Academy Awards: Director (From the best to the worst)
The Oscar for best director doesn't always coincide with the best picture winner, that's why The Godfather won for best picture but Coppola didn't for best director
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- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLiam NeesonRalph FiennesBen KingsleyIn German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.Steven Spielberg with his most personal film, the best film ever about the Holocoust.
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsPeter O'TooleAlec GuinnessAnthony QuinnThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.The desert was never shown as in this film, David Lean got another masterpiece and his second Oscar.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsHenry FondaJane DarwellJohn CarradineAn Oklahoma family, driven off their farm by the poverty and hopelessness of the Dust Bowl, joins the westward migration to California, suffering the misfortunes of the homeless in the Great Depression.John Ford won 4 Oscars (a record), and this movie also should have recieved the best picture award, but lost to Rebecca.
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsMyrna LoyDana AndrewsFredric MarchThree World War II veterans, two of them traumatized or disabled, return home to the American midwest to discover that they and their families have been irreparably changed.William Wyler won 3 times and this is his truly masterpiece about life after war with a magnificent cast.
- DirectorElia KazanStarsMarlon BrandoKarl MaldenLee J. CobbAn ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims.Elia Kazan was very controversial but very talented, this masterpiece about redemption and corruption is amazing
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.Francis Ford Coppola couldn't win for the first part of his famous trilogy, but the second proved to be very succesful and magnificent.
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsWilliam HoldenAlec GuinnessJack HawkinsBritish POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it.David Lean got international recognition with this movie about madness during wartime
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsHumphrey BogartWalter HustonTim HoltTwo down-on-their-luck Americans searching for work in 1920s Mexico convince an old prospector to help them mine for gold in the Sierra Madre Mountains.John Huston won his sole Oscar as director for this drama about ambition that also gave an award for his father Walter, but Hamlet got the award for best pic.
- DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczStarsBette DavisAnne BaxterGeorge SandersA seemingly timid but secretly ruthless ingénue insinuates herself into the lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of theater friends.Joseph L. Mankiewicz won a second Oscar for this classic tale about a stage actress who faces fearless competition. Davis and company offered monumental performances
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.A thriller which is consider a modern classic, Jonathan Demme got his very-well deserved award, but after that his career became irregular
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.A problematic (but great) script that Michael Curtiz manage to plasm in unforgettable images and powerful performances
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodGene HackmanMorgan FreemanRetired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner Ned Logan and a young man, The "Schofield Kid."Clint Eastwood got his first Oscar with this great western, maybe the last of his kind.
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsDustin HoffmanAnne BancroftKatharine RossA disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter.Mike Nichols won for his second picture, a splendid comedy, but In the heat of the night got the major award
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.Milos Forman got his first Oscar for this masterpiece, an alegory about politics and life.
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsCharlton HestonJack HawkinsStephen BoydAfter a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.William Wyler got his final Oscar for this popular film settled during Jesus times in Rome and Israel.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsJack LemmonShirley MacLaineFred MacMurrayA Manhattan insurance clerk tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.Billy Wilder won 3 Oscar for this dramedy as director, producer and writer, his major competitor was Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho)
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsCharlie SheenTom BerengerWillem DafoeChris Taylor, a neophyte recruit in Vietnam, finds himself caught in a battle of wills between two sergeants, one good and the other evil. A shrewd examination of the brutality of war and the duality of man in conflict.Oliver Stone's tale about Viet Nam war is thrilling, based on his personal experiences.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenDiane KeatonTony RobertsAlvy Singer, a divorced Jewish comedian, reflects on his relationship with ex-lover Annie Hall, an aspiring nightclub singer, which ended abruptly just like his previous marriages.The only Woody Allen film to get the big awards (movie and director), this classic love story is just unforgettable, he won over the boxoffice monster Star wars
- DirectorBong Joon HoStarsSong Kang-hoLee Sun-kyunCho Yeo-jeongGreed and class discrimination threaten the newly-formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.Bong Joon-Ho was the right winner for this modern masterpiece about social issues in a capitalist world.
- DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsBurt LancasterMontgomery CliftDeborah KerrAt a U.S. Army base in 1941 Hawaii, a private is cruelly punished for not boxing on his unit's team, while his commanding officer's wife and top aide begin a tentative affair.Fred Zinnemann directed this great melodrama located in Pearl Harbor, the performances are extraordinary.
