# The Oscars: Best Original Screenplay **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488 "2015-02-12T18:31:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/1 "2015-02-12T18:31:37Z")
If you had an AMPAS ballot, which film would get your vote? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/2 "2015-02-12T18:35:16Z")
Having not watched any of them, Birdman, because it was shot in one long take and its kind of about superheroes ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/3 "2015-02-15T07:19:16Z")
Grand Budapest has just won the Writers Guild award, which should make it the favourite for the Oscars. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/4 "2015-02-15T07:26:09Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/5 "2015-02-15T12:17:06Z")
Boyhood is the only one I’ve seen. My vote: not that one. Most of the family’s interaction was depressing. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/6 "2015-02-15T13:21:07Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/7 "2015-02-15T21:30:04Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2015, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/8 "2015-02-16T03:36:04Z")
Boyhood, [it took 12 years to make!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzhpbXQDl6g) 😃 (E: I haven’t seen Boyhood and have no opinion on it, I just think RLM was funny about it) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/9 "2015-02-20T18:02:10Z")
bump ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oscars-best-original-screenplay/712488/10 "2015-02-20T18:14:04Z")
Boyhood.