15 Documentaries on Oscar Short-List; ANVIL!, WE LIVE IN PUBLIC, and CAPITALISM Not Among Them

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By Matt Goldberg

Published Nov 19, 2009

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today released their list of the 15 films in contention for this year's Best Documentary Feature Award. Of these fifteen films, only five will be nominated for the award. While there are some deserved, if unsurprising, inclusions such as Food Inc. and The Cove, what's more interesting are the films that didn't make the cut. I am bummed that Anvil! The Story of Anvil didn't make it in but I think those guys have finally achieved the fame that always eluded them and while an Academy nod would've been nice, this movie got out there and did its thing. I'm more upset about the We Live in Public, which won the Grand Jury Prize award in the U.S. documentary category at this year's Sundance Film Festival. I get to see these smaller, independent films around this time of year because of screeners sent to critics and now I have no idea get to see this.

But I am over the fucking moon about the snub of Capitalism: A Love Story. The documentary branch screening committee saw right through Michael Moore's "timely" documentary (timely if you haven't turned on the news since September 2008) for the poorly manipulative, lazily research, condescending piece of crap that it was. Now I don't have to worry about that garbage taking up a slot that I hope goes to Every Little Step which is one of the best films I've seen this year. Hit the jump to see all 15 documentaries on the short list.