This is also one of my favourite phenomena of the Oscar race (I was even kind of pissed off when it didn't happen last year).

The one person I really could see making a run that you don't have listed is Cuaron. He's going to be nominated one of these years as far as I'm concerned as the work will likely be very acclaimed, very serious while still retaining a dimension of "edge". The film doesn't really strike me as BP material but the move to December makes me wonder what Universal is up to.

In fact, he'd be the #2 person I'd lean to in guessing "this spot" after Paul Greengrass, who fits the mold very well as far as I'm concerned (though the unlikeliness of a screenplay nod does concern me).

Frears and Innaritu are certainly possibilities if their films miss out in the big race. Though I suspect both films are headed towards Picture berths.

Scorsese and Nolan are responsible for possibly my two most anticipated titles of the remainder of the year. But genre work isn't *really* lone director fodder as much as these two talents are likely to be responsible for the success of their films. (Surely The Prestige will be shown soon?)

Then there's Almodovar who I also wouldn't rule out. Though the film almost feels to traditional for Almodovar to get a lone director berth as far as I'm concerned.

Yeah, forgot Cuaron. He was on the charts last week, but I'm waiting on COM for a bit. But you're right, a definite possibility for lone director.

Traditional can be fine if it's a film that is close to a Best Pic, by the way. Billy Eilliot for instance.

Fair enough. At the risk of being slightly crude, I'd traditionally group the lone director nominees into two (very broad) groups: "vanguard auteurs" and those whose films "just miss" on the BP nod.

2001, of course, exemplified both groups with Lynch represented the former group and Scott the latter.

Sometimes I think only you and I are reading this shit.

Which allows me to say - Bennett Miller and Courtney Love were randomly in my screening of "Marie Antoinette" tonight.

Any possibility of Arronofsky, or do you think it really crashed that badly?

After seeing it at Toronto, I can basically tell you "no chance". I'd say Del Toro has a better shot for "Pan's Labyrinth".

I saw both The Fountain and Pan's Labyrinth in Toronto, and I'd have to agree. Arronofsky has no chance, but I would not be surprised if Del Toro makes it in. A very excellent film that played the audience like marionettes.

Not to worry, Tapley, I'm reading too!