BEST DIRECTOR
- Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
- Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men)
- Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton)
- Jason Reitman (Juno)
- Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly)
Typically, the “best director” directs the “best picture.” That is to say, whoever takes home this golden guy virtually locks in the win for the final award. With that said, Joe Wright’s name is absent from the list. Therefore, Atonement loses stock in taking home the Best Picture honor. Similarly, Julian Schnabel’s The Diving Bell and the Butterfly wasn't nominated for Best Picture or for Best Foreign Language Film. The Academy needs to rethink its factors for consideration. Even though the director is a Texan, the film at least deserves a foreign language nomination and more justly a Best Picture nom.
While Paul Thomas Anderson is finally given credit where credit is due, There Will Be Blood is not his best directorial effort, or best film for that matter. Again, Tony Gilroy’s lack of buzz skips a mention, and while Jason Reitman worked well with his cast and script, he doesn’t stand up to the bigger names in the category. In lesser hands, No Country for Old Men could have been an average endeavor. But placed in the palms of the Coens, the motion picture is a full-fledged work of art. Forget mentioning No Country for Old Men among the ranks of Raising Arizona, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Big Lebowski, and even Fargo. Place this Texas tale of drugs, murder, and vengefulness above the aforementioned and among the best of the decade. And, hand the Coens their first gold for direction.
- Probable Academy Pick: Ethan Cohen, Joel Cohen
- Possible Upset: Julian Schnabel
BEST ACTOR
- George Clooney (Michael Clayton)
- Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
- Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)
- Tommy Lee Jones (In the Valley of Elah)
- Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises)
There might as well be one nominee. No one besides Day-Lewis stands a “bloody” chance. While Clooney is an Academy favorite, Depp shows why he is one of the most versatile actors alive, and Jones and Mortensen put out great work, Day-Lewis will drink everyone else's milkshake and clutch the statue. To boot, he’ll most likely mention Heath Ledger’s death one more time.
- Probable Academy Pick: Daniel Day-Lewis
- Possible Upset: Non-existent
Article comments