If the documentary branch of the Academy is trying to make themselves irrelevant, they’re doing a mighty fine job. Yesterday the 15 semi-finalists for next year’s Best Documentary were announced, and noticeably absent from the list was Bill Maher’s massively entertaining Religulous, which is by far the highest-grossing doc of the year. Now, that statistic alone shouldn’t qualify it as an Oscar front-runner—that would be like saying Pirates of the Caribbean should have been a Best Picture nominee. But whether or not Religulous ended up actually scoring a nomination next January, it certainly should have made this week’s shortlist. Then again, this is the same group that also omitted Grizzly Man from the list of semi-finalists and neglected to nominate the terrific Dixie Chicks doc Shut Up and Sing two years ago. The message here seems to be: If your documentary manages that rare feat of actually entering into the cultural zeitgeist, don’t expect the Academy to pat you on the back too.
Nov 19
2008
08:17 PM ET
Bill Maher's 'Religulous' snubbed by Academy
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Quick fact check: Grizzly Man came out in 2005, not last year.
Quick fact check: Grizzly Man came out in 2005, not last year.
Trying to make themselves irrelevant? Umm… they’ve been irrelevant for at least 3 decades dude… where the hell have you been?
What’s worse about not nominating “Shut Up and Sing” by Barbara Koppel, is that they nominated the far-inferior “Jesus Camp.”
As an avid documentary film watcher (seriously, I love them) I am very surprised by this news. this was the most entertaining, intersting, and provocative documentary this year.
Yeah, sure they miss that one. But they managed to include some of the best reviewed docs of the year like “Man on wire”, “Trouble the water”, “Standard operating procedure” and “Encounters at the end of the world”. And the fact that none of this movies has even grossed a million dollars goes to prove that the academy cares more about quality.
They lost all credibility when Hoop Dreams wasn’t nominated in 1994. That could have won Best Picture, much less Best Doc.
Though the Oscars have certainly had some credibility gaps over the year (Driving Miss Daisy anyone?) the Best Doc crew has shown some shocking lapses in judgement.
The documentary branch isn’t the only one that messed up, remember last year when both Persepolis and 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days got snubbed in the Foreign Film category? Not only should they have been easy nominations, but also front-runners in the category to win.
I was upset about the Religulous snub, and I was also hoping Young@Heart would at least make it to the shortlist.
Actually, I support this decision…. Aren’t good documentaries supposed to allow us to form our own thoughts, not tell us what to think?… Don’t get me wrong, I loved Religulous, I thought it was hilarious. But, come on, let’s be fair, it wasn’t a documentary, in the true sense, really. Religulous was far too blatantly one-sided to be a documentary…..One man marching around the world telling us his thoughts isn’t a documentary!
Religulous, not nominated?!?!?!?!
Next thing you will tell me is that Grizzle Man wasn’t nominated……..
Oh wait….
TO ALAN..I agree with you wholeheartedly!
I agree, Religulous, while entertaining, was hardly a documentary and it’s a good thing it won’t be nominated. If this category is going to maintain any credibility, it can’t nominate “docs” that are just about one guy ranting about his point of view and interviewing crazies just so he can say “see? I’m right! I’m right!”
Are you telling me Jesus Camp wasn’t pointed in one direction?!?!?!?
Fahrenheit 9/11??
Religulous has every right to be nominated…
Where is “Body of War”???
Excellent film.