The Academy Awards are this Sunday night and though we have constantly voiced our disapproval of the Oscar selection process in our genre, we'd be remiss not to give our official opinion on who will win the best documentary award.
The issue with documentaries is the lack of access fans have to the features. In fact, only two of this year's 5 nominees had a national theatrical run. Because of this it is harder to gauge the winner because you have to weigh "access" into the equation. So with that in mind we break down for you our picks and our process.
Winner: The Cove - besides The Cove being the best film of the group, there's other reasons why it should win. First, it had the largest release and greatest amount of press. Only 2004's Born into Brothels and 2007's Taxi to the Dark Side beat out more publicized or widely seen nominees, and both had fairly successful runs themselves. Second, The Cove features controversial/political subject matter. The Academy likes their documentaries to be divisive, or at least stir up debate and only Food, Inc matches it in this category. Finally, whenever possible, feature animals. The Academy loves animals and The Cove takes our love of Flipper and twists it just enough to churn our stomachs. This is a film running on full Oscar cylinders and should easily streak across the finish line.
Dark horse candidate #1: Burma VJ - if the American public were even remotely adequate at remembering modern international history (ok any sort of history), Burma VJ would easily win. Even today, this groundbreaking documentary not only tells a fascinating story, but does so in an innovative way and at great risk to the people filming that its hard to ignore it sneaking under the radar and claiming victory. However, it will most likely fall short because few people remember the uprising in Burma and even fewer people have seen this film due to it's insanely limited release.
Dark horse candidate #2: The Most dangerous Man in America - this is another candidate to win because it covers the pentagon papers and the exposing of a major government scandal. It has also received a lot of praise in the media recently, which means it could be fresh on the minds of voters. But, like Burma VJ, it had such a limited run that it will be hard pressed to overcome the odds.
Unlikely to win: Food, Inc. - when the nominees were first announced, Food, Inc. was considered a dark horse, but has since fallen on my list for two reasons. One, it's just not that great of a film. Sure, it's good, but it doesn't compare to the quality of the other documentaries and really probably doesn't even deserve this nomination. Two, despite a fairly large theatrical run and decent press early on, there has been practically nothing in the media about Food, Inc. which is surprising since it was meant to be a controversial film. Even the farming industry it attacks has avoided being too outspoken until recently, which means even they don't think the film is going to get much praise. With that said, there's always a slim chance this sneaks in and steals the show (and I do mean steal).
No shot at winning: Which Way Home - probably the least discussed nominee. Though the few people who have seen this film have praised it's work, it misses on all the marks necessary for winning the Oscar: unknown to the public and it avoids controversial topics. Its nomination is a testament to the quality of the film making, but this would be a huge shocker if it wins.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Spike Jonze documentary
Most of you know Spike Jonze for his wonderfully creative fictional films (Being John Malkovich, Where the Wild Things Are), but Jonze is hoping documentary lovers will love the recent release of Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak.
The 40 minute documentary focuses on Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are. Jonze developed a relationship with the writer 15 years ago and have remained close friends ever since. Like most documentaries, the film came from a simple desire to capture Sendak's thoughts on the adaptation of his book and quickly spiraled into a lengthier project on his life.
Personally, I'm a big fan of the short story Where the Wild Things Are and Spike Jonze, so I can't wait to see this film. There's no official website, so I can't point you to a trailer, I can however point you to a fascinating interview about the documentary over at New York Magazine.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Trailer: Breath Made Visible
Modern dance isn't exactly a fan favorite for most people in the world. Oh sure, people love to dance, but when it comes to watching a modern dance show? Well maybe I just don't know the right people, but I think people would prefer to see something else.
Perhaps that rational should be changed though. Especially considering the recently released documentary Breath Made Visible about dance pioneer Anna Halprin. Now I know most of you may not know who she is, but her influence on modern art and belief that dance can heal, transform and teach anyone at any age is reason enough to be intrigued.
Head on over to the film's website to watch the trailer and then sashay your way over to your nearest theater to catch this entertaining and inspiring documentary. In case you are curious, the film is directed by Ruedi Gerber.
Monday, March 1, 2010
J.D. Salinger documentary!...?
Despite only passing away in January, it's already been announced that J.D. Salinger, the author who penned Catcher in the Rye, will be the subject of a soon to be released documentary this spring. Though this is not a Michael Jackson like parallel.
According to Hollywood Insider, screenwriter Shane Salerno (Armageddon and Shaft)(... wait, what?!?) spent the past five years secretly filming a documentary about the author. It started as a five month project but turned into an obsession featuring 150 interviews ranging from those close to Salinger to people influenced by his writings. It isn't known if Salerno was able to interview the reclusive author directly, but there is word that several never-before-seen photographs and footage will be featured.
