Off the Carpet: Ang Lee's position in all of this
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Ang Lee on the set of "Life of Pi"
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I have to say, it was nice to spend a week or so away from the Oscar fray, and for its part, the Oscar fray seemed to be very content with putting things on hold while the Sundance Film Festival did its thing in the mountains of Utah. I guess maybe that's one good thing about this season's scheduling change: room to breathe in January.
But the festival is over and now it's back to our regularly scheduled programming, with the deep dive happening this weekend as the guild awards got going. And the question rises once again: What's going to win Best Picture? Though that would seem to have been answered by the events of the last two days, it's still a question for some.
But I'll leave that for now. Lately I've been curious about the Best Director race. With an "Argo" win would obviously come a split director decision (unless that write-in stuff finds traction). My instinct has been Steven Spielberg, because "Lincoln" is a hell of an accomplishment and even if I'm betting "Argo" will reap the benefits of the preferential ballot system (born out by its victory Saturday), it still makes sense for Spielberg to get some love.
But what about Ang Lee? "Life of Pi" is clearly strong throughout, and I started wondering about its potential to win Best Picture and a whole lot more besides right after the nominations. (That's the fun of this season, by the way -- I don't think I've gone back and forth so much in an Oscar race.) But each and every time Lee has been in the race, it's been a tight and interesting year for Best Director.
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It started in 1995, when he was snubbed by the directors branch for Best Picture nominee "Sense and Sensibility" after netting a DGA nod. Interestingly enough, that was the same year Ron Howard won the DGA after also getting snubbed by the directors branch, which is an instance many are pointing to to back up the notion that Affleck could pull off the same feat next weekend. Lee and Howard were replaced by Chris Noonan ("Babe") and Tim Robbins ("Dead Man Walking") by the Academy's directors branch.
Five years later came probably the tightest Oscar race we'd see until this year. In 2000, "Gladiator" was our Best Picture winner, yet Ridley Scott never seemed like a safe bet for Best Director. That's probably because, after Lee won the DGA for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," his film was suddenly a potential winner of the big prize. Then on Oscar night, Steven Soderbergh shocked them both by winning Best Director for "Traffic." That's how you get a split: a tight race.
Five MORE years later, we got one of the great (overblown) scandals in recent Oscar history. Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" dominated the precursor circuit and appeared to be the chosen one. On Oscar night, nothing seemed amiss as the film won Best Adapted Screenplay as expected and Lee picked up his first Oscar ever for Best Director. Then Jack Nicholson opened the envelope and out came "Crash" (and a lot of bitching).
And now, seven years removed from that night, Lee is in another interesting position. He's likely battling it out with Spielberg for the trophy this year. Michael Haneke, David O. Russell and Benh Zeitlin all feel like longshots. And if Affleck or Bigelow were in the mix, they'd be predicted by many, I'm sure. Does the Academy let awards for (maybe) screenplay and actor suffice for "Lincoln" and go with Lee? Do they let crafts category wins suffice for "Life of Pi" and go with Spielberg? Who knows?
It could be a mystery all the way up until the envelope is opened. The BAFTA Awards are two weeks from today. Perhaps they'll help shed some light on a couple of races, like Best Actress, where there is still some question about Emmanuelle Riva. Will "Life of Pi" come on strong there? It certainly could. And maybe the Best Director field will suddenly be illuminated, and Ang Lee will pull off his second Academy win, in yet another bizarre Oscar race.
He's used to them by now.
Check out my updated predictions HERE and, as always, see how Guy Lodge, Greg Ellwood and I collectively think the season will turn out at THE CONTENDERS.
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2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
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January 28, 2013 at 2:50PM EST Reply to CommentBabe getting seven Oscar nominations, including Picture, Director, and Screenplay, will never not be weird to me.
Also, are you guys still planing to do the examination of the nominees in ever category (I forget what the you called that feature)?
Kristopher Tapley Yeah, in some form. Figuring it out now.
January 28, 2013 at 2:51PM ESTpitypie The first time I read about Babe's Oscar nom haul, it was on Wikipedia and I was convinced it was an elaborate and thorough prank. I was young at the time it came out, so I just assumed it was some sort of direct-to-video talking animal Disney thing. It's still shocking to me that it was an actual thing.
January 28, 2013 at 3:24PM ESTKristopher Tapley Man I'm getting old.
