The Academy has shortlisted 15 documentaries — narrowed down from a field of 124 eligible contenders — for Oscar consideration, and among those snubbed are Steve James’ The Interrupters, Werner Herzog’s shattering Into the Abyss: A Tale of Life, a Tale of Death, Asif Kapadia’s Senna, and Errol Morris’ Tabloid. I haven’t seen all of these films, but they’re clearly in the conversation when it comes to the best-reviewed docs of the year, and to see them omitted in the trimming-down stage of the game is rather surprising — especially when some of the included titles have nothing more than microscopic buzz surrounding them.
In addition, though, this shortlist also reminds me just how much I have left to see. Of the fifteen, I’ve only taken in Wim Wenders’ Pina. Here’s hoping that the upcoming months will be stuffed with quality docs, as opposed to the mere revelation of a misguided Academy shortlist. The list of the final fifteen can be found after the cut.