5. Best Director - Ben Affleck
So, I'm shamelessly cheating with this one because, in fact, Ben Affleck isn't even nominated for Best Director at all so he won't
actually be snubbed. Of course, as a nomination, it's arguably the biggest, stupidest, most mind-bogglingly awful decision the Academy didn't make. The guy has won every award coming into the ceremony and the fantastic 'Argo' has swept through in equal manner, picking up the Golden Globe, the BAFTA, the Critic's Choice and the Producers Guild Award. When it comes to the Best Director, it's usually a sensible bet that whoever wins the Directors Guild of America Award will pick up the Best Director gong. It's not a sure-bet but in the history of the award, only four directors have won the award and then failed to pick up the Oscar. It's far less likely that a director will be awarded a DGA and then find himself (or herself - sorry, Ms. Bigelow) not on the list for Best Director at the Oscar's. Part of me still expects Affleck to be heralded as the winner on Monday morning in a shocking twist, put down to some massive misunderstandings and perhaps one or two under-the-table handouts... - but I know he won't and it will be a snub. The softening blow is that, with this in mind, Spielberg has to be the favourite for the award with his (some may say Oscar-bait - I say that's just Spielberg's appeal and genius) historical effort 'Lincoln'.