Rize (2005) - David LaChapelle

I'm not sure exactly if this is nominated for best documentary this year, probably not, but nevertheless. This film was quite a catastrophe for me to see. When I went to the ghetto ass theater that played it, the power failed, and two days later when we tried to catch it again, they already took the film out, so I had to wait many more months. Perhaps however it is for the best to check this out on a small screen. The film is shot in standard ratio, so it's perfectly formatted for the small screen. Sure it loses a little in that setting, but it is an intimate film.

LaChapelle has his background in music videos and photography, and it is very obvious here. He has a strong sense of composition, and the editing is brisk and very familiar for people who have seen his work. He tries at times to put this dance movement into a larger context, and I think he succeeds. Arguably the best moment in the film comes from a scene of the crumpers intercut with native African tribe dancing, uncanny how similar the movements are.

Hustle and Flow (2005) - Craig Brewer

The last of the best actor nominees I needed to see, Brewer's film features a remarkable Terrence Howard fresh off the heals of his turn in Crash. The plot is somewhat simple, of a pimp trying to make it in the rap game, the film parallels many others of the era, but is balanced by all around fantastic acting. Howard may be getting the most credit, but I think that Taraji Henson and Taryn Manning both do fantastic work here. The music is pretty damn good too, much of it written by unknown rapper Al Kapone. The DVD special features just constantly repeat how no one wanted to make the movie, but that's very typical of this sort of thing. Not the best movie of the year, but Howard is fantastic, and I support his nomination.