WGA nominations don't tell the whole story

This week is huge for precursor nominations (Visual Effects Society, DGA, PGA, and BAFTA all hit tomorrow) but today was the Writers Guild of America's turn.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• 1917 -Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns
• Booksmart - Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, Katie Silberman
• Knives Out - Rian Johnson
• Marriage Story - Noah Baumbach
• Parasite - Bong Joon Ho & Han Jin Won

A strongish lineup even if we wouldn't single out 1917's strength as its writing. Curiously, both The Two Popes and Hustlers were eligible for Original with the WGA (and missed) but they're both competing in Adapted for Oscar voters where they actually belong since they're based on a play and a magazine article respectively. Did the confusion cost them votes?  This WGA lineup is bad news for critical darlings like Honey Boy, Uncut Gems,  and Dolemite is My Name, any of which might have made headway in a weaker year for Originals. But the three strongest alternate threats for an Oscar nomination weren't eligible...

Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Pedro Almodóvar (Pain and Glory)  aren't WGA members. They've both won writing Oscars without ever being WGA nominees due to the exclusionary rules. The third possibility is Lulu Wang's personal and wonderful The Farewell which was also ineligibl. 

Of the five screenplays that were nominated for the WGA surely Booksmart (due to it being a pure comedy) and 1917 (due to it being largely a visual set-piece movie) are surely the most vulnerable against various potential spoilers, Pedro, Quentin, and Lulu being the most likely to show.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - Michah Fitzerman-Blu & Noah Harpster basd on "Can You Say... Hero?" by Tom Junod
• The Irishman - Steven Zaillian based on "I HeardYou Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt
• Jojo Rabbit - Taika Waititi basd on "Caging Skies" by Christine Leunens
• Joker - Todd Phillips & Scott Silver based on DC Comic books
• Little Women - Greta Gerwig based on "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

JIn truth this is one of the weakest years for Adapted Screenplay we've seen in our years of Oscar watching. There just weren't many adaptations and even fewer undeniable ones.

TRIVIA NOTE: If Taika Waititi is Oscar nominated for his Jojo Rabbit screenplay it will actually be his second Oscar nomination. Though few people remember it due to the low profile of the category he also competed for Best Live Action Short for the beautiful miniature gem Two Cars One Night (2004).

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

• Citizen K - Alex Gibney
• Foster - Mark Jonathan Harris
• The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley - Alex Gibney
• Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People - Robert Seidman & Oren Rudavsky
• The Kingmaker - Lauren Greenfield

A double nomination for Alex Gibney! Interestingly NONE of these films are in the finals for the Academy's Best Documentary Feature nominations. 

Comments

[Ryan T.]

I thought THE FAREWELL was ineligible too?

[Abe]

I still think that The Farewell will make it in over The Two Popes, but neither is performing as well as they should be.

[Me]

Hustlers is not very good; right at that middle mark, but beyond Lopez (who I still see as a lead until I watch again), I think all good.

Good that The Two Popes is going adapted, as you are correct regarding the depth of the category. Joker's direction is an issue for me, but I don't know that its screenplay is far beyond, and I think that The Two Popes will take it, since it's s good movie.

I think Booksmart will drop because I now feel 1917 is one of the frontrunners, and it's neither a musical nor James Cameron...tho I agree it's more susceptible than the other three, which is a very likely Knives Out and two locks.

The Farewell or Pain And Glory..I think Uncut Gems more likely to surprise in Best Director than a crowded screenplay category.

[Abe]

Edit to my comment above - I think The Farewell will make the cut for original, and The Two Popes will just miss in adapted. It's confusing when each group puts them in different categories.

[John]

Meghan McCain said Uncut Gems was the best movie of 2019. Now I have ZERO interest in watching Uncut Gems.

[alexander]

I'm a WGA member/voter, and The Farewell was indeed ineligible here.

Also, Hustlers was considered an original screenplay for our purposes, NOT an adaptation. (I have no idea why, though.)

[Richter Scale]

I just checked, The Farewell was indeed ineligible for the WGA. Oh, and Hustlers was given the Two Popes treatment and was submitted in the Original category...

[ken s.]

Don' t despair Nathaniel, The Farewell's absence can be explained by its ineligibility.

That said, I think substitute Once Upon a Time in Hollywood for Booksmart, and we're looking at the 10 nominees. There's always a chance for a Buster Suggs level surprise, but probably not this year.

[JEM]

I was listening to Illeana Douglas' podcast and she had a great argument as to why Hustlers is so bad .. I respect her perspective but I'd also be interested to hear Natathiel & Murtada's counter to her argument since they love the film so much.

As for WGA - overall, wonderful nominees. Such a great year!!

[Billy]

The Farewell was ineligible

[NATHANIEL R]

thanks for the notes -- i have updated the post.

Jem -- i dont listn to very many podcasts but I love Ileana Douglas so i'm curious now.

[Jesus Alonso]

It really can happen that all three inellegible Originla (Hollywood, Glory and Farewell) are nominated for the Oscar... along Marriage Story (ugh) and Parasite.

I rather kick out Hollywood and Marriage Story and have Glory, Farewell, Parasite, Knives Out and one other extra contender (the best original I have seen is Some Time Later, but that is completely impossible, I do not know if even inelligible for Oscar)

[Max]

Jem, what episode was this?

[Glenn Dunks]

I'm happy for BOOKSMART. Between this and the BAFTA nod, they've had a good week. It won't go much further, but I'm glad they got this bit of love. I assume Baumbach takes this without the Tarantino to block him. Kinda wild that the PARASITE writers are WGA members and the others aren't.

As for 1917, ugh. But I'd rather that have gotten in than THE TWO POPES which is an appalling, offensive movie that makes me think less of those involved. Absolute trash.

[Me]

Appalling and offensive? May I ask how so?

[Glenn Dunks]

It's a fun film about absolving the Catholic Church and forgiving Benedict for ignoring abuse. But at least they become friends and watch soccer.

[Me]

Yeah that's not remotely what it's about. That's not remotely close to what you see from them in the film. The film's greatest weakness is the very effective flashback narrative that it allows to play for too long and detracts from the main narrative.

The entire film Francis is carrying shame, believing that despite his desire and ability to reform, he can never redeem himself worthy enough to hold the position.

And Benedict is completely crusty, and also super lonely. He's also criticized heavily by Francis and can only make excuses.

And the film gets less and less fun as it goes.

Whatever the criticism, this one here is not a valid one.