Let's hope none of their cats climb into a tree and need some rescuin'.
The controversial education documentary "Waiting for 'Superman'" failed to earn a nod from the Academy Awards, which announced nominations Tuesday, and whose website's second-by-second countdown to the awards show (33 days away) makes us feel really anxious.
'Superman' explores the country's failing public education system, shining a spotlight on D.C. Public Schools and its then-Chancellor Michelle Rhee. Painted as a heroine of school reform, Rhee promo-ed the movie on Oprah and attended the film's red-carpet premiere ... the day after her boss Adrian Fenty loss the Democratic mayoral primary to Vincent Gray in an election seen as a referendum on Rhee's reforms. In short, the film has lots of fans, and lots of fierce critics.
No matter your stance, a lot of pre-nomination buzz put 'Superman' as a contender for the "Best Documentary Feature" Oscar win, and the film won "Best Documentary" from the National Board of Review . But in the same style that "True Grit" fell off the Golden Globes' kudos sheet, 'Superman' was snubbed by the Oscars. Here's who did garner a nomination:
- "Exit through the Gift Shop," Banksy and Jaimie D'Cruz
- "Gasland," Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic
- "Inside Job," Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
- "Restrepo," Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
- "Waste Land," Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley