If its leading 13 nominations are any guide, Oppenheimer is going to have a big night at the Academy Awards on March 10. Christopher Nolan and his cast and crew aren’t the only ones who could be in for a special evening, though. Nerds like us could also have plenty of reasons to celebrate, too. Many genre films, geeky movies, and pop culture stalwarts earned nods across various Oscar categories. Which ones? We already told you that, but now we’re here to really get you ready for Hollywood’s biggest event. We’ve put together a list of where you can watch every nerdy nominee ahead of the Oscars telecast.
Barbie – Stream on Max
Mattel might have produced Barbie, a movie based on its own toy, but there’s no doubt it still qualifies as a true nerdy film. From Weird Barbie to “I’m Just Ken,” this was right up our alley. (An alley millions and millions of others also love, too.)
You can see why it earned more than a billion dollars at the box office and eight nominations over at Max. That’s also where you can see why it’s so absurd that director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie didn’t earn recognition in their individual categories.
Oppenheimer – Stream on Peacock (Starting February 16)
Christopher Nolan has plenty of nerd cred to last a lifetime. Only he’s not why Oppenheimer makes the cut for this specific list. That honor goes to the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. The combined shared release power of Oppenheimer and Barbie created an organic pop culture event. The films reignited a passion for movie theaters that brought together both diehard and casual cinema fans alike.
Oppenheimer turned everyone into a movie nerd, and you can be one too by streaming the favorite to win Best Picture at Peacock.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Stream on Netflix
The Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse showed us “anyone can wear the mask.” However, if you want to stream its sequel, you need a Netflix account. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, our prediction to win 2024’s Best Animated Feature category, is available at the site. At least, that’s where you’ll find this gorgeous film in this universe.
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny – Stream on Disney+
Harrison Ford’s farewell to his iconic character brought him on an adventure through time itself. If you have time to see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny before the Academy Awards, you can watch the Oscar-nominated film on Disney+. The film earned the legendary John Williams a nod for Best Original Score, his 54th Oscar nomination (the most of anyone alive and second most ever).
The Creator – Stream on Hulu
We called Gareth Edwards’ The Creator “ one of the most visually impressive science fiction movies” ever made. Clearly, the Academy agreed. It earned a nomination for Best Visual Effects, as well as one for Best Sound. You can see (and hear) why at Hulu, where the John David Washington-led film is streaming.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – Stream on Paramount+
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning has dropped “Part One” from its title. But just as a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, one of the best action movies ever is just as incredible under any other title. It was also good enough to earn Oscar nominations for both VFX and Sound. Find out why at Paramount+.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 – Stream on Disney+
James Gunn has left the MCU behind to lead the new DCU, but he bid farewell to Marvel Studios with a moving goodbye. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 gave the group as we know it an emotional sendoff. But the Guardians’ story isn’t over just yet. Their swan song is up for a Visual Effects Oscar in 2024. It’s also available to watch at Disney+.
Poor Things – Streaming on Hulu (Starting on March 7)
We’re always excited for a fresh take on Mary Shelley’s seminal Frankenstein, but it’s even better when an original interpretation is as good as Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, starring Emma Stone. The movie earned the second-most 2024 nominations at eleven. Poor Things will begin streaming on Hulu on March 7 and is also available now for digital purchase.
Godzilla Minus One – Watch in Theaters
Godzilla Minus One looks like it must have cost hundreds of millions of dollars to make. Yet somehow, it had an operating budget under $15 million. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences found that just as impressive as the rest of us, nominating the film for Best VFX. That’s not the only reason to see this fantastic movie, though. You can see why it was a word-of-mouth hit in the U.S. by checking out the movie on the big screen in theaters.
The Boy and the Heron – Watch in Theaters
Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki could direct an animated insurance commercial, and we’d stop everything we’re doing to see it. Multiple times. Instead, he gave us something far better, a beautiful story that might be his final animated film ever. If you want to see why the iconic director’s The Boy and the Heron is also his most successful in America, ever, you can watch this Oscar-nominated adventure in movie theaters.
Like all these Oscar-nominated nerdy films, it’s worth it.
Originally published on January 24, 2024.