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

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 Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant), Danny Boyle (Steve Jobs), Thomas McCarthy (Spotlight), David O. Russell (Joy), Ridley Scott (The Martian), Quentin Tarantino (The Hateful Eight), and Steven Spielberg (Bridge of Spies). We could get a left-field contender here too, but I’m not sure who it will be.

Current predictions:
Quentin Tarantino (The Hateful Eight)
Ridley Scott (The Martian)
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant)
Thomas McCarthy (Spotlight)
Danny Boyle (Steve Jobs)