Monday, June 23, 2014







But this year could be a breakthrough year for women directors. I know it is overly optimistic and a tad delusional to think that women could get two nominations for best director, but there are two women — Angelina Jolie for Unbroken and Ava DuVernay for Selma – who should get HARD looks come awards time. The fact that both women have made movies about men will just enhance their chances of getting noticed.

Angelina Jolie, arguably, has had the best year of her career. As an actress she was able to propel Maleficent to great box office heights — this past weekend it crossed $500 million worldwide at the box office. She just co-convened an international conference on sex crimes in war, and was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth.  But is will be her film Unbroken based on the best selling book of the same name by Laura Hillenbrand  that will get Jolie into the Oscar conversation as a potential best director.

The movie just screams Oscar. It was written by Joel and Ethan Coen with additional writing credits to William Nicholson and Richard LaGravenese. And it’s a story about a man who survived incredible odds. Here’s the imdb description: “A chronicle of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II.” And keep in mind that Jolie is not a directing novice. She made the really terrific and underseen film In the Land of Blood and Honey about the Bosnian war in 2011.
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