January 28, 2013 at 3:38PM ESTIsaac No, Babe came out in theaters (I saw it when I was 7) and I actually think it's a beautiful and charming film, one of the few "talking animal" films that actually treats its audience and the animal characters with respect. It may be weird, but it's one of those weird things I love about the Academy from time to time (seeing how those kinds of movies don't get recognized very often when they're actually good).
January 28, 2013 at 3:45PM ESTGuy Lodge Nominating 'Babe' is one of the coolest things the Academy ever did. Wonderful film. (Also, it won Best Picture from the National Society of Film Critics. It was no joke.)
January 28, 2013 at 4:07PM ESTd2 I was just happy that the Academy gave James Cromwell his due. A subtle and quiet performance that would easily be overlooked these days. Granted, I wanted Cromwell to be nominated for L.A. Confidential, but a nod for Babe is a victory nonetheless.
January 28, 2013 at 4:43PM ESTAlso, I'm sad to see that Chris Noonan practically disappeared in the decade following Babe. I blame George Miller.
HoustonRufus Agree on Babe. Beautiful movie.
January 28, 2013 at 4:48PM ESTHans This was a delightful tangent down Oscar lane, thanks guys! Also, it beat Apollo 13 for Visual Effects. Whoa.
January 28, 2013 at 6:41PM ESTGuy Lodge And deservedly so.
January 29, 2013 at 1:24PM ESTforg Can a movie like Babe compete at the Oscar these days? Probably not, so it's really awesome how it had 7 nominations and it all key categories at that!
January 29, 2013 at 8:46PM ESTStanley06 Babe was fantastic. But Babe Pig in the City was some strange kind of animal-noir masterpiece.
January 30, 2013 at 12:46AM ESTDylanS
January 28, 2013 at 2:50PM EST Reply to CommentKris, your write-in mention is interesting to me. Is that actually any sort of possibility (Affleck being voted the winner by way of Write-in?), I'd actually love to see that happen. It would be such a validation of people's love for the film, despite his snub.
Kristopher Tapley There have been write-in winners in the past. It would take a lot for that to happen. Like Clooney on the street corner with a sandwich board sign.
January 28, 2013 at 2:51PM ESTDylanS lol
January 28, 2013 at 3:02PM ESTVargha I personally don't think Affleck deserves such write-in votes. Although Argo seems to be the favorite film in the industry, I think it is not a masterpiece or something like that, and the quality difference between the top films this year is very little.
January 29, 2013 at 4:43AM ESTI personally think when after some years people look back into this year's award season, most people will not appreciate such heavy love and buzz for Argo. Argo will not be a memorable film in my opinion.
L Write in votes haven't been allowed for a long time.
January 29, 2013 at 12:29PM ESTRichardZ
January 28, 2013 at 2:51PM EST Reply to CommentOscars has a habit. Spielberg not winning is one of them.
It's a close race, but I have a feeling that Lee will win over Spielberg. Just by the numbers, Life of Pi has more nods than expected, without the acting nods. There is love for Life of Pi and I think it will show up in the Best Director.
Crazy year.
DylanS I don't know how you can argue Lee over Spielberg based on nominations count, because Lincoln has more.
January 28, 2013 at 3:03PM EST/3rt If there's a radical victory to be had 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' could take Screenplay, Actress, Director -- while 'Argo' takes Picture.
January 28, 2013 at 3:05PM ESTRichardZ like I said: "without the acting nods". 12-3=9.
January 28, 2013 at 5:52PM ESTPaul Outlaw /3RT, you mean Amour, right? ;-)
January 28, 2013 at 6:10PM ESTDylanS It makes no sense to remove the acting nods from the equation and compare the two films that way. Life of Pi not having any acting nods hurts it more than anything.
January 28, 2013 at 6:49PM ESTRichardZ Of course it does.
January 28, 2013 at 7:32PM ESTDylanS Having lots of technical nods doesn't necessarily mean a lot if you don't have any acting nods. Just look at "Avatar".
January 28, 2013 at 7:37PM ESTRichardZ Return of the King/Last Emperor swept with no acting nods.
January 29, 2013 at 11:15AM ESTEvan You can just dismiss acting nods because-- Surprise!-- actors get a vote and they make up the most sizable of the branches. It's not the only way to support a film, as you bring up with LOTR, but the love shown in those nods matters. Big time.
January 29, 2013 at 1:51PM ESTEvan *can't.
