Another day, another new category as I continue to open the doors to my 2015 Oscar predictions, today exploring the other half of this year’s screenplays with 19 contenders for Best Original Screenplay and in this category there may be a little more to discuss as more of the films on my list have actually been seen.
To begin my #1 is Richard Linklater‘s screenplay for Boyhood. Twelve years in the making and to see the finished product makes me wish I was privy to his notes from the very beginning to see how it all ended up. Linklater has seen his screenplays for Before Sunset and Before Midnight (both co-written with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) nominated in the past and given the overwhelming love for this film I think it’s safe to assume a third nomination is in the offing and right now I see it as the definite front-runner regardless of whether IFC has money to campaign for the bigger awards or not.
In second I have Birdman with a boatload of names attached to the screenplay including director Alejandro González Iñárritu along with Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo. The film certainly sounds like one to look out for and has quickly risen to the top of many people’s most anticipated lists. We’ll see soon enough if the hype and excitement is worth it once it opens Venice.
Five times before Mike Leigh has seen one of his screenplays nominated for an Oscar so I think it’s as safe a bet as ever to include him in the top five this early in the game for Mr. Turner given the response the film received in Cannes this year and the overall pedigree.
Probably my biggest question mark in the top five is J.C. Chandor‘s screenplay for A Most Violent Year. A24 has done virtually nothing to suggest this film will even hit theaters this year though speculation now is it might play the AFI Film Festival, definitely seeming like it won’t be ready for anything else unless it sneaks into Telluride without expectation or maybe finds a slot as a secret screening in New York.
And finally, I round out my first five with Interstellar co-written by Jonathan Nolan along with his brother and director Christopher Nolan. The film is riding high on the name of Christopher Nolan alone with expectations damn near through the roof. We’ll see if it can deliver this November.
A few other screenplays just outside my top five include Whiplash from Damien Chazelle, The Grand Budapest Hotel from Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness as well as David Ayer‘s Fury.
As I said, I have 19 contenders overall, so click here to see the full field and have your say in the comments below. What screenplays would you list in your early top five?
