‘Capitalism’ and ‘Anvil’ Fail to Make Best Documentary Oscar Shortlist

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on November 19, 2009

Anvil! The Fucking Story of Anvil

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed their list of the final group of 15 films that will contend for the Best Documentary Feature award this week, and with said announcement comes a twinge of bittersweetness. On one hand, the very powerful documentary The Cove — a Sundance premiere that takes on the brutal killing of dolphins in Japan — did make it to the final 15, as did the sensational SXSW pic Garbage Dreams and the incredibly fascinating food industry doc Food Inc.

On the other hand, fan (and critic) favorite Anvil! The Story of Anvil — the energetic, sad story of one of the most famous rock bands that you’ve never heard of — was curiously missing from the list, as was multi-Oscar nominee Michael Moore’s latest film Capitalism: A Love Story, a doc about our current financial crisis. While Michael Moore has had his date with Oscar, his film did seem to fall somewhat on deaf ears with critics, many of whom are sick and tired of his shtick. It is sad to see however, that Anvil! did not make it into the final 15. For many pundits — I would include myself in this group wholeheartedly — Anvil! was the odds-on favorite to win the award, as it was easily the best documentary released this year. But sadly, it will not get the recognition it so desperately deserves.

That said, I would urge you to see Anvil! as well as the 15 docs on the list below, as they are some of the best real stories you’ll see this year. For more on Anvil!, check out our Exclusive Interview with director Sacha Gervasi.

The Beaches of Agnes – Directed by Agnes Varda
Burma VJ – Directed by Anders Ostergaard
The Cove – Directed by Louie Psihoyos
Every Little Step – Directed by James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo
Facing Ali – Directed by Pete McCormack
Food, Inc. – Directed by Robert Kenner
Garbage Dreams – Directed by Mai Iskander
Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders – Directed by Mark N. Hopkins
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers – Directed by Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
Mugabe and the White African – Directed by Andrew Thompson and Lucy Bailey
Sergio – Directed by Greg Barker
Soundtrack for a Revolution – Directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman
Under Our Skin – Directed by Andy Abrahams Wilson
Valentino The Last Emperor – Directed by Matt Tyrnauer
Which Way Home – Directed by Rebecca Cammisa

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RobHunter

The Cove is better than Anvil and therefore deserves to win the Oscar. (Disclaimer: I've only seen three of the short-listed docs, but The Cove still deserves to win.)

Jeff R Hall

Rob,
Sorry sir, but I wholeheartedly disagree with you. While the Cove was a good documentary it is in no way better than Anvil.

I appreciate the Cove presenting itself as a mystery/whodunit instead of straight up, "here are the facts," film. However Anvil was human. (Not just because one is about dolphins per say.)

Anvil was heartwrenching (Not that the blood filled water didn't leave an impression.) and spoke on so many levels about Human perserverance. (Perhaps because I spent 20 years in the music industry this hit pretty damn close to home?)

Anvil is a story that plays out every day in so many facets of life, not just in music. Anvil deserves not only a nomination, but in my opinion the award itself.

Jim_Rohner

I would be so bold to say that the best documentary of this year is not on the list. Ondi Timoner's "We Live in Public," which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year, was phenomenal and - at the risk of sounding like a jerk - steered away from the environmental issues that are all the rage these days.

Both Burma VJ and Sergio were Sundance docs too. Both really good.

Jeff R Hall

Ahhh, so that is what she has been up to since Dig! I'll have to check it out, Dig! is one of my favorite documentaries.

BJC

Anvil Photo by Brent J. Craig

Cole_Abaius

I can't pretend like I've seen all of the films on that list, but Anvil is at least better than Food, Inc.

I also have a chip on my shoulder about The Cove since it shut down my lucrative Dolphin-

diana2

Sad Anvil did not make it on the list.

But I am glad to see "Garbage Dreams" made it on the list. I saw it at Docuweeks and it was by far my most favorite film there!

‘Capitalism’ and ‘Anvil’ Fail to Make Best Documentary Oscar Shortlist

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