1. Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity
Born: November 28, 1961 - Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Previous Oscar recognition in directing: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): 2006 - Children of Men
COMMENT: Gravity is an epic spacial marvel and it is going to make an impression by taking a big amount of Oscar nominations in the technical categories and since it is under heavy Best Picture buzz, then Cuarón's great work in the director's chair is likely to nab an Oscar nomination in the Best Director field. With a big couple of critics associations prizes, Golden Globe and Critics' Choice awards nominations, we only have to wait for DGA nominations, but I believe he has a nom guaranteed and an Oscar nod waiting for him (but I should to be more cautious, because last year's Oscar snubs in Best Director were shocking, totally against most predictions). More than a great movie, Gravity is a huge showcase for its director.
2. Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave
Previous Oscar recognition in directing: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
COMMENT: The director of this year's Best Picture frontrunner - 12 Years a Slave - Steve McQueen, more than a director, is an artist, just as you were able to see in his previous features, Hunger and Shame. It seems people and awards organizations began to understand his vision with his latest movie, now it is time to AMPAS members to embrace him too. Set as a strong contender for a possible Best Director win, McQueen isn't nominated already and I fear he gets the "Ben Affleck treatment", but I like to think this is a different case. McQueen has a distinctive directing style and 12 Years is a huge and epic cinematic piece (and an essay about the slavery topic) for the Academy's tastes. Globes nominated him, Critics' Choice Awards nominated him, he took home critics prizes and the buzz around him his huge. He's likely to get a DGA award nomination. He's likely to get an Oscar nomination in the Best Director category.
3. David O. Russell for American Hustle
Previous Oscar recognition in directing: 2011 - Best Director for The Fighter (nom); 2013 - Best Director for Silver Linings Playbook (nom)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
COMMENT: From the O. Russell's-Oscar-nominated-trilogy-to-be, American Hustle is my least favorite movie, but I see it as the most challenging one (in terms of directing work). An energetic and vibrant direction, Russell is maybe one of the best storytellers working in Hollywood and a true actors' director (playing them as a chess player in order to build the narrative). Hustle could be a messy movie, but it is a good mess instead thanks its direction. He has the precursor awards' recognition and American Hustle is a buzzy Best Picture contender... things look incredibly fine for Russell's 2014 Oscar dream.
4. Paul Greengrass for Captain Phillips
Previous Oscar recognition in directing: 2007 - Best Director for United 97 (nom)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): 2007 - The Bourne Ultimatum
COMMENT: Greengrass proved to be one of the best thriller directors working these days with his Bourne trilogy and this year's Captain Phillips is also one of the most tense and one of the most interesting movies of 2013. While the movie's buzz seems to be fading, it is clear it estabilished a solid spot in Best Picture category and Greengrass is a solid bet for Best Director too, specially considering the love he got from the precursor awards. In spite of the traction, I believe Greengrass may be a bit vulnerable if the AMPAS decides to make a more edgy choice like Martin Scorsese for The Wolf of Wall Street, for example
5. Spike Jonze for Her
Previous Oscar recognition in directing: 2000 - Best Director for Being John Malkovich (nom)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): 2002 - Adaptation
COMMENT: The man who directed Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Where the Wild Things Are, Jonze is a genius and Her is a melancholic feature from another world. Moody, beautiful and romantic at the same time, Her would never work so well if Jonze wasn't behind the camera. While some consider him as a dark horse in this race, personally I think his NBR win and the multiple Best Director nods from critics associations mean a lot in this field. DGA hasn't revealed its nominees yet, but we all know the Critics' Choice Award Best Director nominees and Jonze is between the names in the shortlist. Her has the raves and it is under some heavy Best Picture buzz and people in business (and audiences) missed Jonze, so I belive the AMPAS will pay attention to Jonze's work and Oscar voters will go for him.
6. Martin Scorsese for The Wolf of Wall Street
Born: November 17, 1942 - Queens, New York, USA
Born: November 17, 1942 - Queens, New York, USA
Previous Oscar recognition in directing: 1981 - Best Director for Raging Bull (nom); 1989 - Best Director for The Last Temptation of Christ (nom); 1991 - Best Director for Goodfellas (nom); 2003 - Best Director for Gangs of New York (nom); 2005 - Best Director for The Aviator (nom); 2007 - Best Director for The Departed (win); 2012 - Best Director for Hugo (nom)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): 1974 - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore; 1976 - Taxi Driver
COMMENT: Some call The Wolf of Wall Street's direction "Scorsese after trying cocaine" and, in fact, reviews say it is one of the most energetic movies from this American master. Some love the movie, some not so much, but the truth is The Wolf is doing well during awards season. Scorsese missed a Golden Globe nod, but critics associations have been nominating him and while I think there are stronger contenders, I can see Scorsese getting a nod if the AMPAS goes for the amoral The Wolf of Wall Street (but maybe the lack of values in the movie hurts the director chances too much).
7. Ethan Coen & Joel Coen for Inside Llewyn Davis
Born: November 29,1954 - Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA (Joel); September 21, 1957 - Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA (Ethan)
Previous Oscar recognition in directing: 1997 - Best Director for Fargo (nom); 2008 - Best Director for No Country for Old Men (win); 2011 - Best Director for True Grit (nom)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
COMMENT: The Academy members love the Coen brothers, but it seems they like their screenplays more than their directing, judging by the number of nods in both categories. No matter what Inside Llewyn Davis is one of the best movies from the directors and one of the most well-reviewed film of the year. Critics gave some directing nods to the Coens in the directing category and it may translate into an Oscar nod if Academy members decide to go crazy for Llewyn Davis.
8. Alexander Payne for Nebraska
Born: February 10, 1961 - Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Previous Oscar recognition in directing: 2005 - Best Director for Sideways (nom); 2012 - Best Director for The Descendants (nom)
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
COMMENT: Not my favorite director, I must admit, but Nebraska features a certain kind of maturity other Payne movies didn't have. Oscar voters love his movies, but they only nominated him twice, so will they want to give him the third nod? His latest movie doesn't work as a directing showcase, but there is a huge Oscar campaign around Nebraska and it can work a lot in his benefit (it has already given him a Golden Globe nod in the Best Director category).
9. Abdellatif Kechiche for Blue Is The Warmest Color
Born: December 7, 1960 - Tunis, Tunisia
Previous Oscar recognition in directing: none
Oscar snubed directing work(s): none
COMMENT: Will he get a Best Director Oscar nomination à la Pedro Almodóvar for Talk To Her fashion way? Blue Is The Warmest Color didn't get a seat in the finalists for the Best Foreign Picture voting, but it still has a chance in Best Picture and Academy members tend to have some love Palme d'Or winners. Exarchopoulos and Seydoux are doing a great job promoting the movie and since Blue is one of the most controversial and well-reviews (and well-directed) features of the year, Kechiche's Oscar hopes are still alive and he would make for a delicious Oscar upset!
Comments