2012 Directors Guild Award Winner Announced

bigelow should have won. argo is overrated

Feb 3 - 11:01 AM

Immensely.

Feb 3 - 11:19 AM

finally someone sensible!

Feb 3 - 11:29 AM

Bradly Martin

Pfffft, more like Zero Dark Bureaucracy...Nah but seriously I have yet to see either Film yet. Gone baby Gone and The Hurt Locker are both fantastic though.

Feb 3 - 01:11 PM

Obviously you are not as sensible as John Kiriakou!

Feb 4 - 09:26 AM

Paula Brennan

I found ARGO to be MUCH more intriguing than ZDT. Even though we know, going into the film, the historical outcome of each, the suspense felt higher in ARGO. To me, that's due to the director.

Feb 4 - 11:47 AM

I have seen ZDT and Argo and I think they are both overrated. I think The Master was completely snubbed. I get that people don't like the ambiguity, but how anyone could deny it for best cinematography, editing, and direction is COMPLETELY beyond me. I am not a raving PTA fanboy either. I just step back from the hype and compare the qualities of each film...And as far as I am concerned....The Master is the best. I wouldn't expect it to win best picture, but come-on! It deserves far more than it is getting.

Feb 3 - 01:50 PM

listen, i didn't think ZDT was the best movie of the year. it was overrated, but the directing was amazing. she pieced together a complicated story with ease.

Feb 3 - 01:54 PM

It doesn't matter: ZDT doesn't deserve any kind of award when it exonerates the CIA of war crimes. John Kiriakou would agree with me!

Feb 4 - 09:27 AM

Scott Tennant

David Mckenna knows exactly what he's talking about. PTA is the man.

Feb 5 - 08:30 PM

Timothy Wilkes

PTA snubbed let again. The Master has been nominated in the acting area only at the oscars, to me al his films have great performances, that is is largely down to how their directed and PTA knows how to direct a great performance so how he hasn't got nominated this year is a mystery.

Feb 9 - 05:35 PM

Bertram Krogh

I thought Argo was superior to Zero Dark Thirty.

Feb 5 - 04:40 AM

Aaron Stewart

Quentin Tarantino should have won. Plain and simple.

Feb 3 - 11:42 AM

Gary Devenport

Tarantino isn't part of the Director's Guild. He can never be eligible...

Feb 3 - 01:31 PM

Jordan Blake

I thought Django was Tarantino's first DGA film, so assumedly, he should have been eligible this year. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Feb 3 - 10:08 PM

Jack Kyser

Tarantino was eligible for the DGA prize (you don't have to be a member of the guild to receive a nomination). He was nominated for the Directors Guild for both Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds.

Feb 5 - 12:06 AM

quentin is too self-indulgent. plus, django wasn't as good as ZDT

Feb 3 - 01:55 PM

Jay Collins

you're right it wasn't "as good". it was much better. and it is self indulgent. which makes it its own thing that doesn't pander to anyone but the artist who conceived it.

Feb 3 - 09:30 PM

Benjamin Yates

It was waaay self indulgent. 20 minutes shorter would've been much better i think. Is he capable of making a film where he doesn't crap on with needless dialogue?

Feb 4 - 10:40 PM

Jared Allyn

Jay - Flawless justification. Hats off. Tarantino isn't really after anything from you. He puts what he likes onto the screen and people tend to admire the results

Feb 5 - 11:09 PM

Many people aren't fans of Tarantino's ways in making a movie. A lot of people question his violence and language in his movies (including Django). Zero Dark Thirty also has been criticize for "The Torture" scene and its portrayal of 9/11. So both films aren't perfect.

Feb 3 - 02:30 PM

The difference with "Django" as opposed to movies such as "Zero Dark..." and "Argo" including "Lincoln" is that both films consist to have more relevency to it's history than "Django"- history says that African Americans never were bounty hunters since America at the time was still divided!

Feb 4 - 12:51 PM

The Know-Nothings also killed German immigrants, so there's that, as well.

Feb 4 - 01:55 PM

@Dave J, that is true. Even Tarantino said that on behalf of the violence in Django its meant to show that violence was always with us. There was violence with us from the start and Django is meant to show us how things were back then.

Feb 4 - 02:38 PM

Whatever, she already has one.

Feb 3 - 01:05 PM

your point being? are you saying nobody that has won an award should win it again- even if they deserve it?

