“Art and Craft,” Purple Parrot Films
“The Case against 8,” Day in Court
“Citizen Koch,” Elsewhere Films
“CitizenFour,” Praxis Films
“Finding Vivian Maier,” Ravine Pictures
“The Internet’s Own Boy,” Luminant Media
“Jodorowsky’s Dune,” City Film
“Keep On Keepin’ On,” Absolute Clay Productions
“The Kill Team,” f/8 filmworks
“Last Days in Vietnam,” Moxie Firecracker Films
“Life Itself,” Kartemquin Films and Film Rites
“The Overnighters,” Mile End Films West
“The Salt of the Earth,” Decia Films
“Tales of the Grim Sleeper,” Lafayette Film
“Virunga,” Grain Media
Was Morgan Spurlock’s ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US not eligible or what? It’s missing from the list — a misunderstanding perhaps?
I just watched The Internet’s Own Boy and The Kill Team tonight. Wow, both deserving choices. I think the Aaron Swartz movie has real gravitas and is excellently constructed and directed. The Kill Team is more ‘conventional’ I suppose, but wow, what a scary and disturbing story.
Of the ones I’ve seen, the only one I think does NOT deserve to be there is Jodorowsky’s Dune, which is quite enjoyable but overly precious.
“Art and Craft” for the win! It’s one of my favorite films of the year and one of my favorite documentaries ever.
I encourage everyone to see it. My film club group here in Portland saw it last weekend and every last on of us was moved. It is a fascinating expose about the nature of being an artist, doing what you do well, and being who you are. I loved it.
Frederick Wiseman ‘s wonderful 3 hour documentary National Gallery should have been nominated. Of the Ten films I have seen Art and Craft is by far the weakest.
The last two Oscar winners for doc went to music films. ‘Keep On Keepin On’ is there for them if they want it. However this HAS to be the year that Oscar voters get political right? ‘ The Internet’s Own Boy’ or ‘Citizenfour’ are obviously the best positioned in that case.
Ya, OVERNIGHTERS! I hope that movie gets a nomination. Best documentary of 2014!
Glad to see Virunga, the two “Citizens”, and Salt of the Earth. Watched Jodorowsky’s Dune last night and didn’t see anything particularly exciting about it. Sorry that Point and Shoot didn’t make it, but was probably too controversial (films about jerks don’t win, anyway).
I honestly can’t believe that run-of-the-mill, rather boring docs Virunga and The Case Against 8 made the shortlist, but Whitey: USA v. James J. Bulger didn’t. I caught Whitey on Netflix this weekend and was completely engrossed from start to finish. It also sheds light on a mostly unknown topic/person in an informative and argumentative way that something like The Case Against 8 doesn’t.
Battered Bastards of Baseball got robbed. Fantastically directed, edited, and scored…and a great film/story to boot.
Salt of the Earth is stunning!
Seems like a pretty legit list to me. No Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me, which I had thought might make it, but that film was more interesting for its subject than its style.
Wim Wender’s The Salt of the Earth is a very very strong contender.