The Oscars Rundown – Screenplay Awards
It’s that time of the year when we at BTG Lifestyle put on our finest tuxedos and make our way onto the red carpet, only to be forcefully removed from the premises by security. However that’s February 22, 2015. Leading up to the event we will be giving a few predictions of some of the big awards. This post will focus on the real heroes of the show – the screenwriters.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Nominees:
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
- Written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo
- Written by Richard Linklater
- Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
- Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness
- Written by Dan Gilroy
And the predicted winner is:
Tendai’s pick – Birdman
A story that is like no other. Unique in many ways and it relates to our current day. The notion of an alter ego, a person who we once were, or the person who we want to be, was eloquently depicted. Easy for anyone to relate to as they can find themselves playing any role or dealing with any of the given story lines of the characters. It is immediately captivating and a personal connection can easily be made with this story, making it the top choice for the nod.
Dean’s pick – Birdman
People talk about the unforgettable one-take illusion of Birdman – and it is brilliant, don’t get me wrong. But the true brilliance of Birdman is deeply set in the story itself. This story of a star who yearns to be at his peak again, looking back at his past self only to be confronted with the fact that time, rivalry, family and love are all obstacles in his aim for being the man, the legend. Plus, the obvious Batman/Birdman comparison adds fuel to the script’s fire.
Click here to view our spoiler-FREE review for Birdman.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Nominees:
- Written by Jason Hall
- Written by Graham Moore
- Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
- Screenplay by Anthony McCarten
- Written by Damien Chazelle
And the predicted winner is:
Tendai’s pick – The Imitation Game
A brilliant story based on World War II and the role of a great British mind in ending the war, and this also saw the birth of computer science. Adapted from the book “Alan Turing: The Enigma”, written by Andrew Hodges, this story captures a lot of aspects that are faced today. The politics behind every decision made, the moral dilemma of power and the question of “will the end justify the means?” Definitely a story worth telling and the impact it had on a world changing event, makes it the top choice for the nod.
Dean’s pick – The Imitation Game
What was most compelling about Alan Turing’s story was not only his sheer determination to bring an end to the war by cracking the enigma code, nor was it his genius level intellect which forged his name in computer science forever. The brilliance in this story is the fact that this genius was a human being, who even at his most brilliant, had to deal with human things: moral ambiguities, friendships, loved ones and being accepted while being different. This film depicted three stages in his life: a teen struggling to find his place; a young, confident intellectual who helped bring an end to the war; and lastly a man who was not rewarded for his services but rather shunned by society for his personal life. This at what’s at the heart of The Imitation Game.
About the authors: Strangely enough, Dean and Tendai did not consult each other beforehand about their picks, but rather, through telepathic brilliance (or something) picked the same predicted winners for these categories. Hopefully this means, Birdman and The Imitation Game will receive their due.
You can follow Dean on Twitter @deeno15 while you can catch the latest from Tendai @1_platinum
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