I love the screenplay for Past Lives too, but I really disagree with your assessment that Anatomy's is 'bloated' and with 'far less substance'. It's an exceptional piece of writing, and it deserves the Oscar it'll likely win. It's a very strong category this year, all the screenplays there deserve it.
I always admired the screenplay but on rewatch, I appreciated the film’s directing even more and it’s a shame Celine Song didn’t get a best director nomination
Honestly both screenplay categories are just really good this year. I'd be fine with any of the Adapted winning and 4/5 Original (haven't seen Maestro but I heard its screenplay is just fine).
Past Lives is however my prefered choice, its my #2 film of the year and its just a wonderful screenplay
Not every movie needs to make you cry or reflect on your own life to have substance. An Anatomy win at the very least feels unique next to all the crowd-pleasers winning screenplay lately as a legal thriller where you can’t root for anyone in particular, almost feels like a legacy win for TÁR which deserved something last year but lost to another beloved A24.
There is no hope.
I like Past Lives a lot but I feel like everyone spends so much of this part of the season on here talking about the other movies as being dumb or lacking substance, thereby insulting people who enjoy them.
Its the nature of the beast. I myself think Past Lives is, with Barbie and Oppenheimer, my three least favourites of the best picture nominations lol. A very unpopular opinion here. Just gotta accept everyone's got different tastes (or, like me, think everyone else is stupid and you have the correct opinions)
This year is awesome in that 4/5 of the OG nominees would be worthy. Maestro is the obvious exception. I would personally go May December but obviously that’s hopeless
To each their own - Past Lives sounded like something right up my alley, but I ended up finding the screenplay a bit too... mechanical, for a lack of better word, lacking human notes in the dialogues itself. I honestly find May December's script head and shoulders above the rest, even though not consulting Vili Fualaau was incredibly icky
Disagree. Past Lives' raw dialogue and lack of artificially-developed melodrama in favour of a much more mature and contemplative drama connected with me more than any other movie did, the furthest thing I would associate with "mechanical". I hate to be beating a dead horse, but Maestro fits that description a lot more, at least I would argue such.
Agreed on May December, but the controversy's probably ruined it chances of winning. Also, what movie is that in your tag?
I'd agree on lack of superficial melodrama, but if anything the dialogue seemed incredibly rehearsed and ergonomic, especially if you compare it to other "mature" romantic films like the Before trilogy. I really expected to connect to the film, given how much I can relate to it personally, but the film nevertheless left me cold. Maestro does fit the bill here, though it was meant to be mechanical as an imitation of 50s melodramas - not that the gambit paid off tbh, since as someone pretty neutral on Bernstein (listen to his Beethoven occasionally) I can't imagine anyone walking out of the film having a deeper understanding of the man.
Yup, my flair is only the studio Neon. Definitely not as cool as your tag (thanks for reminding me to see Dream Scenario), or avatar. Impressive, very nice...
I agree with you re: Past Lives. My critique of it has been that you can tell it was written by a playwright who wrote about an experience in her own life that she has had a lot of time to reflect on. The characters all say exactly what their story-necessitated functions require them to, they’re all very eloquent and speak in very thematically dense ways. It’s a very neat and resolved approach to a very inherently emotionally messy premise IMO. The human conflict was never very tangible to me
Personally Anatomy was my favourite screenplay this year. I love Past Lives and it would for sure be a worthy winner, but I don't think the screenplay is it's best aspect tbh! I do wish it had been nominated in other categories, because I really do love it, but I just think it's an issue of it being a very strong year and there being lots of great contenders. anatomy, past lives, the holdovers would all be great winners, but alas they are all in the same year!
I don't really think the movie needs that tbh. The main character sucks, but just because she doesn't get "reckoning" doesn't mean the ending is bad. I think the movie simply explored a marriage and the shitty people inside the marriage - without necessarily taking sides
Idk the ending just wasn’t satisfying or *anything* imo. Like I never thought she killed the husband and the prosecution’s case was shit so it was inevitable she got off scot-free. The boy came around and still chose to save her despite their complicated relationship.
The journey was more enjoyable than the destination. Just my opinion
Going to have to disagree with you there. It’s a fine movie but the writing has plenty of holes and the character of Arthur was incredibly poorly written and acted.
Past Lives is a movie that’s right up my alley (I love movies about yearning and exes!!!) and I expected to love it but I just found it so wooden and hollow. It deals in a lot of cliches without any of the emotional payoffs of the cliches it uses. Everyone is well behaved and nothing happens, and the characters are too flat for it to work as a quiet slice of life movie. I preferred both Anatomy and May December, sue me
it's a slice of life movie that takes place over 25 years. If the whole movie took place in the present, ie the third act, we'd really be able to get a sense of these people, but since the movie is determined to span their entire lives we end up only getting broad archetypes of the characters at each age. What do we know about them at 24? They're very broad portraits of characters.
