It’s quite a big deal to be in the final 15, given the fact that 124 were initially submitted. Out of these the 5 nominees, and eventually the winner, were chosen.
The criteria for a great documentary are: importance (is this worth our attention?), articulation (how good is the storytelling?), originality (is this showing us something new?), and courage (what are the risk-factors?). In spite of that, it is quite impossible not to be biased by personal interest and taste.
The following are snippets of all the 15 films, along with my ratings. Each rating is relative to the standard of the other films in the shortlist. Interestingly, the shortlisted documentaries can be grouped into three distinct categories: Biography, Current Events and Human Spirit. Instead of ranking the films straight through, I have decided to rank them in their individual categories.
The rating system used: 5-stars is Excellent, 4-stars is Very Good, 3-stars is Good, 2-stars is Okay, 1-star is Bad.
Biography Listen to Me Marlon 5-Stars Marlon Brando is possibly the most influential actor in the history of Hollywood. But is it possible to know what was inside his head? It turns out Brando had been secretly recording his deepest thoughts in countless audiotapes which no one has heard before, until now. Kevin Brownlow, the great film historian, would be proud of this one.Amy 5-Stars (Oscar Winner for Best Documentary) Director Asif Kapadia has added a new dimension in documentary filmmaking. His use of archival footage and audio clips to bring back people to life is phenomenal. First we saw the Brazilian Formula 1 racing champion Ayrton Senna resurrected in Senna (2010) and now, the British singer Amy Winehouse. Whom will he bring back next?Best of Enemies 4-Stars In 1968, during the national political conventions, William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal fought it out in a series of televised debates, which became the mother of all talk show battles in the history of US television.What Happened Miss Simone? 4-Stars (Oscar Nominated for Best Documentary) The journey of legendary jazz singer Nina Simone, who has become an icon in the music industry.He Named Me Malala 3-Stars The story of Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, whose fight for woman’s education made her the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.Current EventsCartel Land 5-Stars (Oscar Nominated for Best Documentary) This is the bravest film of the year. Matthew Heineman’s daring documentary gives us a rare insight into the Mexican drug wars. Another important film on the same topic is Sicario (2015).Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom 4.5-Stars (Oscar Nominated for Best Documentary) This controversial documentary shows us how a protest by Ukrainian students turned into a full-fledged revolution. Also recommended: Square (2013), which depicted the Egyptian uprising of 2011 at Tahir Square.Look of Silence 4.5-Stars(Oscar Nominated for Best Documentary) Joshua Oppenheimer’s worthy follow-up to his masterpiece Act of Killing (2013), which is among the most important documentaries ever made about the nature of freedom.We Come As Friends 3.5-Stars Filmmaker Hubert Sauper explores the new face of colonisation as corporations come to exploit South Sudan. Remarkably, the plane we see in the film was constructed by Sauper himself, who himself flew it there from France.Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief 3.5-Stars We finally get to see what L Ron Hubbard and Scientology are all about. The film does not go after Tom Cruise or portray him as a crazy person, it simply appeals to him to reconsider the church. We still love Tom Cruise. Also recommended: Master (2012), which is loosely based on Ron Hubbard’s escapades.Human SpiritWhere to Invade Next 5-Stars No one but Michael Moore, the most influential documentary filmmaker of all-time, could have made a film like this one. No one but Michael Moore, the most important activist since Noam Chomsky, can fix America. This one might not have the rage of his previous films, but that does not make it any less powerful.3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets 4-Stars This film deals with two hot topics in America – racism and gun control. An unarmed black teenager was shot to death by a 45-year-old white man for no apparent reason.Meru 3.5-Stars No Hollywood movie has been able to reveal the spirit of the mountain climbers like this one.Hunting Ground 3-Stars In Invisible War, filmmaker Kirby Dick warned us about the epidemic of rape cases in the US military. We learned that a woman is more likely to be raped if she's in the US Army than in any other profession. Now he reveals another shocking epidemic – rape on campus. It featured the song by Lady Gaga “Til It Happens to You” which was nominated for an Oscar.Heart of a Dog 3-Stars Musician Laurie Anderson’s experimental film about love and loss is the only doc in the shortlist closest to poetry.