Best Director: Will Win - Steven Spielberg
The Oscars love him. The world loves him. And Lincoln is a very good film. Couple all that with the fact that Ben Affleck didnt make the list, and it looks like a pretty safe bet that Spielberg will walk away with Best Director. Haneke, also a master, is still too much of an unknown in the US to be chosen, Behn Zeitlin is a first timer who already won his prize by (inexplicably) being nominated, and David O. Russels film, while well directed, feels more like an acting achievement than a feat of direction, however unfair that may be. Chalk all that up to Spielberg walking away happy unless...
Best Director: Should Win - Ang Lee
Unless Ang Lee rightfully wins the award. Nobody else on this list (or off of it, since there seemed to be an innumerable amount of snubs) had as tough of a job as Lee, and what he accomplished with Life of Pi is astonishing. Not just in terms of the use of visual effects, but the ability to take what seemed like an unfilmable one man show and turn it into a gripping, life affirming ride was nothing short of pure magic. Life of Pi easily couldve been a disaster, or a schlocky, overly sentimental mess, but Lee found the perfect tone, summoned an incredible performance out of his leading man, and used 3D to actually strengthen the story and experience. Nobody else couldve made the movie that Lee did. He should be rewarded for it.