[Mathew Reuther]

Argo for Adapted Screenplay
and
Django Unchained for Original Screenplay

Argo of course winning best picture as well, so arguably a slight edge to the thriller.

I didn't see every film nominated in the writing categories, but those I did see were good stories.

I have to confess to having a seriously soft spot for Moonrise Kingdom, but I loved Django Unchained, so I'm happy enough.

Anyone else have a favorite that didn't win?

(For the record, the other nominees were: Beasts of the Southern Wild, Life of Pi, Lincoln, and Silver Linings Playbook for adapted; and Amour, Flight, Moonrise Kingdom, and Zero Dark Thirty for original.)

 

[41413]

There weren't a lot of good options this year. I haven't cared so little about the Oscars in quite some time.

 

[Gina Black]

"Perks of Being a Wallflower" was one of my very favorites and it wasn't even nominated. The screenplay was adapted by the guy who wrote the book and he also directed it and did a smashing job.

But I also really liked "Argo" and "Silver Linings Playbook." Didn't see "Django."

 

[Mathew Reuther]

There weren't a lot of good options this year. I haven't cared so little about the Oscars in quite some time.

Maybe the writing in Movie The Movie 2V is preferable?

Full video isn't up yet, but the teaser/trailer is.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/458956

Full version has Channing Tatum's resplendent junk.

"Perks of Being a Wallflower" was one of my very favorites and it wasn't even nominated. The screenplay was adapted by the guy who wrote the book and he also directed it and did a smashing job.

But I also really liked "Argo" and "Silver Linings Playbook." Didn't see "Django."

After seeing more bits and pieces from Silver Linings Playbook I've become interested in seeing it. Perks of a Wallflower I still need to get a chance to watch. I love Emma Watson.

 

[dalya]

Silver Linings Playbook was fantastic. It made me want to run home and write harder, better, faster, stronger.

 

[harrisonbooth]

Lately I've been waiting for the DVDs to see big films so the Oscars usually pass me by.  I was only drawn to the cinema twice this year, which was for Prometheus and Django.  Tarantino winning the award for screenplay is interesting, as since Kill Bill he has been writing more and more for his fanbase and no-one else.  I loved Django, but I think that's mainly because I'm a massive spaghetti western fan. 

By far the best film I've seen this year though is a documentary called You've Been Trumped, which wasn't nominated for anything.

 

[Burrito Fart]

Silver Linings Playbook and Django Unchained were my two favorites. I watched Argo and liked it but not as much as those two. 

 

[Mathew Reuther]

Tarantino is a great writer. Nobody writes sharper dialog. But he also refuses to be a member of the Writers Guild (I don't remember why). For the Oscars, only writers vote for writers, and pretty much every writer member of the Academy is also a member of WGA. So for all those writers to vote for a screenplay written by someone who snubs our own guild says something.

I think this was some of his strongest dialogue to date. The story of Siegfried was brilliantly well-told, for example.

I won't name names, but a few years ago I attended an industry screening of a small film, with the writer/director attendance for Q&A. The writer/director admitted there was never much of a script, more a series of notes, and that the lead actor ad libbed quite a bit of his dialog, so I was stunned when it won best original screenplay for both the WGA awards and the Oscars.

Interesting story! It goes to show what an odd medium the movies can be for writing. You can make the case that the notes formed the structure, but there's absolutely something to be said for how this all works out in the end being much more about the leading player.

 

[vrabinec]

The only one I saw was Life of Pi, which I liked, but not over-enthusiastically. They don't seem to make a lot of movies these days that appeal to me. I'll buy Argo when it's $5 for the DVD, just because I don't trust that I'll like it.

 

[60911]

There weren't a lot of good options this year. I haven't cared so little about the Oscars in quite some time.

You're still pissed that Dredd wasn't nominated, aren't you?

 

[Mathew Reuther]

You're still p*ssed that Dredd wasn't nominated, aren't you?

I was pulling for John Carter, personally.

 

[60911]

I was pulling for John Carter, personally.

That movie was awesome. So sad that it bombed, because I would have loved to see Andrew Stanton helm the sequel.

Also, I just feel bad for Taylor Kitsch. You know he's not gonna get cast in anything for a loooooong time.

 

[Mathew Reuther]

That movie was awesome. So sad that it bombed, because I would have loved to see Andrew Stanton helm the sequel.

I thought I was the only one who liked it LOL. I like classic sci-fi.

Also, I just feel bad for Taylor Kitsch. You know he's not gonna get cast in anything for a loooooong time.

And I really like him too. Have since Friday Night Lights. I think he was the best thing on that show.

 

[41413]

John Carter and Dredd were both high levels of awesome, not from concentrate, but I never expected either to get a mention. The Oscars doesn't give genre the recognition it deserves, unless your movie's name rhymes with Return of the Bling and was shot in New Zealand.

 

[Monique]

I wanted to like John Carter and I didn't hate it, but it was a world of missed opportunities and sloppy storytelling to me. I loved TK on FNL, but he's about as exciting as a basket of baskets in JC and Battleship.

I'm not a Tarantino fan and have not seen Django, but will as soon as it's on DVD/streamable. I do love Christoph Waltz.

I thought Argo was terrific. Just solid from top to bottom. Overall though, it was kind of a weak year in most categories. And, for the love of Irving Thalberg, please cut back to 5 nominees.

 

[Mathew Reuther]

I do love Christoph Waltz.

He's superb in Django. Really, if I had to choose, he'd be my favorite actor in the film.

 

[harrisonbooth]

Also, I just feel bad for Taylor Kitsch. You know he's not gonna get cast in anything for a loooooong time.

I agree, poor guy. There's no justice in getting a Waterworld thrown at you when your career's just getting started. Still, Ben Affleck seems to have reinvented himself to great success so anything's possible.

 

[41413]

Taylor Kitsch's long and glorious career thus far has included movies like Wolverine: Origins, Battleship, and Snakes on a Plane. Frankly, I think John Carter is the least of his worries, and he needs a better agent.

I do love me some Gambit, though. Damn, boy is fine.

 

[J. Tanner]

Tarantino is a great writer. Nobody writes sharper dialog. But he also refuses to be a member of the Writers Guild (I don't remember why). For the Oscars, only writers vote for writers, and pretty much every writer member of the Academy is also a member of WGA. So for all those writers to vote for a screenplay written by someone who snubs our own guild says something.

That's sort of balf-hackwards, right?

I think the full acadamy votes for the winners, but the nominations are handled by the disipline-specific subgroups. Anyway, still an achievement though I've never heard of much of a stigma for non-union contenders.

In general, I thought it was a good year for movies and the writing was stronger on these nominated films that in many years. Each film had its set a flaws (Moonrise's budget hurt some of the end scenes, Django wasn't edited as crisply as most of QT's films, Argo tacked on some seriously false melodrama at the end, Pi started too slowly) but all of them were good and these weren't really writing issues. All the nominated screenplays were available online this year and it's fun to read them and see where things changed.