For Your Consideration: 5 Directors Who Deserve Oscar Nominations This Year

Features

by The Playlist Staff
December 21, 2012 5:40 PM
56 Comments

Paul Thomas Anderson - "The Master"
Okay, so there is someone else working in a similar old-school manner to Nolan -- Paul Thomas Anderson. Initially looking like an early lock for a nomination, the director (who only has one prior nod, for "There Will Be Blood" five years back) has slipped out of serious contention after the film died at the box office, and reviews proved divisive. But even those slightly cooler on the film must give some props to the filmmaker, who broke away from the influences (Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese) that have long hung over his work and produced something truly original and distinctive. Again, the quality of his craft can't be questioned. The 70mm cinematography is stunning, with some of the director's most memorable imagery yet, and the editing is hypnotic and unlike anything we've seen before, the film establishing a totally new rhythm. And he once again reaffirms his position as one of the best directors of actors out there (it's always curious, as with this film, when all three major actors in the film are touted for awards, but the director -- the common thread -- is overlooked). Whether or not you believe that Anderson's script ties together properly, it features some of the best scenes he's ever produced. And even if you do find the film a little lacking, it's hard to disagree with the idea that even Paul Thomas Anderson's failures are better directed than 95% of the successes out there.

Sarah Polley - “Take This Waltz”
Writer/directors are a breed we love and female writer/directors all the more since they’re a fairly rare species in Hollywood. Actress-turned-writer/director Sarah Polley is that tremendously special rare talent. A lot of people are polarized by “Take This Waltz,” a sensuous, sort of fairy tale adultery story set in Toronto during a sweltering summer. It features selfish, mockingbird-like characters that are attracted to shiny new objects and everyone in the film makes poor decisions. Moreover, Polley takes a lot of risks in the picture and purposefully holds back where other filmmakers would have played certain moments for further swooning romanticism or heartbreaking manipulation. And “Take This Waltz” is woozy and devastating, but generally on its own terms. It’s brilliantly realized and captures the frustratingly real messiness of imperfect people and the consequences of selfish or immature decisions. For that, it was hard for some to embrace, but for many of us, it’s a bold and lovely picture, sad, sensual, and a little disheveled like life. Featuring honest performances from the likes of Seth Rogen, a terrific dreamy lens and an ace soundtrack, Polley pulls out a lot of stops without overdoing it. She’s also got a fantastically inventive, poignant and smart documentary coming in 2013 called “The Stories We Tell,” and if you’re somehow unsure of her talents thus far, this upcoming documentary seals the deal for her staying power.

Jacques Audiard - “Rust & Bone”
While foreigner filmmakers like Milos Forman, Billy Wilder and Roman Polanski (among many others) have come to Hollywood to do bigger, bolder work, often on larger, more expensive canvases, Jacques Audiard needed nothing of the kind after his Oscar nominated "The Prophet." And while France submitted the more saccharine and overtly crowd-pleasing “The Intouchables” this year as their Oscar hope, Audiard’s “Rust & Bone” still feels like it has the potential to rise out of the foreign film ghetto and compete for the big awards. And it’s easy to see why. Vivid, evocative and as striking as all his visually poetic previous films, Audiard seems to be the master of pulling tough raw performances out of already-terrific actors (in this case Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts) and then wrapping them in his cinematic aesthetic that’s usually beautiful and punishing. “Rust & Bone” is not without its critics, who claim some of the script is a mess, with an even messier third act, but many of us would argue, the messiness of life, the blood, the tears, the pain, the scars are what Audiard mines for in this picture, coming out the other end with something hauntingly memorable.

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More: Features, Best Of 2012, 2012: The Year In Review, Paul Thomas Anderson, Christopher Nolan, Joe Wright, Jacques Audiard, Sarah Polley, The Amazing Race, For Your Consideration

56 Comments

| Reply
Tobi | February 22, 2013 1:51 PMReply

What a difference a month and change makes.
Les | January 1, 2013 9:52 PMReply

Chris Nolan has NOT been nominated only once. He was TWICE nominated for Inception -- Best Picture (producer) and Best Original Screenplay (writer).
Fever | December 31, 2012 8:14 AMReply