January 29, 2013 at 1:52PM ESTDylanS And "Return" won best ensemble from SAG, so we know it had actors support. "Life of Pi" wasn't even nominated.
January 29, 2013 at 3:30PM ESTConor
January 28, 2013 at 3:18PM EST Reply to CommentHopefully the extra week will grant voters a chance to see Amour and vote for Riva lol. And just as competitive is the Supporting Actor race, though that's more boring. I don't know I just feel Jones won't win... Not being at the SAGs has to hurt. I'm thinking De Niro.
Joseph
January 28, 2013 at 3:38PM EST Reply to CommentIn this bizarre year, they could make director a throw a movie a bone move and give it to Zeitlin. It'll be splitting passion votes with Amour but that'll win at least foreign film. Maybe screenplay. Life of Pi and Lincoln will have craft and acting wins.
andrew
January 28, 2013 at 3:41PM EST Reply to CommentGiven that voters quietly warmed to Amour in the weeks leading to the noms, resulting in more love (sorry) for it than most were predicting, how remote is Haneke for director? I know it doesn't have broad technical support, but as more voters watch it, could reverence (if not exactly 'passion') for Haneke and his film build, making it possible that he emerges the winner? Nothing against Spielberg or Lee, but the only thing cooler than Haneke winning would be if he won right after a Riva acceptance speech.
This query might need no response; it's an outside shot. But since your "Why I Want Argo to win Best Picture" looks like it'll beat the odds and come true, maybe a little drum beating for Haneke is all it'll take :)
Kristopher Tapley I'd rather beat the drum for Riva. Which I will. Soon.
January 28, 2013 at 3:45PM ESTGustavo Cruz Yay, Kris. Can't wait.
January 28, 2013 at 3:48PM ESTJJ1 Thank goodness
January 28, 2013 at 7:02PM ESTSFO-Guest
January 28, 2013 at 4:06PM EST Reply to CommentHi Kris,
Enjoy your comments and weekly talks with Anne. Questions regarding the chances of the following 3 directors:
1. Michael Haneke: When was last time a director won Oscars for directing a foreign language film?
2. David O. Russell: When was last time a director won Oscars without a DGA nomination?
3. Benh Zeitlin: When was last time a director won Oscars without a DGA nomination and the nominated film is also his first feature?
Another quesiton will be:
If you vote for Argo as Best Picture, who would you vote for best director?
Guy Lodge 1. Never.
January 28, 2013 at 4:15PM EST2. Never.
3. Never. (Incidentally, the last director to win the Oscar for his debut feature was Sam Mendes 13 years ago.)
Isaac Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?
January 28, 2013 at 4:19PM ESTGustavo Cruz Wasn't Hazanavicius a foreign director directing a foreign language film?
January 28, 2013 at 4:40PM ESTHoustonRufus Those are some tall odds.
January 28, 2013 at 4:47PM ESTIsaac Here's a fun fact. If Haneke, Russell and Zeitlin all win Oscars this year (unlikley, but it could happen), then all 9 of this year's Best Picture nominees will have been directed by Oscar winners. In order for that to happen, Haneke would have to win Original Screenplay, and the other two would have to take Director and Adapted Screenplay (one each). I just think that would be kind of cool....
January 28, 2013 at 4:56PM ESTAndrej Gustavo: It's a french movie, but The Artist's spoken in english (what very little dialogue and text there is, of course).
January 28, 2013 at 5:06PM ESTGuy Lodge Gustavo: What language do you think everyone is (silently) speaking in The Artist?
January 28, 2013 at 6:04PM ESTAdamA The language of charismaaaa!!!
January 28, 2013 at 7:20PM ESTThe Dude
January 28, 2013 at 5:02PM EST Reply to CommentLife of Pi looks like a very, very possible spoiler to me. I wouldn't be surprised at all if it won Director and Picture.
Specially considering that movies that are perceived as having a "USA!USA!USA!" tone won't sit well with many foreign voters, even if that perception is unfair, and Life of Pi has a more universal story than both Argo and Lincoln- a boy stuck in a boat with a tiger is more appealing, at least to non-American audiences, than Americans rescuing Americans or the life of an American president.
If it gets either Picture or Director, it will be on foreign votes, I believe, although Amour might take some of those.
