Story here. So whaddaya think? Did it deserve it or not?
That is a tough question, how many people on this board saw even two of the nominated documentaries?
I would say of course it deserved it. It was well done, entertaining and provided a lot of information. It was a very important issue and worthy in my opinion. Of course it was the only nominated documentary that I saw.
Jim
I saw Jesus Camp as well. They were both very good, but I would have gone for AIT.
It wasn’t any big surprise: its popularity and message made it the obvious frontrunner (I’m surprised, actually, that people are surprised that Alan Arkin won: The oldest actor involved is always the frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor).
It won because of its subject matter, its box office performance, and its association with Gore, not because of any larger artistic/aesthetic reasons. It’s not a bad movie (far from it), but compared to Iraq in Fragments of Deliver Us from Evil, which were much more incisive in execution and ambitious in scope, it’s nowhere in the same league (I hadn’t seen the other 2 nominees).
Like recent winners Bowling for Columbine and March of the Penguins before it, the most popular film won, though in all 3 cases, it was nowhere near the best.
Absolutely.
I’m sure Jesus Camp was entertaining, “point and laugh at the Rubes” and all.
But this documentary, as well as informing and entertaining, has already inspired changes. I really give it a lot of credit for how much discussion we’re FINALLY having about this issue.
Unless we all just forget this stuff again, it could go down as the point in ecological history when America woke up. And, I’m not exaggerating.
Really. I took it as a given that An Inconvenient Truth would win. It would have been surprising if something else had gotten the Oscar instead.
I agree. Ever since Loose Change got snubbed, I haven’t been paying any attention to the documentary Oscar.
I don’t think they run the documentaries until after the Academy Awards, do they? I liked An Inconvenient Truth, but I love documentaries, so I will reserve final judgement until I see some of the contenders.
Well, comedies never win at the Oscars anyways …
I guess that means West Bank Story is a drama.