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Best Director Oscars of the 2000's
2000 Best Director
Steven Soderbergh for "Traffic"
 2000 Traffic  Drama / Thriller R, 145 Minutes Director: Steven Soderbergh Starring: Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Luis Guzman, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Steven Bauer, Jacob Vargas, Erika Christensen, Clifton Collins Jr. Interlocking stories allow this film to cover the cocaine world from several aspects. In one story, Tijuana cops (Benicio Del Toro and Jacob Vargas) are involved in efforts to crash a drug cartel, but they begin to suspect motives of authorities. Meanwhile, on the San Diego side of the border, DEA agents (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzman) arrest a big drug supplier (Steven Bauer), leaving his pregnant wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) in a precarious situation. Finally, an Ohio Supreme Court Justice (Michael Douglas) is appointed to head the U.S. war on drugs, but he has his own personal problems: a daughter who has been freebasing with friends. An excellent examination of the illegal drug world. The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Director and Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro). A nomination was also received for Best Picture. Based on the British miniseries "Traffik."
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2001 Best Director
Ron Howard for "A Beautiful Mind"
2001 A Beautiful Mind  Drama PG-13, 130 Minutes Director: Ron Howard Starring: Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Adam Goldberg, Christopher Plummer, Josh Lucas, Judd Hirsch, Vivien Cardone, Anthony Rapp This biography traces the life of paranoid-schizophrenic, math genius John Forbes Nash Jr. (Russell Crowe) who overcame the odds to win the Nobel Prize in Economic Science. His life changes while he is working in cryptology at MIT where he meets Alicia (Jennifer Connelly). They fall in love and marry, but problems follow when Nash's paranoid schizophrenia sets in leading to years of illness with loyal Alicia standing by him in good times and bad. The film's four Academy Awards included Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actress (Jennifer Connelly). Four additional nominations were received, including Crowe for Best Actor.
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2002 Best Director
Roman Polanski for "The Pianist"
2002 The Pianist Drama / Musical R, 148 Minutes Director: Roman Polanski Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Maureen Lipman, Emilia Fox, Ed Stoppard, Julia Rayner, Jessica Kate Meyer, Ruth Platt, Michal Zebrowski After conquering Poland, Nazis place celebrated Jewish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody) and his family in a Warsaw ghetto from which he escapes the planned deportation to a concentration camp. But there is no relief for Szpilman who is forced to endure not only Nazi brutality but disease and starvation as well on Warsaw's streets. A good film depicting the power inherent in man's inhumanity to man. The film won three Oscars, including Best Director and Best Actor (Brody), and received four other nominations, including Best Picture.
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2003 Best Director
Peter Jackson for "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King  Action / Adventure / Fantasy PG-13, 201 Minutes Director: Peter Jackson Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Bernard Hill, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan In the conclusion to J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy, Gollum (Andy Serkis) continues to lead the gentle Hobbits–Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin)–on the trek to Mount Doom in their quest to destroy the One Ring. Meanwhile, the deposed King Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) strives to unite the people of Middle Earth in preparation for battle in the forthcoming massive attack by the Dark Lord Saurons' minions. Winner of 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, and Original Score and Song.
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2004 Best Director
Clint Eastwood for "Million Dollar Baby"
2004 Million Dollar Baby Drama PG-13, 132 Minutes Director: Clint Eastwood Starring: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Jay Baruchel, Mike Colter, Lucia Rijker, Brian F. O'Byrne, Anthony Mackie, Margo Martindale, Riki Lindhome Searching for a way to improve her lot in life, wannabe boxer, 31-year-old single-mom/waitress Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) walks into the gym and asks trainer Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to teach her how to be a viable boxer. Frankie agrees, Maggie makes great strides, the two bond, and, in the process, overcome hurdles of the past. The film received Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director (Clint Eastwood), Actress (Hilary Swank), and Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman). Three other nominations were received, including Best Actor (Clint Eastwood).
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2005 Best Director
Ang Lee for "Brokeback Mountain"
2005 Brokeback Mountain Drama / Western / Romance R, 134 Minutes Director: Ang Lee Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway, Randy Quaid, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris, Scott Michael Campbell, Kate Mara, Graham Beckel Wyoming ranch hand Ennes Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and rodeo cowboy Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) carry on a love affair in 1963 and then go their separate ways only to meet again four years later. Both are now married but find time every year for romantic getaways with each other that ensure their abiding love. Academy Awards were won for Best Director, Musical Score, and Writing; nominations included Best Picture, Actor (Heath Ledger), Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), and Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams).
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2006 Best Director
Martin Scorsese for "The Departed"
2006 The Departed Drama / Thriller R, 149 Minutes Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Anthony Anderson, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Corrigan Lies, lies, and more lies proliferate when Massachusetts State Police plant one of their own, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), into Irish-American gangster Frank Costello's (Jack Nicholson) inner circle. But, Costello has been employing his own deceits, and his spy, Colin Sulllivan (Matt Damon), is working in the Special Investigations Unit that is trying to bring down Costello. With intelligence leaks on both sides, a deadly game of cat and mouse becomes the order of the day. The film received four Oscars, including Best Picture and Director; and a nomination was received for Best Supporting Actor (Mark Wahlberg).
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2007 Best Director
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for "No Country for Old Men"
2007 No Country for Old Men Drama / Thriller R, 122 Minutes Director: Ethan Coen Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper, Barry Corbin, Stephen Root, Rodger Boyce Based on Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel, this story, set in Texas during 1980, is about Vietnam veteran Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) who comes across a truckload of drugs and a case containing $2 million in the middle of a half dozen murdered bodies. Moss picks up the $2 million and takes off with the cache. But, escape will not be easy. In hot pursuit are Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) who is outmatched by sadistic, psychopathic killer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) who stays on Moss' trail across Texas. In this film, the Coen brothers give us a masterful story. The film received four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director(s), and Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem). Four other nominations were received.
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