1.
Tom Hooper for Les Misérables
Born: October 1972 - London, England, UK
Previous Oscar directing recognition: 2011 - The King's Speech (win)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
The Academy would love to have an excuse to give another Oscar nomination to Tom Hooper, since it would mean that Les Misérables was fantastic and that his win for The King's Speech over David Fincher (who was nominated for his amazing work inThe Social Network) wasn't a wrong choice at all. Plus, the movie musical is just getting a massive Best Picture Oscar buzz and the movie trailer promises a little cinematic masterpiece (since it looks and SOUNDS simply epic!), product of a mastery direction, so he's the clear favorite in this race at the moment. While a second win may just sound unlikely to happen at the moment, a nod seems assured for Hooper, putting him in the front of the race.
2.
Ang Lee for Life of Pi
Born: October 23, 1954 - Pingtung, Taiwan
Previous Oscar directing recognition: 2001 - Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (nom); 2006 - Brokeback Mountain (win)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): Sense and Sensibility (1995)
I don't know about you, but I miss Ang Lee movies. Lee gained my attention with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and then I discovered Sense and Sensibility (yeah... I'm young!). Some weeks after, I watched Lust, Caution (underrated movie) and then I gave Brokeback Mountain a try and there's my conclusion: this guy directs with such a beautiful approach... So, I see Life of Pi working as a great showcase for Lee's vision. The movie is an adaptation of a beloved novel and the trailer gives us some breath-taking views, making me believe guessing an easy Best Director Oscar nomination to Ang Lee, if the movie gets the critical acclaim it needs to have a spot guaranteed in the big categories. Lee last movie, Taking Woodstock, was his least successful effort, while Life of Pi promises to be a gem in his career, so, maybe the contrast will make the AMPAS go crazy for him and remind how talented he is and that he deserves to be honoured (again!).
I don't know about you, but I miss Ang Lee movies. Lee gained my attention with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and then I discovered Sense and Sensibility (yeah... I'm young!). Some weeks after, I watched Lust, Caution (underrated movie) and then I gave Brokeback Mountain a try and there's my conclusion: this guy directs with such a beautiful approach... So, I see Life of Pi working as a great showcase for Lee's vision. The movie is an adaptation of a beloved novel and the trailer gives us some breath-taking views, making me believe guessing an easy Best Director Oscar nomination to Ang Lee, if the movie gets the critical acclaim it needs to have a spot guaranteed in the big categories. Lee last movie, Taking Woodstock, was his least successful effort, while Life of Pi promises to be a gem in his career, so, maybe the contrast will make the AMPAS go crazy for him and remind how talented he is and that he deserves to be honoured (again!).
3.
Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild
Born: ??? - Sunnyside, Queens, New York, USA
Previous Oscar directing recognition: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
He just did a miracle by turning a micro-budget indie movie into one of the most loved artistic piece of cinema of the year: Beasts of the Southern Wild. The man behind the winner of Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize is a young man making his directorial debut, which may not benefit him in the Best Director race. He impressed with his youth and he will win a lot of "Most Promising Filmmaker" and "Best First Film" awards, but the Academy just doesn't use to recognize a director this early, no matter how brilliant his first work is (like what happened in David Fincher's case, for example). So, Benh Zeitlin may look like a safe bet at this point of the race, but I believe that he's the most tricky contender: he has que Best Picture buzzy movie and he will receive a lot of awards, but his youth may be a wall between him and Oscar recognition, but every wall can be destroyed...
He just did a miracle by turning a micro-budget indie movie into one of the most loved artistic piece of cinema of the year: Beasts of the Southern Wild. The man behind the winner of Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize is a young man making his directorial debut, which may not benefit him in the Best Director race. He impressed with his youth and he will win a lot of "Most Promising Filmmaker" and "Best First Film" awards, but the Academy just doesn't use to recognize a director this early, no matter how brilliant his first work is (like what happened in David Fincher's case, for example). So, Benh Zeitlin may look like a safe bet at this point of the race, but I believe that he's the most tricky contender: he has que Best Picture buzzy movie and he will receive a lot of awards, but his youth may be a wall between him and Oscar recognition, but every wall can be destroyed...
