The Directors Guild announced the nominations for its top award and the short list for the best visual effects Oscar is out, as awards season steams on.  James Cameron got a nomination from the Directors Guild for Avatar, which would allow him to repeat at the award he took 12 years ago for Titanic.  Cameron is up against his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt Locker), Lee Daniels (Precious:  Based on the Novel ‘Push” by Sapphire), Jason Reitman (Up in the Air), and Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds). 

The Directors Guild winner often goes on to take best director at the Oscars, and the best director and best picture awards are often for the same movie.

On the Oscar front, seven films are in the running for the best visual effects Oscar:

• Avatar
• District 9
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Star Trek
• Terminator Salvation
• Transformers:  Revenge of the Fallen
• 2012