Even more astounding then the documentary being released is the fact that it has remained such a well kept secret for so long. Rumors are that anyone connected with the project had to sign non-disclosure agreements and post production facilities were only able to handle 20% of the footage at a time. Needless to say, that is some impressive lockdown for any film, much less a biographically based documentary.
Salerno is aiming for a premier at Cannes in May so that should give you just enough time to re-read Salinger's classic novel Catcher in the Rye to brush up on your literary lingo. I for one have dug up my old, dusty copy from underneath my uneven table to do just that.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Theatrical Releases
Every Friday we update you all with the week's theatrical documentary releases. Now, this is not a perfect process as our beloved genre prefers the rolling/limited release schedule instead of a big nationwide or international-wide release. So apologies if a film isn't out in your area or if you are a filmmaker and we missed the boat on announcing your documentary's big day (if that is the case, please let us know and we'll correct the mistake).
Now, with that introduction out of the way, here's this weekend's releases with their current rating on the amazing website Rottentomatoes.com:
Prodigal Sons - (75% rating) Marc has had a rough life. Adopted as an infant, he was held back in preschool (putting him in the same grade as his younger brother), failed to graduate high school, and suffered a head injury at twenty-one. His entire worldview was that he was cheated by life. Then he discovered he is the grandson of Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. Unlike Marc, his sister Kim’s life always seemed to be easy. She was the first child born to her attractive parents, into an extended family of tall Montana farmers. She was high school class president and valedictorian, voted most likely to succeed. She was also captain of the football team — you see, Kim used to be Marc’s younger brother. Twenty years later Marc and Kim return home to their small Montana hometown, forcing them to face challenges no one could imagine (Rottentomatoes.com)
The Art of the Steal – (80% rating) In 1922, Dr. Albert C. Barnes created The Barnes Foundation in Lower Merion Pennsylvania, five miles outside of Philadelphia. He formed this remarkable collection of Post-Impressionist and early Modern art to serve as an educational institution. When Dr. Barnes died he left control of his collection to Lincoln University, a small African-American college. His will contained strict instructions, stating the Foundation shall always be an educational institution, and the paintings may never be removed. Such strict limitations made the collection safe from commercial exploitation. But was it really safe? More than fifty years later, a powerful group of moneyed interests have gone to court to take the art - recently valued at more than $25 billion - and bring it to a new museum in Philadelphia. Standing in their way is a group of former students who are trying to block the move. Will the students succeed, or will a man's will be broken and one of America's greatest cultural monuments be destroyed? (Rottentomatoes.com)
45365 Р(no rating provided) 45365 captures small town American life in striking cinema verit̩ style that peels away the layers of Sidney, Ohio -- population 20,000 -- to reveal a deeper shared experience. Middle America turns out to be much more complicated than a Norman Rockwell painting would have us believe. Filmmakers Turner and Bill Ross deliver slices of life in gorgeous HD photography building the unique faces, places, and events into a powerful mosaic of humanity. (Rottentomatoes.com)
Now, with that introduction out of the way, here's this weekend's releases with their current rating on the amazing website Rottentomatoes.com:
Prodigal Sons - (75% rating) Marc has had a rough life. Adopted as an infant, he was held back in preschool (putting him in the same grade as his younger brother), failed to graduate high school, and suffered a head injury at twenty-one. His entire worldview was that he was cheated by life. Then he discovered he is the grandson of Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. Unlike Marc, his sister Kim’s life always seemed to be easy. She was the first child born to her attractive parents, into an extended family of tall Montana farmers. She was high school class president and valedictorian, voted most likely to succeed. She was also captain of the football team — you see, Kim used to be Marc’s younger brother. Twenty years later Marc and Kim return home to their small Montana hometown, forcing them to face challenges no one could imagine (Rottentomatoes.com)
The Art of the Steal – (80% rating) In 1922, Dr. Albert C. Barnes created The Barnes Foundation in Lower Merion Pennsylvania, five miles outside of Philadelphia. He formed this remarkable collection of Post-Impressionist and early Modern art to serve as an educational institution. When Dr. Barnes died he left control of his collection to Lincoln University, a small African-American college. His will contained strict instructions, stating the Foundation shall always be an educational institution, and the paintings may never be removed. Such strict limitations made the collection safe from commercial exploitation. But was it really safe? More than fifty years later, a powerful group of moneyed interests have gone to court to take the art - recently valued at more than $25 billion - and bring it to a new museum in Philadelphia. Standing in their way is a group of former students who are trying to block the move. Will the students succeed, or will a man's will be broken and one of America's greatest cultural monuments be destroyed? (Rottentomatoes.com)
45365 Р(no rating provided) 45365 captures small town American life in striking cinema verit̩ style that peels away the layers of Sidney, Ohio -- population 20,000 -- to reveal a deeper shared experience. Middle America turns out to be much more complicated than a Norman Rockwell painting would have us believe. Filmmakers Turner and Bill Ross deliver slices of life in gorgeous HD photography building the unique faces, places, and events into a powerful mosaic of humanity. (Rottentomatoes.com)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
True/False Film Festival begins
If you are near Columbia and you love documentaries, do I have the perfect weekend plan for you.
