Academy Award Documentary Shortlist

I have seen more documentaries in 2017 than any other year (I am currently at 47 for the year), and looking at the 15 films shortlisted by the Academy to compete for the documentary Oscar a few things stand out. The first I’ve seen 10 of the 15 (I have not had a chance to see Unrest, Long Strange Trip or Ex Libris – I could have travelled far to see Jane, and have so far skipped Human Flow – not because I don’t want to see it, but because it hasn’t fit into my schedule as of yet). The second is that this is a fairly predictable list, which is fairly strong – a lot of familiar names get shortlisted here, but there are notable omissions.

 

One thing I will point out is that I am somewhat surprised (pleasantly so) that Abacus: Small Enough to Jail made the list. I think it’s one of the best docs of the year, but the Academy doesn’t exactly have a strong history with director Steve James – they famously did not nominate his masterpiece Hoop Dreams, and they didn’t shortlist his widely loved Roger Ebert doc – Life Itself, or his acclaimed The Interrupters. Perhaps it’s finally his year. I was also pleasantly surprised that they shortlisted Frederick Wiseman’s Ex Libris – no, I haven’t seen it (and if the pattern of Wiseman holds true, I may never see it) – but I have seen quite a bit of his work, he is an absolute legend, and he has rarely been recognized. The only negative surprise for me in the inclusions is An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power – which is hardly a horrible movie, but isn’t particularly good either. This feels more like a rubber stamp approval to Al Gore than based on the film itself, which was largely greeted with a shrug.

 

Of the films I have seen on the shortlist, I like Chasing Coral, City of Ghosts, Icarus and Last Me in Aleppo just fine – all are solid film that I like them a great deal, even if they are not among my favorites of the year. I would be interested to know why they went with City of Ghosts and Last Men in Aleppo and not Cries from Syria – which was my favorite of three – but all were fine films (and watch for Icarus – a suddenly very timely doc, with Russian being banned from the Olympics).

 

I do really like the aforementioned Abacus, LA 92, One of Us and Strong Island – and Faces Place is my favorite doc of the year. All of them deserve their spots on the list, and would make a fine lineup (although considering I do love Brett Morgan, I wouldn’t be surprised if once I see Jane, it shoots up this list as well).

 

As for the films I wish would have been included and were not, here goes. Casting JonBenet is one of the strangest, most innovative docs of the year (but I seem to be in the minority on that one), Let it Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992, is at least the equal of L.A. 92 – and I would love to have seen them both on the list, The Work is a stunning documentary, and I cannot believe they missed it (I have to think they didn’t see that one, because it seems up their alley), the cat documentary Kedi is beloved, Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond is a fascinating look at acting, and Dawson City: Frozen Time is a great history lesson – and film history lesson – and I would loved to have seen it listed.

 

Other notable films that I liked, and I thought may break into the list that didn’t include Step, Whose Streets? and Nobody Speak: Trails of the Free Press – all of which are good, and I thought may be timely (or popular) enough to crack the list, but didn’t.

 

My predicted five nominees would be this:

 

City of Ghosts

Faces Places

Human Flow

Icarus

Jane

 

And the whole shortlist is below:

 

Academy Award Documentary Shortlist

Abacus: Small Enough to Jail

Chasing Coral

City of Ghosts

Ex Libris – The New York Public Library

Faces Places

Human Flow

Icarus

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power

Jane

LA 92

Last Men in Aleppo

Long Strange Trip

One of Us

Strong Island

Unrest