With Oscar nominations scheduled to be announced Feb. 8, it’s time to catch up on some of the contenders.

Once again, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted awards ceremonies. The Grammys are rescheduled to April 3.

The 94th Academy Awards, typically held in February, are to be held March 27 in the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles. Voting for Oscar nominations begins Jan. 27 and concludes Feb. 1.

Oscar nomination eligibility rules were changed to allow films to debut on streaming services rather than to have to be first exhibited theatrically by the end of the year, in this instance, 2021.

With the discredited Golden Globes less of a factor in 2022 Oscar predictions, the Screen Actors Guild nominations, announced Jan. 12, often a predictor, are even more pertinent.

Oscar contenders in various categories include: writer-director Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical “Belfast”; director Jane Campion’s “The Power Of The Dog”; director Joel Coen revisiting “The Tragedy Of Macbeth,” starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand; Will Smith’s portrayal of the father of Venus and Serena Williams in “King Richard”; director Steven Spielberg’s revival of the Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim classic musical, “West Side Story”; Wes Anderson’s miniaturist tribute to the New Yorker magazine, “French Dispatch”; Kristen Stewart’s amazing turn as Princess Diana in “Spencer”; director Denis Villeneuve’s epic reinterpretation of the sci-fi epic, “Dune,” starring Timothee Chalamet and Oscar Isaac; “CODA,” a film about and starring deaf actors, including Troy Kotsur and actress Marlee Matlin, and “Respect,” the Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson.

The year 2021 was a great year at the movies topped off by the boffo box office, as they used to say, of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” starring that dynamic duo, Tom Holland and Zendaya.

It was also a year when Daniel Craig took his final turn as James Bond in “No Time To Die,” and Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss were back in “The Matrix Resurrections,” directed by Lana Wachowski.

Here are capsule reviews of three movies that are Oscar categories contenders: “Licorice Pizza,” “House Of Gucci” and “Tick Tick, Boom.”

“Licorice Pizza”

“Licorice Pizza” writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson’s revelatory work is, by turns, laugh-out-loud funny, and sadly honest as it cuts to the core of teen-age (and all age groups) angst and what it takes, or doesn’t take, to survive in a relationship. The film is tough and tender.

At the center of the naturalistic, slice-of-life film are the performances of Alana Haim (Alana Kaine), of the rock trio with her sisters, Haim, and Cooper Hoffman (Gary Valentine), a SAG supporting actor nominee and son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.

The narrative fictional film, set in 1972 in the San Fernando Valley, Calif., runs the gamut of fads, facts and fancy, with wonderful art direction in fashion, architecture and autos of the era, including water beds, pinball, the oil crisis and a soundtrack of the exuberance emblematic of the last great decade ever. The episodic roman a clef screenplay makes for a film that is just a lot of fun. The title refers to a former chain of record stores in southern California.

Bradley Cooper, a supporting actor SAG nominee for the role, makes more of an impression in his brief scenes as hair stylist Jon Peters than he does in his role in the entire “Nightmare Alley.”

Sean Penn is totally silly as an aging Hollywood movie star.

And then there’s the cameo by Tom Waits in his gravel-throated glory.

“Licorice Pizza” may not be to everyone’s taste. Even so, give it a spin.

“Licorice Pizza,”

MPAA rated R (Restricted Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.) for language, sexual material and some drug use; Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Run time: 2 hours, 13 minutes. Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes

“House of Gucci”

Ridley Scott directed not one but two impressive films released theatrically in 2021, “The Last Duel,” starring Matt Damon and Adam Driver, and “House of Gucci.”

Lady Gaga (Patrizia Reggiani), a SAG actress nominee for the role in “House of Gucci,” is extraordinary as the scorned wife of Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver). Driver turns in another solid performance.

The screenplay is based on the 2001 book, “The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed,” by Sara Gay Forden. The title just about says it all about the movie, too.

In the film, the actors are introduced in waves, with Jeremy Irons (Rodolfo Gucci), in a role of steely reserve; Al Pacino (Aldo Gucci), as a loosey-goosey rogue, and Jared Leto (Paolo Gucci), a SAG supporting actor nominee for the role, as an over-the-top flamboyant fashion designer wannabe.

The film is “The Godfather” of the fashion world. It’s a guilty-pleasure, fly-on-the-wall, cautionary tale about the international glam world of high fashion, high finance and high living.