The True/False Film Festival begins today in Columbia, Missouri and every fan of this site should be excited to see what comes out of this documentary exclusive event. The festival has only existed since 2004 but has still built up a pretty strong following, especially in the documentary world.
The True/False Film Festival will present 40 feature length documentaries between now and Sunday, including several that premiered at Sundance. For documentary lovers, this is the perfect festival to attend as it emphasizes a major line up without all the hassle and overcrowding of other, more major festivals.
Our site will make sure to pass along any news to you, but if you're interested in seeing the line up or just learning more about the festival, head on over to their official website: truefalse.org.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Documentary blames hippies for financial crisis
Objectivity is what we strive for on this site as we don't want to ignore any documentary based on political, religious or cultural beliefs. So with that in mind, I present to you the latest documentary supporting the ideas of the newly founded and fast growing Tea Party movement.
Generation Zero poses an interesting argument about the roots of the current economic crisis the United States currently faces. Because I don't want to misquote a film I know little about, here is the official statement about the documentary: "The current economic crisis is not a failure of capitalism, but a failure of culture. Generation Zero explores the cultural roots of the global financial meltdown - beginning with the narcissism of the 1960's, spreading like a virus through the self-indulgent 90's, and exploding across the world in the present economic cataclysm."
Generation Zero is written and directed by Stephen K. Bannon (who previously created a documentary in praise of Ronald Reagan) and has a rumored theatrical release sometime in March. If you're interested in learning more, head over to generationzeromovie.com. Or if you want a semi-related golden nugget, head here to see a bizarre film Bannon produced a few years ago.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Trailer: Waking Sleeping Beauty
Though it has recently been toppled by Pixar and other computer animated features, during the 1980s and early 1990s Disney animated films were once the height of quality, family film making: Aladdin, The Lion King, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, the list of award winning films goes on and on. And though this era may have passed, Disney hopes to remind audiences of these classic cartoons by releasing the documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty.
As the title implies, this documentary covers the stretch of animated features that reigned supreme during the Reagan/Bush years and revitalized the once proud studio that brought the world Sleeping Beauty. Providing first hand accounts and interviews with former members of the team, Waking Sleeping Beauty will certainly touch the hearts and minds of Generation X-ers who grew up dragging their parents to theaters.
If you actually need a reason to see a documentary on the best films Disney ever produced, head on over to Youtube to see the trailer. If you are like me and already overjoyed to see the Genie back on the big screen, expect Waking Sleeping Beauty to hit theaters on March 26th.
As the title implies, this documentary covers the stretch of animated features that reigned supreme during the Reagan/Bush years and revitalized the once proud studio that brought the world Sleeping Beauty. Providing first hand accounts and interviews with former members of the team, Waking Sleeping Beauty will certainly touch the hearts and minds of Generation X-ers who grew up dragging their parents to theaters.
If you actually need a reason to see a documentary on the best films Disney ever produced, head on over to Youtube to see the trailer. If you are like me and already overjoyed to see the Genie back on the big screen, expect Waking Sleeping Beauty to hit theaters on March 26th.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Trailer: Hubble 3D
On an otherwise slow news day for documentaries, it was great to be able to point out the trailer for the upcoming IMAX film Hubble 3D. Though one might think a film like this will be either over the top cheesy or plain boring, there are several reasons to be looking forward to a documentary about the Hubble telescope.
The first is obvious: it's an IMAX film. You could argue this company is the Pixar of the documentary genre. It seems that no matter what they develop, it turns out to be a monumental success. Even there bad films are better than average because they put the effort into technical mastery and A-list voice talent. Ok, it's also easy to hold an audience's attention when you can blow something up on a 3 story tall screen.
The second is also obvious: 3D films rock. How else can you describe James Cameron's Avator getting a Best Picture nod from the Oscars? It certainly wasn't the mediocre storyline or acting. The rise of 3D beyond mere gimmicks is bringing audiences to theaters in droves and it's great to see the documentary genre jumping on board early. Also, admit it, a film about space is the perfect place to boast 3D capabilities.
Finally, director Toni Myers is a veteran to the IMAX team and space exploration subjects. He has written, edited, directed or produced several films so there shouldn't be any rookie mistakes or blunders in Hubble 3D.
