Categories One-by-One: Original Screenplay

[cam]

I certainly hope it is not Happy-Go-Lucky.
We've already had LMS and Juno. and that is enough heart-warmth for this decade.

[The Original BJ]

To piggy-back on what Mister Tee wrote, a lot of the recent screenplay winners that have lacked Picture nominations have often been quirkier films that either never really contended for Best Picture in the first place (Talk to Her, Eternal Sunshine, The Usual Suspects, Sling Blade), or, if they did, were ultimately too small (Gods and Monsters) or financially unsuccessful (Almost Famous) to make it up top.

WALL-E, on the other hand, was a great big commercial behemoth. Everyone knew about it, the public loved, and it was very successful. While six nominations is nothing to shrug at, the whole "WALL-E is adored" argument seems pretty thin to me -- if it was that loved, it would have made it in Picture (where with some of the above movies, you might wonder if enough voters even SAW the film for it to place in Best Picture).

Plus, I maintain that with the Animated Feature an ample opportunity to award WALL-E with a major prize, voters will probably look elsewhere in this category.



Edited By The Original BJ on 1234985500

[Mister Tee]

I have to say that, as much as I like WALL-E, this whole "WALL-E will win screenplay" meme seems to be coming from a lot of the same people shocked that The Dark Knight wasn't nominated for Best Picture.

Also the people who were confident Kevin O'Connell was unbeatable for sound mixing last year. Oscar bloggers are a bit like DC journalists -- they talk mostly to people who agree with them, and think they're hearing society as a whole.

I don't exactly fault the writers' branch for focusing on dialogue; it is their primary -- though not only -- contribution. I think the general preference in this category is for either truly creative story-telling or really sharp dialogue. Neither Milk nor Wall E quite achieves that status...though either would be a better winner than any of the last three. (We've been on a really bad roll in this category)

As for the advantage-or-not of being a best picture nominee: I assume everyone knows that, from the establishment of the two-category system in '57 through 1990, no non-best picture nominee ever lost to a best picture nominee for screenplay. I won alot of Oscar pools along the way, even while grimacing over wins by Dead Poets Society and Ghost. That trend was upended by Thelma and Louise's triumph in 1991; all history said Bugsy was going to triumph. But Bugsy, despite 10 nominations, was viewed as a sad-sack contender (kind of like Button this year), and Thelma was seen as the hottest script going. So, tradition was shattered.

Four years later, we had a repeat. Braveheart, whatever its overall Academy support, was never viewed as prime screenwriting, while the twisty narrative of The Usual Suspects got support from both geeks and critics. I was still clinging to the old-time tradition, and bet on Braveheart, but was delighted to be proven wrong.

After that, the rule seemed to be simply thrown out the window -- non-best picture contenders started beating nominees with regularity. But it was almost always on the same basis as the first two instances -- either the screenplay of the best picture nominee was considered weak (Thin Red Line in '98, Gladiator in '00, Gangs of New York in '02), or the winning script was viewed as especially hot (Eternal Sunshine in '04).

The glaring exception to all this, one I still don't comprehend, was Sling Blade beating out The English Patient in '96. You could argue English was seen as an epic, and thus less script-dependent...but Minghella's adaptation was among the most widely praised elements of the film. I can only view this as Harvey Weinstein's greatest triumph: he'd taken Billy Bob Thornton from unknown to household name in six weeks, and managed to make this category the consolation prize for losing the best actor prize.

Anyway, as to this year: Milk might fall into the category of Bugsy, or at least The Aviator...it's not so strong a script that it couldn't be beaten by a hot one. But I don't think Wall E quite hits that range -- because it's animated, because of all the early silence. Its only hope is that it's so beloved it transcends all else. I can't help feeling, if that had been the case, it'd be in the best picture race. So, Milk is my bet.

As for In Bruges...when I saw it some months ago, I thought of it as a three-star movie -- memorable for inventiveness, more notable as a promising start for a writer-director who might one day make truly terrific films than a terrific film itself. As time has passed, however, I find myself dwelling on its strengths and glossing over it's three-star-ness...which is why I was so pleased to see it cited.

[rain Bard]

Well, there are long stretches of Rachel Getting Married with no dialogue as well, which may have hamstrung it. I get the feeling screenwriters feel the best films are the ones with the highest pages-to-screen minutes ratio.

[Okri]

FWIW BJ, A Christmas Tale was ineligible. IFC played it on "IFC on Demand" which rules it out.

But yeah, I think you're bang on. If the anti-animation bias weren't enough, you have the long sections without any "real" dialogue and we know that "most dialogue" always helps (which makes Rachel's snub all the more surprising).

[Damien]

Of course, 2008 in general was, imho, a really piss-poor year for movies.

I couldn't disagree more. I think 2008 was a great year for movies (and I still have a lot to see) -- although you'd never know it from the Oscar nominations and critics awards.

