WGA Nominations

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

JUNO, Written by Diablo Cody
MICHAEL CLAYTON, Written by Tony Gilroy
THE SAVAGES, Written by Tamara Jenkins
KNOCKED UP, Written by Judd Apatow
LARS AND THE REAL GIRL, Written by Nancy Oliver


ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, Screenplay by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
THERE WILL BE BLOOD, Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, Screenplay by Ronald Harwood
INTO THE WILD, Screenplay by Sean Penn
ZODIAC, Screenplay by James Vanderbilt


Wow, this Awards season is really shaping up to be one I'm gloriously thrilled with. Could it be the Oscars where the movies Rob loves really get recognition? Anyway, I'm very, very happy with these WGA nominations. There's not a one of them I take any sort of exception to. These are all, at the least, very good screenplays. In terms of omissions, I would have loved to see "Assassination of Jesse James..." in Adapted and "Ratatouille" in Original, but I'm okay with these.

Actually, with respect to "Ratatouille," I'm being told that animated films are ineligible for these nominations, so that might actually be an explanation and it could still be a sure thing at the Oscars. Notable ones missing here are "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," "Charlie Wilson's War," "Away From Her" and "Atonement." This might actually be the nail in "Atonement's" coffin. It has now been completely shut out by the SAG, DGA and WGA. Wow. I still think "Before the Devil..." could place at the Oscars, but it does appear to have lost its momentum. I am amazingly happy to see "Zodiac's" screenplay get recognized here and at the USC Scripters as well.

As far as Oscar goes, I'd say this Original Screenplay line-up should stay mostly the same, though expect "Ratatouille" in "Knocked Up's" place (WGA has a history of giving a "aren't we fun and hip?" shout-out to Apatow screenplays in the past). In Adapted, this could very well be the five. It's quite possible "Atonement" or "Charlie Wilson" make it in there, but as of right now, the Guilds seem to be speaking in solidarity. I'll say these are your five Adapted Screenplay nominees.