Oscars 2021 Review: 8 Ups & 8 Downs

6. Best Documentary Feature: My Octopus Teacher Beats Four Better Movies

My Octopus Teacher
Netflix

The most bizarre success story of this Oscar season has unquestionably been Netflix's nature documentary My Octopus Teacher - a visually stunning if shamelessly lightweight film about a filmmaker who becomes obsessed with an octopus.

It's a fine enough film, but its awards momentum is baffling considering the superior quality and more urgent topicality of every single other nominee.

Romanian documentary Collective, a chilling indictment of political corruption in the country, felt like the natural winner of the group, but Crip Camp, The Mole Agent, and Time were also very strong films about disability, ageing, and systemic racism.

The fact that My Octopus Teacher is easily the most accessible and least-depressing of the nominees appears to have worked in its favour, offering escapist entertainment in an extremely difficult year for everyone.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.