As Oscars Award nominations are being considered, there will likely be discussions and comparisons made between inevitably United 93 directed by Paul Greengrass and director of The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and World Trade Center directed by Oliver Stone. On the one hand, United 93 had a much more naturalistic, independent, no-name actor presentation, focussing on the events and facts as they played as if the audience was observing events of frustration and heroism but not the people themselves. On the other hand, World Trade Center uses Oscar Best Actor Nicholas Cage in the lead role and focusses on a few individuals and their families involved in the tragedy and heroism in a more typical but compelling theatrical presentation.

Personally, United 93 seemed more real, hard hitting, presenting the complexity of the technical ordeal of a group response to tragedy but weakening in at the end. World Trade Center seemed to have some cinematic inconsistencies in the beginning but ended very strongly, particulary when it came the raw, complexity of human survival, trauma, and emotion. Maggie Gyllenhaal's character, script, and performance in all easily is one of the strongest and compelling character this year, hopefully earning her a Best Supporting Actress nomination.World Trade Center . But I would suggest that a Best Picture and Best Director nomination go for United 93.