The oscars lately are about as significant as MTV awards. They are not recognising craft or artistic merit. Sentimental reasons are dictating who gets oscars these days. For example both Meryl Streep and Martin Scorcecee got their recent Oscars for their body of work and not the actual movies nominated. This year the Bin Laden movie will win because USA rules ok.
Kari | February 22, 2013 2:10 PM

I have a dream. A dream that people (at least the ones who post on FILM related sites) learn how to spell S-C-O-R-S-E-S-E.
SEAN | December 23, 2012 6:56 PMReply

PTA & JOE WRIGHT!!!!!! Absolutely
Gary | December 23, 2012 4:38 PMReply

"Reviews proved divisive" for P.T. Anderson's "The Master"? That definitely was not the case. The film has a rating of '86' out of 43 reviews on Metacritic. That's incredible!
Daniel Delago | December 23, 2012 7:35 AMReply

I agree that Sarah Polley is a talented filmmaker. Her intense romantic drama, 'Take This Waltz' was brilliant. I liked how honest and daring Polley was with a risky subject such as infidelity. I was so enamored by this film I convinced the owner of my local art house cinema to play it. Another film I really liked this year was 'Looper' written and directed by Rian Johnson. The story took time travel to another level. Although it deals with Sci-Fi, this film really focuses on the main character facing himself (his demons) and the bad decisions he makes in his life.
Reilly | December 22, 2012 3:34 PMReply

Enough with the Nolan praise, it's completely unwarranted for this particular film. He has directed a truly great movie since The Prestige. That pompous photo with the staged light behind him shows what studio tool WB has created.
Whodatninja | December 30, 2012 3:24 AM

Nolan detractor. Yawn
Whodatninja | December 30, 2012 3:23 AM

Nolan detractor. Yawn
Alan | December 22, 2012 11:06 PM

So, now you are criticising Nolan because ... WB promotes him? Whoa ...
James | December 22, 2012 11:29 AMReply

Would love to see Nolan (or PTA) get more Oscar-love, but he makes films people actually cares about and wants to see, not movies designed for old people (Hooper, Spielberg). That being said, Nolan has done much better work in the past, so I don't mind him getting passed on again. And unlike The Dark Knight Rises, The Master really needs those awards, cause it didn't exactly light the world on fire at the box-office.
Vincent | December 23, 2012 4:08 PM

The Master is actually the second-most awarded film of the season after Zero Dark Thirty. So I think I'm cool with PTA being passed over on the Oscars this year, as long as the film keeps that streak going.
Friendster | December 22, 2012 11:23 AMReply

Great choices all around, though yeah, maybe Haneke instead of Polley? Though I get you're aiming for people who are probably not going to get a nomination and he might.
Hugo | December 22, 2012 9:39 AMReply

No Michael Haneke? One of the most important auteurs working today? If Haneke is not worth the title of best director, nobody is!
Thomasi | February 22, 2013 1:23 PM

Haneke was nominated, genius.
Zachary | December 22, 2012 9:31 AMReply

NOLAN!!!!
Kim | December 22, 2012 6:42 AMReply

Audiard is the best on this list & by far the most acclaim. Bafta + 2 cÃ©sar! This guy is a genius, Audiard put Scorsese to shame.
Grey | December 22, 2012 6:43 AM

He won 2 bafta and yes he is one of the best !
Gerhty | December 22, 2012 2:19 AMReply

What about David O. Russell?
jimmiescoffee | December 21, 2012 11:47 PMReply

Paul Thomas Anderson not being nominated proves that the oscars are bogus. unfortunate.
Hua | December 21, 2012 10:36 PMReply

solid picks. What what about Haneke?
Oogle monster | December 21, 2012 9:49 PMReply

PTA + Nolan for sure. Although as much as I liked TDKR, he was severely snubbed for Best Picture. And let's just call them what they are- David O. Russell and especially Tom Hooper = HACKS.
oogle monster | December 21, 2012 9:49 PM

he was severely snubbed for ^WHEN INCEPTION WAS NOMINATED FOR Best Picture. gah ipad.
Lane | December 21, 2012 9:46 PMReply

Leos Carax over Jacques Audiard and this list would be damn great
Tanner Kundrat | December 21, 2012 9:42 PMReply

Nolan was also nominated for his Inception screenplay.
Jeff | December 21, 2012 9:14 PMReply