Remy
January 28, 2013 at 5:06PM EST Reply to CommentI wouldn't count out "Amour" in any category except Best Picture. If Riva wins the BAFTA, I think she has a real shot, and for now I actually expect the screenplay to win in its category. My reasoning for that is that "Zero Dark Thirty" has lost a lot of heat and "Django Unchained" may be seen as too jokey and as minor Tarantino. Additionally, both movies had fewer nominations than could have been expected while "Amour" scored some pretty major ones that it wasn't a lock for.
In the Best Director category, I'd place Haneke third in terms of likelihood, which may change depending on what happens at the DGA and the BAFTAs. If Affleck wins there, it's further confirmation that "Argo" will win Best Picture and the Director category will still be up in the air. If Spielberg (who doesn't have a BAFTA nomination, while Haneke does) or Lee win the DGA, it would make the one who wins it the frontrunner, obviously. But I expect Affleck to win and, if that happens, I think Haneke winning the Oscar will be a distinct possibility. If even the Spielberg-loving DGA passes him over, I would interpret it as a serious lack of urgency to reward him. And since "Life of Pi" is regarded as an achievement of directorial vision above all else, what does it say if not even the Directors' Guild picks it?
Haneke's movie has genuine passion behind it, including from the all-important actors' branch, and in a year where voters can't vote for the Best Picture frontrunner in Best Director, I could easily see them ignore the nominees they're "supposed" to vote for as a second choice and go with their heart.
CaptainCanada Spielberg not winning the DGA wouldn't really be that significant if it went to Affleck, who isn't an Oscar nominee and who is now essentially a proxy vote for Best Picture there (whereas at the Oscars the reverse is true). And "Lincoln" has three acting nominations to "Amour"'s one.
January 28, 2013 at 5:28PM ESTRemy Spielberg (or Lee) could definitely win the Oscar without winning the DGA, but losing the DGA would mean that neither of them is the definite front-runner, in which case I think Haneke could plausibly becomes a spoiler, considering the enthusiasm for his movie. "Lincoln" has a lot of support from the actors, no doubt (as does "SLP", obviously), and from everyone else in the Academy. It could still win in a lot of categories, including six of the majors. But pulling off the four nominations that it did outside of Foreign Language is a really big deal for "Amour", which was mostly likely seen by a much smaller fraction of voters before the nominations than the American movies.
January 28, 2013 at 5:57PM ESTSomeone
January 28, 2013 at 5:44PM EST Reply to CommentDGA can do three things: reward Spielberg for the 4th time (he would become the first director ever with 4 DGA wins), reward Lee for the 3rd time (he would become just second director ever with 3 DGA wins - tie with Spielberg) or reward Affleck (or Hooper, or Bigelow, but I think that they are out of the game right now) - and he (or he or she) would become just 3rd director ever to win DGA without Academy Award nomination for best director. That way or another - decision that will be made by DGA will be historical.
IMO rewarding Affleck by DGA is pointless because he can't win (and if they are going to reward him just to ensure that "Argo" will win best picture - "Apollo 13" is a clear example that such decision can be harmful). And from the other two directors - Spielberg hasn't won ANYTHING so far. It looks like all people agree that he doesn't deserve this award (especially considering the fact that this might be his 3rd Oscar for direction), BAFTA hasn't even nominated him, all critics circles chose Affleck, or Bigelow, or (yes!) Ang Lee.
But I'm rooting for Lee not because ot those awards but because Lee seems the most deserving choice this year. At least for me. And it would be great if he won DGA this Saturday!
Guy Lodge "rewarding Affleck by DGA is pointless because he can't win"
January 28, 2013 at 6:12PM ESTSo there's no point in the DGA honouring someone if the Academy isn't going to do the same? This is the kind of mentality that makes much of awards season so redundant and tedious. The DGA Award is, or should be, an independent accolade, not merely a dress rehearsal for the Oscar.
And what exactly was "harmful" about the fact that the DGA voted for Apollo 13, while the Academy, as a whole, preferred a different movie?
Someone DGA honours people that are later rewarded by the Academy - it's tradition. :P Obviously they may reward whoever they want but it's kinda obvious that their decisions have bigger impact on the Oscar season than all other guilds, critics circles etc. combined together.
January 28, 2013 at 6:32PM ESTIn 1996 it was quite obvious that Gibson will win Oscar (and "Braveheart" will be chosen as a result of this decision) - only three directors were nominated by DGA and Academy: Radford who directed foreign language movie (so he couldn't win - it's tradition also :P), "Il Postino" and Mike Figgis whose movie ("Leaving Las Vegas") wasn't nominated for best picture - so he couldn't win also.
