Final Predictions - Best Director

Nominees
“Black Swan” Darren Aronofsky
“The Fighter” David O. Russell

“The King's Speech” Tom Hooper

“The Social Network” David Fincher

“True Grit” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Will Win/Should Win - David Fincher "The Social Network"

Could Win - Tom Hooper "The King's Speech"

Should Have Been Nominated -Christopher Nolan "Inception"

Commentary - While the Nolan snub still stings, I know I must move on and look at the actual nominees. Aronofsky, Russell, and the Coens are all excellent directors, but really, they are going to take a backseat to the main fight: Hooper vs. Fincher. I think that Tom Hooper did an excellent job with TKS (despite some people's ramblings), and made a taut, well-executed story that was enjoyable to watch. However, for me, it was still not on the same level of David Fincher. Fincher's eye for storytelling combined with Sorkins sharp script is what made what could have been an incredibly boring movie, a spectacle to watch. So although TKS will most likely win best picture, and Hooper definitely has a shot, I am going with the BP/BD split. Plus, Hooper's story reminds me a lot of Rob Marshall's back in 2002. So maybe the same thing will happen, where you take away the TV voting branch of the DGA, and Polanski wins, aka Fincher wins. It is not set in stone by any means, and if Hooper's name is read out, I will not be shocked, but I'm going with my gut.