Wes Anderson should be at the top of this list.
Glass | December 21, 2012 9:09 PMReply

Still not understanding this overrating of Ben Affleck as a filmmaker
iawts | December 21, 2012 9:00 PMReply

Joe Wright has to be the most underrated director working today. Incredibly creative mind.
DG | December 21, 2012 7:57 PMReply

Id take any of these over Spielberg, Bigelow, Hooper, etc. I thought Anna Karenina would feel kind of gimmicky after a while but the style worked all the way through, really creative and beautiful to watch. PTA should get a nod just for ballsiness alone.
Corvo | December 21, 2012 7:15 PMReply

Sarah Polley is really, really GREAT. I love her.
Jim B. | December 21, 2012 6:45 PMReply

Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained), William Friedkin (Killer Joe), Steven Soderbergh (Magic Mike), Sam Mendes (Skyfall) and Terrence Davies (The Deep Blue Sea). Honorable mention to Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master.
justin | December 21, 2012 6:41 PMReply

does anyone think that lincoln felt over directed and heavy handed? it's almost as if you can feel spielberg pulling on the audiences heart strings.
yer | December 21, 2012 7:16 PM

It's a Spielberg film what do you expect? He makes Hallmark movies. Over sentimental crap.
Edward Davis | December 21, 2012 7:10 PM

Fuck yes.
Adam | December 21, 2012 6:16 PMReply

I'm a huge fan of Nolan's past films, but to suggest he deserves a nom for TDKR is crazy talk. I never thought I'd see Nolan phone a movie in, but here we are.
AS | December 23, 2012 11:15 AM

I was referring specifically to The Playlist, obviously. That IS where this discussion is taking place, is it not? Those are the comments @Pmanzana is referring to, are they not? Does @Pmanzana also follow RoS? If he/she does, I'd have no way of knowing. So I'm naturally assuming that he/she is only referencing my comments on TDKR on The Playlist. Side note: @Alan: Are you familiar with a fellow who SOMETIMES goes by the name "Jarrod".......
Alan | December 22, 2012 11:04 PM

"And to be honest, I've posted maybe 4 comments on TDKR's" Are you discounting your comments on RopeofSilicon? If not, then you are lying.
AS | December 22, 2012 12:25 AM

... and it didn't work for me. And to be honest, I've posted maybe 4 comments on TDKR's since July, so you're blowing this way out of proportion. I don't nearly care enough one way or the other to post numerous comments bashing TDKR. As I say, I didn't even dislike the film.
pmanzana | December 21, 2012 11:16 PM

As-No, I don't want to become involved in an ad hoc attack. I simply state that you have been going after this film and anyone's defense of it in every article regarding its merit since July. Not once have I said any derogatory comments toward you. I have heard all the arguments in favor and against the film, and find the arguments in support much stronger. At the end of the day, the question is whether the film worked for you, or didn't work for you.
AS | December 21, 2012 10:44 PM

I mean, I didn't dislike the movie. I thought it was decent. But it was most definitely lackluster. Do you actually want me to provide you with a long list of unforgivable cliches in TDKR? Or did you just want to launch into an ad hoc attack against me? Something tells me it's the latter....
KT | December 21, 2012 10:07 PM

I agree. 'The Dark Knight Rises' was average at best.
pmanzana | December 21, 2012 9:53 PM

AS has been ripping this movie since July. I hardly see how it executes every super hero cliche in the book. Granted, it along with BB do adhere more toward traditional storytelling acts; however, the fact that it does this doesn't mean that it is creatively bankrupt. Plenty of great films adhere to this conformity: Most of the acclaimed films of the year have. Not all films need to conform toward nonlinear structure to be considered a quality film.

I think the fact that Newsweek, Time, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, the Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, and the AFI have called this one of the best films of the year has proven that the film's quality extends far outside of comic book fan boys. As such, his place on this list and further consideration is very much deserved.
pmanzana | December 21, 2012 9:51 PM

AS has been ripping this movie since July. I hardly see how it executes every super hero cliche in the book. Granted, it along with BB do adhere more toward traditional storytelling acts; however, the fact that it does this doesn't mean that it is creatively bankrupt. Plenty of great films adhere to this conformity: Most of the acclaimed films of the year have. Not all films need to conform toward nonlinear structure to be considered a quality film.