Feb 3 - 01:55 PM

In that case, where was Sam Mendes' nomination?

Feb 3 - 09:59 PM

Along with all the other movies that weren't good enough for a directorial nomination. Skyfall was a good movie, not best movie made this year and not best directed. Spielberg's probably going to win it this year and he's already won twice and been nominated for at least 7 films that I can think of.

Feb 4 - 02:04 AM

SKYFALL was the best directed film of the entire series, and Mendes deserved anything over Riefenstahl.

Feb 4 - 09:24 AM

No one is comparing "Skyfall" to Riefenstahl except you! And to me "Skyfall" lacks consistency since no one knew how Bond survived that 30 foot fall after being shot, and of course the person who saved him! No one also don't know how the main bad guy escaped since it was never revealed nor was it ever showned, at least as far as I was watching it anyway!

Feb 4 - 01:10 PM

Lance Reeder

For me Skyfall wasn't even the best directed Danial Craig Bond film. I still give that to Casino Royale. Not even gonna touch the Riefenstahl comment because that discussion has gotten so tired it's unreal. ZDT was a critical and BO hit that's all the defense Bigelow needs I think.

Feb 4 - 03:49 PM

Skyfall wasn't the best James Bond but it wasn't the worst. Its fine for a 007 and sort of keeps that same feeling (this time felt a little more darker though). There's some mistakes in it and the ending felt a lot like Home Alone, but Skyfall ended up redeeming its self with great preformances from Danial Craig and Judi Dench as well as a fantastic score from Thomas Newman and the title song sung by Adele.

Feb 4 - 04:12 PM

@Lance So was SKYFALL, in fact it kicked ZDT's ass commercially. So there, enough of this bullshit!

Feb 4 - 05:32 PM

So did Twilight...bullshit reengaged. Also, while ZDT has been a fixture at almost every best picture list. Skyfall has been sporadically recognized as one of the years best, at best. Also, not saying Skyfall is a bad movie, just not the best of the year. You yourself have acknowledged ZDT is an extremely well made movie, you just disagree with it's politics, which pardon me for saying is a piss poor reason for advocating against a director at least from an artistic standpoint.

Feb 4 - 05:43 PM

Also, Skyfall's BO might have had a little something to do with it being part of a huge long running successful series with a massive built in global following which doesn't really compare with an original work, but I think you know that.

Feb 4 - 05:48 PM

Yeah, an original piece of fucking propaganda designed to brainwash the dumb masses!

Feb 4 - 05:51 PM

Wow dude, you really need to take your medication. You're getting way too spun up over this. You DID say Sam Mendes, the director of Skyfall deserved a nomination over Katheryn Bigelow the director of ZDT implying he did a better job at directing than her. It's not that far of a stretch to say you were comparing the two movies. Either way, there's no need to resort to raging at someone or namecalling. It doesn't help your point.

Feb 4 - 05:55 PM

@BB Can you fucking read? Look back up to the top of this subthread: Are you saying that nobody who won an award should win it again--even if they deserve it? I answered, "In that case, where was Sam Mendes' nomination?" There was absolute no implication that I had I said he did a better job at directing than her. (Actually, to answer that ignorant implication I think Sam Mendes is one of our greatest living directors; Bigelow doesn't even come near that camp, despite the fact I was happy she won in 2009). I don't need any medication, you assholes need to take fucking English classes! End of this bullshit: I'm off to see DJANGO UNCHAINED!

Feb 4 - 06:05 PM

MT, do you remember what you say? ... "SKYFALL was the best directed film of the entire series, and Mendes deserved anything over Riefenstahl" your words verbatim BEFORE Dave J commented.

Feb 4 - 06:08 PM

Also, if 94% of movie critics meets your definition of "The dumb masses" why are you even checking this site? Does perchance "The dumb masses" include everyone who doesn't agree with your myopic viewpoint?

Feb 4 - 06:15 PM

That's not a comparison! A film which implies that torture not only works but also should be celebrated by society, while conveniently exonerating the war crimes perpetuated by the Pentagon and the CIA shouldn't be even considered for ANY KIND OF AWARD. To me, ZDP should be an automatic disqualification, thus there is ABSOLUTELY NO COMPARISON, but simply a matter of qualification and legitimacy. Maybe Otto from ONE, TWO, THREE was right: Maybe we should liquidate the entire human race and start all over again!

