It happens almost every year.

This is deeply disappointing but unfortunately not surprising at all. The two best documentaries I’ve seen this year have just been screwed out of a shot at an Oscar nomination.

“Anvil! The Story of Anvil” and Michael Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story” were not picked as one of 15 films deemed eligible by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to be nominated for an Oscar.

Also left off the list was Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim’s “It Might Get Loud” starring Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White and the high-profile doc “The September Issue.” WTF?

These movies join a long and distinguished list of classic documentaries that got screwed by the Academy such as “The King of Kong,” Werner Herzog’s “Grizzly Man,” Kurt Kuenne’s “Dear Zachary,” “Hoop Dreams” (which was nominated for Best Editing),  “Crumb,” and “American Movie.”

“Soundtrack for a Revolution,” which features the Roots, the Blind Boys of Alabama, John Legend, and Wyclef Jean, however, was nominated. This is the first time I’m hearing about this movie.

By the way, “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” wasn’t released before the Oscar deadline, so it’s ineligible for the documentary category this year. Some insiders say it has a chance at the Best Picture category (which is now expanded to 10 nominees).

Here are the lucky nominees. The three most high-profile docs are in italics:

• The Beaches of Agnes
• Burma VJ
• The Cove
• Every Little Step
• Facing Ali
• Food, Inc.
• Garbage Dreams
• Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders
• The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and The Pentagon Papers
• Mugabe and the White African
• Sergio
• Soundtrack for a Revolution
• Under Our Skin
• Valentino The Last Emperor
• Which Way Home

What are some of the other high-profile worst Oscar documentary snubs in history?

Tags: 2009, anvil, capitalism: a love story, documentary, included, ineligible, left, Michael, moore, not, off, oscar, screwed, shortlist, snubbed

Just got this from Overture Films:

Michael Moore’s next documentary, CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY, opening nationwide on October 2, 2009. This trailer contains the first footage available from the film, and as you’ll see, the timeliness of the topics it explores will surely resonate with all audiences.

“It’s got it all — lust, passion, romance, and 14,000 jobs being eliminated every day.” - Michael Moore

CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY tackles an issue Michael Moore has been examining throughout his career: the disastrous impact of corporate dominance on the everyday lives of Americans (and by default, the rest of the world). But this time the culprit is much bigger than General Motors, and the crime scene far wider than Flint, Michigan. From Middle America, to the halls of power in Washington, to the global financial epicenter in Manhattan, Michael Moore will once again take filmgoers into uncharted territory.

Tags: 2009, capitalism, capitalism: a love story, First, full, Michael, michael moore, moore, new, october, poster, trailer

“Capitalism: A Love Story,” Michael Moore’s new documentary, out Oct. 2, 2009.

Just got this press release from Overture Films:

(Beverly Hills, CA) July 8, 2009— “Capitalism: A Love Story” is the newly unveiled title of Oscar-winner Michael Moore’s latest documentary feature. Overture Films will release the film domestically on October 2, 2009, and Paramount Vantage will handle international distribution. As previously announced, Moore will return to the issue that began his career: the disastrous impact that corporate dominance and out-of-control profit motives have on the lives of Americans and citizens of the world.

On why he chose to make a ‘love story,’ Moore stated that it was time for him to make a ‘relationship movie.’ “It will be the perfect date movie,” said Moore. “It’s got it all — lust, passion, romance, and 14,000 jobs being eliminated every day. It’s a forbidden love, one that dare not speak its name. Heck, let’s just say it: It’s Capitalism.”

Here’s a link to the teaser that ran a couple weekends ago and caused quite a commotion in theaters.

This should be interesting, I think. I wonder if it will be a complete takedown of the idea of capitalism or if it will just go after what it has become in this country. If it’s the former, Moore runs the risk of taking what could be a mass-media audience for the movie and limiting to a much smaller, niche audience (even smaller thann his niche already is). As mentioned in an earlier release about the film, “Capitalism: A Love Story” will explore the root causes of the global economic meltdown and take a comical look at the corporate and political shenanigans that culminated in what Moore has described as “the biggest robbery in the history of this country” – the massive transfer of U.S. taxpayer money to private financial institutions.

