Many have suggested that a better system to award Oscars would be to wait a few years before handing them out. Give films time to breathe, and see which ones remain in the public consciousness a couple of years after release and which ones have faded. That’s not a bad idea, and it is especially appealing when taking a deep-dive look back at 20 years of Oscar wins and losses. As it relates to the Best Director category, more than a few wins can be chalked up to “make-up” Oscars where the winner takes the prize for the “wrong” movie a couple of years after a better one, and some reflect the notion that everyone was caught up in the heat of the moment. All these years later, are people even watchingThe Artist?
So, let’s take a trip down memory lane andrevisit the Best Director Oscar winners of the 21st century so far, ranking each win by how well it holds up and noting who should have won for each year.
25Ron Howard – ‘A Beautiful Mind’ (2001)
Who Should Have Won: David Lynch for ‘Mulholland Dr.’
Boy, this was a weird year.A Beautiful Minddoes not hold up well, nor did its subject hold up to accusations of anti-semitism. But we can’t talk aboutRon Howard’s Oscar win without talking aboutApollo 13. The Hollywood icon’s 1995 film was a critical darling and was earmarked as the frontrunner for all the big awards, only for Howard to be shockingly shut out of the Best Director race and for the film to lose Best Picture toBraveheart. So his win forA Beautiful Mindfeels a bit like a mea culpa from the Academy, acknowledging their mistake (or for those outside the Director’s branch, their frustration) with his lack of nomination in 1995. This is a thing that happens not infrequently with the Oscars – a win may not exactly match up with therightmovie but is seen as an acknowledgment of sorts of past work that was ignored or shut out.
A Beautiful Mind
A 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.
24Tom Hooper – ‘The King’s Speech’ (2010)
Who Should Have Won: David Fincher for ‘The Social Network’
I am still incensed about this win, so while I’m trying to be objective here, seriously, WTF.Tom Hooperused some weird framing and won an Oscar fora feel-good historical drama we’ve seen countless times before. Meanwhile,David Finchercame up empty-handed for crafting one of the defining films of (and about) the 21st century. Dumb.
The King’s Speech
The 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.
23Roman Polanski – ‘The Pianist’ (2002)
Who Should Have Won: Rob Marshall for ‘Chicago’
A difficult entry for sure. As a piece of artistry,The Pianistis pretty good. Based on an autobiographical memoir, the film tells the story of a Holocaust survivor played byAdrien Brody. And, as a Holocaust survivor himself,Roman Polanskicertainly brought a sense of gravitas and personal experience to the film. But as is indicative of him giving his acceptance speech via satellite for fear of being arrested if he stepped foot on U.S. soil, Polanski is also a fugitive convicted of unlawful intercourse with a minor.Good movie, solid direction, bad man. Meanwhile,Rob Marshallconjured one of the best movie musical adaptations in history.
The Pianist
During 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.
22Clint Eastwood – ‘Million Dollar Baby’ (2004)
Who Should Have Won: Martin Scorsese for ‘The Aviator’
Coming into 2004,Clint Eastwoodhad a lot of goodwill from nearly running the table withMystic Riverthe year before. It had been a while sinceUnforgiven, and the narrative was that Eastwood was back in fine form, andMystic Riverkicked off a few years in which the Academyreallyliked recognizing whatever new Clint Eastwood movie had arrived. AndMillion Dollar Babyisn’t bad! It begins as a boxing drama and transitions into a dark and tragic story about its central characters, andEastwood handles that tonal balance smoothly. And yet it does feel likeMartin Scorseseprobably should have won this for his epic spin on the life of Howard Hughes, for which he mirrored the cinematography of each era he covered.
Million Dollar Baby
Frankie, 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.
21Alejandro González Iñárritu – ‘Birdman’ (2014)
Who Should Have Won: Richard Linklater for ‘Boyhood’
There are parts ofBirdmanthat are exhilarating and other parts that are absolutely infuriating. But credit where credit’s due:Alejandro González IñárrituandEmmanuel Lubezkipulled off this “one-shot” movie. While the narrative itself gets pretty naval-gazing,from a technical standpoint,Birdmanremains impressive, andMichael Keatondelivers a hell of a lead performance. But like withThe Revenant, the film leaves you wishing it had a bit more substance under all those flashy camera tricks. And yet again, Iñárritu beats out another director doing something wholly revolutionary withRichard Linklater’sBoyhood.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
A washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.
