Read it and weep and while you’re at it, cue the Dark Knight Party. We’re not surprised to see Rob Siegel’s “The Wrestler” script get nominated nor are we surprised to see that Charlie Kaufman did not receive a nomination for “Synecdoche, New York,” like we assumed he wouldn’t. Dustin Lance Black scoring a nom for “Milk” is no shocker either. We’re a little surprised to see that “Rachel Getting Married” didn’t receive a nomination simply because that screenplay has earned a lot of awards love, but it’s no skin off our back. We certainly weren’t in the tank for it.
We are however, pretty taken aback that “The Dark Knight” script credited to Jonathan & Christopher Nolan (though apparently lots of other contributed too) scored a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination. Not that it isn’t deserving (plot holes and flawed logic aside), it’s just that we weren’t expecting it. It’s also nice to see Simon Beaufoy, Peter Morgan and John Patrick Shanley get their due (boo to Eric Roth and that overlong bore).
Lastly, how in hell do you not nominate “Man On Wire,” for Best Documentary Screenplay? ‘Gonzo’ was terrible.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Burn After Reading – Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Milk – Written by Dustin Lance Black
Vicky Cristina Barcelona – Written by Woody Allen
The Visitor – Written by Tom McCarthy
The Wrestler – Written by Robert Siegel
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Screenplay by Eric Roth
The Dark Knight – Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan
Doubt – Screenplay by John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon – Screenplay by Peter Morgan
Slumdog Millionaire – Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story – Written by Stefan Forbes & Noland Walker
Chicago 10 – Written by Brett Morgen
Fuel – Written by Johnny O’Hara
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson – Screenplay by Alex Gibney
Waltz with Bashir – Written by Ari Folman
