The doc category of the Oscars has become one of my favourites. Given where I used to work, I have a great respect for documentary storytelling. It is definitely an art form that seems to be underrated by pop culture and media. I think it’s been slowly creeping into the mainstream film over the past few years given the Michael Moore explosion. The past couple years, the Oscar was awarded to some entertaining documentaries including The Cove which won last year and Man on Wire which won the year before. I can’t tell you how much I loved these movies. They were such succinct, well edited, well told stories. They each had drama, suspense, sadness and hope – just brilliant filmmaking. If you haven’t seen The Cove, it is an absolute must. Trust me on that.
This year, we got a pretty sick list as well. Thus far, I’ve seen four of the five nominees. And I plan to watch the fifth asap. Over the next few days I’ll be giving the rundown of each of these films. Loves, hates and which one I think will win. This is a pretty tight category this year, but I still have my faves.
Here are the nominees for Documentary Feature:
Exit through the Gift Shop
Banksy and Jaimie D’Cruz
GasLand
Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic
Inside Job
Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
Restrepo
Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
Waste Land
Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley
Death and Peaches 
Once again, good taste. The Cove is such a heartbreaking film and it lacks a real happy ending. I hope that more of the world hears its message and that Save the dolphins becomes a mantra for our generation.
The Cove was probably my fave doc of 2010. I found that it rocked the doc community because media looked at it more than just a “doc film,” but rather a great film. I heard that it was reluctantly released in Japan after it won its Oscar last year. The Japanese distributor stood by the film saying, all audiences needed to see the film regardless of its topic and stance. I’m paraphrasing. But I agree!
Did you see Burning the Future:Coal in America? The director came and screened it at Columbia and it’s another environmental doc that makes you want to pick up signs and march the capital. But I only do that for gays =).
Wow I’ve never heard of this doc before! Thanks for bringing it up. I’ve put it on my list. 😉