Best Director:
Damien Chazelle - La La Land
Mel Gibson - Hacksaw Ridge
Barry Jenkins - Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea
Denis Villeneuve - Arrival
Damien Chazelle is 31 years old. He was nominated for an Oscar for his first film. He is going to win an Oscar for his second film. Let us hope he has a long and prolific career. I don't really think this one is close. There is no buzz for Lonergan or Villeneuve and it would've been nice to see either one of them replaced by Denzel Washington's master lesson in how a stage play can be put on screen. Mel Gibson was lucky to have his anti-Semite ban lifted to get nominated. And Barry Jenkins is almost in a similar position Chazelle was with his first film a couple of years ago.
My Ballot:
Damien Chazelle - La La Land
Mel Gibson - Hacksaw Ridge
Denis Villeneuve - Arrival
Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea
Barry Jenkins - Moonlight
My Pick to Win:
Damien Chazelle - La La Land
Shamefully Snubbed:
Denzel Washington - Fences
Agree on Denzel since it moved from play to screen. I enjoyed LaL Land. The direction was really good (loved the opening scene ala West Side Story and the fade outs, etc.) but didn't think the acting was superior to many others.
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