The Cove

• Director: Louie Psihoyos
• Writer: Mark Monroe
• Theatrical Release Date: July 31, 2009
• Distributor: Lionsgate
• Festivals: Seattle International Film Festival, Silverdocs, Galway Film Fleadh, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), Hot Docs
• Criticwire: B
• On The Web Film WebsiteIMDB Entry

Synopsis: Flipper was one of the most beloved television characters of all time. But ironically, the fascination with dolphins that he caused created a tragic epidemic that has threatened their existence and become a multibillion dollar industry. The largest supplier of dolphins in the world is located in the picturesque town of Taijii, Japan. But the town has a dark, horrifying secret that it doesn't want the rest of the world to know. There are guards patrolling the cove, where the dolphin capturing takes place, who prevent any photography. The only way to stop the evil acts of this company and the town that protects it is to expose them....and that's exactly what the brave group of activists in The Cove intend to do.

Round-up: Reviews for "The Cove" and adulation from festivals the world over are making it the hottest documentary of 2009. Heaping on the praise is the AV Club's Noel Murray, who says, "The Cove offers a lot to think about i... n terms of the future of fishing, and Psihoyos’ gift for using fiction-feature conventions does make a seemingly unpalatable subject entertaining." Our own Eric Kohn took notice of the film's technical prowess, saying it was "smoothly edited to the beat of an engrossing cinematic score." Anticipating an audience, the Hollywood Reporter's Justin Lowe offers, "A broad cable audience will flock to the film avidly, and strategically targeted theatrical exposure could attract the same demographics drawn to Sundance alums 'March of the Penguins' and the quasi-caper doc 'Man on Wire.'" Ella Taylor of the Village Voice blames the film's success on its darling subjects, "Skillful and hugely entertaining as it is, I'm not sure 'The Cove' would be quite as potent as it is if the subject were, say, walruses instead of dolphins—a made-for-Disney sub-species if ever there was one. " Amber Wilkinson at Eye for Film contends with the one-sided evidence of the film, concluding, "There is no doubt that Psihoyos has storytelling skills and is adept behind the camera - but as documentaries go this is nothing more than a good-looking dud."