Category:
Best Directing
[note: I say this year after year, but the Academy owes it to itself and its integrity to do something about the lack of female nominees this year and every eyar. First, too few women are hired to direct films. Second, when they do, they rarely make it into contention for Best Directing. In the entire history of the AMPAS, there have only been three nominated, none has won: the first was Lina Wertmüller in 1976 for Seven Beauties, followed by Jane Campion in 1993 for The Piano, and Sofia Coppola in 2003 for Lost in Translation. There is no way, I expect, we would tolerate a Best Acting Award that went only to men. The category has always been split. So, why not split it with Directors too, until such time as we see the tides equalize? ]
Nominees:
Alejandro González Iñárritu for Babel (review)
comment: I am intrigued by Alejandro González Iñárritu and his style, but I did not feel his work on this film was a the same caliber as that required to direct some other better films of this year.
Martin Scorsese for The Departed (review)
comment: This is a tough one because Mr. Scorsese is a legend. Still, The Departed was not one of the most challenging of his films to direct nor was the outcome in the league of difficulty as some required by other directors.
Clint Eastwood for Letters from Iwo Jima (review)
comment: Building a case against this nomination is very challenging due to the fact that Mr. Eastwood directed the companion film, Flags of our Fathers in the same fell swoop. Letters from Iwo Jima is by far the better of the two, and the skills and mastery necessary to execute this film on such a size and scale is incredible. I would definitely have to say they got this one right.
Stephen Frears for The Queen (review)
comment: Brilliant acting, amazing sets, great story, but if degree of difficulty is taken into account, hmm, not sure. Probably not the most difficult directing job of the year. Loved the film, though!
Paul Greengrass for United 93 (review)
comment: I have a tremendous admiration for Paul Greengrass and Oliver Stone for taking on the 9/11 tragedy and making two very poignant films. To exclude one vs. the other is odd. Better to leave them both off. Neither film required the directing skills of some names left off the list.
Who's missing?
John Curran for The Painted Veil--Now this was a film that requires some incredible directing skills. Terrible oversight.
Alfonso Cuarón for Children of Men--absolutely incredible job that was completely overlooked.
Edward Zwick for Blood Diamond--again we are talking shades of difficulty in these nominations, but Mr. Zwich was head and shoulders above the pack with his mastery in this film.
Todd Field for Little Children--Again, the artistry of the director over they unfolding of this film was incredible. The job requirements weren't as amazing, but neither were they for the gents above.
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