Editor's note: Welcome to the twenty-fourth of a 33-part series dissecting the 83rd Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regarding this event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy! by Nick from
Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob The following post is a true story.
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What’s it time for? A controversial post! Why is this a controversial post? Because I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about! Let’s get started.
I don’t typically watch documentaries. I’ve seen a handful, of course, but they’re generally not my thing. I prefer fiction over non-fiction, as it were. However, having seen a groundbreaking two documentaries of this year’s crop, I got the job.
Let me set this straight. I don’t really pay attention to the pre-awards awards shows. In other words, I only watch the Academy Awards, and I don’t read up on all those others. I know they say who wins all these others will win at the Oscars, but… whatever.
Every year there are usually about two main documentaries that I’ve heard of (whether or not I’ve seen them is irrelevant). Then there are 3 others I’d never heard of at all. Obviously, the winner typically comes from the couple I’d heard of. There have been two documentaries that I’ve heard about this year, as usual. Those docs?
Restrepo and
Exit Through The Gift Shop. As for the other three? I had to look up what they were.
First up is
Exit Through The Gift Shop, which I actually own. According to IMDB, it’s had 9 nominations (outside the Oscars) and 7 wins for an overall total of 16 nominations. Some could argue the legitimacy of is documentary-ship, as there is some controversy behind the film on how true it actually is. The director, Banksy, is a notorious street artist who might have made this as just another social commentary, as most of his art is. However, it’s been on quite a winning streak, and this seems to be the frontrunner.
Next up is
Restrepo, which I’ve also seen. According to imdb, it’s had 5 nominations (outside the Oscars) and 4 wins for an overall total of 9 nominations. It’s pretty obvious how this could be a contender. It’s about the war in the middle east. America! F*ck yeah! (And stuff.) It’s a tough doc to watch, but it’s good, if a bit too unfocused.
Inside Job was nominated for a whopping 10 awards (outside the Oscars). Unfortunately, it’s won nothing. I suppose that puts it as a decent contender against the big two, but I doubt it’ll win. It’s about the financial crisis. I think it would be funny if they tried to bribe the voters for a win.
Waste Land was nominated for 2 (outside the Oscars) with 4 wins, giving it a total of 6 nominations overall. It’s about art or something. I think we already have one of those this year, and it’s a bit more popular. Sorry.
Gasland was nominated for 1 (outside the Oscars) and won another for a grand total of 2 total nominations. Technically and/or statistically speaking, it has the best gap between nominations and wins. But that doesn’t really mean anything, especially considering is has the fewest nominations. And it’s about energy. How boring.
I’m sure those other three are good docs, but I feel the frontrunners are easily Gift Shop and Restrepo. And with the former getting so many wins (and nominations), not to mention the highest score on imdb of all 5, I’d say it has the best chance of actually taking the trophy that night. Maybe we’ll get to see Banksy’s face or at least hear him talk. That’d be fun.
Those are my thoughts. No extensive research. No watching all of them. Not even the trailers. No anything. Just that. You don’t even get posters for this post. Take that! So… yeah.
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