Obviously it would look totally different if DGA chose Figgis (for example) - than Academy probably would give him Academy Award for best director and they would reward "Apollo 13" in the best picture category (because they couldn't choose "Leaving Las Vegas"). Rewarding Howard they destroyed its chances.
IMO the same will happen this year. If DGA rewards Affleck - "Argo" won't win Oscar for best picture. Academy will choose the movie made by THEIR best director, so probably Spielberg and "Lincoln".
Vargha I personally think Spielberg deserves the Best Director Oscar this year. The fact that in these days some pundits resist voting for Spielberg or just don't want to see him win award does not imply that he doesn't deserve.
January 29, 2013 at 5:02AM ESTI also think because Spielberg's direction in Lincoln is not showy, some people are underestimating his work in Lincoln. I just quote a comment by David Edelstein about Spielberg's work in Lincoln:
"His filmmaking is deceptively simple - a kind of simplicity that only a master can achieve ..."
Hans
January 28, 2013 at 6:47PM EST Reply to CommentHonestly, as much as I'd love the thrill of an Argo victory, I'd still feel upset over the fact that Lincoln I think really is the better-made film. Actually, I think Life of Pi is the best of whole 9 lot, but damn it, I want Kathleen Kennedy to finally get her Oscar.
daveylo
January 28, 2013 at 7:20PM EST Reply to CommentAng Lee has won the BAFTA twice for Sense and Sensibility and Brokeback Mountain, both well-deserved. I think he has a good chance to win the BAFTA again this year. I would love to see him win the Oscar but he is been so low key this year. I am really curious about what he will do next.
Someone Lee won BAFTA for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Brokeback Mountain". He was nominated for "Sense and Sensibility" but lost to Michael Radford (for "Il Postino").
January 28, 2013 at 7:41PM ESTdaveylo Thanks for the correction. I was reading off charts online. I knew he had won BAFTA twice. Anyway the British Academy seems to like him.
January 28, 2013 at 7:50PM ESTideemo
January 28, 2013 at 8:46PM EST Reply to CommentKris, are you doing a top 10 for every category like you did last year? I enjoyed that column.
ideemo I should say, your personal top 10
January 28, 2013 at 8:47PM ESTLousyPancakeEater
January 28, 2013 at 9:52PM EST Reply to CommentProbably been noted before, but Lee is the only director nominated for the Oscar, DGA and BAFTA.
Nigel
January 28, 2013 at 10:51PM EST Reply to CommentThis is definitely the widest-open Best Director race since 2000, for which we should be thankful. Things get a bit boring around this time of year when the DGA winner is announced and it just confirms that the Best Picture winner will be who we all think it is. There hasn't been a surprise DGA winner in my 20 years of following this thing - even Howard was, if memory serves, somewhat expected after the controversy over him missing out on an Oscar nomination. Spielberg in 1985 all over again.
I really don't know who will win Best Director at this stage. Common sense, history and statistics suggest that it will be Spielberg or Lee, but those three things also tell you that Argo won't win Best Picture.
I haven't seen all of the Best Picture nominees yet - half of them haven't opened here in Australia yet, and I missed Beasts - and so I can only talk about Argo, Django Unchained, Life of Pi, Les Miserables and Silver Linings Playbook. That said, Lincoln and Life of Pi seem so inextricably linked to their directors that I can't imagine a split happening this year.
This is a rather pointless comment from myself because I don't have anything to contribute other than the fact that I don't know what's going to win (less so if Spielberg or Lee win the DGA). It's all very exciting, isn't it?
Edwin
January 29, 2013 at 12:57AM EST Reply to CommentMy logic in relation to all of this:
-If "Argo" wins the DGA as well as the BAFTA for both Best Film and Best Director, then I'd legitimately be at a loss as to who will win the Best Director Oscar.
-If "Argo" wins the DGA and the BAFTA for Best Film, but Ang Lee or Michael Haneke wins the BAFTA for Best Director, then Lee (or, yes, even Haneke) would become the frontrunner for the Oscar, but only with a slight edge since Spielberg isn't competing there. "Argo" would still be the clear frontrunner for Best Picture though.
