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Posted by: Josh. 12th February 2017, 10:30 PM

Hi and welcome to a new feature that will take a closer look at the nominees in each of the categories for the upcoming Oscars in February. This one is looking at the five directors up for Best Director at this year's awards:

The nominees are:
Denis Villeneuve – Arrival
Mel Gibson – Hacksaw Ridge
Damien Chazelle – La La Land
Kenneth Lonergan – Manchester by the Sea
Barry Jenkins – Moonlight

What do you think will win? Who would you like to win? How many of these have you seen so far? What directors are you sad about missing the cut? Discuss anything you like!!

Here are the latest odds too (with Sky Bet) just to see how things are likely to pan out:

Damien Chazelle - La La Land 1/16
Barry Jenkins - Moonlight 10/1
Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester By The Sea 11/1
Mel Gibson - Hacksaw Ridge 66/1
Denis Villeneuve - Arrival 80/1

Posted by: Josh. 12th February 2017, 11:07 PM

Seen all five of these and my personal favourite would be Mel Gibson, thought he balanced the war scenes and love scenes very well and the battlefield scenes were incredibly brutal which really worked. He doesn't really stand a chance though and he's probably luckily enough to be nominated.

I'm a bit irritated by the hyperbolic love for La La Land but this is one category that I wouldn't mind it winning, Chazelle had a clear vision with this and he deserved it for Whiplash too so I'm fairly pleased he's the favourite.

I'd have definitely had Jon Favreau for The Jungle Book here though, he killed it and I really thought he might have stood a chamce. I'd probably have Tom Ford for Nocturnal Animals in my top 5 too.