DGA noms tilt the weathervane

The Director's Guild has spoken, declaring their five nominees for the 64th annual DGA Award:

• Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
• Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
• Alexander Payne, The Descendants
• Martin Scorsese, Hugo
• David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

So often the DGA mirrors the top Oscar films with the best shot at glory and nearly always sets the stage for the Academy's Best Director nominees. Which means no nods for Steven Spielberg (War Horse), Terrence Malick (Tree of Life), Bennet Miller (Moneyball) and Tate Taylor (The Help). 

Many people had speculated that Nicolas Winding Refn would be a dark horse candidate for Drive, or that Lars von Trier would overcome his reputation and get a nod for Melancholia. 

As it stands, the biggest surprises are Allen (his first DGA nom since Crimes and Misdemeanors in 1989) and Fincher, whose Dragon Tattoo continues to slowly gain momentum. 

The DGA is a larger voting group of 14,000, compared with the Academy's tighter director's branch, numbering around 400. While I haven't had the pleasure of seeing it yet, my gut tells me this one's going to Marty for Hugo. Long passed over for work like Raging Bull and Good Fellas, to essentially reinvent himself in his golden years with a populist fable about youth that honors the history of cinema...? Plus, everyone likes Marty. That's where I'm putting my marker.

The winner will be announced January 28th.