So... I just got back from seeing The Town. After Gone Baby Gone, this is his second time directing a feature film and the old jokes about Afleck not being able to act or direct or write need to be thrown out the window. I was one of those people who criticized him for his movie choices, but The Town has completed one of the biggest career turnarounds in Hollywood history. He's proven that Good Will Hunting was not just a fluke or Matt Damon's doing.

When it comes to be Oscar/Golden Globe season, he's going to make his mark. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll see nominations for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture. I don't think he'll be able to win Best Director with what Christopher Nolan and David Fincher have brought to the table (The Social Network is being called the best film in years and Fincher himself is calling it our generation's Citizen Kane. Yes, our Citizen Kane.). Best Adapted Screenplay may be stolen from him by Fincher as well. At this point, though, I think he's got Best Actor in the bag. There's still three months of movies, including Oscar season, but at this point it's his to lose.

On top of those awards, there's four people in The Town who could be seeing Best Supporting Actor nods, and possible wins - Mad Men's Don Draper (Jon Hamm), Jeremy Renner (who seems like he's going to be an Oscar mainstay now), Rebecca Hall, and Chris Cooper. Yes, Cooper was in a single scene but he stole the show as he always does and I wouldn't be surprised if he got some recognition for his scene. Even freaking Blake Lively turned in a performance to be reckoned with under Afleck's direction.

Oh, and he also has a movie (Company Men) coming out next month that is Oscar Bait heaven starring Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner, Chris Cooper (who seems to be good friends with Afleck and Damon, judging by the amount of films they've done together), and Ben Alfeck. There's five Oscars between those four, and possibly more coming in March.

If you haven't seen The Town yet, go do so. Especially you, Ben. It's a fantastic heist movie that I can only praise so much in this post.