- DirectorVictor FlemingGeorge CukorSam WoodStarsClark GableVivien LeighThomas MitchellA sheltered and manipulative Southern belle and a roguish profiteer face off in a turbulent romance as the society around them crumbles with the end of slavery and is rebuilt during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods.Victor Flemming won 1939 for directing this all-time classic, tha same year he directed The wizard of Oz, the only problem was that in both cases other directors and the producer were consider also responsibles for the great results
- DirectorJerome RobbinsRobert WiseStarsNatalie WoodGeorge ChakirisRichard BeymerTwo youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.The last great musical of the golden age, based on Romeo and Juliet, it was the first time that 2 people shared the award: Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins.
- DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsJohn LoneJoan ChenPeter O'TooleBernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning dramatisation of the life story of China's last emperor, Pu Yi.The italian Bernardo Bertolucci told the tragic story about a child who became emperor and then prisoner of the comunist party with fantastic visuals and sound
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsTommy Lee JonesJavier BardemJosh BrolinViolence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and over two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.The Coen brothers got their award for this mixed of thriller and existential film, his closest competitor was Paul Thomas Anderson for his masterpiece There will be blood
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsMichael DouglasBenicio Del ToroCatherine Zeta-JonesA conservative judge is appointed by the President to spearhead America's escalating war against drugs, only to discover that his teenage daughter is a crack addict. Two DEA agents protect an informant. A jailed drug baron's wife attempts to carry on the family business.Steven Soderbergh won for this tale about war against drugs between The USA and Mexico, he also nominated that year for the minor Erin Brockovich
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsAdrien BrodyThomas KretschmannFrank FinlayDuring WWII, acclaimed Polish musician Wladyslaw faces various struggles as he loses contact with his family. As the situation worsens, he hides in the ruins of Warsaw in order to survive.The controversial Roman Polanski fairly won for this personal tale about surviving during the second world war.
- DirectorBob FosseStarsLiza MinnelliMichael YorkHelmut GriemA female girlie club entertainer in Weimar Republic era Berlin romances two men while the Nazi Party rises to power around them.So this wonderful musical won 8 Oscars and The Godfather only 3, Bob Fosse got the recognition before Ford Coppola
- DirectorLewis MilestoneStarsLew AyresLouis WolheimJohn WrayA German youth eagerly enters World War I, but his enthusiasm wanes as he gets a firsthand view of the horror.Lewis Milestone got his second award for this anti-war film that became one of the early masterpieces in the post-silent era.
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsF. Murray AbrahamTom HulceElizabeth BerridgeThe life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as told by Antonio Salieri, the contemporaneous composer who was deeply jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him.Milos Forman won for the second time for this unusual biopic about Mozart, it wasn´t a good year in the category
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsClark GableClaudette ColbertWalter ConnollyA rogue reporter trailing a runaway heiress for a big story joins her on a bus heading from Florida to New York and they end up stuck with each other when the bus leaves them behind at one of the stops along the way.Frank Capra got his first award for this classic romantic comedy, until now it's strange that a comedy wins this award, the Academy finds hard to laugh
- DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsDustin HoffmanJon VoightSylvia MilesA naive hustler travels from Texas to New York City to seek personal fortune, finding a new friend in the process.The first x-rated film to get the major awards, the British John Schlessinger directed this drama about two losers in New York
- DirectorAng LeeStarsJake GyllenhaalHeath LedgerMichelle WilliamsEnnis and Jack are two shepherds who develop a sexual and emotional relationship. Their relationship becomes complicated when both of them get married to their respective girlfriends.Ang Lee won his first award for this western-melodrama about two gay cowboys, but Crash (a bad film) got the best picture award
- DirectorMichael CiminoStarsRobert De NiroChristopher WalkenJohn CazaleAn in-depth examination of the ways in which the Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of several friends in a small steel mill town in Pennsylvania.Michael Cimino was on the top of his game with this film about friendship and war, but after that he never got another success
- DirectorGeorge CukorStarsAudrey HepburnRex HarrisonStanley HollowayIn 1910s London, snobbish phonetics professor Henry Higgins agrees to a wager that he can make crude flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, presentable in high society.A great musical gave his only win to George Cukor, maybe Stanley Kubrick deserved the award for Dr. Strangelove.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsTom CruiseBryan LarkinRaymond J. BarryThe biography of Ron Kovic. Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, he becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country for which he fought.Oliver Stone won for his second anti war film about Viet Nam, but in a strange move Driving Miss Daisy got the big award of the night
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsHilary SwankClint EastwoodMorgan FreemanFrankie, an ill-tempered old coach, reluctantly agrees to train aspiring boxer Maggie. Impressed with her determination and talent, he helps her become the best and the two soon form a close bond.Clint Eastwood won his second Oscar for this boxing drama, a really intense and almost-classic film, it was a tough year Scorsese, Payne and Leigh delivered fantastic films too.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioMatt DamonJack NicholsonAn undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.Finally after several years Martin Scorsese won for this criminal tale about treason and redemption.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneMaureen O'HaraBarry FitzgeraldA retired American boxer returns to the village of his birth in 1920s Ireland, where he falls for a spirited redhead whose brother is contemptuous of their union.John Ford won his forth and final Oscar for this Irish romantic drama in a year that the terrible The greatest show on earth won as best pic
- DirectorChloé ZhaoStarsFrances McDormandDavid StrathairnLinda MayA woman in her sixties, after losing everything in the Great Recession, embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.Chloé Zhao became the second woman to win this award for this very good picture about a woman travelling across the USA filmed with precision and sense of beauty.
