Comments on: Oscars: Are Paul Thomas Anderson & David O. Russell Frontrunners For Original & Adapted Screenplay?

By: Dean Treadway

Dean Treadway — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

I wish that Craig Zobel's original screenplay for COMPLIANCE was in the discussion more. I haven't been more riveted in a movie all year long, and this is due partly to the construction of the thrills and the accuracy of the dialogue. The film deserves that MARGIN CALL slot.

By: Sean C.

Sean C. — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

I'd be interested to see the two Andersons face off, because those are very different movies with very different sorts of crowd reactions. Paul T. Anderson is a very 'serious' filmmaker, with the work getting a lot of critical praise, while at the same time a lot of people found its purposeful inscrutability off-putting; Wes Anderson is the king of quirk, his movie also got a lot of critical praise, but it has a very warm audience reception since it has very different artistic aims. I suspect "Moonrise Kingdom" would have much broader support, but "The Master"'s fanbase could quite conceivably be sufficiently devoted to get it the win over a more broadly liked film that might not rank quite as highly with its fans.

By: Jay

Jay — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

The greatest irony here is this: Think about what movie won last year, Midnight in Paris. What kind of movie was that? It was a comedy that essentially spoofed period films…..so a spoof of a genre film…..by a much-lauded filmmaker.

Then what film should at least be NOMINATED this year that did an incredible job at that too…?

"Cabin in the Woods" obviously. It certainly has the most similarities to Midnight in Paris, in tone, cleverness and overall intelligence, plus it was a whole lot funnier if you ask most people. It probably won't be nominated at all, but just sayin' it's a dead ringer for last year's winner. And I'm no die-hard Whedon fanperson.

By: eduardo

eduardo — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

in adapted screenplay it looks like it will be a three-horse race between Argo, Lincoln and Silver Linings…

as for the original screenplay race looks more like PTA is the frontrunner. Why? the movie has gotten great reviews and it's surviving the early release issue. Anderson has 5 previous nominations, 3 of them as writer and some people might think he's due and his time as come and not to mention Harvey Weinstein is behind The master. And probably its only real competition is Moonrise Kingdom

By: sidsbowl

sidsbowl — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

Promised Land is impressive. The fracking is a tool used to reach deeper issues.

By: MIKE

MIKE — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

The Master for SCREENPLAY? The movie has no direction… You can't call a script great or even good for having a handful of awesome scenes in the first half, then falling off a cliff into nothingness for 80 minutes. The entire (opening weekend in LA) audience I saw it with left the theater totally unsatisfied. Go ahead and praise the performances and cinematography and music and directing… all fantastic. But the movie's overall failure is because of the script, and not the other way around.

By: cirkusfolk

cirkusfolk — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

Oh and it's just my opinion of course but both of the Anderson's films this year I actual did not enjoy and would easily call them their weakest. In fact, I'd given thumbs up to all their films so far but Moonrise and Master were thumbs down for me. Same with Dark Knight but that's another story. Here's hoping Tarantino comes through. I must say having only seen all the trailers, I've already been quoting the dialogue, so that's good.

By: cirkusfolk

cirkusfolk — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

U mentioned In Bruges previously getting a nod, so what about Seven Psychopaths. Though I agree it's basically a Coen Bros/ Tarantino knockoff with a dash of Charlie Kaufman (adaptation) I thoroughly enjoyed it and all three of those influences are Oscar winners themselves, so they can't be bad influences.

By: Niko

Niko — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

No mention of Seven Psychopaths? It's probably a longshot, but considering In Bruges got nominated I won't be entirely surprised if it gets in.

By: Wes

Wes — Fri, 13 May 2016 11:18:39 +0000

I thought Premium Rush had a nice tight screenplay.