Feb 4 - 06:24 PM

Mick, each film has several different interpretations when "many" people do like the same films they like it for "different" reasons! You interpret "Zero Dark..." as a propoganda piece and that's your prerogitive but to others it can be interpreted as a depiction about how America were able to find the world's most wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden- locate his whereabouts and then killed according to "one" person who claimed he was part of that- just one, even though his events completely contradicts many others including Leon Pannetta who verbally claimed that it's a work of fiction- not fact, each of the SEALs as well as the FBI, and perhaps many other operatives who also were involved as well, saying that the film made no claims that this version is the absolute one! The torture tactics may be exagerrated but it has been used in several films in the past, why can't it be showned on this one as opposed to the others? Let's see theirs torture tactics shown on "Casino Royale", "Battle Of Algiers" (another film also based on actual events), "Goodfellas", "Once Upon A Time In America" directed by Sergio Leone, "Reservoir Dogs" from Tarantino and many others...

Director Katherine Bigelow has clearly stated that her film "Zero Dark..." does not condone any of the tactics used to take out Osama Bin Laden and it was made clear toward the end when the Jessica Chastain character asks "whether it was worth it or not"- but not "you", even though other movie goers perception is not the same as yours so to speak, saying that you can't ridicule others for interpreting "Zero Dark Thirty" that is different than yours- I don't think that's right either! I'm asking you to focus on the film- not toward the people who watch it!

Are you familiar with that word "semantics" it's when one person says one thing while the other person says something different- who knows what really happened or whether it's really true or not! We can only see it for what it was- which is a movie!

Feb 5 - 05:41 PM

That is such a dumb thing to say Mick.

Feb 3 - 02:16 PM

Nile Saulter

Agreed, absolutely idiotic thing to say.

Feb 4 - 06:29 PM

So saying that Affleck deserved it over Riefenstahl, particularly when she has already won, is an idiotic thing to say? Assholes: you have your opinions, and I have mine. Deal with it!

Feb 4 - 06:41 PM

No, saying someone doesn't deserve to win something because they've already won it is idiotic. It's the best director award, not the breakout director award. You seriously need to ease up on the throttle. People are going to disagree with you in this world, you should probably take your own advice and learn to "deal with it" better.

Feb 5 - 03:11 PM

Isaac H

And Zero Dark Thirty was an obtuse, bloated bore.

Feb 3 - 04:35 PM

with excellent direction, mind you

Feb 3 - 05:33 PM

We got it already! Now go cry me a river!

Feb 4 - 09:20 AM

Lance Reeder

LOL, you're criticizing someone now for belaboring a single point?

Feb 4 - 03:50 PM

Jeff Cooper

Tarantino is a horribly overrated director who is a Scorsese and DePalma wannabe. David O Russell is the hands down winner for Oscars. Bummer that they snubbed Ben, but they snubbed him because they hate Clooney.

Feb 3 - 11:47 AM

Gage Kent

xD
this is some excellent trolling, sir. but we all know nobody is stupid enough to think David O Russell is a better director than Quentin Tarantino. Nice try.

Feb 3 - 12:48 PM

Isaac H

They're both fantastic and very different. Why do we have to slam one and praise the other?

Feb 3 - 04:36 PM

Movie Guy

What makes you so sure he's a troll? In all honesty, I prefer David O. Russell to Tarantino in just about every way, so clearly you're opinion is not the only one.

Feb 4 - 09:44 AM

Bradly Martin

I agree, how can he be over rated if he is rarely recognized by his peers and if all his best directorial decisions are shooting something scene for scene of films that have all ready been made that he just so happens to like a whole lot? how I say!?

Feb 3 - 01:12 PM

What, exactly, is the Affleck/Clooney connection?

Feb 3 - 01:47 PM

Pio William Lumongsod

clooney is the producer of argo.

Feb 3 - 02:23 PM

So....they hate Clooney enough to nominate HIM for Best Picture (as the producer collects that award)?

Feb 3 - 02:30 PM

Actually, Clooney is one of many producers of Argo!

Feb 6 - 12:29 PM

Lance Reeder

They're actually the same person, you didn't know?

Feb 3 - 10:03 PM

Oh man I wanted Spielberg to win. Lincoln was better than Argo in my opinion.

Feb 3 - 12:07 PM

Rueben Paul Paccial

Stephen Chbosky should have been nominated, The Perks of Being a Wallflower was great! But Argo was great too, I enjoyed it as much as Perks.

