By:  Katey Rich

It’s probably time to start feeling sorry for Ben Affleck. From the moment he was left off the Oscar lineup for Best Director, Affleck has been experiencing a surge of affection– and a lot of awards to go along with it. First came the Critics Choice Award, then the Golden Globe, then the SAG Award for Best Ensemble, then the Producers Guild Award. And now comes arguably the biggest of all: the Director’s Guild.

Honored by his peers at last night’s awards ceremony, Affleck took home the DGA Award for Argo, accepting the prize with a humble “I don’t think that this makes me a real director, but I think it means I’m on my way.” Affleck wasn’t the only nominee for the DGA Award who didn’t get a corresponding Oscar nod– Kathryn Bigelow was nominated last night for Zero Dark Thirtyand Tom Hooper for Les Miserables, but both were left out at the Oscars.

Affleck’s continued winning streak in nearly every Best Director category out there makes the Best Director race at the Oscars a serious mystery. Will Steven Spielberg step up into the breach thanks to his beloved Lincoln? Can Ang Lee pull off a prize for his incredibly dedicated work on Life of Pi? Or does all this uncertainty lead to a real wild card winner, like Michael Haneke? There’s an even louder debate going on about Best Picture, with many smart people assuming this Affleck surge will lead to a Best Picture win for Argo. But with ballots going out to Oscar voters this Friday, it’s possible we’re already getting sick of this Affleck narrative, and they might cast their votes for Lincoln or Life of Pi or who knows what else instead.

That’s the fun of this unusually wild Oscar season. Even this late into the game, no one actually knows what’s going to happen. If you’re feeling more confident, though, feel free to make your own bets in the comments.

Source: Cinema Blend