If you had an AMPAS ballot, which film would get your vote?
Having not watched any of them, Birdman, because it was shot in one long take and its kind of about superheroes
Grand Budapest has just won the Writers Guild award, which should make it the favourite for the Oscars.
nm
Boyhood is the only one I’ve seen. My vote: not that one. Most of the family’s interaction was depressing.
I’ve seen all except Nightcrawler and I would give it to Birdman.
Boyhood and Birdman were the best movies of the best picture nominees, but Birdman has the best original concept and script.
Foxcatcher sucked in my opinion and I thought it was based off the book.
I think Nightcrawler should get this one, although it seems like a strong field.
Can’t speak to Foxcatcher as I haven’t seen it.
Boyhood was in my opinion the best film of last year, but I wouldn’t put it down to screenplay. It’s a better experience because it’s not quite fully scripted, and feels that way. I don’t know that it should get an award for that.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a very well-crafted script, but I don’t think it ends up as good on the screen. It’s a fine story, but also a bit too densely layered.
Birdman, or tUVoI doesn’t strike me as a particularly great script. It’s the other elements that make the movie worth watching. The themes in the script aren’t very well developed, and there’s a fair amount of clunky dialogue saved by some excellent acting.
While Nightcrawler has some of the same problems as Birdman, in that the themes are a bit clichéd and slightly underdeveloped, it is a much stronger basis. It required brilliant execution, and it did receive it, but I think for a screenplay, it’s really great. The way the story builds and the way Lou is portrayed in just the right manner despite not developing as a character is worth rewarding. Additionally the cultural satire hits its targets more cleanly than Birdman does.
Boyhood, it took 12 years to make! 
(E: I haven’t seen Boyhood and have no opinion on it, I just think RLM was funny about it)
bump
Boyhood.