- Evolution of a Criminal (Darius Clarke Monroe), because the hook of Monroe's own story is already compelling, but the addition of his family's perspective deepens the film's even more.
- The Last of the Unjust (Claude Lanzmann), because Lanzmann offers more than a polished Shoah retread in one witness's essential story, and as a reflection on other forgotten (hi)stories.
- The Missing Picture (Rithy Panh), for genuinely grappling with formal boundaries of documentary, as a method of storytelling and revolution, while richly evoking the story at its core.
- National Gallery (Frederick Wiseman), because its informative about the art and the meticulous labors of it and quietly stimulating in its observations of the museum as a crackling entity.
- The Overnighters (Jesse Moss), for finding a bracing tale of communal harmony from one pastor's spiritual crisis and unwavering generosity, and of lower-class uncertainties.
Honorable Mentions: I promise I'm not being willfully contrarian to Oscar's lineup in my own picks. Citizenfour and Last Days in Vietnam were my two favorites of the nominees, and only just missed here. I also gave strong consideration to Virunga, which could benefit from a tighter structure and less timidity with its subjects, but the urgency with which it approaches and involves us in this story is incredibly effective. I'm less enthusiastic about Finding Vivian Maier and have yet to see The Salt of the Earth (only because it hasn't been released yet).
Other finalists include: Life Itself, The Final Member, and Bjork: Biophilia Live.
No comments:
Post a Comment