4.
Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master
Born: June 26, 1970 - Studio City, California, USA
Previous Oscar directing recognition: 2008 - There Will Be Blood (nom)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): Magnolia (1999)
The Master is getting crazy raves at Venice Film Festival and it isn't the "scienthology exposing movie" some people were expecting. According to critics, the movie benefits from the leading actors' performances, from the beautiful cinematography and PT Anderson's stylish direction and his use of the 70mm (not widescreen format). He already owned the "One of the most promising directors of his generation status", thanks to Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love and then the Academy recognized this reputation with a directing nod for the epic There Will Be Blood (he absolutely deserved it!) - I preview some "award recognition similarities" with David Fincher. So, considering The Master's enthusiastic critical reception, the strong pre-release Oscar buzz that turned into confirmed Oscar quality and the director's body of work and reputation in the business, I believe Mr. Anderson is in a highway to his second nod for Best Director (if the enthusiasm around his work doesn't get snubed during awards season, which seems unlikely to happen at this point).
Previous Oscar directing recognition: 2008 - There Will Be Blood (nom)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): Magnolia (1999)
The Master is getting crazy raves at Venice Film Festival and it isn't the "scienthology exposing movie" some people were expecting. According to critics, the movie benefits from the leading actors' performances, from the beautiful cinematography and PT Anderson's stylish direction and his use of the 70mm (not widescreen format). He already owned the "One of the most promising directors of his generation status", thanks to Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love and then the Academy recognized this reputation with a directing nod for the epic There Will Be Blood (he absolutely deserved it!) - I preview some "award recognition similarities" with David Fincher. So, considering The Master's enthusiastic critical reception, the strong pre-release Oscar buzz that turned into confirmed Oscar quality and the director's body of work and reputation in the business, I believe Mr. Anderson is in a highway to his second nod for Best Director (if the enthusiasm around his work doesn't get snubed during awards season, which seems unlikely to happen at this point).
5.
Wes Anderson for Moonrise Kingdom
Born: May 1, 1969 - Houston, Texas, USA
Previous Oscar directing recognition: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
While I believe Moonrise Kingdom won't turn into such a classic as The Royal Tenenbaums did, I think that this love letter to childhood is the most stylish movie Wes Anderson has ever mande, making people notice his presence behind the camera. After being raved, but snubed from directing awards, for Tenenbaums, Anderson estabilished himself and proved Rushmore wasn't a "great-quality accident" and I think he may have the "recognition year" in 2012, for his work in Moonrise Kingdom. The movie had a really strong box-office performance (specially if you have in consideration Moonrise is an independent and not-made-to-be-that-commercial piece of cinema), which means that the movie's vibrant Anderson vibe seduced the audiences: maybe the Academy will be seduced by Wes directing sensibility as well!
6. Roger Michell for Hyde Park On Hudson
Born: June 5, 1956 - South Africa
Previous Oscar directing recognition: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
He already proved he can pull great performances from the actors under his direction, but does he has what's necessary to elevate the promising Hyde Park On Hudson to Best Picture level and, this way, become a contender in the Best Director category? Well, I believe Roger Michell has good chances, since he already proved he's a very capable director and, this time, he had Oscar baity material to work with.
7. Christopher Nolan for The Dark Knight Rises
Born: June 5, 1956 - South Africa
Previous Oscar directing recognition: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
He already proved he can pull great performances from the actors under his direction, but does he has what's necessary to elevate the promising Hyde Park On Hudson to Best Picture level and, this way, become a contender in the Best Director category? Well, I believe Roger Michell has good chances, since he already proved he's a very capable director and, this time, he had Oscar baity material to work with.
7. Christopher Nolan for The Dark Knight Rises
Born: July 30, 1970 - London, England, UK
Previous Oscar directing recognition: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): Memento (2000); The Dark Knight Rises (2008); Inception (2010)
I would call Mr. Nolan "Mr. Snubed"... It just sounds impossible how the man who directed Memento, that reinvented the super-heroe genre and created two modern action masterpieces - The Dark Knight and Inception - never received a Best Director Oscar nod. Maybe the AMPAS want to apologize him for all the snubs and recognize his great stylish work in TDKR, since this one had a huge commercial success and got Oscary-enough raves.
8. Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
Previous Oscar directing recognition: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): Memento (2000); The Dark Knight Rises (2008); Inception (2010)
I would call Mr. Nolan "Mr. Snubed"... It just sounds impossible how the man who directed Memento, that reinvented the super-heroe genre and created two modern action masterpieces - The Dark Knight and Inception - never received a Best Director Oscar nod. Maybe the AMPAS want to apologize him for all the snubs and recognize his great stylish work in TDKR, since this one had a huge commercial success and got Oscary-enough raves.
8. Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
Born: December 18, 1946 - Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Previous Oscar directing recognition: 1978 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (nom); 1982 - Raiders of the Lost Ark (nom); 1983 - E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (nom); 1994 - Schindler's List (win); 1999 - Saving Private Ryan (win); 2006 - Munich (nom)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): The Color Purple (1985); Minority Report (2002)
People are paying attention to Spielberg's upcoming biopic Lincoln... the AMPAS tends to love biopics and this one is also a period piece AND it is about politics (since President Lincoln is the central character). I believe Spielberg has some big chances, but a biopic isn't an Oscar guarantee like it used to be... and Spielberg's name has the reputation, but not the same enthusiasm of the 80's and 90's.
9. Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty
People are paying attention to Spielberg's upcoming biopic Lincoln... the AMPAS tends to love biopics and this one is also a period piece AND it is about politics (since President Lincoln is the central character). I believe Spielberg has some big chances, but a biopic isn't an Oscar guarantee like it used to be... and Spielberg's name has the reputation, but not the same enthusiasm of the 80's and 90's.
9. Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty
Born: November 27, 1951 - San Carlos, California, USA
Previous Oscar directing recognition: 2010 - Best Director for The Hurt Locker (win)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
Kathryn Bigelow is history since the day she became the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar and, this year, she's back with another war drama: Zero Dark Thirty, a tale about Bin Laden hunting. Personally I'm like "She could present something not SO in the same vein of The Hurt Locker", but I admit she has high-quality directing skills and right now, there's some huge Best Picture and Best Director buzz around ZDT and if she presents a movie as good as The Hurt Locker, it will be impossible to exclude her directing work from the awards race and she'll be an instant Oscar contender.
10. Joe Wright for Anna Karenina
Born: 1972 - London, England, UK
Previous Oscar directing recognition: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): Atonement (2007)
Anna Karenina promised a lot and it disappointed some in Venice Film Festival, but there were no doubts about Wright's capable and stylish directing work. In fact, most reviews claim that without all the visual beauty and the "ballet-like" walks, Anna Karenina would have no charm and it would something like... bland. Anna Karenina is a very visual movie according critics, but maybe the Production Design, Costume Design and Cinematography departments will take the spotlight from the real responsible for the movie's beauty.
Kathryn Bigelow is history since the day she became the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar and, this year, she's back with another war drama: Zero Dark Thirty, a tale about Bin Laden hunting. Personally I'm like "She could present something not SO in the same vein of The Hurt Locker", but I admit she has high-quality directing skills and right now, there's some huge Best Picture and Best Director buzz around ZDT and if she presents a movie as good as The Hurt Locker, it will be impossible to exclude her directing work from the awards race and she'll be an instant Oscar contender.
10. Joe Wright for Anna Karenina
Born: 1972 - London, England, UK
Previous Oscar directing recognition: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): Atonement (2007)
Anna Karenina promised a lot and it disappointed some in Venice Film Festival, but there were no doubts about Wright's capable and stylish directing work. In fact, most reviews claim that without all the visual beauty and the "ballet-like" walks, Anna Karenina would have no charm and it would something like... bland. Anna Karenina is a very visual movie according critics, but maybe the Production Design, Costume Design and Cinematography departments will take the spotlight from the real responsible for the movie's beauty.
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