Road to the Oscars: A Word on the Nominated Screenplays

          Besides Flight, I have seen all of the nominees for Best Original and Best Adapted Screenplay, and I must say I am stumped.

Adapted: Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Life of Pi, Lincoln, and Silver Linings Playbook.

          As far as adapted screenplays go, I especially respect the work of those who write about historical events. This is why I think Argo and Lincoln are excellent candidates. Silver Linings Playbook had clever dialogue, and Beasts of the Southern Wild was wildly philosophical in nature. The only work I would be disapproving to see win would be Life of Pi, which had really awkward dialogue. Since that is a major part of writing for the screen and the story part was already laid out in the novel for screenwriter David Magee, I don't think he did a great job.

          Of these nominees, I suppose I would like to see Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar win for Beasts of the Southern Wild. I just think it would be really cool for Zeitlin to win an Oscar for his first feature, and I don't think he really has a shot for his other nominations.

Original: Amour, Django Unchained, Flight, Moonrise Kingdom, and Zero Dark Thirty.

          In an original screenplay, I like to judge the actual story. Amour had a great story with good stage directions (I'm blanking on the film version of the term. Help! I've been working at the theater for too many hours!) and dialogue to back it up. Django Unchained has a great, overly-thorough story, and funny lines as well as tastefully-dramatic ones. I really wanted Moonrise Kingdom to win something, but considering its competition and that this is its only nomination, I don't think it will. The dialogue was hysterical, and really so was everything else about the tale, but it doesn't stand a chance. Zero Dark Thirty is unlike the others in that it is a true story, but it was not based on any previously-published literary works, so it is considered an Original Screenplay. Anyway, it creates tension in all the right parts and there was obviously a lot of research required. Great script.

          I would absolutely love to see Quentin Tarantino accept this award for yet another brilliant script of his. With the exception of Flight, since I cannot be sure of it at the moment, I would really be happy with any of the nominees winning, but Tarantino is my first choice.