The Critics Choice Awards (known as The Broadcast Film Critics Association in other circles) have released their Documentary nominations, the first time the tackle non-fiction for a whole bunch of nominations, and the results seem to be accurate, worthy, whatever you want to call it. Im only posting the Best Documentary Feature nominees, the rest can be found HERE
Best Documentary Feature:
13th (Netflix/Kandoo Films) - Good and important document, DuVernay just nails it, but it should have been a longer and more fully-fleshed out film - Think of how absorbing a 7 or 8 part series would have been given the vastness of the topic at hand [B+]
O.J.: Made in America (ESPN/Laylow Films) - The winner in my books. Nothing came close to Edelman's masterful dissection of race in America and the impact the "Trial of the Century" had on racial tension. Its effects sill being felt to this day. OJ: Made In America stands a good chance of making my top ten list at he end of the year [A]
Cameraperson (Janus Films/Fork Films/Big Mouth Productions) - I'm ashamed to say it's the only film I haven't yet seen from the nominees, but way up on my queue.
Fire at Sea (Kino Lorber/Stemal Entertainment/21 Unofilm/Cinecittà Luce/Rai Cinema/Les Films d’Ici/Arte France Cinéma) - I will say this about the Golden Bear winner at this year's Berlin Film Festival - "Fire at Sea" has footage of refugees trying to cross the sea that is just incredible. It seems to go back and forth between the simpleton life of the Italian townspeople and the actual plight of the refugees. You don't have to guess to know which section was the more effective one. I do believe this won the Golden Bear because of how timely the issue was at the time with the Syrian refugee crisis happening. The filmmaker here just lucked out with a subject matter he had no idea would be this relevant [B]
Gleason (Open Road/Amazon/Exhibit A) - A very tough watch, but well-worth a look. Says more about ALS than any ice bucket challenge ever could. I guess you could say, like most of the films nominated, that it is essential viewing. Gleason is the defintion of one tough son of a bitch, he fiught the disease head-on. Watch this film and I dare you not to be moved [B+]
Life, Animated (A&E IndieFilms/The Orchard/Motto Pictures/Roger Ross Williams Productions) - A brilliant collage and one of the unheralded films of the movie year [B]
Tickled (Magnolia/A Ticklish Tale/Fumes Production/Horseshoe Films) - fascinating undercover documentary that I saw at Sundance earlier in the year. Some of the stuff captured here will bewilder, provoke, shock and even make you laugh. The filmmakers aren't that artful in their approach, they just lucked out in what they uncovered - just like most of the best docs out there it's all about timing [B]
Tower (Kino Lorber/ITVS/Meredith Vieira Productions/GTS Films/Diana DiMenna Film) - Original and unique take on the sniper shooting at Texas university back in 1966. The first hour is brilliant, the last half hour sags a bit, but, still, totally worth a watch. Tightly-knit scenes that feel more tense than almost any action movie released this year. "Tower" comes out this week [B]
Weiner (Sundance Selects/Motto Pictures/Edgeline Films) - Anthony Weiner, sex scandal, shot ala cinema verite, no holds barred - what more could you want? This is the documentary that seems most relevant for today's political climate. "Weiner" also make my year-end top ten list [A-]
The Witness (FilmRise/Five More Minutes Productions) - slight, but affecting. Would have probably not thought of nominating it here, but then again it has stayed with me and it does have its fair share of gripping stretches [B-]