I am fascinated by the 2017 Academy Award Best Documentary race. In a normal year, a film like 13th would be the clear favorite. It is adherent to the talking-head documentary formula will having important and informative subject matter.

But then there’s ESPN…

Best Documentary Film:

• Fire at Sea
• I Am Not Your Negro
• Life, Animated
• O.J.: Made in America
• 13th

Will Win: O.J.: Made in America

Could Win: 13th

Dark Horse: I Am Not Your Negro

 

The Best Documentary category is heavy on films that tackle race in its subject matter. This is probably due to the Academy re-formatting that came out of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. This kind of puts the other two films on the back-burner.

Again, in a normal year 13th would probably win. It still could, it is a very good film, but the immense undertaking that is O.J.: Made in America is an unavoidable choice. The nearly 8-hour epic that accounts O.J. Simpson’s rise and fall is fascinating and viewed through a revealing lens. The film will win the Oscar, regardless of the fact that it stems from television.

 

As always, thanks for reading!

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—Alex Brannan (@TheAlexBrannan)