2009 Calvin Awards: Best Director
February 13, 2009
BoxOfficeProphets.com
The winner of the Calvin Award for Best Director is Christopher Nolan, who continues to do an exemplary job in bringing Gotham City to life. He does a fine job of making a grimy Gotham match up to the personalities of the characters in the film, most of whom live in darkness in one way or another, whether they're good guys or bad. Nolan's vision for The Joker surely set in motion one of the most iconic portrayals of a villain we're likely to see onscreen. There is a tremendous amount of action in The Dark Knight, but it all feels under tight control. Ultimately, Nolan has created not just one of the finest comic book films ever, but also one of the greatest crime movies in history. We like Nolan a lot, apparently, as he previously placed fifth in this category for the 2005 release Batman Begins and also fifth for the 2001 film Memento.
Our runner-up is director Andrew Stanton, who is making quite a name for himself in the animation industry. Previously, Stanton placed in fifth (I sense a trend) in this category for his work on Finding Nemo (2003). As he did in that film, Stanton created a viable world in WALL-E where viewers could be fully immersed in the experience that the story provided. The crew at Pixar is truly a creative, talented bunch, and along with John Lasseter, Pete Docter and Brad Bird, Stanton is a big reason that the company is so reliable. People trust Pixar because of these guys.
Third place goes to Danny Boyle, who has been cleaning up at various award ceremonies this year for his work on Slumdog Millionaire. With a story that is told in a unique style - flashing from the present to the past and back to the present again, Boyle could have had a rough go of making the transitions seamless and finding actors up to the roles. Instead, he was able to pull fantastic performances from actors of all ages and experience levels, all while keeping the audience highly involved in an emotionally impacting tale.
Next up in fourth is Darren Aronofsky, who took a break from challenging fare like Pi, Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain to tackle a simple sports story and character portrait instead. And though I call it simple, this is by no means a derogatory comment about The Wrestler's greatness. Instead, what Aronofsky was able to accomplish is impressive, as he has clearly paid a great deal of attention to the realities of professional wrestling and it feels as though the movie he has created is very respectful both of the sport, the athletes and even the fans. In a lesser director's hands, The Wrestler could have felt formulaic and trite. With Aronofsky at the helm, it becomes a poignant piece that goes in directions one might never expect.
Finishing in fifth is Jon Favreau, who, like our winner Nolan, was able to do some spectacular work in the superhero genre. In any other year than 2008, Iron Man would likely have been considered the finest comic book movie, and even with the massive box office for The Dark Knight, there are still some pretty passionate debates about which film is actually the best. The fact of the matter is that we win either way, as both movies are going to go down as classics in the genre. Iron Man is tight, has an excellent flow to it, and all of the performances are pitch perfect. Unlike The Dark Knight, most of Iron Man's action takes place in the light, which makes its visual effects a bit more complex. Favreau was more than up to the challenge of delivering on the promise he has shown in previous work like Zathura and even Elf.
Sixth and seventh place go to an old reliable and a new hotness. Ron Howard, a previous Academy Award winner and current nominee, places for his work on the surprisingly tense Frost/Nixon. It would have been easy for this movie to be a dry, political piece, but instead it is almost a thriller in its setup. On the other end of the spectrum is Martin McDonagh, whose In Bruges is a masterpiece of dark comedy and crime. Well-acted and gorgeously shot, this is a film that deserves more attention and will surely get McDonagh some higher-profile gigs.
Gus Van Sant and Thomas McCarthy finish in eighth and ninth place, respectively. Van Sant, who has been churning out some fascinating projects with some regularity, goes slightly more mainstream with Milk - though clearly this is a film that is only mainstream when compared to stuff like Elephant, Last Days, Paranoid Park and Gerry. Van Sant manages a supremely talented cast and turns Milk into a story that leaves the viewer craving more. Ninth goes to Thomas McCarthy, who continues to dazzle us with movies like The Station Agent and now The Visitor. These are quiet portraits of fascinating characters that leave lasting impressions.
Finally, we have a tie for tenth place, as Jonathan Demme and the Coen Brothers both find a spot on our list. Demme's Rachel Getting Married is a true slice of life, inserting the viewer straight into the days leading to and including the wedding of the titular character. Much is revealed in very subtle ways, and the pacing is deliberate but effective. The Coens continue to be among the top directors working in the business, as they follow up the masterpiece No Country for Old Men with Burn After Reading, a comedy that is bound to be remembered more fondly in hindsight, much like their earlier Big Lebowski. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
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