DGA nods, with my predictions

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel
Martin Scorsese, The Departed
Bill Condon, Dreamgirls
Clint Eastwood, Letters from Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears, The Queen

...and Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, Little Miss Sunshine.

WOW. No Clint. I'm a bit surprised at the Dayton/Faris nod, but not overwhelmingly so... and I do think they're deserving. Definitely more deserving than Condon and arguably more deserving than Gonzalez Inarritu and Frears. The only one I think everyone agrees is great is Scorsese, who looks like a lock to win.

But what of Clint? Is he dead? Did no one watch their screeners? I hope this isn't another boring 5/5 year in picture/director, cause there are SO many great possibilities for lone directors. I could see it being 5/5 or 2/5 this year... really tough to call. But I hope at least one of them is booted come oscar time, preferably Condon.

So it looks like this is our best picture list:

1. The Departed
2. Dreamgirls
3. Babel
4. The Queen
5. Little Miss Sunshine

and far, far behind...
6. Letters from Iwo Jima
7. United 93

And for best director, perhaps:
1. Martin Scorsese
2. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
3. Stephen Frears
4. Paul Greengrass
5. Clint Eastwood
6. Bill Condon
7. Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
8. Alfonso Cuaron
9. Guillermo del Toro

It could of course be a simple 5/5, with Dayton & Faris suddenly frontrunners for a nomination. But I think if anyone has the power to boot them or Condon (or Frears), it's Eastwood (hero worship) or Greengrass (critical backing). I think Cuaron and Del Toro are splitting each other's support.