Golden Globe Musings: Best Director – Motion Picture

Golden Globe nominations for this year will be announced in just a few weeks, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anything important. A reminder that the Globes are wildly unpredictable and that it is still a bit early to gauge the reception or awards potential of a number of the so-called “contenders” at this point.

Last year’s nominees:
Ben Affleck (Argo)
Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
Ang Lee (Life of Pi)
Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)
Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

This category often mixes films nominated in the top drama and comedy categories and occasionally throws in a director whose film isn’t recognized in one of those races. Leading the way are Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) and Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity). After that, there are a handful of contenders will may place: J.C. Chandor (All is Lost), David O. Russell (American Hustle), Woody Allen (Blue Jasmine), Lee Daniels (The Butler), Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips), Joel and Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis), Alexander Payne (Nebraska), Ron Howard (Rush), John Lee Hancock (Saving Mr. Banks), and Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street).

Current predictions:
Woody Allen (Blue Jasmine)
Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)
Joel and Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis)
Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street)