Best Director

They are the artists behind the camera, transforming their imagination and vision into a working narrative. They are the storytellers that we love to listen to, and the glue that ultimately holds all the elements of a successful movie in place. And the nominees are...

Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (1st nomination)- Boyle has truly created a breathtaking piece of art with his rendering of the simultaneous coming of age story of three orphans and the country they call home. He beautifully captures the harsh, vast nature of the slums of Mumbai, along with their maturation toward a cosmopolitan city, while at the same time giving us a whirlwind tour of India's wonders, culture and history. All this is accomplished in flashback mode through the memories of the title character while he is competing on a gameshow. A true masterpiece and much deserved nomination, along with a probable win. (chances of winning=excellent)
Stephen Daldry for The Reader (3rd nomination)- While there is no denying that Daldry is a gifted director, there is no obvious reason for his nomination for this film. The plot meanders while dedicating way too much time to bedroom scenes instead of engaging in any meaningful discourse on the topics it presents. The film asks several relevant questions but fails to do more than skim their surfaces, and only feels productive when it simply focuses on Winslet and lets her act. Ultimately this film did not provide an answer to the all important question for me as I left the theatre "so what?". (Has my extreme dislike for this movie started to come through yet?) (chances of winning=slim)
David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (1st nomination)- Wow it is about time that this gifted director got around to getting a nomination. This film is definitly his most ambitious undertaking and he passes with flying colors. The sheer weight, complexity and mixing of multiple elements in this film would be enough to make any directors head spin, but Fincher manages to pull it all together and create a film that is both enjoyable and fulfilling. This is a long film coming in at just under 3 hours, and Fincher's ability to maintain interest and freshness throughout is a testament unto itself. (chances of winning=very good)
Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon (2nd nomination/1 previous win)- A perfect example of a director placing trust in his greatest assets. Howard provides a captivating narrative mixed with archival footage along with scenes that are filmed to look like the actual history they are portraying. The inclusion of post-facto interviews with the actors as their characters is also a refreshing touch. However, Howard also knows when to play it simple and during the interviews simply puts the camera on the two lead actors and lets them do their thing without the addition of distracting bells and whistles. A fine job and a deserving nomination. (chances of winning=slim)
Gus Van Sant for Milk (2nd nomination)- Van Sant is a very unique director whose films are usually an acquired taste. In Milk he achieves an interesting and informative depiction of what could be considered the birthplace and beginnings of the gay rights movement. Despite some great shots including the mixing of actual footage from the candlelight march following Milk's assassination, this film struck me as overly preachy and markedly agendad. Now maybe those things are not necessarily bad, it just did not appeal to me, as the only thing I really enjoyed about this movie was the great ensemble cast. (chances of winning=good)


Who I would have nominated:
Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire
Clint Eastwood for Changeling
David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan for The Dark Knight