The Woody Awards: Best Director

BEST DIRECTOR
My Nominees:
J. J. Abrams, Star Trek
Neill Blomkamp, District 9
James Cameron, Avatar
Spike Jonze, Where the Wild Things Are
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

Oscar Nominees:
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

J. J. Abrams, Star Trek

Star Trek was one of my favorite movies of 2009, and the funny thing is, I wasn't particularly looking forward to it. But J. J. Abrams did something amazing with this movie - he managed to create a film based on a dead franchise (which even in its heyday lacked much mainstream appeal) which felt new and fresh and exciting while at the same time displaying the proper level of respect for the original. Some dedicated Trekkies have complained that the 2009 version is too action-oriented, while the original was more about ideas and concepts. But I think that Abrams did what was necessary with the style to allow viewers in 2009 to experience the same sense of wonder which fans of the original experienced in 1966.

Neill Blomkamp, District 9

Neill Blomkamp is the kind of director which Hollywood needs right now. With his feature film debut, he delivered a movie more exciting, more original, more emotionally affecting, and more beautifully filmed than most films released last year (or in the past five years, for that matter). And he did it with an original concept which he developed himself. Not to mention the film's superb visual effects - Blomkamp took his $30 million budget (Avatar's budget, by comparison, was estimated to be 0ver $300 million) and delivered a very real-looking piece of science fiction.

James Cameron, Avatar

Avatar may not be perfect, but you have to give James Cameron credit - it is certainly an accomplishment. He originally conceived of the concept for the film in 1994, but had to wait for the technology to develop which was required to make what he envisioned possible. He started production in 2006, and worked for three years to deliver the film we have today. Such a passionate dedication to a project, by a man who had to invent some of the technology he required as he went along, deserves recognition, and regardless of whether you love or hate Avatar, Cameron should be praised for the relentless devotion he displayed in bringing his vision to life.

Spike Jonze, Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are is a great adaptation, and that is mainly due to the fact that Spike Jonze clearly has a deep and fundamental understanding of the spirit of the original story, yet was totally fearless and unapologetic in making it his own. This film has his signature all over it, but always feels very much like the book on which it is based. From the script to the casting to the music to the overall tone of the movie, Jonze made some very difficult choices, taking a lot of risks, and the end product of those choices is beautiful, revealing that he knew exactly what he was doing all along.

THE WINNER: QUENTIN TARANTINO, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

I almost didn't choose Tarantino for this award because I didn't want to get repetitive with Inglourious Basterds winning everything, but then I realized how stupid that was, and how unfair it would be to overlook Tarantino's achievement simply to make things more interesting. Like every other individual winner from Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino earns this award himself. No matter how many movies he makes, you never know what to expect when sitting down to watch Tarantino's newest film. This man is a filmmaking genius. Just look at the tension he builds into every scene, the cleverly drawn characters scattered throughout the story, and the sheer boldness of the film's final act. This film has style AND substance, and it just might be Tarantino's masterpiece.