Shorties Watching Shorties! – 92nd Academy Awards Shortlists Announced!

The next phase of Awards Season is on! This afternoon, the Academy announced its shortlists for nine categories, repeating the efficient method they started last year, rather than staggering out the lists like they had before.

Not only do we get to see how far the fields have narrowed for International Feature, Documentary Feature, and Visual Effects, we also get our first looks at the other categories not on the main ballot, including those that have “bake offs” for their voters (Makeup & Hairstyling, which is FINALLY expanding to five nominees), music (Original Score and Original Song), and my personal favorite, the short films (Animation, Documentary, and Live Action).

As always, I’ll provide whatever viewing information I can on the potential nominees, which will be announced four weeks from today, on January 13. The Academy’s official press release can be found here.

Documentary Feature – 15 films
Advocate – In Limited Release Friday
American Factory – On Netflix
The Apollo – HBO
Apollo 11 – On DVD Now
Aquarela – In Limited Release Friday
The Biggest Little Farm – On DVD Now
The Cave – In Limited Release
The Edge of Democracy – On Netflix
For Sama – On PBS and YouTube
The Great Hack – On Netflix
Honeyland – On DVD Now
Knock Down the House – On Netflix
Maiden – On YouTube
Midnight Family – In Limited Release Now
One Child Nation – On Amazon

Documentary Short – 10 films
After Maria
Fire in Paradise
Ghosts of Sugar Land
In the Absence
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)
Life Overtakes Me
The Nightcrawlers
St. Louis Superman
Stay Close
Walk Run Cha-Cha

International Feature Film – 10 films
Czech Republic – The Painted Bird – TBD
Estonia – Truth and Justice – TBD
France – Les Misérables – In Theatres 1/10/20
Hungary – Those Who Remained – TBD
North Macedonia – Honeyland
Poland – Corpus Christi – TBD
Russia – Beanpole – In Limited Release 2/21/20
Senegal – Atlantics – On Netflix
South Korea – Parasite – In Theatres Now
Spain – Pain and Glory – In Limited Release Now, On DVD 1/21/20

Makeup & Hairstyling – 10 films
Bombshell – In Theatres Now
Dolemite is My Name – On Netflix
Downton Abbey – On DVD Tomorrow
Joker – In Theatres Now
Judy – On DVD 12/24
Little Women – In Theatres 12/25
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil – On DVD 1/14/20
1917 – In Theatres 12/25
Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood – On DVD Now
Rocketman – On DVD Now

Original Score – 15 films
Avengers: Endgame – On DVD Now
Bombshell
The Farewell – On DVD Now
Ford v Ferrari – In Theatres Now
Frozen II – In Theares Now
Jojo Rabbit – In Theatres Now
Joker
The King – On Netflix
Little Women
Marriage Story – On Netflix
Motherless Brooklyn – In Theatres Now
1917
Pain and Glory
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – In Theatres Friday
Us – On DVD Now

Original Song – 15 songs
“Speechless” – Aladdin – On DVD Now
“Letter to My Godfather” – The Black Godfather – On Netflix
“I’m Standing with You” – Breakthrough – On DVD Now
“Da Bronx” – The Bronx, USA – HBO
“Into the Unknown” – Frozen II
“Stand Up” – Harriet – In Theatres Now
“Catchy Song” – The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part – On DVD Now
“Never Too Late” – The Lion King – On DVD Now
“Spirit” – The Lion King
“Daily Battles” – Motherless Brooklyn
“A Glass of Soju” – Parasite
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” – Rocketman
“High Above the Water” – Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am – On DVD Now
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” – Toy Story 4 – On DVD Now
“Glasgow” – Wild Rose – On DVD Now

Animated Short – 10 films
Dcera (Daughter)
Hair Love
He Can’t Live Without Cosmos
Hors Piste
Kitbull
Memorable
Mind My Mind
The Physics of Sorrow
Sister
Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days

Live Action Short – 10 films
Brotherhood
The Christmas Gift
Little Hands
Miller & Son
Nefta Football Club
The Neighbors’ Window
Refugee
Saria
A Sister
Sometimes, I Think About Dying

Visual Effects – 10 films
Alita: Battle Angel – On DVD Now
Avengers: Endgame
Captain Marvel – On DVD Now
Cats – In Theatres Friday
Gemini Man – In Theatres Now
The Irishman – On Netflix
The Lion King
1917
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Terminator: Dark Fate – In Theatres Now

* * *

Initial thoughts are mostly positive. The Documentary Feature and International Feature lists look good, though I was hoping Hail Satan? and Western Stars would have gotten a nod. Same goes for Monos and Weathering With You. My biggest concern is that these niche categories seem to be going out of their way to legitimize the Lion King remake. Also, while I don’t normally link to the shorts until the nominations come out, there are a couple that you can see right now if you’re interested. It’ll definitely be worth your time to see Hair Love and Kitbull on YouTube at your first opportunity.

As ever, I will endeavor to see as many of these films as possible between now and when the nominations come out in four weeks. I’ll also be on the lookout for the “Oscar Docs” series to see if that’s being renewed. If so, I’ll provide a list of dates and cities as soon as I can.

Join the conversation in the comments below! Which films are you hoping make the final cut? Which ones are you sad to see go? Who wants to learn how to skateboard in a warzone? Let me know!