Best Director 2012

Joss Whedon (Marvel’s the Avengers)- I said in my original review of The Avengers that this film could have gone horribly wrong given the # of characters sharing screen time.  Whedon, however, deftly gives each hero his/her moment to shine without it feeling forced.  It’s one of the better directorial juggling acts I’ve seen in recent memory.

Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man)-Webb had the unenviable task of rebooting the Spider-Man franchise after Sam Raimi.  Well, Spider-Man 3 wasn’t much to come back from; however, Raimi was responsible for what many consider the Webhead’s magnum opus in Spider-Man 2.  It was a risk to allow Webb to tell Spidey’s story in his own voice and not build on the groundwork established by the previous director.  It was a risk that worked better than anyone could have expected.  For me, Webb’s darker version of the Spider-Man mythos is the best version of the character on screen to date. It’s just a shame that some were more concerned with the fact that it was a reboot so soon after Spider-Man 3 rather than judging it on its own merit. 

David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)-Russell’s dark take on the rom-com about two emotionally disturbed people made me interested in a genre that has done very little to get me excited through the years.  ‘Nuff said.

Scott Derrickson (Sinister)-Derrickson has made one of the creepiest horror movies in recent memory.  He knows how to set a mood, that’s certain.  The plot in Sinister starts with a slow boil and builds to its killer (literal) crescendo at the climax.  And we are introduced to the demon, Bughuul.  Bughuul is the ultimate face of terror and it’s not only due to his frightening visage.  What makes him so creepy is that he is not directly responsible for the evil in the movie.  When you are powerful in your own right and still have others do your bidding…you’re one of the great movie monsters in the last 20 years.  Here’s hoping the inevitable sequels don’t ruin “Mr. Boogie.”

Peter Jackson (The Hobbit:  An Expected Journey)-Jackson returns us to Middle Earth complete with Orcs, Hobbits, Elves, and Dwarves.  For good measure, he even adds a dragon to the mix this time (although Smaug is not fully seen).  Like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I’m sure the Hobbit’s next two sequels will amp up the fighting even more.  If you were a big fan of LOTR, this trip back to Middle Earth is more than satisfying.

Josh Trank (Chronicle)-Trank expertly delivers a super hero movie (of sorts) without the capes.  But Chronicle is more than super powers.  It’s about how power can totally corrupt a person, especially a downtrodden teen who has had little happiness in his life.  It’s a very powerful, underrated film.

Seth MacFarlane (Ted)-How do you tell the story of a foul-mouthed, pot smoking teddy bear come to life?  I don’t know either, but MacFarlane pulls off the comedy of the year in his directorial debut.

Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)-Tarantino takes his usual visceral view of the world back to the Antebellum South.  Django is violent, over the top, and wickedly comical.  You know.  Very Tarantino.

Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph)-Normally, Disney’s summer Pixar release is its best animated feature of the year, and, usually considered the best animated feature of the year period.  Moore’s video game inspired feature far exceeded the Pixar release of Brave for me.  It has an unlikely hero, a lush animated landscape, and all those nostalgic video game characters from the ‘80s and 90s that just pushes it over the top.

Sam Mendes (Skyfall)-While a little overlong for my tastes, Mendes’ foray into the James Bond series is an exciting one for the most part.  What’s great about it is it doesn’t focus on world domination in any way.  It’s a simple tale where the villain is motivated strictly by revenge.  Its simplicity and Daniel Craig’s rendition of Bond makes this one a winner.