I have expected Clint to win all the way last year because he had a surefire win with Mystic River...if it wasn't for ROTK and Jackson. Now to deliver two critically beloved movies within 12 months is an astonishing achievement and there was no way on earth DGA and Globes would have snubbed him twice in a row. With Clooney, it's quite different. I never had any doubts that Eastwood would win both. Without Mystic River, it would all look different.

I think Ang Lee will win again just based on the fact that the Globes gave him a second. The Brokeback bandwagon is way too strong at this point, with the Globe and PGA wins. It wouldn't surprise me to see someone else get it (Probably only Clooney has a chance) but it will probably go to Ang. He's definently winning the Oscar, either way.

Yup, I agree, the Oscar is his. Another year without a BP/BD split. There has got to be a split next year, though...

Splits are the exception in the last 20 years.

Only 4 splits out of 20, 3 in the the last 10 years. Maybe we are looking at another long stretch of BP/BD combos.

The split normally happens when the best picture goes to a "light-weight" film (summer blockbuster Gladiator, comedy Shakespear in Love, musical Chicago), while the best director goes to the more serious movie (Taffic, SPR, The Pianist). That's one reason I don't believe Crash can mount any kind of significant challenge to Brokeback Mountain in the picture race this year.

You are very much right on: Driving Miss Daisy/Born on the 4th of July is another example.

Traffic, of course, also benefited from Soderbergh having two noms and two nominated movies. That is a rare feat.

And we all know that SPR and The Pianist deserved the Best Picture Oscars anyway (yeah, Rod and Dolce you can keep your comments to yourself )

I still don't know how Bruce Beresford didn't get nominated for Driving Miss Daisy if it was well-liked enough to win 4 Oscars and be nominated for another 5.

Oh, and SPR and The Pianist deserved to win BP in their respective years. And Erin Brockovich deserved to win over both Gladiator and Traffic in 2000.

I'm still amazed that Soderbergh managed enough votes to win over Ridley Scott and Ang Lee.

I actually wasn't very surprised. After losing both GG and DGA, it was such a hot debate on the topic of Soderbergh cancelling out himself. People were all saying he had such an amazing year, and it was a shame that being nominated twice turned out to a doom instead of bless. I could sense that there was an undergoing movement among actors and possibily other branches too to organize their support behind one of his films to make sure he won.

I don't want to say the "I" word, but a split is extremely unlikely at this point...

Lee and the rest should send New Line a thank you card. Malick was the best director of 2005.

DGA tomorrow and SAG awards on Sunday, followed by a day to catch our breath, and then the big day on Tuesday, as the Oscar noms will finally be revealed!

didn't see these listed so here they are again > from the DGA site.

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The winner will be named at the 58th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 28, 2005, at the Hyatt Century Plaza Hotel Los Angeles.

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The nominees are (in alphabetical order):

GEORGE CLOONEY

Good Night, And Good Luck

This is Mr. Clooney's first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

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PAUL HAGGIS

Crash

This is Mr. Haggis' first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

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ANG LEE

Brokeback Mountain

This is Mr. Lee’s third DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He received a previous nomination for Sense and Sensibility (1995) and won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).

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BENNETT MILLER

Capote

This is Mr. Miller's first DGA Feature Film Award nomination..

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STEVEN SPIELBERG

Munich

This is Mr. Spielberg's tenth DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Amistad (1997), Empire of the Sun (1987), E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), and Jaws (1975). He has won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film three times: in 1998 for Saving Private Ryan, in 1993 for Schindler’s List, and in 1985 for The Color Purple. Mr. Spielberg won the DGA’s highest artistic honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2000.

Oscarwatch is predicting Lee, followed by Clooney and Haggis.

Spielberg is the darkhorse.

Here's the Spielster in an interview:

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/interna ... 78,00.html

LEE LEEE LEE

I'd be shocked if anyone else won at this point.

How many times has Spielberg won this?

Three times.

Color Purple, Schindler's List, Saving Pvt. Ryan

Lee should easely win this, I hope..

Ohw wow. Ok now I'm 99.99% sure Lee will win, unless Clooney really pulls the biggest shocker of the season thus far. GNAGL still needs that something extra surprising to make the Best Pic race or Best Dir race interesting. It's getting too easy.

Soderbergh's win shouldn't have been a surprise. Variety had a story about a letter that was circulated among AMPAS members asking them to vote for Soderbergh for Traffic and not Erin Brokovich. The letter said that Ang Lee did not deserve to win best director for CTHD after what Soderbergh had accomplished with Traffic and Erin Brokovich.

Is there a ceremony for this or are they just going to announce and when?

It's just like the PGA, I think there'll be a luncheon and ceremony, and the winner will be announced late at night.

DGA NEWS FLASH:

Warner Herzog wins Best Director for a documentary

And....


The DGA Feature Film Winner is:

awaiting...

And ANG LEE wins!



PEACE, Mike.

Reuters.

WOOO Ang LEE!!!!!!!

Hehe, the posters at the OscarWatch forum had a crazy time awaiting for the winner, posting old pictures of past winners and such...