84th Academy Awards – ‘Best Original Screenplay’

An Original Screenplay is created for the screen and not based on previously produced or published material.

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Eligibility and Voting:

A Reminder List of all pictures eligible in each category shall be sent with nominations ballots to all members of the Writers Branch, who shall vote in the order of their preference for not more than five productions in each category.

If a story has multiple sources that were not assigned, purchased, or credited, the screenplay may be deemed original.

The five productions receiving the highest number of votes shall become the nominations for final voting for the Writing awards.

Final voting for the Writing awards shall be restricted to active and life Academy members.

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Nominations:

The Artist – Michel Hazanavicius

• 1^st nomination for writing.
• Won 5 of 12 other major award nominations, including the BAFTA.

This film is simply remarkable and inventive.  It all starts with the script and Michel really has a chance here.

Bridesmaids – Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo

• 1^st nomination for both.
• Nominated for 4 other major awards.

Although this screenplay is touted as being amazing… I saw a lot of holes and inconsistencies.  It was a good comedy, but not Oscar worthy.

Margin Call – J.C. Chandor

• 1^st nomination.
• Named Best Screenplay by the Australian Film Institute and San Francisco Film Critics Circle.

The most impressive thing is that this is J.C.’s first feature length film.  He also directed it.

Midnight in Paris – Woody Allen

• 14^th nomination for writing, having won 2 times for Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters.  He was also nominated for Interiors, Manhattan, Broadway Danny Rose, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Radio Days, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Alice, Husbands and Wives, Bullets Over Broadway, Mighty Aphrodite, Deconstructing Harry, and Match Point.
• Won 7 out of 16 other major award nominations, including the Golden Globe.

I am a huge Woody Allen fan and this is one of his best works.  Period.  I I really think it’s a tossup between him and Michel for The Artist.

A Separation – Asghar Farhadi

• 1^st nomination.

This nomination is a huge compliment and merely cements him as the front runner for Best Foreign Film.

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Snubs:

50/50 by first time writer Will Reiser.  It was simply brilliant.  And that’s all I have to say about that.

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Oscar Trends:

Again, the Writers Guilds Awards are in the one to watch, in the last 26 years, 16 of the Guilds winners for Original Screenplay have also won the Oscar.

Oddly enough, only two of the five Oscar nominated films are also nominated by the Writers Guild: Bridesmaids and Midnight in Paris… that said… I wouldn’t rule out The Artist.

The Writers Guild Awards are being announced tonight, so we’ll see how my prediction stands up pretty soon!

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Prediction: 

• Winner:  Midnight in Paris – Woody Allen
• Runner-Up:  The Artist – Michel Hazanavicius
• Wild Card: Bridesmaids – Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo
• Unlikely:  A Separation – Asghar Farhadi
• No Chance in Hell:  Margin Call – J.C. Chandor

Click HERE for a full list of my Oscar predictions.