Over the next week, we’ll run daily columns that single out the achievements in various categories, such as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, etc.
For purposes of convenience, we will follow the Academy’s established categories. The Oscar nominations will be announced on Tuesday, January 25, 2011
I consider myself an auteurist critic, who deems the director the most important creative force behind the cameras, and thus would like to begin this annual summation with the list of the most impressive filmmakers of the year
Best Directors: In alphabetical order
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Olivier Assayas, Carlos (French)
Jacques Audiard, A Prophet (French)
Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Derek Cianfrance, Blue Valentine
Joe and Ethan Coen, True Grit
Charles Ferguson, The Inside Job (docu)
David Fincher, The Social Network
Debra Granik, Winter’s Bone
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan, inception
Roman Polanski, The Ghost Writer
David O. Russell, The Fighter
Frederick Wiseman, Boxing Gym (docu)
Directors: Runners Up
Ben Affleck, The Town
Lisa Cholodenko. The Kids Are All Right
Sofia Coppola, Somewhere
Claire Denis, White Material (French)
Alejandro Gonzals Innaritu, Biutiful (Mexico)
David Michod, Animal Kingdom (Australia)
Mike Leigh, Another Year (U.K.)