Best Director is a category where history could be made. There is also a chance for a surprise win to sneak in here as well. That makes this one of the more fun categories to talk about. So let us look at the race for Best Director.
BEST DIRECTOR
Adam McKay - The Big Short
George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro G. Inarritu - The Revenant
Lenny Abramson - Room
Tom McCarthy - Spotlight
Ridley Scott not being nominated for The Martian was stunning. He clearly was the front runner for this award this year. I believe that his snub opened a huge opportunity for a few other directors. Adam McKay would definitely be one of those people. The Academy has never really been kind to comedy directors unless your name is Woody Allen. But The Big Short is one of the best reviewed films of the year. McKay showed a very sure hand in guiding the complicated story and with getting great performances out of the films ensemble of actors. He has an outside chance to win this award for sure.
On the outside looking in is Lenny Abramson and Tom McCarthy. Abramson in particular since he is a first time director. Room is a very well acted film and he managed to make the small space of the shack the Brie Larson and her son are trapped in look cinematic. But Room will get it's awards elsewhere, probably from Best Actress. Tom McCarthy should be commended for making Spotlight a film that has not a lot of flair or visual trickery to it. He lets the story go at it's own pace and the film is brilliant for it. However, the Academy does love a certain bit of flair and hype when they pick winners so McCarthy winning the award here is unlikely.
That leaves George Miller and Alejandro Inarritu. If anyone benefitted from Ridley Scott not getting the nomination, it is Miller. Mad Max is the most popular film on this list for sure and Miller is a very well regarded filmmaker. He also is the man behind the Babe and Happy Feet films. There is a chance that the Academy could feel that maybe he is due for his body of work.
But in the end, Inarritu is going home with the trophy. The Academy seems to be enamored with the director at the moment. Birdman won a ton of awards last year and with the way the Awards season is going, you get the feeling that the tide is turning for the filmmaker again. Also the Academy probably recognizes the opportunity it has for history here. If Inarritu wins this award again for a second consecutive year, he would join directors John Ford and Joesph Mankiewicz as the only directors to win a Best Director Oscar two years in a row. That is a very noble list of filmmakers to join. You know with #Oscarssowhite dominating the conversation again this year, Inarritu (being a Mexican filmmaker) is a safe bet to win this award again.
WINNER:
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