I think the fact that Newsweek, Time, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, the Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, and the AFI have called this one of the best films of the year has proven that the film's quality extends far outside of comic book fan boys. As such, his place on this list and further consideration is very much deserved.
Alan | December 21, 2012 9:35 PM

"conforms to every superhero movie cliche" Like the hero leaving his city? Or his father-figure LEAVING him? Or the hero quitting the superhero game for good? The only thing lazy, it seems, is AS' criticisms. I really hate this: I bet The Playlist often have to second guess themselves every single time they include Nolan into something just because lazy commentators have incoherent criticisms.
AS | December 21, 2012 8:39 PM

I completely agree about Nolan phoning in TDKR. Before watching TDKR, I considered myself a big fan (in fact, I was accused of being a "Nolan fanboy"). But as I sat in the theater as the credits rolled, I couldn't believe how lazy and by-the-numbers TDKR was. It conforms to every superhero movie cliche. And then I watched Batman Begins again and realized that it was really just TDK that stood amongst the 3 films. There is a reason that TDK received so much praise.... As far as the "directors being recognized" conversation, I don't think any director (no matter how brilliant) should receive recognition just because they did great work in the past. A director should be honored for a great film. I mean, how terrible would it be if Fincher, Tarantino or Anderson were ultimately recognized for their worst film?
Pat | December 21, 2012 7:34 PM

Huffy, I think you have fallen into the group think of so many 'cinema enthusiasts' who decry mass appeal as empty spectacal. Faulkner is a great writer but read by few people; whereas, Dickens and Hemingway are both great writers read by many more people. Are the qualifications of either group disqualified because of the inclusive nature of another? No, good cinema is good cinema regardless of appeal. By that standard, Nolan is certainly deserving.

Are there more due directors? Yeah: Peter Weir, Mike Leigh, Ridley Scott, and Terrence Malik. But he is certainly more deserving than David O Russell, Ben Affleck, Wes Anderson, and Tom Hooper. I'd say that in terms of deserving recognition, Nolan, Fincher, PTA, and Tarantino are all in the same boat.

We certainly can argue over the quality of the film-The nature of my post confirms I think he is derving of being in the conversation for consideration, but labeling the film as a good blockbuster is way too dismissive.
Huffy | December 21, 2012 7:20 PM

Your mistaking "ambition" with "quality." I'll give Nolan all the credit in the world for the task he undertook and for making a watchable, entertaining blockbuster but that was not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination. It's direction was certainly better than its writing but even that is far from his best. The fact that Nolan managed to make a hugely ambitious studio film shouldn't negate the fact that there are many more deserving directors this year. And fuck the "He's overdue" line. Giving awards based on past achievements is what gets young guns snubbed in the first place. Not to mention there are plenty of directors who are more overdue than Nolan.
Chris | December 21, 2012 7:16 PM

LOL, you're a funny guy. Nice try though.
Dan | December 21, 2012 6:41 PM

Wha, wha, wha! Phone it in my a@s! A director not named James Cameron does a film that is both critically and commercially successful and it is dismissed as either pretentious or second rate, thereby, undeserving of recognition-Give me a break! Yeah, there will be more Batman movies, but they'll be of a different take and cast from him. In other words, he actually ended a billion dollar series. How many people who've adapted open ended stories have had that power?
yer | December 21, 2012 5:51 PMReply

Only person I agree with is PTA.
KitCon | December 21, 2012 6:54 PM

Agree.
Sighing | December 21, 2012 5:51 PMReply

OK, could the Playlist be anymore biased toward Sarah Polley's Take This Waltz?

It isn't going to happen, guys. LET IT GO!
aksdjalsk | December 21, 2012 11:15 PM

It was a fairly dreadful film with awful dialogue and characters that simply bear no resemblance to any real human beings. It looked pretty but it was an absolute clusterfuck of indie preciousness; a real piece of shit.
Paul | December 21, 2012 6:05 PM

Jesus, take it easy man.
Chris | December 21, 2012 5:45 PMReply

Good choices. Christopher Nolan and Paul Thomas Anderson would be frontrunners for the win in my world. Honorable mentions for me would be: John Hillcoat ("Lawless"), Rian Johnson ("Looper") and David Chase ("Not Fade Away").