82nd Academy Awards Blogathon: Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker, James Cameron – Avatar, Lee Daniels – Precious, Jason Reitman – Up in the Air, Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds
There’s usually always one category at the Academy Awards that exemplifies the politics behind the filmmaking. In past years, it’s spanned from Best Picture (gay rights vs. diversity in Brokeback Mountain and Crash,) Best Actor (race vs. um, the mentally challenged? Denzel Washington for Training Day vs. Sean Penn in I Am Sam.) This year the politics have found their way into the Best Director category.
It’s only the fourth time a woman has been nominated for a Best Director Oscar, and only the second! time an African American has been nominated in 82 years! The rest of the nominees have both been nominated twice for Best Director, but only one of them has previously won. Surely this has to be a history-making year.
When thinking about this category, it usually goes hand in hand with Best Picture, as the product is only as good as its creator, right? Well, I would beg to differ this year, as I think Avatar is more Best Picture material (for aforementioned reasons,) I think Kathryn Bigelow is more deserving of the Director gold.
The Hurt Locker is an astounding film that balances surface action with the undertones of complex human emotion on a hairpin point. While Avatar is almost all show, (its political agenda is blatantly obvious,) it doesn’t show the abilities of excellent directing in every aspect of its filmmaking. There’s not a single thing about The Hurt Locker, from it’s gorgeous cinematography, outstanding performances, and divinely crafted suspense that doesn’t demonstrate the work of a true mastermind.
Tarantino and Reitman are no slouches in their own right. I’m afraid that Reitman’s brilliant directing is too subtle for most to notice, and Tarantino’s is too arrogant. I have not seen Precious, so I cannot attest to Daniel’s abilities, however it’s no small feat to tackle such emotional material and make one inspiring film out of it.
In the battle between Cameron and Bigelow, it’s going to be a close one. I think time will show Bigelow to come out on top because, if for no other reason, the Academy and its voters love a historic television moment. It raises ratings, doesn’t it?
Prediction: Kathryn Bigelow
Personal Pick: Kathryn Bigelow
Vote
Tags: Academy Awards, Best Director, Oscars, Predictions
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