You've probably already seen them but here ya go. The Writers Guild of America nominations:
Original Screenplay
Juno , Knocked Up , Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton , The Savages
Three films that have had a degree of awards season traction but were still snubbed: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, American Gangster and Ratatouille (this last one so deserved to be here) --we'll see if any of them can rally and knock one of these out with Oscar's different set of writers branch voters.
Adapted Screenplay
The Diving Bell and Butterfly , Into the Wild , No Country For...
There Will Be Blood , Zodiac
I'm thrilled to see Zodiac show up and I hope that we see a repeat with Oscar since the film has been unfairly ignored (save for the OFCS Nominations) during awards season. This list is not that far off from the Oscar Predictions I posted yesterday. This list is, though, another stumbling block for Atonement. Seems the Best Picture shorlisting dream was all in little Briony's overactive imagination ...and ours.
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25 comments:
I loved the mention for "Zodiac", but, unfortunately, I don't think the movie will be nominated for an Oscar.
Was "Atonement" even eligible for this here?
How different are the WGA members to the Academy's members? I know that the DGA members are much larger and include television directors, but I never hear about the overlap for the writers.
Well, it seems to me people don't get "Atonement" or why are the crazy HFPA guys the only ones who gave it some recognition?
Although I kind of liked "Into the Wild", it should be obvious to anyone who's read both novels that "Atonement" is a far superior adaptation.
Ratatouille wasn't in the race. It surely will be nominated come Oscar nominations morning.
Agreed pianocktail
My understanding is that animated films are not eligible for WGA nominations, so we shouldn't read anything into Brad Bird's absence. He'll surely show up at Oscar time.
I could handle Atonement's snub alot better if it wasnt for this one sad fact. If it was made by anyone else of higher Hollywood (say Speilberg or Scorsese) then you know it would've swept through.
People wouldnt be so obssessed with faults or call it 'showy', they'd marvel at the creativity and modernism. Thats what gets to me the most.
Scott, you're right. Animated films were not eligible, which is why Ratatouille isn't there. It's also one of the reasons for the strike.
I think Zodiac might be nominated for Editing, and that's it.
I know this is a film blog, but I also do TV, and in addition to my Bond film blog, I also have a Mad Men blog. So imagine my delight when I learned that the WGA had nominated my favorite TV show 3 times (Best New Series, Best Dramatic Series, and Best Single Episode). Yay!
When will the Film Bitch Writing Nominations be announced?
Thank God for PTA being recognized for TWBB's incredible screenplay. I think the film's writing was a little too complicated for the GG voters.
Yeah, the lack of Atonement love is becoming glaringly obvious. It's not just one group, it's pretty much all of them except the HFPA and, surely, the BAFTAs.
Again, I think it's quite important to note that the HFPA and the BAFTAs are, essentially, foreign awards bodies. All the others are not and so it's absense is both saddening and understandable. A small British drama just can't compete with the big masculine American movies. Fact. Signed, Sealed and Delivered.
Dave Poland is saying that Atonement, Sweeney Todd, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and Charlie Wilson's War didn't send screeners to WGA members.
I don't know if I'd count Atonement out quite yet. Every other year or so there's a movie that makes it in despite a lack of guild love- think Munich, Gosford Park, The Green Mile, and so on. I think the fact that it's a period piece helps- since everyone nominates Best Picture, the technicians may be more inclined to throw some love its way. I think we should hold out until the PGA noms get announced before we rule out its chances. Right now I'd say the only locks for a best pic nomination are No Country and Michael Clayton, though the Juno juggernaut is closing in fast. But that still leaves two spots.
Wasn't that what they were saying after the SAG nominations too? What the hell were those publicity departments doing this month? Jesus.
(Referring to the lack of screeners, that is.)
First of all, to say "Atonement" has not done well with any awards groups this season is a lie-the film made the top ten lists for all of the important percursors: the NBR, the BFCA, and the Golden Globes included. It's definitely a top 10 film.
It should have been nominated here, but people have gone gaga about certain films. I don't understand how a brilliant movie like "Atonement" wont shortlist. It's beautiful, and deep, and strongly performed. Please Oscar God, help us get "Atonement" in.
BRIONY: I know we are not being voted for on the Oscar ballots.
INVESTIGATOR: You know you're not being voted for, or you saw the ballots.
BRIONY: Yes, yes, I saw them, I saw them with my own eyes.
Despite my usual problems with "high-minded" literary adaptations that end up being dumbed down costume dramas getting nominated for the Oscar, I think Atonement is definitely a better film than the Sean Penn's odious adaptation of Into the Wild.
Yes Atonement has its issues such as the pages of inner monologues condensed into tight close-ups of the characters "thinking" and that damned 10 minute tracking shot at Dunkirk that serves no purpose except to take you out of the scene by turning the sequence into a "guess when there will be a cut" game (although I thought the "Robbie at war" section was much better in the film than in the book, where it dragged a little). But overall the adaptation was very good.
Lee, sure it made some top 10 lists, but that doesn't mean much. Because that's basically it. There's no love for Knightley, McAvoy, Ronan, Redgrave, Wright, Hampton and McGarvey out there, if you have a close look at this year's race.
I'm not saying its chances to be nominated are dead, but No Country and Into the Wild are pretty much in. So is Juno IMO, which leaves two spots that Atonement, TWBB, The Diving Bell and Michael Clayton are competing for. Well, and the other three films somehow manage to get nominated about everywhere, while Atonement surely lacks support.
frankly i don't know why people are still doubting MICHAEL CLAYTON. it's been named EVERY time that it could be... which even JUNO can't say.
i think in order of easy to get nominations its
NO COUNTRY / INTO THE WILD / MICHAEL CLAYTON
and then the fight for the 4th and 5th slots.
this is different than the fight to win of course. but for nominations i'd say Clayton is a surer bet than JUNO
Juno will be an interesting case though. What's it's got is buzz and hype but it's still a rather unusual "best picture" choice. The only thing holding it back is the late release IF that's why SAG didn't go for it. If SAG didn't go for it regardless, i'd say that's a shaky nomination.
and how many nominations can it really get? It could be our lowest nomination tally BP candidates since FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL
Pic/Actress/Screenplay is about all Juno can get. I doubt Reitman will get a director nod and I can't see it getting an editing nom. Other than that? Nothing is even remotely within reach bar a surprise by someone like Garner or JK Simmons.
"Atonement" isn't done with anything yet, and its snubs aren't b/c it's a quaint British film and dumb Americans just don't get it. They just like some other things more that's better made and better executed. Despite all of its problems, it's still an Academy film through and through, and I have no problem predicting "Atonement" for best picture, best director, acting nods for Ronan, Redgrave, and Knightley, and tech nods.
I dont think anyones ready to give up on Atonement yet. Not until Oscar morning rolls in. It definatly has passionate following.
Either way: There will be tears. Of joy or heartbreak? Who knows? But its a wonderfully tense race.
By the way has anyone seen the EW video feature of Keira slapping James? Those two are so damned cute.
I'd love to see them on-screen again sometime.
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