Another significant surprise (and a feather in the cap of not only Universal Oscar strategist Tony Angellotti but every impassioned, hard-pushing advocate of United 93 in the industry and press circles): Paul Greengrass, the director of United 93 — a movie that many Academy members reportedly refused to even see, has been nominated for Best Director. A significant victory, no question. Whoda thunk it?
We’ll never know the precise vote tallies, but this indicates that the vote to nominate United 93 for Best Picture was (probably) fairly sizable. A very surprising thing, and a hint that the Academy’s “deadwood” faction (geezers, reactionaries, old schoolers) isn’t as strong as presumed.
