- Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading, Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Woody Allen
The Visitor, Tom McCarthy
The Wrestler, Robert Siegel
I knew that Woody Allen would eventually show up. One should never bet against him in the Screenplay races. Remarkably he'd been pretty absent up until now in the precursors. This lineup is bad news for both Jenny Lumet's Rachel Getting Married and Courtney Hunt's Frozen River which had been getting precursor attention. After last year's record making Oscar lineup --three female screenwriters were nominated (for Juno, The Savages and Away From Her) --we might go back to an all boys club. No girls allowed. Girls have cooties.
- Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth (Story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord). Based on the Short Story by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Dark Knight, Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan (Story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer). Based on Characters Appearing in DC Comic Books
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley. Based on his Stage Play
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan. Based on his Stage Play
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy. Based on the Novel "Q and A" by Vikas Swarup
Though this race isn't truly competitive, it'll be interesting to see which film Oscar voters will dump should they be in a Kate Winslet picture mood, The Reader and Revolutionary Road being the only possible challengers. Two smart foreign possibilities that don't have a snowball's chance in hell: Let the Right One In and The Class. >sniffle<
- Documentary
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story Stefan Forbes, Noland Walker
Chicago 10 Brett Morgan
Fuel Johnny O’Hara
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson Alex Gibney; from the words of Hunter S. Thompson
Waltz With Bashir Ari Folman (see previous post)
Documentary screenwriting awards might sound odd at first glance. Might that skill be much closer to film editing in "shaping" the end product than traditional writing? But still, the shaping must be done so it's good they have this prize. Oscar does not.
And just when you thought this ordeal was over -- a whole post without photos (!) -- here's MY ballot. A couple new FB Awards for you... (drafted shortly before this announcement) because I always have to have a say.
