WGA Movie Nominees: Which Were the Best-Written Movies of the Year?
by Andy NeuenschwanderTo see a comedy get true recognition at an awards show is a rare thing. More often, the statues go to the dramas, the movies that take themselves seriously in order to be taken seriously.
But something special has happened in 2011: comedy came on the scene and announced itself so emphatically that it simply can't be ignored, even by awards voters.
Case in point: the Writer's Guild of America nominees in the original screenplay category. Every single movie nominated, from "Bridesmaids" to "Midnight in Paris," is a comedy. Sure, some of them have dramatic tints to them as well, but you would call all of them comedies first.
Does this mean that a movie like "Midnight in Paris" is a sure thing for the Oscar? Not quite: there's still the adapted screenplay nominees to worry about, and those are all dramas (with a couple of dramedies). But with an extended list of Best Picture nominees and this push from the WGA, we should at least see a comedy or two on the list.
Following is the full list of WGA movie nominees. Also be sure to check out the WGA TV nominees.
Best Original Screenplay:
"50/50" - Will Reiser
"Bridesmaids" - Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo
"Midnight in Paris" - Woody Allen
"Win Win" - Tom McCarthy
"Young Adult" - Diablo Cody
Best Adapted Screenplay:
"The Descendants" - Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" - Steven Zaillian
"The Help" - Tate Taylor
"Hugo" - John Logan
"Moneyball" - Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin
Best Documentary Screenplay:
"Better This World" - Katie Galloway and Kelly Duane de la Vega
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" - Marshall Curry and Matthew Hamachek
"Nostalgia for the Light" - Patricio Guzman
"Pina" - Wim Wenders
"Position Among the Stars" - Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich and Leonard Retel Helmrich
"Senna" - Manish Pandey