DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA NOMINATIONS

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film

Ben Affleck (Argo)

Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

Tom Hooper (Les Misérables)

Ang Lee (Life of Pi)

Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)

In the debate around which director would take that fifth slot, David O. Russell and Quentin Tarantino have lost out, and Tom Hooper has won out. Not all that surprising, as he's well-respected among TV directors for his work in that field (particularly John Adams), and the DGA membership is of both film and TV directors. But will Hooper also triumph at Oscar? This is the first year in which DGA nominations have been released after Oscar ballots have been turned in, and although I don't think many Academy members use the guilds as a guide on whom to vote for, a DGA nomination is most prestigious, and some may have used it to determine their selections. So Hooper doesn't have that to his advantage; also, Django Unchained is the film of the moment currently, outgrossing Les Mis, and Silver Linings Playbook has the air of a film that the Academy is likely to love. Furthermore, they're known for occasionally thinking outside the box, the directors' branch of the Academy, and might be relied on to pick someone like Paul Thomas Anderson or Michael Haneke instead of a leading contender, especially if votes are split between Hooper, Russell and Tarantino. Does Les Mis need a directing nod anyway? Could it win the Oscar without it? Sure - that's a more likely scenario with the current configuration of nominations in Best Picture than before, and it's the sort of film that could ride the buzz all the way to a win either way. But should Hooper be included in their top five? Les Mis could be swiftly and assuredly back in the race. We shall see. Winners on the 2nd of February.