Oscars 2015: 5 Best Director Predictions

2. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - Birdman

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu built his reputation as a filmmaker of movies with earnest topics and somber narratives. The quartet of Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel, and Biutiful wouldn't exactly make for the cheeriest movie watching experience of your life, which is why when Inarritu announced that his fifth feature film, Birdman, was to be a comedy about a washed up actor, once famous for playing a superhero in a film franchise, trying to gain artistic credibility by directing and starring in Broadway play, more than a few were left scratching their head. Fast forward to the present day and Birdman is unequivocally one of the critics' darlings of the year, receiving multiple nominations across many different categories from practically every awards body imaginable. The cast, the "one-shot" cinematography, the editing, the score (which was unfortunately ruled ineligible from Oscar recognition), the script, and even the production design have all received accolades for being one of the most exceptional in their respective fields. All these kudos across the spectrum of jobs necessary to make a film means one thing: the director knew what he/she was doing. A film as technically impressive as Birdman requires a singular vision and Inarritu's work in Birdman is that of an individual driven by an idea. From the satirical commentary on the current state of film culture, to the lambasting of self-righteous critics, to the introspective peak into the fragile egos and self-deceptive mind games employed by narcissistic actors, to the human story of man who wants to feel like he matters again, Birdman has a lot on its mind and delivers it in its own unique style. With as much love as Birdman has received this awards season (the movie is a very legitimate contender to win the Oscar for Best Picture), Inarritu is an absolute lock for what will be his second Best Director nomination. Even with the amount of big name directors vying for a slot in the Best Director field, there is no conceivable way Inarritu misses out on a nomination.