For movie lovers everywhere, March 27 is going to be the annual highlight, the Oscars. You know the drill: Every year, the top ten movies are nominated for the ultimate prize, a Best Picture Academy Award. A list of this year’s ten can be found below. The titles this year are as varied as ever, from a stark Montana period piece to an adaptation of a classic sci-fi novel, to a biopic about raising the two biggest sibling tennis stars in history. Hopefully, some of the nominated films are among your favorites. Here are three of the front runners of this year’s nominees.

Even before its release on Netflix in December 2021, people were ecstatic about “Don’t Look Up” simply due to the impeccable, star-studded cast. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Meryl Streep, and more, this film has viewers questioning how its messages may relate to their own lives and the overall state of the planet. During the course of “Don’t Look Up,” Dr. Randall Mindy (DiCaprio) and one of his graduate students, Kate Dibiasky (Lawrence) discover a massive comet heading straight towards Earth in as little as six months. The twist? The entire planet seems to disregard this devastating information, even if it may mean everyone and everything’s demise, because when in doubt, denial is the best answer, right? In the end, it’s up to Dr. Mindy, Dibiasky, and a few others to not only try and change the trajectory of the comet but also to try to get everyone to just look up. If you’re interested, there’s still time to watch “Don’t Look Up” on Netflix before the Oscars. It should be noted, however, that this film is rated R, so any viewers should be 17 or older.

Everyone knows about sibling tennis superstars Serena and Venus Williams. However, not everyone knows their story, which is where “King Richard” comes into play. “King Richard” was released in November 2021, and is based on the two sisters, Venus and Serena (their younger selves played by Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton), as well as their parents, specifically their father (portrayed by the phenomenal Will Smith) and his investment in showing the world what his two daughters were truly capable of. The movie follows Richard Williams and his daughters as he drives them from tennis court to tennis court in Compton, California trying to get other people to believe in his children the way he does. He is incredibly tenacious and courageous in his persistence in continuously asking entirely white tennis clubs and coaches to watch his daughters play and give them a chance in an incredibly white sport. He sees a magnificent future for the two of them, and as they grow up, they begin to see the same future for themselves as well. How far will they be able to go in their respective tennis careers even as people try to knock them down? For anyone who’d like to watch, “King Richard” is rated PG-13 and is available to buy or rent on Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu, and more.

If you’re someone who loves a good indie film, then make sure to watch “Licorice Pizza” (if you’re 17 or older due to its R rating) before March 27, as it is yet another of the Best Picture nominees. “Licorice Pizza” is a nostalgic and humorous coming-of-age film set in the San Fernando Valley. It follows Alana Kane and Gary Valentine, played by Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman respectively, as they make sense of falling in love in the early 70s, with guest appearances from A-list actors Bradley Cooper and Sean Penn.
In addition to the three great films above, seven other Oscar-worthy movies will be vying for Hollywood’s most prestigious award. For the full lineup of nominees, check out the list below, and don’t forget to tune in on March 27th for the 94th annual Academy Awards.

Released as of Feb. 8, 2022, on the official Oscars website, the ten Best Picture nominees are:
“Belfast”
“CODA”
“Don’t Look Up”
“Drive My Car”
“Dune”
“King Richard”
“Licorice Pizza”
“Nightmare Alley”
“The Power of the Dog”
“Westside Story”

Nominees from Oscar’s website: https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2022