84th Academy Awards – ‘Best Director’

Eligibility and Voting:

A Reminder List of all eligible motion pictures shall be sent with a nominations ballot to all members of the Directors Branch, who shall vote in the order of their preference for not more than five productions.

The five motion pictures receiving the highest number of votes shall become the nominations for final voting for the Directing award.

Final voting for the Directing award shall be restricted to active and life Academy members.

**********

Nominations:

Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris

• 8^th nomination for Directing, won for Annie Hall.  Also nominated for Bullets over Broadway, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Hannah and Her Sisters, Broadway Danny Rose, and Interiors.
• Nominated for 9 other major awards for Directing.

This is probably my all-time favorite Woody Allen movie.  With Bullets over Broadway and Mighty Aphrodite close behind.  This movie is perfect mix of what Woody does best: a bleak look at modern anxieties and the fantasy of longing for something amazing.  I love it!

Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist

• 1^st nomination for Directing.
• Won 7 of 19 other major award nominations, including the BAFTA and Directors Guild of America Award.

Yeah… I’m pretty sure he’s going to win… however.  There is a lot of competition this year.  The Academy loves feel good films like this… however, Roberto Benigni did not win Best Director… only Best Actor and Foreign Language Film.  I am pretty sure The Artist will win Best Picture… but that doesn’t mean Michel will win Director.

Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life

• 2^nd nomination for Directing.  Previously nominated for The Thin Red Line.
• Won 8 of 13 other major award nomination for Directing.

Terrence is totally the wild card here… and honestly, The Tree of Life is the only one here I haven’t seen yet.  A man only has so much time.  I’m going to try my best to see it before Sunday night.  Oye! 

Alexander Payne – The Descendants

• 2^nd nomination for Directing.  Previously nominated for Sideways.
• Won 1 of 9 other major award nominations for Directing.

Writing is going to be Alexander’s bread and butter this year.  He’s probably going to win over Moneyball in the Adapted Screenplay category… and that’s probably the best the film with fare.

Martin Scorsese – Hugo

• 7^th nomination for Directing.  Previously nominated for Raging Bull, The Last Temptations of Christ, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, and he finally won in 2007 for The Departed.
• Won 6 of 21 other major award nominations for Directing, including the Golden Globe.

Martin has a real shot... at least a better shot than anyone to take down The Artist... but I don't think it's going to happen. 

**********

Snubs:

Directing is a very subjective category.  It’s really hard to judge who was left out when there are 5 solid filmmakers in the mix. 

**********

Oscar Trends:

In the 61 years the Directors Guild of America has been giving out their award for Best Direction in a Feature Film… only 8 have no gone on to win the Oscar.  So, that gives Michel an 86.8% chance of winning.  How can you argue that kind of math?

**********

Prediction: 

• Winner:  Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
• Runner-Up:  Martin Scorsese – Hugo
• Wild Card: Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life
• Unlikely:  Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris
• No Chance in Hell:  Alexander Payne – The Descendants