LinhOscars 2010: Potential Best Documentary Feature Nominations
February 1st 2010 19:24
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The number of feature-length documentaries have been steadily on the increase over the last few years, as more independent filmmakers use the genre to raise awareness of important issues, give audiences an intimate and exclusive insight into the personal and professional lives of high profile people or to simply tell a personal story of hope, loss or redemption.
The following documentary films are some of the best to screen worldwide during the past twelve months and deserve some recognition and a nomination for possible Best Documentary Feature at this year's Academy Awards ceremony.
The Cove (Lionsgate, Madman Entertainment):
The Cove' s director Louie Psihoyos not only went to great lengths to uncover the criminally cruel tactics of Japanese fishermen from the town of Taiji, who use the audio sensitivity of dolphins to drive thousands of the seasonally migrating creatures into a hidden cove before slaughtering them, but also went undercover to secretly gather footage for this amazing documentary film.
The documentary shows Psihoyos, Richard O'Barry, the animal trainer behind the phenomenally successful television series Flipper, and a group of animal activists being forced to go undercover to make The Cove. They are closely monitored by the Taiji fishermen who show continued resistance to the film crew's presence and Psihoyos is constantly concerned the team's mission would be a failure if they are caught. To avoid detection, he secretly sets up remote control cameras and audio devices to record and expose the fishermen's heinous acts against the dolphins. Psihoyos also uses infra-red underwater cameras and other high-tech devices which gives the documentary an element of spy-thriller excitement.
Interspersed among the secretly filmed footage are interviews from passionate celebrity animal activists including Australian actress Isabel Lucas (Daybreakers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) and Hayden Panettiere (TV series Heroes), as well as animal experts, environmentalists and politicians.
Food Inc. (Participant Media, Magnolia Pictures)
An outstanding documentary from director Robert Keener which is largely an exposé of the alarming ways food is produced and distributed across the US.
The documentary features author Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and scientist Michael Pollan (author of The Omnivore's Dilemma) whose well-informed and critical views of the multi-national conglomerates provide food for thought. They raise concerns about food production no longer being about producing wholesome, healthy and nutritious food, but instead has been taken over by giant food corporations who are more interested in profits than consumer health.
Director Robert Keener also interviews investigators, farmers, journalists and everyday Americans to provide a fuller picture of how companies such as Monsanto and Tyson have influenced the ways livestock are fed and treated to provide food that is "faster, fatter, bigger and cheaper".
Anvil! The Story of Anvil (Abramorama):
Director Sacha Gervasi brings together the members of heavy metal band Anvil after years of obscurity in an entertaining and humourous music documentary.
Anvil! The Story of Anvil tells the story of two Toronto-based musicians named Steve 'Lips' Kudlow and Robb Reiner, who have been best friends and played together in Anvil, the heavy metal band, since they were fourteen years old. Their debut album 'Metal On Metal' was a staggering success, and Anvil set the trend for other heavy metal bands, such as Metallica, Anthrax and Slayer, to achieve similar success on the music charts. Unfortunately, poor management decisions forced Steve Kudlow and Robb Reiner out of the spotlight and into obscurity.
Kudlow and Reiner are fun-loving and friendly, sophisticated and down-to-earth musicians and they make Anvil! The Story of Anvil an insightful and quirky experience even for those who dislike heavy metal music.
The number of feature-length documentaries have been steadily on the increase over the last few years, as more independent filmmakers use the genre to raise awareness of important issues, give audiences an intimate and exclusive insight into the personal and professional lives of high profile people or to simply tell a personal story of hope, loss or redemption.
The following documentary films are some of the best to screen worldwide during the past twelve months and deserve some recognition and a nomination for possible Best Documentary Feature at this year's Academy Awards ceremony.
The Cove (Lionsgate, Madman Entertainment):
The Cove' s director Louie Psihoyos not only went to great lengths to uncover the criminally cruel tactics of Japanese fishermen from the town of Taiji, who use the audio sensitivity of dolphins to drive thousands of the seasonally migrating creatures into a hidden cove before slaughtering them, but also went undercover to secretly gather footage for this amazing documentary film.
The documentary shows Psihoyos, Richard O'Barry, the animal trainer behind the phenomenally successful television series Flipper, and a group of animal activists being forced to go undercover to make The Cove. They are closely monitored by the Taiji fishermen who show continued resistance to the film crew's presence and Psihoyos is constantly concerned the team's mission would be a failure if they are caught. To avoid detection, he secretly sets up remote control cameras and audio devices to record and expose the fishermen's heinous acts against the dolphins. Psihoyos also uses infra-red underwater cameras and other high-tech devices which gives the documentary an element of spy-thriller excitement.
Interspersed among the secretly filmed footage are interviews from passionate celebrity animal activists including Australian actress Isabel Lucas (Daybreakers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) and Hayden Panettiere (TV series Heroes), as well as animal experts, environmentalists and politicians.
Food Inc. (Participant Media, Magnolia Pictures)
An outstanding documentary from director Robert Keener which is largely an exposé of the alarming ways food is produced and distributed across the US.
The documentary features author Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and scientist Michael Pollan (author of The Omnivore's Dilemma) whose well-informed and critical views of the multi-national conglomerates provide food for thought. They raise concerns about food production no longer being about producing wholesome, healthy and nutritious food, but instead has been taken over by giant food corporations who are more interested in profits than consumer health.
Director Robert Keener also interviews investigators, farmers, journalists and everyday Americans to provide a fuller picture of how companies such as Monsanto and Tyson have influenced the ways livestock are fed and treated to provide food that is "faster, fatter, bigger and cheaper".
Anvil! The Story of Anvil (Abramorama):
Director Sacha Gervasi brings together the members of heavy metal band Anvil after years of obscurity in an entertaining and humourous music documentary.
Anvil! The Story of Anvil tells the story of two Toronto-based musicians named Steve 'Lips' Kudlow and Robb Reiner, who have been best friends and played together in Anvil, the heavy metal band, since they were fourteen years old. Their debut album 'Metal On Metal' was a staggering success, and Anvil set the trend for other heavy metal bands, such as Metallica, Anthrax and Slayer, to achieve similar success on the music charts. Unfortunately, poor management decisions forced Steve Kudlow and Robb Reiner out of the spotlight and into obscurity.
Kudlow and Reiner are fun-loving and friendly, sophisticated and down-to-earth musicians and they make Anvil! The Story of Anvil an insightful and quirky experience even for those who dislike heavy metal music.
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