Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Director – Motion Picture

The competition: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), David Fincher (Gone Girl), Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel), and Ava DuVernay (Selma)

For your information: This is the third nomination for Fincher, previously nominated in 2008 for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and in 2010 for “The Social Network.” He won on his second try. Inarritu was nominated in 2006 for “Babel.” Inarritu, Linklater, and Anderson are also nominated for writing their films this year. “Gone Girl” is not nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama, and the last time a film won this award under the same circumstances was Clint Eastwood in 1988 for “Bird.” The only time a comedy won in the past twenty-five years was “Gosford Park” in 2001, and we have two comedy nominees here. A woman has won this award once, and that was Barbra Streisand for “Yentl” in 1983.

Who should win? Inarritu, Linklater, and DuVernay are all deserving, while Fincher and Anderson ,while still strong, have made better films. It’s a hard choice, though I think that Linklater put the most effort into his film and his vision.

Who will win? It could be DuVernay but I think she’s likelier to upset at the Oscars. Linklater is the smart choice.