And Now The WGA's Nominees

Well it's about time the Writers Guild of America got themselves into award season. Here are all of their nominations:

Original Screenplay:

Boyhood - Richard Linklater

Foxcatcher - E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman

The Grand Budapest Hotel - Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness

Nightcrawler - Dan Gilroy

Whiplash - Damien Chazelle

My Pick: Damien Chazelle for Whiplash. I've never experienced a film like that. And while J.K. Simmons likely amplified the experience with a brilliant performance... somebody did actually write that part for him... and wrote it spectacularly.

Adapted Screenplay:

American Sniper - Jason Hall; Based on the book by Chris Kyle with Scott McEwan and Jim DeFelice

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn; Based on her novel

Guardians of the Galaxy - James Gunn and Nicole Perlman; Based on the Marvel comic by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning

The Imitation Game - Graham Moore; Based on the book Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges

Wild - Nick Hornby; Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed

My Pick: Nick Hornby for Wild. There are some really good options here, but ultimately I've gotta give the nod to the film that most accurately captured a specific emotion. That fever dream quality Hornby managed to bring to his screenplay was amazing.

Documentary Screenplay:

Finding Vivian Maier - John Maloof & Charlie Siskel

The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz - Brian Knappenberger

Last Days in Vietnam - Mark Bailey & Kevin McAlester

Red Army - Gabe Polsky

My Pick: John Maloof & Charlie Siskel for Finding Vivian Maier. Not a lot of options here as I've missed most of these. However, Vivian Maier surprised me. I've said that before and I meant it. There is an overwhelming moment during the film wherein everything seems to make a bizarre sort of sense. And this being a real life mystery... that is no easy feet. Even if the film delves a little too deep into the darkness towards the end, it is still quite interesting.

Those are all of the WGA nominees. Not a lot of surprises, but very exciting to see some of the best flicks of the year make it. I am however sorely missing representation for two films here... The LEGO Movie and Inherent Vice. Regardless, there's plenty of good stuff between these.