I'm talking through 60% ignorance here -- I've seen only Man on Wire and Encounters at the End of the World.
I waver on Encounters. There were moments in it --character interviews -- that completely delighted me. But there were also times when I found myself drifting off. Perhaps I wasn't alert enough (the perils of home viewing). Bottom line for me: not nearly as consistently good as Grizzly Man.
I was moved by Man on Wire, possibly more than some because my recall of the original event is fairly strong -- it happened literally a week I'd moved into Manhattan, so it was my first Big Local Story. I grant the early portion of the film feels trivial (accented by that bouncy music). But when we finally get to see The Walk, it's just such an astonishment -- still hard to believe it happened. And the aftermath was, for me, almost as moving: regret for the loss of the Trade Center, of course, but also feeling the passage of time (and estrangement) experienced by the participants, and Petit's realization that, however glorious a feat this was, it would inevitably make the rest of his life a downhill affair. Thus, a sort of melancholy joy filled the screen, which touched me deeply (and here the music, Satie, did work).
All that said...I've been grappling with the same feeling you expressed about Trouble the Water. It's perfect for those who feel Best Documentary translates to Big Important Issue (not dismissing the film's achievement; just reducing it to Oscar voter terms). As you say, apart from the phenomenon of the penguins, this has been a category given to High Seriousness. Then again, there's also been a tendency in recent years to acknowledge decent grosses, and Man on Wire -- though hardly in Inconvenient Truth/Columbine territory, let alone Penguins/Fahrenheit -- was at least a minor success. So, I'm probably going with it in the end, but with less confidence than some years.
Categories One-by-One: Documentary Feature
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I've seen 4/5 nominees in this category, so I'll take this one.
The one I haven't seen is The Garden, which sounds interesting. I can't attest to its quality, but it doesn't sound like something that wins this category.
The Betrayal is notable in that it's directed by Ellen Kuras (the terrific cinematographer of Eternal Sunshine) and that it took twenty years to make. It's a moving account of displaced immigrants in America, but I think not singular enough to win this prize.
Encounters at the End of the World marks one of those less-publicized "hey, it's his first nomination!" events for long-snubbed Werner Herzog. And Michael Moore and Errol Morris both won on their first nominations after years of snubs. But, as lovely and unique as Encounters is, it's relatively minor Herzog, and doesn't feel as "important" as most winners in this category are. (Should Encounters win, I will have to conclude that the Academy just really, really, really, REALLY likes penguins.)
Most predictors are placing their bets on Man on Wire, which has enjoyed a nearly unstoppable awards run so far. And it's a compelling, entertaining film. But doesn't it feel a little wispy for Oscar? Looking back over the past decade, the winners in this category have always tackled pretty heavy subjects. (The one exception would be the aforementioned Penguins, but that was such a box-office and cultural phenomenon it seems in a different category altogether.) I wouldn't be surprised if Man on Wire won, but it does feel like the kind of doc critics groups go wild for while the Academy ultimately picks...
...something a little weightier. So I'm predicting Trouble the Water to take the prize. In addition to featuring some incredible, you've-got-be-kidding-me home movie footage of New Orleans during Katrina, it's an emotional powerhouse -- at one moment I nearly buried my head in my hands in tears. I think for many members of the Academy, the ability to reward this damning indictment of one of Bush's big disasters is too good an opportunity to pass up.
So I think Hurricane Katrina joins U.S. torture policy, global warming, Indian prostitutes, Vietnam, gun control, and the Holocaust in the Documentary category's list of Important Causes Worthy of Recognition.
The one I haven't seen is The Garden, which sounds interesting. I can't attest to its quality, but it doesn't sound like something that wins this category.
The Betrayal is notable in that it's directed by Ellen Kuras (the terrific cinematographer of Eternal Sunshine) and that it took twenty years to make. It's a moving account of displaced immigrants in America, but I think not singular enough to win this prize.
Encounters at the End of the World marks one of those less-publicized "hey, it's his first nomination!" events for long-snubbed Werner Herzog. And Michael Moore and Errol Morris both won on their first nominations after years of snubs. But, as lovely and unique as Encounters is, it's relatively minor Herzog, and doesn't feel as "important" as most winners in this category are. (Should Encounters win, I will have to conclude that the Academy just really, really, really, REALLY likes penguins.)
Most predictors are placing their bets on Man on Wire, which has enjoyed a nearly unstoppable awards run so far. And it's a compelling, entertaining film. But doesn't it feel a little wispy for Oscar? Looking back over the past decade, the winners in this category have always tackled pretty heavy subjects. (The one exception would be the aforementioned Penguins, but that was such a box-office and cultural phenomenon it seems in a different category altogether.) I wouldn't be surprised if Man on Wire won, but it does feel like the kind of doc critics groups go wild for while the Academy ultimately picks...
...something a little weightier. So I'm predicting Trouble the Water to take the prize. In addition to featuring some incredible, you've-got-be-kidding-me home movie footage of New Orleans during Katrina, it's an emotional powerhouse -- at one moment I nearly buried my head in my hands in tears. I think for many members of the Academy, the ability to reward this damning indictment of one of Bush's big disasters is too good an opportunity to pass up.
So I think Hurricane Katrina joins U.S. torture policy, global warming, Indian prostitutes, Vietnam, gun control, and the Holocaust in the Documentary category's list of Important Causes Worthy of Recognition.