The big one. There are few precursors with more clout or prognosticative capabilities than the DGA. Look to this to tell us if Boyhood peaked early or if it’s in it to win it.

DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA AWARDS

Best Director

Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Clint Eastwood – American Sniper
Alejandro G. Inarritu – Birdman (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Richard Linklater – Boyhood (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Morten Tyldum – The Imitation Game

Wesley Lovell: I’m going to with the expectation here that the achievement of Boyhood will net Richard Linklater the trophy. While Birdman is also an achievement of directorial style, so is The Grand Budapest Hotel, which may hurt both. Of course, any of the three could be a choice the group would make considering they are all well respected directors. So, it’s possible that Linklater gets upset, but I doubt it at this point.
Peter J. Patrick: This has been pretty much a consensus year and the consensus is that Linklater’s twelve-year labor of love is the one to beat.
Tripp Burton: Yet again, we are between Boyhood and Birdman. The journey of Linklater’s Boyhood should be enough to capture him an Oscar, not only for his achievement but for his perseverance too. If Inarritu wins, though, then this whole race is a new ballgame.
Thomas LaTourette: At this point it seems that nothing can stop the juggernaut of Richard Linklater in this field. He has won the most precursors, and it seems like that will continue with a win at the DGA. If anyone were to squeak past him, I think it would be Inarritu who created a very unique movie in Birdman.