Feb 3 - 12:32 PM

Jay Collins

so true. no love for that movie.

Feb 3 - 09:32 PM

Gage Kent

Quentin not even nominated? HA! What a joke.

Feb 3 - 12:46 PM

Josef Ameur

QT isn't in the directors guild.

Feb 3 - 01:53 PM

Keegan W.

disgusted hooper was nominated. Les Miserables was pretty good, but it had some of the worst direction I've ever. tarantino not even nominated? I feel like Ben Affleck's only winning because he didn't get a Oscar nom and people feel bad. Bigelow, Paul Thomas Anderson, Tarantino, Haneke and Spielberg were the best directors this year. Affleck and Lee are right up there, though

Feb 3 - 01:03 PM

Jamie Breslow

Just relax guys. This was an enormously successful year for film, both critically and financially. When you limit the nominees to 5 in a year where at least 8 could make a case, you get what you get. I think Argo was the best directed movie, but close to Zero Dark. Other films had great actors to help them out, but the best story in terms of highs and lows was Argo. Ben deserves it.

Feb 3 - 01:23 PM

You know directors direct actors, not write stories. Affleck had no responsibility for writing the "story" of "Argo", but he was responsible for directing performances and choosing the best takes. The best directors this year were not nominated here - the Andersons, Dominik, Carax and Tarantino. Out of the nominees, I'd say it was probably Lee who deserves it most.

Feb 3 - 01:52 PM

^ Thank you! I understand that some people have a problem with the ambiguity of Holy Motors and The Master, but this isn't about screenwriting! And in terms of directors...well, directing!! Carax and PTA were definitely the ones who stood out to me this year...With Tarantino and Haneke following.

Feb 3 - 03:09 PM

Jason Huang

i loved both argo and zero dark thirty, but i would have prefered zero dark thirty. life of pi was awesome, but not as good as zdt or argo. les miserables is SOOOO overrated, and lincoln was just okay.

Feb 3 - 01:41 PM

This Guy

Im ashamed to say I have not seen any of these movies. Don't look at me just leave me be. :(

Feb 3 - 01:48 PM

Rodrigo Ycaza

How the fuck were Tom Hooper and Ang Lee nominated and not Tarantino? Makes no sense to me.

Feb 3 - 02:05 PM

Gary Devenport

Because Tarantino isn't a member of the Director's Guild...

Feb 3 - 02:11 PM

Jack Kyser

Tarantino was eligible for the DGA prize (you don't have to be a member of the guild to receive a nomination). He was nominated for the Directors Guild for both Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds.

Feb 5 - 12:05 AM

Fears Fearless

Ang Lee life of pi is a masterpiece , how can they ignore such gem !!

Feb 3 - 02:39 PM

Austin Putnam

Both Argo and Zero Dark Thirty are phenomenal, but there was something about Argo that I connected more with than Zero Dark Thirty. So congrats to Ben Affleck. ARGO FUCK YOURSELF Oscars.

Feb 3 - 03:30 PM

Isaac H

How the hell was this guy not nominated for the Oscar? He wins the Director's Guild award, and yet the directors in the Academy didn't even give him a NOMINATION? How does that work out?!

Feb 3 - 04:35 PM

because the academy has more sense than the guilds

Feb 3 - 05:33 PM

Ellis Fowler

Tom Hooper shouldn't have even been nominated.

Feb 3 - 04:44 PM

Hooper shouldn't won over David Fincher AND Christopher Nolan two years ago.

Feb 3 - 10:02 PM

King Crunk

Fincher is going to be like Scorsese and gets his Oscar very late in his career, even though he deserved it decades before when he was making films that changed cinema as a whole.

Feb 4 - 12:47 AM

Same with Spielberg who was nominated for Close Encounters, Raiders, E.T. and The Color Purple before winning for Shindler's List and Private Ryan. That's not even counting the nom he SHOULD have gotten for Jaws and Last Crusade.

Feb 4 - 02:08 AM

Gary Devenport

Spielberg wasn't nominated for The Color Purple. He won the DGA, but he failed to receive a nomination at the Oscars. Hmmm that sounds kind of familiar.

Feb 4 - 02:21 AM

According to imdb Spielberg was still credited as one of the producers of "The Color Purple" and that his name was mentioned during the Best Picture category!

Feb 4 - 01:06 PM