Oscar Prediction: Best Director

two days until the Oscars and two more predictions to make.


nominees for Best Director:

• Ang Lee-Brokeback Mountain
• Bennett Miller-Capote
• Paul Haggis-Crash
• George Clooney-Good Night, and Good Luck
• Stephen Spielberg-Munich

my prediction: Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain. the Best Director usually goes hand in hand with the Best Picture award, but this year, that might not be the case. I think this year the Best Director award might fall victim to the Sean Penn syndrome--that is, a director/actor makes a work that is good enough for Oscar consideration but is actually rewarded for a body of achievement. since Bennett Miller and Paul Haggis don't really have much of a body of work to judge against, and Spielberg already has his Oscar, which leaves two--George Clooney and Ang Lee. if Clooney wins he is going to be rewarded for an overall body of work, as an actor, a producer and most recently a director. this is the Best Director Oscar though, and of all the nominees, Ang Lee has the biggest and most distinguished body of work. plus, Brokeback Mountain is typical of an Ang Lee film--beautifully filmed and engaging. i think this one is a no brainer.

next: Best Picture