Andrew's 2015 DGA Award nomination predictions
Tuesday, January 12 marks the announcement of 2015's DGA Award nominations. Here for your viewing pleasure are Andrew's two cents:
1. Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
2. George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
3. Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
4. Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies
5. Ridley Scott, The Martian
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6. Todd Haynes, Carol
7. Adam McKay, The Big Short
8. J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
9. Lenny Abrahamson, Room
10. Danny Boyle, Steve Jobs
It will be quite a surprise if any of Iñárritu, Miller or McCarthy is snubbed at the announcement of this year's DGA nominations. Perhaps it is McCarthy, missing in action among this year's BAFTA nominees, who is on the shakiest footing. If he misses out here, it becomes exceedingly unlikely Spotlight can win Best Picture come Oscar night. Beyond those three gentleman, I have to go with the two most legendary filmmakers (besides Mr. Miller) in this year's Best Director race, Spielberg and Scott. Spielberg pretty much never misses at DGA when he has a picture in Oscar contention - he was nominated here for Amistad and Empire of the Sun and famously won at DGA for The Color Purple when the Academy didn't even nominate him. If Bridge of Spies hadn't been such an underperformer in this year's Oscar race thus far (beyond nods everywhere for supporting actor Mark Rylance), he would be a shoo-in. I suspect the 5th slot will be a tight one between Scott and Haynes. The DGA hasn't historically been as enamored with Scott as with Spielberg - he wasn't nominated for American Gangster and has never won at DGA. That being said, he is beloved in the directing community and while Haynes could certainly show up here, he hasn't influenced scores of DGA members in the way Scott has. From there, McKay and Abrams could ride their pictures' buzz and momentum to a nomination, though it would be a surprise. Abrahamson and Boyle will get their fair share of votes too but may have to settle for showing up as mere attendees, not nominees.