Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Director

The competition: James Cameron (Avatar), Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds), Lee Daniels (Precious), Jason Reitman (Up in the Air)

Previous winners: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men), Martin Scorsese (The Departed), Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby)
My winner: Tom Ford (A Single Man)
Who should win: Tarantino, Cameron, or Bigelow
Who will win: At this point, the race seems narrowed down between Golden Globe champ Cameron and DGA winner Bigelow. The other three don’t stand much of a shot because they don’t have the force to upset and they’ll fare well enough elsewhere (the acting and writing categories). Cameron won here last time he was nominated, for “Titanic” in 1997, but that was well ahead in the derby, and his current film just isn’t. While Cameron could theoretically win here and in the Best Picture category, Bigelow has everything going for her now. She would be the first woman to ever win, which isn’t the only reason she’ll win but certainly serves as a plus. Cameron has already been rewarded, and there a whole lot more people who have a problem with “Avatar” than do with “The Hurt Locker.” Prepare for history to be made, as Bigelow wins this.