Poll: Do you think Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' will be nominated for best picture at the Oscars?
Confusion reigns over whether the Michael Jackson concert documentary "This Is It" may compete at the Oscars. The answer is, well, complicated — like Michael Jackson himself.
As we reported a few days ago, "This Is It" may not compete in the next race for best documentary feature because it missed the deadline — it didn't play in a theater in New York and Los Angeles for seven days prior to Aug. 31.
However, "This Is It " may compete in other Oscar races this year, including best picture. Why not, eh? Reviews are strong. Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times) calls it "extraordinary." Elysa Gardner of USA Today gave it three out of four stars, calling it "Equal parts thriller, off the wall, HIStory," adding that it "offers glimpses of Michael Jackson's bygone greatness, and poignant suggestions of what might have been."
But, alas, no documentary has ever been nominated in the past. Some quite famously tried and (disastrously) failed, including "Hoop Dreams" and "Fahrenheit 9/11." Michael Moore refused to enter "Fahrenheit 9/11" in the documentary category because he feared that its presence might dilute its chances of landing in the loftier category. That ploy revealed serious Oscar naivete, considering the two categories have vastly different voting systems. Nominees for best documentary feature are chosen by a relatively small screening committee, not the full academy electorate, which selects the best-picture lineup. In other words, it didn't run the risk of appearing twice on the average academy member's ballot, thus splitting its votes.
This year, there will be 10 nominees instead of the usual five, of course, so maybe this could be it for "This Is It"?
Photo credit: Sony
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Yes i think mike should and i think he would win.
This is it was the most perfect siting of michael and last and should be in the oscars for all the work he has done and wanted to bring to us this is a big thing and should be done for michael and hes fans and family producers etc everyone would want to see this happen he deserves it.
he is best at everything
Posted by: TAMMY | February 07, 2010 at 03:53 AM
THE BEST MOVIE i've ever seen...
i love you and miss u Michael
Posted by: prinakim | February 05, 2010 at 03:02 AM
He should definitely win. Now when I say he should, well, it doesn't mean he will, because obviously, like at the critics choice awards, these officials have no idea what greatness is even if it's slapping them in the face. here's hoping the Academy has better taste, and can see that This is It DESERVES to win the award
Posted by: rebecca | January 31, 2010 at 10:19 AM
I love you so much Michael. There will never be anyone else like you. This is it was really sad. I had to cry. But I think it was great. Michael was great. His enthusiasm was great. This documentry should defineatly win best pictrue.
Posted by: Anne | January 26, 2010 at 05:25 PM
I saw This Is It 21 times and LOVED EVERY minute - every time was like the FIRST time. Michael is AMAZING. Going to see This Is It was unlike any other movie experience I've ever had. I cried, I laughed, I cheered, I danced in my seat, I sang and I wasn't alone. The audiences were right there with me. There are no word to describe Michael's talent, genius, love for the word, and the way in which he captivated the hearts of millions of people all over the world. This Is It gives us the real Michael and reveals how beautiful, brilliant, normal, and extraordinary he really was.
Michael will always be he KING of Pop, Music, Dance, Charity and of Our Hearts.
This Is It should not only be nominated for Best Picture, Best Soundtrack, Best Performance, and Best Director etc., IT SHOULD WIN!
Love you More and More and More Michael!!!!
Posted by: Pina | January 17, 2010 at 07:32 PM
Nominate it, and it will SIMMER!!! MJ is awesome, and thank God he had the forsight to have someone capture his upcomiing "Comeback" rehearsals. Eventhough MJ was in rehearsal mode, he still rocked the screen! Goosebumps all over!
Posted by: Adrian | December 15, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Who can dare to deny that MJ is the One and only King Of Pop forever and ever? That's why we can't help choosing this movie as the best documentary film of this year!
Posted by: Sumin Bae | November 25, 2009 at 09:23 AM
R.I.P.M.J. I miss you
Posted by: jihyun.kim | November 16, 2009 at 06:45 PM
This movie is great.
You can't imagine how precious this movie is.