Tags: 2009, capitalism, capitalism: a love story, date, documentary, film, for, Michael, moore, movie, new, release, title, unveils

Eric Melin and guest host Ryan Magnuson from “The Sports Buddaye” review the new Michael Bay movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox and a whole lot of “fighting robot” porn. Is the constant barrage of crazy transformers fighting each other enough to make the two and half hour movie worth recommending? Are the comedic elements too over the top? Find out what makes this 2009 Transformers movie different from the last one in this on-camera movie review.

Tags: 2009, bay, Fallen, fox, labeouf, megan, Michael, movie, of, Revenge, review, shia, the, Transformers

This weekend at screenings of “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ in select theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, a teaser trailer for the new Michael Moore documentary was shown to audiences. The teaser, embedded above, asked moviegoers to give money to the needy during this recession—the CEOs of major banks and corporations. Ushers began streaming down the aisles with shirts that read: “Save our CEOs.”

The whole stunt was filmed, probably for inclusion in Moore’s upcoming as-yet-untitled “bailout” film, due to be released in October. Considering how much things have changed in the recent year since he started working on themovie, it will be interesing to see what he includes to makeit as timely as possible. And considering his strong ties to General Motors (Ever seen Roger and Me”?), I have a feeling this will be a passionate movie. Moore’s been ahead of the curve, forseeing the bigger picture long before the mainstream in his last two movies (”Fahrenheit 9/11,” “Sicko”), but I wonder if his take on the current economic crisis be an angry tirade or try to offer some solutions as well?

Here’s the text from the trailer:

“Hi, I’m Michael Moore. Instead of using this time to tell you about my new movie I’d like to take a moment and ask you to join me in helping our fellow Americans. The downturn in the economy has hurt many people, people who have had no choice but to go on government assistance. Yet our welfare agencies can only do so much. That’s why I’m asking you to reach into your pockets right now and lend a hand. Ushers will be coming down the aisles to collect your donations for Citibank, Bank of America, AIG, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and a host of other needy banks and corporations. Won’t you please give generously? Now, I know what you’re thinking - I already gave at the bailout. And I know you did, but even if you’ve given in the past, give some more. It will make you feel… good.”

Tags: 2009, causes, ceos, commotion, Michael, moore, our, save, teaser, this, weekend

Just got this press release:

Oscar-winning filmmaker to explore ‘the wonders of capitalism’

(Beverly Hills, CA) May 21, 2009— Overture Films and Paramount Vantage have announced that Oscar-winner Michael Moore’s new documentary feature will be released domestically on October 2, 2009. The as-yet-untitled film will explore the root causes of the global economic meltdown and take a comical look at the corporate and political shenanigans that culminated in what Moore has described as “the biggest robbery in the history of this country” – the massive transfer of U.S. taxpayer money to private financial institutions.

On this, the 20-year anniversary of his masterpiece “Roger & Me,” Moore returns to the issue that began his career: the disastrous impact that corporate dominance and out-of-control profit motives have on the lives of Americans and citizens of the world. But this time the culprit is much bigger than General Motors, and the crime scene far wider than Flint, Michigan.

Says Moore: “The wealthy, at some point, decided they didn’t have enough wealth. They wanted more — a lot more. So they systematically set about to fleece the American people out of their hard-earned money. Now, why would they do this? That is what I seek to discover in this movie.”

Moore’s new documentary, his first since 2007’s widely-praised “Sicko,” was first announced by Overture and Paramount Vantage International in May 2008 at the Cannes Film Festival and production began shortly afterward.

Chris McGurk and Danny Rosett, Overture’s CEO and COO respectively, previously worked with Moore when they oversaw the release of Bowling for Columbine at MGM/United Artists.

“Everyone can relate to this subject matter and all have been affected,” said McGurk and Rosett. “We think there should be plenty of people interested in hearing Michael’s take on how exactly we got here and what we can do to move forward.”

John Lesher, President of Paramount Film Group, added, “Michael is a master at capturing the most timely and critical issues shaping our world today. His unique, thought-provoking method of filmmaking is sure to bring dynamic insights into the state of the global economy that will have mass appeal to audiences worldwide.”

The release date is a year and a day after the United States Senate voted to hand Wall Street a $700 billion bailout.

