'Argo' Named Best Picture by Producers Guild ... Is It the Frontrunner for the Oscar for Best Picture Now?

It appears that the Academy's Best Director nominations snub of Ben Affleck has rallied Hollywood to come to the support of Argo. Affleck and Zero Dark Thirty director Kathryn Bigelow's absence from the list of directors nominated for an Oscar left many critics (this one included) baffled. In addition to being named Best Picture (Drama) at the Golden Globes a few weekends ago, Argo has now won the praise of the Directors Guild of America. The organization named Argo its top film of 2012 on Saturday, setting the stage for Affleck's film to do what only three others have ever done at the Oscars: Win Best Picture without having a Best Director nomination.

To refresh everyone's memories only Wings, Grand Hotel and Driving Miss Daisy have won Best Picture without having their director nominated for an Oscar. Driving Miss Daisy accomplished the feat in 1990, but prior to that, it had been a long time since any film had pulled this one off — Wings did it at the very first Oscar ceremony in 1929 and Grand Hotel did it in 1932.

Several websites are now declaring Argo as the frontrunner for Best Picture at the Oscars. While only a small segment of Oscar voters cast ballots for Best Director nominations, the full Academy membership votes for the winner Affleck's rise from the ashes and the way he handled himself and his career during his dark days appears to be a story that resonates with the majority of Hollywood. With these guys voting for Best Picture, there's a very good chance they make Argo the big winner to make up for Affleck not receiving a Best Director nomination.