[The Original BJ]

I have to say that, as much as I like WALL-E, this whole "WALL-E will win screenplay" meme seems to be coming from a lot of the same people shocked that The Dark Knight wasn't nominated for Best Picture. True, Best Picture and Screenplay have been splitting frequently over the past fifteen years, but Milk strikes me as a strong writing candidate, and I think the anti-animation bias that kept WALL-E out of Best Picture won't help it any here.

Plus, I agree with those who think that, as Penn could very possibly lose to Rourke, voters won't want Milk to go home empty-handed.

I finally caught up with In Bruges and have to say I wasn't all that wild about it. I don't begrudge its writing nomination -- it certainly fits the definition of "original" -- but it struck me as a little smug, with too many self-conscious attempts at cleverness for my taste. I'd definitely have pushed those two lovely portraits of familial dysfunction -- A Christmas Tale and Rachel Getting Married -- instead.

Every time I think about this category I'm forced to think about Frozen River. UGH!

[Penelope]

It's strange: while it seems that my beloved Kate is sure to win (but I'm holding my breath, still, in anticipation of a Streep spoiler), I'm otherwise not all that enthused about this year's Oscar. Of course, 2008 in general was, imho, a really piss-poor year for movies. Among nominees, only Slumdog and Milk approach greatness, and that even barely; but I'm also not ecstatic about the films that were left off the list (Dark Knight, WALL-E), so I really have little invested in this year's awards. Still, I'm looking forward to the show, thanks to the surprise element that Condon and Co. have decided to pursue.

As for Original Screenplay: I'm rooting for In Bruges, but suspect--like others here--that it will be either Milk or WALL-E.

[Big Magilla]

The biggest complaint seems to be that people haven't seen enough of the nominees which is strange to me since this year I've seen more nominees prior to the nominations than I usually do.

I also don't get the the virulent attacks on The Reader which, though not a perfect movie, is a more satisfying one than Doubt, The Dark Knight and others people seem to think should have been nominated instead.

For the first time, probably like forever, I am in agreement with 28 of the 30 nominations in the top six categories, maybe because the pickings were slim. There was no Pan's Labyrinth, Children of Men or Into the Wild to snub.

I'm also anticipating a good show this year, something I haven't expected in a long time.

[cam]

Definitely a race between Milk and WALL-E with Milk the probable winner, but it's one of the few races that isn't a done deal.

...and the most interesting to anticipate.
I notice this year that there is a marked decrease in interest on this board about the Oscars in general--something I have never seen before in all the years I have been posting here. And truly, there is no excitement in a Slumdog win, and Milk( which *should* win) has not the emotional attachment of us all that Brokeback had. There are few uncertainties, it seems: Slumdog, Winslet,Ledger, Cruz and Penn.
God forbid that Rourke should win.

[FilmFan720]

Certainly, the screenplay categories focus on dialogue, but let's not forget The Red Balloon, an anomaly for sure, but a precedent nonetheless.

And an anomoly 50 years ago...surely the voting block is not the same today:)

[OscarGuy]

Certainly, the screenplay categories focus on dialogue, but let's not forget The Red Balloon, an anomaly for sure, but a precedent nonetheless.

[Big Magilla]

Definitely a race between Milk and WALL-E with Milk the probable winner, but it's one of the few races that isn't a done deal.

[FilmFan720]

As compared to the bland Adapted Screenplay category this year, I feel like this is a fairly eccentric and competitive category.

Happy-Go-Lucky seems to have the least chance here. The film is not as well-liked as many thought it should be, and is the recipient of what many see as the biggest snub of the year. Hawkins was to be a competitor, and was shockingly left off, and remember some thought Leigh could even muster up a directing nod. Plus, his films are thought to be mostly improvised, or at least a group effort with his actors. On that note, does anyone else find it odd that he now has four writing nods, when his films aren't written as much as culled together?

Frozen River is the kind of film that is rewarded by its nomination. It has no chance here.

In Bruges seems to have the making of a possible dark horse winner. It is written by a previous Oscar winner (albeit it in the short category) who is also a wonderful, well-respected playwright. It is the kind of film that certain groups seem to love. I could see it somehow sneaking in here, a la Sling Blade, if it didn't have strong competition from two strong competitors.

Milk has the WGA award, as well as the best picture winner. It is a strong screenplay, a straight-forward biopic written impeccably. This is one of two chances to reward the film, along with Best Actor, and being the only Best Picture nominee in the category can only help (although the last time only one BP nominee was in this category, The Aviator, it lost).

On the other hand, Wall-E seems to be a strong competitor as well. An animated film has never won here, which is either a sign of death or the chance to finally reward an animated screenplay. This is a beloved film that is untested in this category, as it was not nominated for the WGA. However, it is also a film that is silent for a bulk of its running time, and this is a category that tends to be Wittiest Dialogue.

I say that Milk wins, but wouldn't be surprised if Wall-E creeps up and takes it.