2011 OSCARS: Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay

We have finally reached the top categories, and hopefully on Oscar night there will be some welcome surprises among the bunch. These categories are extremely important to a film’s success. Everything begins and ends with the written word.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Another Year — Mike Leigh
• The Fighter — Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson and Keith Dorrington
• Inception — Christopher Nolan
• The Kids Are All Right — Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
• The King’s Speech — David Seidler

Thoughts: It’s strange to think that The King’s Speech isn’t based on a book. It has a great literary feel to it. This is a fine category, and all of these movies rank as the best of the year. I would side with Inception, but I think it’s a great idea with only a good script. The Kids Are All Right is also a strong candidate, and probably the best attribute of the movie is its writing. I love Mike Leigh movies as well, but he rarely wins (unfortunately). This one will go, and deserves to go, to the king.

Who Will Win: The King’s Speech

Who Should Win: The King’s Speech

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• 127 Hours — Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy
• The Social Network — Aaron Sorkin
• Toy Story 3 — Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
• True Grit — Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
• Winter’s Bone — Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini

Thoughts: Another great category that is overshadowed by Aaron Sorkin’s mastery with The Social Network. I wasn’t the biggest fan of his Golden Globes speech, thinking it was too condescending to us poor, uneducated folk, but the man knows how to write. If he is taken out of the equation though, I would go for Winter’s Bone.

Who Will Win: The Social Network

Who Should Win: The Social Network

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

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