6. George Clooney - The Monuments Men
Putting last year's snub of Ben Affleck aside, the Academy has a long history of rewarding actors who try their hand at directing. Whether it be Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner, Robert Redford, or Warren Beatty, the Academy has crowned a fair share of their actors as the best "director" of the year. If I were cynical man, which I am, I would say that this phenomenon might have something to do with the fact that the Academy's Actors branch is the largest branch of the voting body, but whether the actors-turned-directors won their directing awards on merit or not, it's safe to say that you should always be on the Oscar lookout anytime an actor makes a successful transition from in front of the camera to behind it. Given these statistics, it is merely just a matter of time before the Academy declares George Clooney, one of the most beloved figures in the history of Hollywood, the best director of some future year, and that year may very well likely turn out to be 2014. In fact, when all is said and done, George Clooney may end up being awarded more Oscars in separate categories than any other human being in history, but that's a subject for a different article. What is for sure though is that there will be much pre-release awards buzz for Clooney's next directorial effort, The Monuments Men. The Monuments Men, based on a real event, spotlights the efforts of art historians and museum curators to save priceless paintings from the clutches of the Nazis during the Second World War. With its mix of suspense and historical basis, many are comparing the film to last year's Best Picture winner, Argo, which won Mr. Clooney his second Oscar as a producer of that film. While no one has seen The Monuments Men yet, judging by appearances, the comparison seems apt, which is likely good news for Clooney and company. Clooney, who stars in the picture as well, has an all-star cast to help make him look good. This includes the likes of his buddy Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray, and the man who beat him out in the Best Actor category just a few short years ago, Jean Dujardin. Clooney was nominated once before in this category (for his directorial work on Good Night, and Good Luck), so we already know he has some respect from the Directors branch (unlike Ben Affleck). If the film feels too similar to Argo, there may be some in the Academy who are reticent to go back to that same well so quickly, but in all likelihood The Monuments Men will be a monumental player in the 2014 awards season, as will Mr. Clooney himself.