‘The Power of the Dog’ leads Oscar nominations with 12 nods

BY JOHN JURGENSEN | UPDATED FEB 08, 2022 08:59 AM EST

The 2022 Academy Awards are set for March, following another year in which the pandemic reshaped the moviegoing experience

“The Power of the Dog" scored 12 Oscar nominations Tuesday, including nods for best director and best picture. The psychological Western from director Jane Campion received the most nominations among films in the running for the 94th Academy Awards scheduled for March 27, giving Netflix a shot at its first-ever win for best picture.

The sci-fi epic “Dune" and period drama “Belfast" also led with 10 and seven nominations, respectively.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences committed to a field of 10 nominees for best picture, instead of a number that fluctuated from year to year. The goal was to capture a broader range of films in the most prestigious category. The nominees for best picture are: “Belfast," “CODA," “Don’t Look Up," “Drive My Car," “Dune," “King Richard," “Licorice Pizza," “Nightmare Alley," “The Power of the Dog," and “West Side Story."

Now the field is set for a second Oscars saddled with the baggage of Covid-19. The pandemic continues to force the issue of what movies people actually want to watch, and where. Hollywood’s biggest night is the focal point of a debate about the value of movies, both commercially and as a source of common ground in culture. In 2021 the Oscars went from a ritual of arguable relevance to one in real crisis with a 58% drop in viewers.