“House of Gucci” rises to the operatic proportions of tragedy. Crimes of fashion become true-life crimes. The Gucci family is portrayed as a house of cards. All fall down, through the lens of the film.

Ridley Scott has tailored, fashioned and turned out a tale that draped in the seven deadly sins, and probably one or two more.

“House of Gucci” not only hits the runway, it takes off.

“House of Gucci,”

MPAA rated R (Restricted Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.) for language, some sexual content, and brief nudity and violence; Genre: Crime, Drama; Run time: 2 hours, 38 minutes. Released by United Artists Releasing.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes

“Tick, Tick ... Boom!”

Lin-Manuel Miranda (playwright, “Hamilton,” “In The Heights”) makes his theatrical motion picture directorial debut with panache, heart and soul.

The semi-autobiographical film, based on the stage musical of the same title by Jonathan Larson, is about the life and struggles of New York City playwright Larson, who wrote the musical, “Rent.” The title, “Tick, Tick ... Boom!” refers to the creative process of Larson as he faces his 30th birthday.

Larson is played with incredible energy, charm and chutzpah by Andrew Garfield, a SAG actor nominee for the role.

Memorable in supporting roles are Alexandra Shipp (Susan Wilson, Jonathan’s girlfriend); Robin de Jesús (Michael, Jonathan’s best friend); Vanessa Hudgens (Karessa Johnson, Jonathan’s friend), and Judith Light (Rosa Stevens, Jonathan’s agent).

Miranda makes a commanding debut as a theatrical film director. He opens up the film, literally in a scene at the Moonrise Diner. Scenes flows seamlessly from drama to song, with Garfield singing and dancing from scene to scene.

“Tick, Tick ... Boom!” is a nice companion piece to Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” There’s even a cameo by Stephen Sondheim (played by Bradley Whitford) with the real voice of Sondheim heard on the soundtrack on a telephone answering machine.

If you’re a fan of Andrew Garfield, the work of Lin-Manuel Miranda and the plays of Jonathan Larson, don’t miss “Tick, Tick ... Boom!”

“Tick, Tick ... Boom!,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.) for some strong language, some suggestive material and drug references; Genre: Biography, Drama, Sound; Run time: 1 hour, 56 minutes. Distributed by Netflix.

Four Popcorn Boxes Out of Five Popcorn Boxes

Theatrical Movie Box Office,

Jan.14-16: “Scream” scared Spider-Man from his one-month No. 1 perch with $30.6 million in 3,664 theaters, as “Spider-Man: No Way Home” dropped one place to No. 2, with $20.8 million in 3,925 theaters, $698.7 million, five weeks.

3. ”Sing 2” dropped one place, $8.2 million, in 3,581 theaters, $119.3 million, four weeks. 4. “The 355” dropped one place, $2.3 million, in 3,145 theaters, $8.4 million, two weeks. 5. “The King’s Man” dropped one place, $2.3 million, in 2,510 theaters, $28.6 million, four weeks. 6. “Belle,” opening, $1.6 million, in 1,326 theaters. 7. “American Underdog” dropped two places, $1.6 million, number of theaters unavailable at press time, $21 million, four weeks. 8. “West Side Story” dropped one place, $948,000, in 1,460 theaters, $33.7 million, six weeks. 9. “Licorice Pizza” stayed in place, $883,000, in 772 theaters, $9.5 million, eight weeks. 10. “The Matrix Resurrections” dropped four places, $815,000, in 1,725 theaters, $35.8 million, four weeks.

Box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Jan. 16 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Jan. 21:

“Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre,”

No MPAA rating: Guy Ritchie directs: Jason Statham, Josh Hartnett, Hugh Grant and Cary Elwes in the Action, Comedy, Thriller. A special agent recruits a Hollywood movie star for an undercover mission.

“Redeeming Love,”

PG-13: D.J. Caruso directs Abigail Cowen, Tom Lewis, Famke Janssen and Logan Marshall-Green in the History, Drama, Romance. The movie about the betrayal of a young woman is based on the novel by Francine Rivers.

“The King’s Daughter,”

PG: Sean McNamara directs Pierce Brosnan, William Hurt, Benjamin Walker and Kaya Scodelario in the Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Romance. King Louis XIV quests for immortality.

Movie theatrical opening dates as of Jan. 16 are subject to change.