I couldn't take my eyes off it even one moment.
Nobody can be like him. Even mimicking is a non sense!!!
Posted by: jieun, kim | November 13, 2009 at 09:29 AM
i love MJ
Posted by: jeong jin hee | November 12, 2009 at 10:39 PM
Michael, I love you, and I miss you. forever.
Posted by: song young hee | November 07, 2009 at 05:32 PM
I hope this movie will be nominated. It was deeply impressed. MJ was the genius and we lost the precious genius. I hope many people see a this movie.
Posted by: clover | November 06, 2009 at 07:05 AM
O filme This is it é maravilhoso.
Fiquei emocionada do começo ao fim.
Ver Michael cantando e dançando novamente foi uma benção.
Sinto tanta falta dele que até doi o coração só de pensar.
This is it merece concorrer e ganhar o Oscar.Se a Academia levar em consideração o clamor do público,veremos This is it sair vencedor do Oscar como melhor filme.
Michael,meu anjo lindo,nós brasileiros te amamos muito.seu sorriso lindo e inocente nos faz muita falta.
Te amaremos pra sempre.
Posted by: Eliane Maria | November 02, 2009 at 10:13 AM
The film is Oscar-nominated and should win by a well directed movie and bright.
Michael loves to Brazil.
Posted by: Alessandra | November 02, 2009 at 05:54 AM
The only people who are complicated are people like yourself tom o'neil who sensationalize every aspect of that man's life. Make judgements of a man you never met let alone even knew.
Posted by: Jason | November 01, 2009 at 07:21 PM
The only people who are complicated are people like yourself tom o'neil who sensationalize every aspect of that man's life. Make judgements of a man you never met let alone even knew.
Posted by: Jason | November 01, 2009 at 07:21 PM
Please. This has about as much chance of being nominated as my rabbi has of being elected pope.
Posted by: stu freeman | October 31, 2009 at 11:07 PM
Michael Jackson is the Ultimate in Entertainment, Michael should win
Best Performance for This is it.
Kenny Orteha should win best director. Best Music shoud be This is it..If Slumdog Millionaire can win
THIS IS IT is a sure thing.
Posted by: Rafi Husain | October 30, 2009 at 04:02 PM
this things made me mad. first of all we know that is a documentary so obviosly it won't be nominated for best picture. i hate when the media over hyped mj just to see him fail, that's what they have always done and they will continue. media are so influential it's sad
Posted by: dani | October 29, 2009 at 09:06 AM
No, it won't be nominated for "best picture" because it's not a movie, but it might be nominated for best DOCUMENTARY. You call yourselves "journalists?" Duh.
Posted by: Carla | October 28, 2009 at 08:08 PM
Oops--should have been @Thor.
Posted by: RBBrittain | October 28, 2009 at 07:01 PM
@Rose: "Hoop Dreams" was ignored by the documentary committee (the winner that year was "Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision"), so it was promoted to the Academy at large as a potential Best Picture nominee. That didn't happen, but it was nominated for Film Editing, losing to Best Picture winner "Forrest Gump". (It didn't have a chance; the other Film Editing nominees were "Pulp Fiction", "The Shawshank Redemption", and "Speed".)
Ironically, the following year that tactic DID work for "Il Postino", which wasn't even submitted by Italy for Foreign Language Film when it was eligible in that category the previous year; it got a Best Picture nomination.
Nonetheless, I don't think it'll work for "This Is It". If the Academy was that hot about MJ, "Thriller" would have been nominated for Live Action Short back in 1983 (it did get an LA qualifying run--that's why it has film-style credits).
Posted by: RBBrittain | October 28, 2009 at 06:59 PM
I hope This Is It will be nominated. The movie is just amazing and MJ is just phenomenal as usual.
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000095322355 | October 28, 2009 at 04:46 PM
Erm, in what way did "Hoop Dreams" try and "disastrously fail? Such a lazily constructed and misleading sentence if you actually know the history of what happened there.
Posted by: Thor | October 28, 2009 at 01:02 PM