20Alejandro González Iñárritu – ‘The Revenant’ (2015)
The only director to ever win back-to-back Best Director Oscars won for, frankly, just OK movies. If you set aside the degree of difficulty in executingThe Revenant, I think this lands even lower on this list, but while I’m not a huge fan of the film, I’ll admitwhat Alejandro González Iñárritu and Leonardo DiCaprio pulled off is impressive. This is a survival drama plain and simple, and working together with brilliant cinematographerEmmanuel Lubezki, Iñárritu puts the audience right in the headspace of DiCaprio’s lead character as he rises from a shallow grave to enact revenge. And yet, it all kind of adds up to nothing new, whereas whatGeorge Millerdid withMad Max: Fury Roadfeels revolutionary in the annals of action cinema.Miller essentially reinvented the wheel withFury Road, while Iñárritu simply made a very pretty wheel, and the Academy went with the latter.
The Revenant
A 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.
19Ang Lee – ‘Life of Pi’ (2012)
Who Should Have Won: Steven Spielberg for ‘Lincoln’
We didLincolndirty. In hindsight,Steven Spielberg’s biopic had far more to say about America and its politics than we gave it credit for at the time, and whileAng Lee’s technical prowess in blending CG environments and characters with his live-action lead certainly makesLife of Pia spectacle worth witnessing, this feels likeanother case of us taking Steven Spielberg for granted. He’s one of the best directors in history, and when he nails it–like he did withLincoln–henailsit. But in 2012, CG-driven blockbusters were becoming more and more prevalent, andLee certainly did a terrific job bringingLife of Pito life with cutting-edge technology, and the visuals he conjures are truly breathtaking. Although ask anyone which film has aged better, and I’d wager most haven’t revisitedLife of Pisince it was first released.
Life Of Pi
A 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.
18Danny Boyle – ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (2008)
Who Should Have Won: David Fincher for ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’
Slumdog Millionairewas an absolute phenomenon that took the country and the Oscars by storm in 2008, and for good reason.Danny Boyle’s kinetic filmmaking brings this fairy tale-esque story to life in a way that’s vivid yet still cinematic and ever-so-slightly untethered from reality. And while I still think the level of technical wizardry David Fincher brings toThe Curious Case ofBenjamin Buttonmaybe should’ve gotten it,Slumdog Millionaireremainsone of the most entertaining Best Picture winners in recent memory.
Slumdog Millionaire
A Mumbai teenager reflects on his life after being accused of cheating on the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”
17Michel Hazanavicius – ‘The Artist’ (2011)
Who Should Have Won: Terrence Malick for ‘The Tree of Life’
The Artistwas one of those flash-in-the-pan movies that surged at just the right time, swept the Oscars, and was never really heard from ever again. And yet,Michel Hazanavicius’artistry in bringing silent-era Hollywood back to life is impressive, and he crafts a genuinely moving and compelling story here underneath the buzz-worthy aesthetic. Is it better than the haunting poetry ofTerrence Malick’sThe Tree of Life? Absolutely not. But it’s pretty good!
The Artist
When 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.
16Ang Lee – ‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2005)
Who Should Have Won: Ang Lee for ‘Brokeback Mountain’
Ang Lee is hard to pin down as a filmmaker. He’s as at ease behind something likeSense and Sensibilityas he is behind something likeCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, so it shouldn’t have been surprising when he brought a thoughtful, intimate touch toBrokeback Mountain. And while 2005 doesn’t seem that long ago, a lot has changed in the ensuing years, and at the time, it was still labeled “the gay cowboy movie.” Lee’sgentle approach with his actors and confident handle of the film’s tonebrought this tragic love story to life in a really beautiful way, making it all the more upsetting that it lost Best Picture toCrashthe same year.
Brokeback Mountain
Ennis 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.
