Tag: Documentaries

Oscar Predictions: Mistress Dispeller

Mistress Dispeller premiered at the Venice Film Festival all the way back in September 2024, but was released stateside in October of this year. From filmmaker Elizabeth Lo, the documentary focuses on a title character hired to break up a Chinese woman’s husband’s extramarital affair.

Among the 15 shortlisted docs in contention for the Academy Awards, Dispeller is one of the genre titles not in the politically charged space. Perhaps there’s a lane for one or two of them to make the cut. Reviews are solid with 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic. If it gets into the quintet, it would be a surprise though the doc voters can be volatile. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Coexistence, My Ass!

Coexistence, My Ass is one of the 15 shortlisted documentaries for the 98th Academy Awards as it tries to make the quintet after premiering at Sundance nearly a year ago. From filmmaker Amber Fares, it focuses on Israeli comedian and activist Noam Shuster-Eliassi’s one-woman show.

With 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, Coexistence must coexist with numerous politically themed docs in the running and some are higher profile including 2000 Meters to Andrivka, My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow, and Apocalypse in the Tropics. The voting branch for this genre is unpredictable and any of the 15 contenders could get in. However, predicting this one in your projected five would be an upset selection. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Holding Liat

Back in February, Holding Liat won the best documentary prize at the Berlin Film Festival. Nearly a year later, it is slated for U.S. release in January and is one of the 15 shortlisted contenders for best of in its genre at the 98th Academy Awards. From filmmaker Brandon Kramer with Darren Aronofsky as a producer, Liat refers to a woman kidnapped during the October 7th attacks in Gaza.

Based on 13 reviews, the pic stands at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Liat will try to make the final five in a category filled with politically themed subject matter including 2000 Meters to Andrivka, Apocalypse in the Tropics, Cover-Up, Cutting Through Rocks, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, and My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow. I’ve yet to list this in my top 10 possibilities, but that could change when I update my predictions by the end of the year. It could make the cut though some of the other hopefuls seem to have a higher profile. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions – My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow

My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow has a runtime to match the length of its title and it might have a shot at a Best Documentary Feature nom at the Oscars. Russian born filmmaker Julia Loktev helms the exploration of mostly female journalists in her native country. Clocking in at 324 minutes, Moscow was first screened at the New York Film Festival in 2024 before playing other fests this year.

As precursors have begun to name their best of’s, visibility has risen for the five-hour (so far) project. It won best doc at the Gotham Awards and New York Film Critics Circle this week. Recently the Critics’ Choice Documentary voters nominated it for their Best Political Documentary though it lost to The Alabama Solution. Rotten Tomatoes stands at 100% with Metacritic at 94.

The documentary branch at the Academy can be tough to predict. I haven’t had Moscow in my top 10 possibilities for the race, but don’t be surprised if that changes in my next update this weekend. With precursors and those reviews, discounting it might be a mistake. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Nuestra Tierra (Landmarks)

Nuestra Tierra (or Landmarks) marks the first documentary from acclaimed Argentine filmmaker Lucrecia Martel. It focuses on colonialism issues in her native country.

First screened at the Venice Film Festival in late August, Tierra moved to the London fest where it won Best Film last month. The doc continued its circuit run with the NYC fest and has racked up solid reviews along the way with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic.

While I haven’t featured it prominently in my 10 possibilities for Best Documentary Feature, the resume is there for Tierra to make a move. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Cutting Through Rocks

Like many eventual award contending documentaries, Cutting Through Rocks premiered at Sundance back in January. Focused on the first Iranian female elected as a councilperson, it marks the debut project from Mohammadreza Eyni and Sara Khaki. Rocks is slated for a December 5th limited domestic bow.

With 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 80 Metacritic score, I’ve had this in and out of my top 10 contenders in Best Documentary Feature. Rocks is one of numerous politically charged genre pics trying to make the final cut. I’ve been keeping it out of the projected quintet though it’s certainly viable. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: The Tale of Silyan

Six years after her feature Honeyland was nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Documentary Feature, Tamara Kotevska will try to achieve the same with follow-up The Tale of Silyan. The Macedonian production marks the filmmaker’s first solo effort as Ljubomir Stefanov was her partner on previous works.

Centered on a farmer nursing an injured stork back to life, Silyan played the Venice Film Festival and was picked up by National Geographic domestically. Reviews are impressive with 100% on RT and an 84 Metacritic. A limited (and Oscar qualifying) run arrives November 28th followed by a Disney+ release. Macedonia has already announced it as their selection for the international competition.

The combo of Nat Geo and the Mouse House campaigning could bode well for its prospects. I’ve yet to list this in either IFF or Doc Feature as a possibility, but that might change with my next update. I do feel it has a stronger shot in the latter as IFF is plenty crowded already. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk

Already out in France after its debut at Cannes in May, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk is a feature that could capture the attention of Academy voters. Filmmaker Sepideh Farsi chronicles her correspondence with Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna before she was killed in an airstrike earlier this year.

The timely documentary received an emotional reception at Cannes and early reviews have resulted in a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. There will be plenty of politically charged efforts for the doc branch to choose from in 2025, but Walk may be tough to ignore. I have it currently ranked fifth on my board of possibilities. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions – Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5

Raoul Peck, whose acclaimed 2016 feature I Am Not Your Negro was nominated for Best Documentary Feature, could find himself in contention nine years later with Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5. Focused on the life of George Orwell while paralleling current events, Damian Lewis narrates as the 1984 writer.

The Neon distributed effort is out today with 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 74 Metacritic. The reaction is not as rapturous as Peck’s predecessor. However, with the right push (something Neon is capable of), don’t be surprised if this makes the shortlist of docs later this year. It it does, it has a shot to make the quintet though winning is highly improbable. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions – John Candy: I Like Me

The 2025 Toronto Film Festival is officially underway and it opened with a documentary about Canadian comedic royalty. John Candy: I Like Me (borrowing a great line from his arguable career highlight Planes, Trains and Automobiles) recounts the actor’s personal and professional life life prior to his death at age 43 in 1994. Colin Hanks directs with Ryan Reynolds serving as a producer. It is slated for an Amazon Prime streaming debut on October 10th.

Early word-of-mouth from up north indicates this an affectionate and worthwhile (if conventional) experience that will satisfy fans of the legendary SCTV and silver screen performer. Nevertheless I’ve written scores of prediction posts on celebrity centered docs and it is rare for any of them to contend in Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards. Don’t look for this to buck the trend. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…