BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Daniel Cohen:
Predictions: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu/Nicolas Giacobone/Alexander Dinelaris/Armando Bo (Birdman), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), E. Max Frye/Dan Futterman (Foxcatcher), Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Damien Chazelle (Whiplash)
Analysis: If Whiplash doesn’t get nominated here, get ready for a lot of hemming and hawing, but it should be fine. I’m surprised Birdman didn’t get a WGA nomination, but I’d be shocked if it was denied one here. The only movie that could play spoiler for one of these five is Nightcrawler, but I get the feeling Jake Gyllenhaal will be the only representative for that film come Oscar night.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Daniel Cohen:
Predictions: Jason Hall (American Sniper), Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl), Graham Moore (The Imitation Game), Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything), Nick Hornby (Wild)
Analysis: Okay, let’s get this out of the way right now – Guardians of the Galaxy will not get a nomination. I repeat – Guardians of the Galaxy will not get a nomination. I know it got a WGA nomination, which was completely out of left field, but if there’s one thing I can count on with the Academy, it’s keeping out big franchise genre films from Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay. Not going to happen. The only film in question here is The Theory of Everything. As I said before, it’s a movie where the main buzz is on the performances, which is why I think it’s still a questionable Best Picture nominee. The only one that could usurp it would be Selma, but if I think The Theory of Everything has the edge in Best Picture over Selma, I might as well remain consistent in this category as well.
Bill Bodkin:
Predictions & Analysis: I’m in lock step with Dan with all of these. Although…I would love to see Guardians get a nom.
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