Just because the Academy gave him an Oscar doesn't mean he will do well on these lists.

So what is this?  This is the start of the in-depth look at every director who has ever been nominated by the Academy Awards for Best Director, ranked.  I already gave the bare bones version of the final list, though, as with all my lists, as I see more movies, they can fluctuate.  Here I will explain how all my points systems are derived (which I already did once here, for My Top 100 2.0 Intro, but I am doing again because there are lists here specific to these directors) and I will give various lists of the best and worst directors in the various categories.

Soon, this will be followed by various in-depth looks at each director, probably in groups of 25 or so, which will be interspersed between all my other posts, because they take a while to do.  So, here we go.

Here is how my points system is derived:

There are 10 categories.  There are a maximum of 100 points in any one category.  In some categories, it is not possible to earn all 100 points.  In others, you can earn much more, but I cut you off at 100.  Below, I list all 10 categories, with a brief description of how I derive the points and the Top and Bottom 10 for each category for the Academy Award nominated directors.  A brief note: I have mathematical value I apply to all films, and to the quality of various aspects of the film (direction being one).  Without it, there is no good way to do this list, other than the last category.  So, if you don’t like that, abandon all hope ye who enter here. (more…)

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg present a special Oscar to their hero: Akira Kurosawa

So, does this supersede my original list?  Well, lists are always organic – they grow and evolve over time.  I’ve fiddled with some of the categories and new films have come out and I’ve seen more films from some directors.  So, my original list was what it was in October of 2009.  This is where I am now, two years later, and one year overdue.  The list will continue to evolve over time.  The list never quite stops.  But here’s where I put it up.

I will remind people again that if you don’t see a director and you’re wondering why, please check the Introduction first.  It became clear on the original list that people didn’t read that instruction.  Please don’t repeat that.  And don’t ask about Godard.  See the Intro.

Also, we’ll again find out who reads this part, the film in parenthesis is not necessarily their best film (hell, with Mankiewicz, it’s his worst).  But it is the film I chose to write about, for whatever reason. (more…)

Roberto Benigni is not the worst director ever nominated for an Oscar - but he's close

210 directors.  That’s how many directors, over the course of the Academy Awards, have been nominated for Best Director.  And I’ve gone through and ranked them all.

Now, I will do a much longer piece and go into much greater detail on each director.  But, since this is the bare bones edition, I have only listed rank, name, points and what they earned Oscar nominations for (bold is for winners).

I have spent much of the past year watching as many films from these directors as possible.  I have seen over 80% of all the films directed by them – which is difficult, given a lot of the films from the older directors.  But all of that, as well as a detailed description of the scoring will come later this fall, as will the updated list of Top 100 Directors (it was waiting for this project to be finished).  At the moment, if all you care about is my ranking, feel free to start griping.  But remember – Godard was never nominated for an Oscar, so I don’t want to hear anything about him.  If you want to worship him, your beef is with the Academy this time, not with me.

One caveat I should note.  I have not seen Tree of Life.  And because Malick has made so few films, if I find it to be truly great, it has the potential to raise him 20 spots on the list.  If I hate it, which I suppose is possible, he could drop about 10.  That is the range available. (more…)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) - the best film of 1988 and the best animated film of the 80's

1980  -  1989

Total Films I’ve Seen:  942

Films That Make the Top 5 in Any Category:  43

Best Film Not to Make the Top 5 in Any Category:  Platoon

Film of the Decade:  Raiders of the Lost Ark

Worst Film of the Decade:  Human Highway

Worst Best Picture Nominee of the Decade:  Fatal Attraction

Worst Film of the Decade Made by a Top 100 Director:  Phobia

(more…)

Nicholson and MacLaine won Oscars for Terms of Endearment - Debra Winger will have to settle for being my serious childhood crush

The 56th annual Academy Awards for the film year 1983.  The nominations were announced on February 16, 1984 and the awards were held on April 9, 1984.

Best Picture:  Terms of Endearment

  • The Big Chill
  • The Right Stuff
  • The Dresser
  • Tender Mercies

Most Surprising Omission:  Fanny and Alexander

Best Eligible Film Not Nominated:  Fanny and Alexander

Best Eligible English-Language Film Not Nominated:  Zelig

Rank (out of 82) Among Best Picture Years:  #26 (more…)

Fanny and Alexander (1983): Ingmar Bergman's triumphant farewell to film-making (which didn't mean he stopped making films)

My Top 20:

  1. Fanny and Alexander
  2. Terms of Endearment
  3. The Big Chill
  4. The Right Stuff
  5. Zelig
  6. Betrayal
  7. Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi
  8. Local Hero
  9. Educating Rita
  10. Denton
  11. The Year of Living Dangerously
  12. The Return of Martin Guerre
  13. Silkwood
  14. Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
  15. The Mirror
  16. The King of Comedy
  17. Trading Places
  18. The Evil Dead
  19. L’Argent
  20. El Bruto (more…)

The rabbits prepare to defend their warren in Watership Down (1978) - the best animated film since the 50's

1970  -  1979

Total Films I’ve Seen:  755

Films That Make the Top 5 in Any Category:  38

Best Film Not to Make the Top 5 in Any Category:  Mean Streets

Film of the Decade:  The Godfather

Worst Film of the Decade:  Caligula

Worst Best Picture Nominee of the Decade:  Love Story

Worst Film of the Decade Made by a Top 100 Director:  The Brood (more…)

One of the quieter moments between Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro in The Deer Hunter (1978)

The 51st annual Academy Awards, for the film year 1978.  The nominations were announced on February 20, 1979 and the awards were held on April 9, 1979.

Best Picture:  The Deer Hunter

  • Midnight Express
  • Heaven Can Wait
  • Coming Home
  • An Unmarried Woman

Most Surprising Omission:  Interiors

Best Eligible Film Not Nominated:  Autumn Sonata

Best Eligible English-Language Film Not Nominated:  Interiors

Rank (out of 82) Among Best Picture Years:  #41 (more…)

The closing "God Bless America" scene in The Deer Hunter

My Top 20:

  1. The Deer Hunter
  2. Midnight Express
  3. Autumn Sonata
  4. Interiors
  5. Watership Down
  6. The Ascent
  7. Heaven Can Wait
  8. The Chess Players
  9. Superman
  10. Coming Home
  11. Halloween
  12. Pretty Baby
  13. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
  14. California Suite
  15. Get Out Your Handkerchiefs
  16. Bread and Chocolate
  17. Animal House
  18. The Buddy Holly Story
  19. Days of Heaven
  20. The Last Wave (more…)

"I know it was you." The tragic revelatory scene in The Godfather Part II.

The 47th annual Academy Awards for the film year 1974.  The nominations were announced on February 24, 1975 and the awards were held on April 8, 1975.

Best Picture:  The Godfather Part II

  • Chinatown
  • The Conversation
  • Lenny
  • The Towering Inferno

Most Surprising Omission:  Day for Night

Best Eligible Film Not Nominated:  Day for Night

Best Eligible English-Language Film Not Nominated:  Badlands

Rank (out of 82) Among Best Picture Years:  #16

Rank Note:  If they had nominated Day for Night instead of The Towering Inferno, it would rank #1 (more…)

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