Now admittedly, I've written way too much about a documentary on the Hubble telescope (and in a rather boring, nearly bullet point-esque format), but then again, most of you probably already got so excited over the thought of seeing Hubble images in 3D that you immediately jumped to the film's homepage to see a trailer for yourself. For the rest of you who suffered through this entire entry, take solace in knowing you can still watch the trailer by going to http://www.imax.com/hubble/.
The first is obvious: it's an IMAX film. You could argue this company is the Pixar of the documentary genre. It seems that no matter what they develop, it turns out to be a monumental success. Even there bad films are better than average because they put the effort into technical mastery and A-list voice talent. Ok, it's also easy to hold an audience's attention when you can blow something up on a 3 story tall screen.
The second is also obvious: 3D films rock. How else can you describe James Cameron's Avator getting a Best Picture nod from the Oscars? It certainly wasn't the mediocre storyline or acting. The rise of 3D beyond mere gimmicks is bringing audiences to theaters in droves and it's great to see the documentary genre jumping on board early. Also, admit it, a film about space is the perfect place to boast 3D capabilities.
Finally, director Toni Myers is a veteran to the IMAX team and space exploration subjects. He has written, edited, directed or produced several films so there shouldn't be any rookie mistakes or blunders in Hubble 3D.
Now admittedly, I've written way too much about a documentary on the Hubble telescope (and in a rather boring, nearly bullet point-esque format), but then again, most of you probably already got so excited over the thought of seeing Hubble images in 3D that you immediately jumped to the film's homepage to see a trailer for yourself. For the rest of you who suffered through this entire entry, take solace in knowing you can still watch the trailer by going to http://www.imax.com/hubble/.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Theatrical Releases
Every Friday we update you all with the week's theatrical documentary releases. Now, this is not a perfect process as our beloved genre prefers the rolling/limited release schedule instead of a big nationwide or international-wide release. So apologies if a film isn't out in your area or if you are a filmmaker and we missed the boat on announcing your documentary's big day (if that is the case, please let us know and we'll correct the mistake).
Now, with that introduction out of the way, here's this weekend's releases with their current rating on the amazing website Rottentomatoes.com:
Phyllis and Harold - (63% rating) Phyllis and Harold is an astoundingly frank journey through a disastrous 59 year old marriage. Drawing on a lifetime of her family’s home movies and interviews made over 12 years, filmmaker Cindy Kleine mixes reportage, cinema verite and animation to uncover family secrets and tell a story that could not be shown publicly as long as her father was alive. Phyllis and Harold delves into the mystery of time passing, the nature of living a life, and the challenges of losing those we love. But it is also a loving, funny expose on the sins of suburbia. Imagine Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage seen the prism of I Love Lucy. (Rottentomatoes.com)
Celine: Through the Eyes of the World – (no rating available) Celine Dion, the international superstar and best-selling female artist of all time, has toured around the world and back again, and now, Sony Pictures Releasing's special programming division, The Hot Ticket, will let audiences follow her everywhere. Celine: Through the Eyes of the World will bring Celine Dion's 2008-2009 Taking Chances World Tour to theaters. This special motion picture event gives Dion fans who attended the extremely popular tour – which placed Dion second only to Madonna in ticket sales in 2008 – another chance to experience the magical event, this time from a vantage point unparalleled by any ticket. (Rottentomatoes.com)
Now, with that introduction out of the way, here's this weekend's releases with their current rating on the amazing website Rottentomatoes.com:
Phyllis and Harold - (63% rating) Phyllis and Harold is an astoundingly frank journey through a disastrous 59 year old marriage. Drawing on a lifetime of her family’s home movies and interviews made over 12 years, filmmaker Cindy Kleine mixes reportage, cinema verite and animation to uncover family secrets and tell a story that could not be shown publicly as long as her father was alive. Phyllis and Harold delves into the mystery of time passing, the nature of living a life, and the challenges of losing those we love. But it is also a loving, funny expose on the sins of suburbia. Imagine Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage seen the prism of I Love Lucy. (Rottentomatoes.com)
Celine: Through the Eyes of the World – (no rating available) Celine Dion, the international superstar and best-selling female artist of all time, has toured around the world and back again, and now, Sony Pictures Releasing's special programming division, The Hot Ticket, will let audiences follow her everywhere. Celine: Through the Eyes of the World will bring Celine Dion's 2008-2009 Taking Chances World Tour to theaters. This special motion picture event gives Dion fans who attended the extremely popular tour – which placed Dion second only to Madonna in ticket sales in 2008 – another chance to experience the magical event, this time from a vantage point unparalleled by any ticket. (Rottentomatoes.com)
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