Efforts and Courage Are Not Enough Without Purpose and Direction

The Year: 1985
The Category: DIRECTING
The Winner: Sydney Pollack for "Out of Africa"
The Other Nominees:
Hector Babenco for "Kiss of the Spider Woman"
John Huston for "Prizzi's Honor"
Akira Kurosawa for "Ran"
Peter Weir for "Witness"

Robbed: Steven Spielberg for "The Color Purple"

It's highway robbery how Stephen has been treated by the Academy over the years. He was nominated but didn't win many times, but this time he wasn't even given the courtesy of a nomination. I mean, personally I think he should have won for Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1977, Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982 - but hey, I don't get a vote. But here, Purple was nominated for Best Picture, yet the Director gets nary a nod? That makes no sense to me at all. Go figure!

As for this year's pick, the Nominees are:
Martin Scorsese for "The Aviator"
Clint Eastwood for "Million Dollar Baby"
Taylor Hackford for "Ray"
Alexander Payne for "Sideways"
Mike Leigh for "Vera Drake"

I'm sorry, but this year there is a nomination missing. Zach Braff for "Garden State". No question this movie should have received a nod for something - I'm cool with it being direction. Original Screenplay would have been okay too. Just SOMETHING! Okay, so my pick. I'm thinking that Clint is going to take it home again this year. As much as I want it to be Marty's year...finally, I really think that Clint will take it. But if anyone is running a close second, it would be Marty...otherwise we will be 0 and 6.

That's all for today...tomorrow it's BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR!