MOONLIGHT AND ARRIVAL TAKE WGA HONOURS

Sorry, Lion! Alas, Luke Davies' script wasn't eligible for the Writers Guild of America awards, and also I'm totally not sorry. But a tremendous coup for Moonlight, as its standing in the Adapted Screenplay Oscar race only improves with a win in Original Screenplay with the WGA. Indeed, with yet another contender to fend off this weekend in the Adapted victor here, Arrival, Barry Jenkins' groundbreaking drama nevertheless becomes an even stronger candidate by beating presumed frontrunners La La Land and Manchester by the Sea. And deservedly, too. All the details of the film award nominees at this link, and the winners below.

Best Original Screenplay

Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Eric Heisserer - based on the story Story of Your Life by TEd Chiang (Arrival)

Best Documentary Screenplay

Robert Kenner, Brian Pearle, Kim Roberts and Eric Schlosser - based on the book Command and Control by Eric Schlosser (Command and Control)

2016 WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA NOMINATIONS

In a joke on par with the standard of some of Deadpool's stickier gags, the Writers Guild of America nominations have been announced. Winners will be revealed on the 19th of February, if you can bear to stick around that long.

Best Original Screenplay

Damien Chazelle (La La Land)

Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight)

Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)

Jeff Nichols (Loving)

Taylor Sheridan (Hell or High Water)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Tom Ford - based on the novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright (Nocturnal Animals)

Eric Heisserer - based on the story Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang (Arrival)

Theodore Melfi and Allison Schroeder - based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly (Hidden Figures)

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick - based on the X-Men comic books (Deadpool)

August Wilson - based on his play (Fences)

Best Documentary Screenplay

Jeff Feuerzeig (Author: The JT LeRoy Story)

Alex Gibney (Zero Days)

Robert Kenner, Brian Pearle, Kim Roberts and Eric Schlosser - based on the book Command and Control by Eric Schlosser (Command and Control)

WGA AWARDS GO AS PLANNED: SPOTLIGHT AND THE BIG SHORT WIN

Oh, look! The Writers Guild of America held its 2015 awards ceremony yesterday! You didn't notice? You didn't hear the awards season tectonic plates shifting? You didn't hear Hollywood's collective jaw dropping? Funny, that. Anyway, here were their nominations, and there are their awards:

Best Original Screenplay

Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer (Spotlight)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Adam McKay and Charles Randolph - based on the book by Michael Lewis (The Big Short)

Best Documentary Screenplay

Alex Gibney (Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief)

WRITERS GUILD ANNOUNCES - CAROL MAKES THE GRADE!

Who'd have thought it? Of all the guilds, the often-questionable Writers Guild of America remembered Carol. Phyllis Nagy's exquisite script for Todd Haynes' beautiful film is among the five nominees for Adapted Screenplay, which also helps boost Trumbo's campaign a bit with a nomination for John McNamara. Winners will be announced on the 13th of February. Check out the nominees:

Best Original Screenplay

Andrea Berloff, Jonathan Herman, S. Leigh Savidge and Alan Wenkus (Straight Outta Compton)

Matt Charman, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen (Bridge of Spies)

Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer (Spotlight)

Amy Schumer (Trainwreck)

Taylor Sheridan (Sicario)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Drew Goddard – based on the novel by Andy Weir (The Martian)

Adam McKay and Charles Randolph – based on the book by Michael Lewis (The Big Short)

John McNamara – based on the biography by Bruce Cook (Trumbo)

Phyllis Nagy – based on the novel ‘The Price of Salt’ by Patricia Highsmith (Carol)

Aaron Sorkin – based on the book by Walter Isaacson (Steve Jobs)

Best Documentary Screenplay

Amy Berg (Prophet’s Prey)

Robert Cohen (Being Canadian)

Alex Gibney (Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief)

Brett Morgen (Cobain: Montage of Heck)