Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Director – Motion Picture

The competition: Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge), Damien Chazelle (La La Land), Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Tom Ford (Nocturnal Animals)

For your information: Only two of these men have been nominated before. Lonergan contended for his screenplay for “You Can Count on Me” in 2000 and Gibson won this award in 1995 for “Braveheart.” Every director except for Gibson is also nominated for penning the screenplay for his film. “Nocturnal Animals” is the only film not nominated for best motion picture. The last musical to win this award was “Yentl” back in 1983. As far as I can tell, “Bird” was the last film to win this award with a corresponding best motion picture nomination back in 1988.

Who should win? Lonergan does a tremendous job, but I’d be okay with Chazelle and even Jenkins winning also. I wouldn’t be excited about Gibson because I don’t think he did the best job (and don’t love him personally), and though I loved Ford’s first film, I didn’t like this one at all.

Who will win? I think there are three big contenders for this award, and I feel like Chazelle will be able to prevail here as a result.