The Academy has just announced the 15 films on the shortlist for Best Documentary, and glaringly absent from the list is Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story. It’s a surprising omission (Moore did submit the film) since he won this category with 2002’s Bowling for Columbine. For the most part, though, it’s a good group of films. After ignoring Bill Maher’s Religulous last year, the documentary branch has included several commercially successful entries, like The Cove, Every Little Step, and Valentino: The Last Emperor. The rest of the shortlist: The Beaches of Agnes, Burma VJ, Facing Ali, Food Inc., Garbage Dreams, Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, Mugabe and the White African, Sergio, Soundtrack for a Revolution, Under Our Skin, and Which Way Home.
A few other worthy contenders that didn’t make the cut: Anvil! The Story of Anvil, Tyson, and Afghan Star. And of course, This Is It, which wasn’t submitted in time but is eligible for Best Picture.
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Food Inc. is my pick. Great movie.
What!!! No “It Might Get Loud”? The music documentary that has the iconic gutiarists of different generaltions Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White? Ok The Academy blew this one.
Re “This is It” : wasn’t submitted in time or wasn’t eligible because it opened past this year’s deadline? There’s a difference, you know.
Was “The September Issue” eligible?
Should have been, T.J: It first screened at Sundance in January and had its theatrical release in September. Sad to not see it listed here.
What, no Anvil?
Can’t say I am shedding a tear over Moore’s omission…go Food Inc.!
The September Issue is a glaring oversight if it was eligible. Brilliant documentary that really dug underneath the fashion industry.
Too bad Outrage isn’t on the list. Great film.
I loved it!! Maybe it will get an Emmy nom since it was on HBO.
OUTRAGE was the best HBO film this year, exposing those who yell the loudest and are themselves the ones they yell against
no Good Hair?
I knew “Anvil!” wouldn’t win, but it’s not even on the short list. Come on. That was a good movie, and to see those guys at the oscars would’ve been great. Don’t really care about “Capitalism” though.
So glad that Every Little Step and Valentino made the list; two of the year’s best film’s. Every Little Step is second only to (500) Days of Summer for me
Hear, hear! ELS was just fantastic.
I loved ELS and Valentino. ELS: Great drama, emotion, talent, stories etc…echoed beautifully the actual musical. Valentino: The pugs, the pugs!
ELS was fantastic!!! So interesting and moving…I cried
Finally they recognized that a documentary is supposed to have some form of accuracy in it as opposed to Moore’s “Fakeumentaries” in which he just picks and chooses his facts or makes them up.
I have heard good things about Food Inc. but I haven’t seen it.
Why should documentaries have to follow that rule when the news channels don’t?
No Good Hair or the September Issue wow two of the one with actual buzz but they weren’t all that great
The Cove should absolutely win.
Mugabe and the White African is a movie that must be seen.