Tags: 2009, capitalism, documentary, Michael, michael moore, moore, new, october, overture, paramount, untitled

“Best Worst Movie” is the documentary about the phenomenon of “Troll 2,” widely regarded as the worst movie ever made. Eric caught up with director Michael Paul Stephenson, star George Hardy, and Zack Carlson from Austin, Texas’ Alamo Drafthouse at the world premiere of “Best Worst Movie” at SXSW 2009. This in-depth interview was recorded directly after the premiere, just as George Hardy and Zack Carlson had seen the film for the first time. “Best Worst Movie” is currently making the rounds at film festivals across the country, and there are plenty of clips from both “Best Worst Movie” and the cult classic that spawned it, “Troll 2,” in this video. Learn more about “Troll 2” director Claudio Fragasso and his feelings about how “Troll 2” has been received and hear about a trip to mysterious “Troll 2” star Margo Prey’s house in this interview as well. Nilbog fanatics unite! “Best Worst Movie” is currently playing at film festivals everywhere.

Read Eric’s original journal entry about “Best Worst Movie” from SXSW 2009 here.

Tags: 2, 2009, Alamo, austin, best, Best Worst Movie, clips, documentary, drafthouse, george, hardy, interview, Michael, movie, paul, premiere, Stephenson, SXSW, Texas, troll, Troll 2, Worst

‘Tis the season for play adaptations, as the recent releases of “Doubt” and “Frost/Nixon” can attest to. Adapted from his own 2005 Tony-winning play, writer/director John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt” is one of those movies that you come away from thinking mainly about the strength of the performances. For my review of “Doubt,” click here.

Peter Morgan’s Tony award-winning 2007 play “Frost/Nixon” has been adapted by the screenwriter into a movie by director Ron Howard, and although the performances are less showy than those in “Doubt,” the movie employs a talking-head interview style that made me wonder why I wasn’t watching a documentary about the original David Frost/Richard Nixon interviews.

In March of 1977, British talk show host David Frost got the only public apology out of Richard Nixon for the Watergate scandal in a series of 12 days of interviews he conducted with the disgraced U.S. president. Morgan’s film fictionalizes some events (reducing the number of days to four and inventing an important late-night phone call Nixon makes to Frost) for drama’s sake and aptly makes the point that this unlikely event occurred only because the Nixon team underestimated his interviewer.

Unlike “Doubt,” the actors who starred in the Broadway production also appear in the movie. Frank Langella channels the drained but alert spirit of Nixon, while Michael Sheen (Tony Blair in Morgan’s “The Queen”) embodies TV personality and playboy Frost.

While Howard shows Frost jumping through hoops and virtually going broke to pay Nixon for the interviews, members of Frost’s political research team (played by Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell, and Matthew Macfadyen) are shown sitting for direct-address interviews. Discussing their candid thoughts and the challenges that face the team in preparation, I wondered where the documentary is that shows the actual participants recounting their experiences. (The interview itself is available on DVD.)

What Morgan has done is wrap up the entire event into a nice little dramatic ball like any good piece of fiction. Each man is looking for a knockout, and the final interview is the really the title bout. Nixon wants to change his public image for the better, and Frost wants to back him into a corner and get an admission of guilt. It’s a formula that serves movies well, and Howard ramps up the suspense as well as can be expected from a situation of which the outcome is already known.

Howard’s close-ups allow us to get views of the movie interview that don’t exist in the real interview, and Morgan’s shaping of the events surrounding the interview give some interesting perspective. The play itself was all about the role of the media, featuring a stack of video monitors constant reminding the audience that the presentation was as important as the content.

Because of the flat, reality-style presentation of the movie, I still couldn’t help but wondering why I was watching a movie based on a play based on a TV interview. And while I normally don’t complain too much about facts getting distorted in movies for better drama, Howard’s format inherently seems like it’s trying to pass itself off as reality, and that really bugged me.

At its best, “Frost/Nixon” made me hope for a documentary covering the same topic with choice clips from the actual interview.

For part two of this article—my review of “Doubt,”—click here.

Tags: fil, frank, Frost/Nixon, Frost/Nixon movie review, howard, Langella, Michael, movie, review, Ron, Sheen