- DirectorWarren BeattyStarsWarren BeattyDiane KeatonEdward HerrmannA radical American journalist becomes involved with the Communist revolution in Russia, and hopes to bring its spirit and idealism to the United States.The actor Warren Beatty got the award for his second movie as director, a wonderful epic set during the Russian Revolution.
- DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJeremy RennerAnthony MackieBrian GeraghtyDuring the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.The first woman that won the award is Kathryn Bigelow for this thrilling film about bombs ad soldiers in the middle-west. She won the award over her ex-husband: James Cameron (Avatar)
- DirectorJames CameronStarsLeonardo DiCaprioKate WinsletBilly ZaneA seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.So this popular film won 11 oscars and his creator James Cameron won 3 as producer, editor and director.
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsGene HackmanRoy ScheiderFernando ReyA pair of NYPD detectives in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a heroin smuggling ring based in Marseilles, but stopping them and capturing their leaders proves an elusive goal.William Friedkin for this police story, but Stanley Kubrick was way better for A clockwork orange
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksMatt DamonTom SizemoreFollowing the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.Great directing during the first 30 minutes, Steven Spielberg won his second Oscar, but lost the big award to Shakespeare in love
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.The last part of the trilogy got 11 awards and Peter Jackson was finally recognized for his splendid work, but this film was the weakest of the three
- DirectorGeorge StevensStarsMontgomery CliftElizabeth TaylorShelley WintersA poor boy gets a job working for his rich uncle and ends up falling in love with two women.An American tragedy filmed in a splenderous black and white gave a first Oscar to George Sanders, but his competitors were a little bit better:Elia Kazan (A streetcar named desire) and Vincente Minnelli (An American in Paris).
- DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczStarsJeanne CrainLinda DarnellAnn SothernA letter is addressed to three wives from their "best friend" Addie Ross, announcing that she is running away with one of their husbands - but she does not say which one.Joseph L. Mankiewicz won his first award for this melodrama , but his competitors delivered also terrific films: William Wyler (The heiress), Robert Rossen (All the king's men).
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsRay MillandJane WymanPhillip TerryThe desperate life of a chronic alcoholic is followed through a four-day drinking bout.Billy Wilder was known as writer and then finally got directing some classics like this one about an alcoholic writer.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsGary CooperJean ArthurGeorge BancroftA unassuming greeting card poet from a small town in Vermont heads to New York City upon inheriting a massive fortune and is immediately hounded by those who wish to take advantage of him.Frank Capra won his second Oscar for this classic drama/comedy about politics and humanity, but the corny The great Zeigfeld won as best picture
- DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.Sam Mendes won for his directorial debut: a dramedy about a disfunctional family, it was an OK year in the category
- DirectorMichel HazanaviciusStarsJean DujardinBérénice BejoJohn GoodmanWhen George, a silent movie superstar, meets Peppy Miller, a dancer, sparks fly between the two. However, after the introduction of talking pictures, their fortunes change, affecting their dynamic.The first French director that won this category: Michel Hazanavicious, for a silent film, so no Truffaut, no Godard or Renoir. But Mallick was superior for his masterpiece The tree of life
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsSandra BullockGeorge ClooneyEd HarrisDr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first time on a space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking.The first latino to win the category, Alfonso Cuarón deliverd spectacular images, but the work of Steve McQueen (12 years a slave) was better
- DirectorRobert WiseStarsJulie AndrewsChristopher PlummerEleanor ParkerA young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.Robert Wise got his second award for another musical, one of the most popular in the history, however in my opinion the other 4 candidates were better options: William Wyler (The collector), David Lean (Doctor Zhivago), Hiroshi Teshigahara (Woman in the dunes( and John Schlessinger (Darling)
- DirectorJane CampionStarsBenedict CumberbatchKirsten DunstJesse PlemonsCharismatic rancher Phil Burbank inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love.Jane Campion won for her very good work in this neo western. She was the clearly favorite among the nominees.
