10 of these movies are worth watching, and the good news is watching the Best Picture nominees has never been more accessible. There’s never been a better year to catch up at home and fall in love with a nominee or two to root for on Oscar Sunday.