Snubbed... but Still Loved!

THE EVIDENCE: All About My Mother (1999), Talk to Her (2002), Bad Education (2004), Volver (2006)

WHY HIM: For the first half of his career, Almodóvar excelled at brightly colored pansexual romps as wickedly pleasurable as they were hollow of any deep feeling. With All About My Mother, the Spanish director finally used his distinctive visual skill to mine seemingly bottomless wells of emotion, and each film since has pretty much been a masterpiece. Also, for a proudly gay man, he deserves an award for the all love and care he's devoted to Penélope Cruz's bosom. —Adam B. Vary