- DirectorGeorge StevensStarsElizabeth TaylorRock HudsonJames DeanSprawling epic covering the life of a Texas cattle rancher and his family and associates.George Stevens for the second time won the award but the movie didn't get the biggest award of the ceremony. It was a weak year in the category.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsSally HawkinsOctavia SpencerMichael ShannonAt a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.Guillermo del Toro made a really charming filmg about love in dangerous times, but my favorite was Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread)
- DirectorKevin CostnerStarsKevin CostnerMary McDonnellGraham GreeneLieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, finds himself engaging with a neighbouring Sioux settlement, causing him to question his own purpose.So Kevin Costner was the best director? The years have demonstrated something different. Martin Scorsese was denied the award for his amazing work in Good Fellas
- DirectorJohn FordStarsVictor McLaglenHeather AngelPreston FosterIn 1922, an Irish rebel informs on his friend, then feels doom closing in.John Ford won his first Oscar for this drama located in Ireland, but Frank Lloyd deserved the award instead.
- DirectorAng LeeStarsSuraj SharmaIrrfan KhanAdil HussainA young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger.Ang Lee got his second award without winning the biggest prize of the night for this good looking film about surviving in the sea, Michael Haneke (Amour) was the best among the nominees
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsLeonardo DiCaprioTom HardyWill PoulterA frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.With great ambition (not completely fullfilled), the Mexican director achieves an insightful story of revange and survival
- DirectorDamien ChazelleStarsRyan GoslingEmma StoneRosemarie DeWittWhile navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist and an actress fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future.Damien Chazelle won for his good work in this cute musical that pays tribute to some great classics, but Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the sea) were better options.
- DirectorLeo McCareyStarsIrene DunneCary GrantRalph BellamyA married couple file an amicable divorce, but find it harder to let go of each other than they initially thought.Leo McCarey directed this funny film in a weak year for the category and got his first award.
- DirectorJames L. BrooksStarsShirley MacLaineDebra WingerJack NicholsonFollows hard-to-please Aurora looking for love and her daughter's family problems.James L. Brooks reached glory with his debut film about mother-daughter relationship. Obviously Ingmar Bergman deserved the award for his last formal film: Fanny and Alexander
- DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsGeorge C. ScottKarl MaldenStephen YoungThe World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton.Another good director (not a great one) was Franklin J. Shaffner, sorry for the magnificent directing of MASH by Robert Altman
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordRobert ShawTwo grifters team up to pull off the ultimate con.George Roy-Hill story about hustlers was the big winner in 1973, but two foreign directors were fantastic: Bertolucci (Last tango in Paris) and Bergman (Cries and whispers)
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsMichael KeatonZach GalifianakisEdward NortonA washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.Alejandro González Iñárritu from Mexico got his award for this experimental and solid film about acting, Richard Linklater or Wes Anderson were better choices in my opinion
- DirectorRobert BentonStarsDustin HoffmanMeryl StreepJane AlexanderAfter his wife leaves him, a work-obsessed Manhattan advertising executive is forced to learn long-neglected parenting skills, but a heated custody battle over the couple's young son deepens the wounds left by the separation.Robert Benton won for this family drama that has two wonderful performances (Hoffman and Streep), but there were two better options for the award: Ford Coppola (Apocalypse now!) and Bob Fosse (All that jazz)
- DirectorFrank BorzageStarsJanet GaynorCharles FarrellBen BardA street cleaner saves a young woman's life, and the pair slowly fall in love until war intervenes.In the first ceremony Frank Borzage won for this nice melodrama, the unnominated Murnau (Sunrise) would have been a better option
- DirectorJohn FordStarsWalter PidgeonMaureen O'HaraAnna LeeAt the turn of the century in a Welsh mining village, the Morgans, he stern, she gentle, raise coal-mining sons and hope their youngest will find a better life.A good Irish film directed by John Ford (his least deserved award), that was the year that Citizen Kane was almost completely overlook
- DirectorAnthony MinghellaStarsRalph FiennesJuliette BinocheWillem DafoeAt the close of World War II, a young nurse tends to a badly burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair.A long classic drama gave the award to Anthony Minghella, but his competitors were better: Coen (Fargo), Forman (Larry Flynt) and Leigh (Secrets and lies)
- DirectorTom HooperStarsColin FirthGeoffrey RushHelena Bonham CarterThe story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.A classic inspirational story but with a king in the centre, Tom Hooper won, but David Fincher (The social network) was a better option
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsYalitza AparicioMarina de TaviraDiego Cortina AutreyA year in the life of a middle-class family's maid in Mexico City in the early 1970s.Alfonso Cuarón won his second award as best director for this nice melodrama, but in my opinion Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold war) or Yorgos Lanthimos (The favourite) were better options.
