Best and Worst Wins of the 10s – Director

With no movies coming out in the near future, all we can do is look back to the past. The past decade was a great one for movies, but was it a great one for Oscars? I dive in here to give what I, and twitter via poll, think what was the best and the worst wins of the 10s.

Check out my twitter @Tberry57 to see the latest poll. Next up, Picture!

Best Win

My Pick: Alfonso Cuarón – Roma

• What Cuarón was able to pull off hear was downright brilliant. He managed to make a neo-realist film in the 2010s, and provide enogh heart and depth as any other movie you can think of. This one was personal for him, and you could really feel that so much. I think this was the absolute best film released this past decade, and his direction is a huge reason why. Plus, his friend Guillermo del Toro giving him the award is just so sweet. How this film lost best picture is beyond my understanding.

Twitter’s Pick: Bong Joon-Ho – Parasite

Okay, so we’re gonna have to do a runoff round. (I know the answer, but gotta do it)

— Jacob Throneberry (@Tberry57) August 20, 2020

• Recency bias or not, Bong Joon-Ho absolutely delivered in such a riveting and impactful way when he brought Parasite to American screens. I personally would have given this award to Sam Mendes for 1917, but that doesn’t mean Bong was any less deserving. This was an incredible decade for foreign directors, and it was a wonderful cap to the decade.

Worst Win

My Pick: Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant

• My issue with this win is that Alejandro G. Iñárritu had just won the year before for Birdman, which was absolutely better just across the board. Story-wise, performances, sound, and just overall direction. This one just felt odd for giving him the win the following year for a movie that frankly just wasn’t that good. I think his direction is fine here, but either one of Adam McKay, George Miller, Lenny Abrahamson, or Tom McCarthy should’ve won. My pick, being Adam McKay.

Twitter’s Pick:

Why was the WORST Best Director Win of the Decade? (I think i know but I’m interested)

— Jacob Throneberry (@Tberry57) August 20, 2020

• This one seemed all but given. I don’t think The King’s Speech is bad, and I don’t think Hooper’s direction is bad either. However, this is a product of the moment and beating out the likes of Fincher and Aronofsky will be sour in most peoples mouths as long as they live.

Jacob is a film critic and co-founder of the Music City Drive-In. He is a member of the Music City Film Critics’ Association and specializes in the awards season. You can find him on Twitter @Tberry57.