-If either Spielberg or Lee wins the DGA, then they will become the clear favorite for Best Director, and furthermore, their film will be in contention with "Argo" for Best Picture.
The most interesting results would be if Spielberg won the DGA, but then "Life of Pi" pulled off an upset by winning both Best Film and Best Director at the BAFTA's. In that scenario, it'd be a free-for-all at the Oscars.
JJ1 Well put, I agree
January 29, 2013 at 1:23PM ESTDanny
January 29, 2013 at 1:04AM EST Reply to Comment"a lot of bitching"?
In the context of talking about the Brokeback/Crash year, esp. after stating you personally find the controversy "overblown", using that particular phrasing is, to say the least, a poor word choice.
I know enough of your work to not think you are homophobic, but if I had come to your writing cold and this was my first exposure, I would have not been so sure.
Kristopher Tapley You're low for even going there, Danny.
January 29, 2013 at 3:32AM ESTDanny Low? I was genuinely rattled by your remark. Maybe it's a generational thing, but hearing "bitching" heard in that context came across as particularly condescending. I have heard too many "liberal" men of Bprgnine and Curtis' generation - the Ampas crowd that refused to even see Brokeback, offhandedly refer to gay men in that way. I guess "low" is in the eyes of the beholder. Shame on you.
January 29, 2013 at 10:23AM ESTDanny Language matters. Especially in context. Even if it was inadvertent. Don't attack the messenger.
January 29, 2013 at 10:32AM ESTwww Yeah, I have to admit...I didn't really appreciate your choice of wording either. For a major film to deal with the subject matter of "Brokeback" and the Academy to deny it's win...Well, it's hardly overblown...It's called scared!!! And bitching is what it deserved!!!
January 29, 2013 at 1:12PM ESTKristopher Tapley Not going to dignify this further, Danny. You're on the verge of calling me homophobic and I think that's sickening. That wasn't at all in my mind; it was moreover the sudden consideration of "Crash" as some piece of shit, which I've never thought it was. But you choose to borderline name call because you decided to have an unfortunate reaction to a word.
January 29, 2013 at 4:39PM ESTSo no, shame on YOU.
As for WWW's less inflammatory response (not everyone needs to stoop), fully understood and you can feel that way. I nevertheless felt the controversy was overblown and have since that night. It's nothing new. I've brought it up before. I've never nearly been called homophobic, though. Unfortunate.
Danny I was very careful to make clear that I do not think you are homophobic:
January 29, 2013 at 4:54PM EST"I know enough of your work to not think you are homophobic"...
You chose to completely misconstrue my words and accuse me of saying the opposite. Like www, I was pointing out how your choice of phrases could be offputting.
Yours is the total overreaction.
Kristopher Tapley So why even bring up the notion of homophobia in the first place? You didn't think that would rile me?
January 29, 2013 at 5:36PM ESTI'm sorry you had the reaction to the word that you did. Perhaps I could have chosen a different one. I didn't.
Danny I brought it up to assure you that I didn't think that was the problem. Hence "I [do] not think you are homophobic". But because I was rattled by the way you wrote that paragraph, I decided to bring it to your attention. I didn't believe it was your intention to make the impression you made, but an unfortunate impression was made (how many times have women and Gays been dismissed by using some form of the b- word?). I didn't get angry until you called me "low".
January 29, 2013 at 6:18PM ESTOpie was robbed
January 29, 2013 at 1:21AM EST Reply to CommentYou'd think David O. Russell would have more of a chance. Guy whose been around a while whose never won. Though it's assumed he won't win partly because of the perception that romantic comedies are the easiest thing in the world to direct and because it's not like he's likable enough where there'd be this huge groundswell of support for him. The assumption is Amour will be rewarded in other places so that probably won't win Director. I wouldn't totally discount the Beasts director from pulling the upset win. He made a low budget indie that felt like it wasn't low budget and he had a cast of non-actors and got solid performances out of them including a six year old that he directed to a Best Actress nomination. I think it's possible Beasts pulls a shocking upset in one of the big categories. Either Director, Actress, or Screenplay it will be the surprise winner.
mgrabois
January 29, 2013 at 2:45AM EST Reply to CommentWho gets to vote on the DGA awards, and who gets to vote for Best Director at the Oscars? And with a field of 10-ish Best Pic nominees but only 5 Best Director nominees, obviously some are going to be left out, but how do they select the nominees, is it the top 5 vote getters in the preliminary round or something?