- DirectorDaniel KwanDaniel ScheinertStarsMichelle YeohStephanie HsuJamie Lee CurtisA middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.The Daniels won the award for this independent film, but Todd Field with his complex work in Tár was the best option among the nominees.
- DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsBen KingsleyJohn GielgudRohini HattangadiThe life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.The actor/director Richard Attenborough won his award for the biopic of one of the most important leaders in human history.
- DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsPaul ScofieldWendy HillerRobert ShawThe story of Sir Thomas More, who stood up to King Henry VIII when the King rejected the Roman Catholic Church to obtain a divorce and remarry.A second Oscar for Fred Zinnemann, this time for his classic British film about a Saint, a safe choice for the Academy, but obviously Michelangelo Antonioni was a better option for his magnificent Blowup
- DirectorCarol ReedStarsMark LesterRon MoodyShani WallisAfter being sold to a mortician, young orphan Oliver Twist runs away and meets a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor in 1830s London.A musical based on the classic tale by Dickens, the veteran Oliver Reed got the award, but that year Stanley Kubrick directed his masterpiece: 2001: A space odissey
- DirectorTony RichardsonStarsAlbert FinneySusannah YorkGeorge DevineThe romantic and chivalrous adventures of adopted bastard Tom Jones in 18th-century England.A nice comedy that Tony Richardson knew how to translate from the book to the big screen, but the great Federico Fellini was als nominated for his masterpiece 8 1/2
- DirectorVincente MinnelliCharles WaltersStarsLeslie CaronMaurice ChevalierLouis JourdanWeary of the conventions of Parisian society, a rich playboy and a youthful courtesan-in-training enjoy a platonic friendship which may not stay platonic for long.Vincente Minnelli got the award and Gigi won 9 Academy awards out of 9 nods, but at least two other directors deserved the award instead: Richard Brooks (Cat on a hot tin roof) and Robert Wise (I want to live!)
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsCillian MurphyEmily BluntMatt DamonThe story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.Christopher Nolan is a very good director, but Inception, Dunkirk or The dark knight are better than this biopic about a scientist living with regrets. My personal choice was Jonathan Glazer (The zone of interest).
- DirectorSydney PollackStarsMeryl StreepRobert RedfordKlaus Maria BrandauerIn 20th-century colonial Kenya, a Danish baroness/plantation owner has a passionate love affair with a free-spirited big-game hunter.Sidney Pollack won for this melodrama setting in Kenya, for some it's just boring, it was a bad year for the category, except for the great Akira Kurosawa (Ran)
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsTom HanksRobin WrightGary SiniseThe history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.A sentimental story that won several awards, including one for his director Robert Zemeckies, when now it's obvious that the other 4 nominees were way better: Woody Allen (Bullets over Broadway), Krysztof Kieslowski (Red), Robert Redford (Quiz show) and Quentin Tarantino (Pulp fiction)
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsDustin HoffmanTom CruiseValeria GolinoAfter a selfish L.A. yuppie learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother in Ohio that he didn't know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.Barry Levinson has never been a great director, only a good one, maybe this is his best film, but his competitors were superior: Martin Scorsese (The last temptetion of Christ) and Alan Parker (Burning Mississippi)
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsGreer GarsonWalter PidgeonTeresa WrightA British family struggles to survive the first months of World War II.William Wyler won his first award (of 3), for this touching tale about a British family during war, it wasn't a good year for Hollywood but maybe Michael Curtiz for his musical Yankee Doodle Dandy was the best among the nominees
- DirectorDanny BoyleLoveleen TandanStarsDev PatelFreida PintoSaurabh ShuklaA teenager from the slums of Mumbai becomes a contestant on the show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati?' When interrogated under suspicion of cheating, he revisits his past, revealing how he had all the answers.A manipulating story set in India directed by Danny Boyle won 8 awards, all the other nominees were beter, specially Gus Van Sant (Milk)
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsMel GibsonSophie MarceauPatrick McGoohanScottish warrior William Wallace leads his countrymen in a rebellion to free his homeland from the tyranny of King Edward I of England.A very bad year for the academy and Mel Gibson took advantage for that. But among the nominees another actor Tim Robbins (Dead man walking) was a better option
- DirectorDelbert MannStarsErnest BorgnineBetsy BlairEsther MinciottiA middle-aged butcher and a school teacher who have given up on the idea of love meet at a dance and fall for each other.The little movie that could win, Delbert Mann got the award in a year that the academy made lots of mistakes in different cateogries, but for best director Elia Kazan (East of Eden) and John Sturges (Bad day at Black Rock) could have been better options
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsJean ArthurJames StewartLionel BarrymoreThe son of a snobbish Wall Street banker becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family not realizing that his father is trying to force her family from their home for a real estate development.The third and final win for Frank Capra was for this nice family comedy based on a Broadway play, among the nominees Michael Curtiz deserved the award for Angels with dirty faces, he also directed other 2 best picture nominees: The adventures of Robin Hood and Four daughters
- DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungA small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.The popular film about an underdog boxer won an Oscar for his director John Alvidsen, now forgotten, in a year that Network directed by Sidney Lumet was clearly a superior film
- DirectorRon HowardStarsRussell CroweEd HarrisJennifer ConnellyA mathematical genius, John Nash made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.Ron Howard won the award over 4 more talented directors: Robert Altman (Gosford Park), David Lynch (Mulholland drive), Peter Jackson (The fellowship of the ring) and Ridley Scott (Black Hawk down)
- DirectorRobert RedfordStarsDonald SutherlandMary Tyler MooreJudd HirschThe accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father and the guilt-ridden younger son.The actor Robert Redford directed his first film and won the big awards, more than 30 years later everybody agrees that Martin Scorsese (Raging Bull) was the best of the year
- DirectorElia KazanStarsGregory PeckDorothy McGuireJohn GarfieldA reporter pretends to be Jewish in order to cover a story on anti-Semitism, and personally discovers the true depths of bigotry and hatred.Elia Kazan won his first award for this drama about racism, that feels so old-fashioned, David Lean (Great expectations) was a better option
- DirectorLeo McCareyStarsBing CrosbyBarry FitzgeraldFrank McHughWhen young Father O'Malley arrives at St. Dominic's, old Father Fitzgibbon doesn't think much of the church's newest member.Leo McCarey got his second award for this cute story about a catholic priest, his competitors were superior: Hitchcock (Lifeboat), Preminger (Laura) and Wilder (Double idemnity)
- DirectorLewis MilestoneStarsWilliam BoydMary AstorLouis WolheimTwo American soldiers are captured by the Germans on the Western Front during World War One and escape a POW camp only to stumble into further life-threatening adventures when they come across an Arabian king's daughter while on the lam.Lewis Milestone was the only winner in a special category during the first Academy awards: Comedy director, a light and for moments entertaining film
- DirectorFrank LloydStarsCorinne GriffithVictor VarconiH.B. WarnerThe story of the romance between Emma, Lady Hamilton, and British war hero Admiral Horatio Nelson.Frank Lloyd won for this almost-historic biopic that is too sentimental, but it was a bad year for the Academy in terms of quality
- DirectorFrank LloydStarsDiana WynyardClive BrookUna O'ConnorA portrayal of the triumphs and tragedies of two English families, the upper-crust Marryots and the working-class Bridgeses, from 1899 to 1933.The British Frank Lloyd won for the second time for another bad film, the other two nominees weren't excellent but at least better than him: Cukor (little women) and Capra (Lady for a day)
- DirectorFrank BorzageStarsJames DunnSally EilersMinna GombellA man and woman, skeptical about romance, nonetheless fall in love and are wed, but their lack of confidence in the opposite sex haunts their marriage.Frank Borzage won his second award for this bad film in the year that Josef Von Stenberg presented Shanghai Express
- DirectorNorman TaurogStarsJackie CooperRobert CooganMitzi GreenSkippy, the mischievous son of a wealthy doctor, meets Sooky in poverty-ridden Shantytown, and together they try to save Sooky's pet from a cruel dogcatcher.During the early years of the award, the academy made several mistakes and this is one of the worst, an unbereable childish film that got the award for Norman Taurog, among the nominees Von Stenberg (Morocco) was a better choice