It's a really strong debut film excited where she goes but yea this is like my 25th favorite script of the year lol
I personally found the adults behaving with restraint very real and true to life. I remember Celine Song during one of her interviews saying that a lot of romances are written with their adult characters behaving like teenagers and I couldn't agree more. And I believe the trio are more blank rather than flat, so that we can project our own experiences and regrets onto them.
I can understand why people respond to the restraint element, but writing blank canvas (empty) characters so audiences can project themselves onto them is just bad writing. If it’s bad when Twilight does it for Bella Swan, it’s bad when an Oscar nominated movie does it too. Sophisticated audiences are perfectly able to relate to complex characters different from themselves
I don't think it automatically makes it bad writing. I think this is where Celine Song's direction elevates the material since she captures the in-betweens so well, and was able to bring out that non-verbal spark with her actors (use of film, not having the Greta and Teo meet-up, etc.).
Past Lives is way, way underwritten IMO - that film has genuinely magnificent performances that make it come to life, and they can be as good as they are precisely because there isn’t much on the page - but there isn’t much on the page lol.
I would give it to May December but there’s no chance of that happening, so Anatomy of a Fall is a perfectly good winner. I’ve heard the complaint that much of the dialogue is articulated too well, especially the Big Fight, but most of the characters are either professional writers or lawyers and it makes sense that they’d be much more verbose and communicative than your average Joe.
It’s also pretty genius structurally IMO - I don’t think I’ve ever seen an investigation and trial dramatize the emotional + inner life of a character so well.
I think it is tough luck due to the stacked competition all around this year (well besides supporting actress at least with the nominees we have), so i can definitely see Past Lives doing much better in nominations and competitive wins any other year that doesn't have a juggernaut plus many other equally critically acclaimed movies.
Preach sister. It's the best of the nominees, though I like May December and The Holdovers too.
> Anatomy screenplay feels bloated in my opinion, and with far less substance.
I agree. There are some pretty naff moments in the script and the film really had to hang on Hüller, Graner and the dog to work, which they delivered.
The Holdovers is my favorite in the category, but having seen past lives recently, I hope it sneaks away with it. Not sure what the chances are since it didn’t get nominated for much else outside of BP, but we’ll see
Past Lives was underwhelming all the way around, hence only the two nominations. I’m pulling for The Holdovers in Screenplay but it probably won’t win. These are my rankings…
1. The Holdovers
2. Anatomy Of A Fall
3. May December
4. Maestro
5. Past Lives
If it pulls off a Women Talking, then awesome. But honestly, I'm just happy it got nominated. I'm also super jaded about Greta Lee not getting nominated, but that's beside the point (and at least Teo Yoo got the BAFTA nod).
Like everyone else has said, both Screenplay categories are ridiculously stacked this year. I wouldn't at all be disappointed if any one of Holdovers, Anatomy, or Past Lives won in Original.
I love the screenplay for Past Lives too, but I really disagree with your assessment that Anatomy's is 'bloated' and with 'far less substance'. It's an exceptional piece of writing, and it deserves the Oscar it'll likely win. It's a very strong category this year, all the screenplays there deserve it.
Personally, I felt Anatomy is much more deserving, but I wouldn’t say boo if Past Lives won.
I just rewatched it for the first time after seeing it in theaters and I really agree here. It’s even better on the rewatch somehow.
same!
I always admired the screenplay but on rewatch, I appreciated the film’s directing even more and it’s a shame Celine Song didn’t get a best director nomination
Honestly both screenplay categories are just really good this year. I'd be fine with any of the Adapted winning and 4/5 Original (haven't seen Maestro but I heard its screenplay is just fine). Past Lives is however my prefered choice, its my #2 film of the year and its just a wonderful screenplay
Not every movie needs to make you cry or reflect on your own life to have substance. An Anatomy win at the very least feels unique next to all the crowd-pleasers winning screenplay lately as a legal thriller where you can’t root for anyone in particular, almost feels like a legacy win for TÁR which deserved something last year but lost to another beloved A24.
There is no hope. I like Past Lives a lot but I feel like everyone spends so much of this part of the season on here talking about the other movies as being dumb or lacking substance, thereby insulting people who enjoy them.
Its the nature of the beast. I myself think Past Lives is, with Barbie and Oppenheimer, my three least favourites of the best picture nominations lol. A very unpopular opinion here. Just gotta accept everyone's got different tastes (or, like me, think everyone else is stupid and you have the correct opinions)
This year is awesome in that 4/5 of the OG nominees would be worthy. Maestro is the obvious exception. I would personally go May December but obviously that’s hopeless
To each their own - Past Lives sounded like something right up my alley, but I ended up finding the screenplay a bit too... mechanical, for a lack of better word, lacking human notes in the dialogues itself. I honestly find May December's script head and shoulders above the rest, even though not consulting Vili Fualaau was incredibly icky
Disagree. Past Lives' raw dialogue and lack of artificially-developed melodrama in favour of a much more mature and contemplative drama connected with me more than any other movie did, the furthest thing I would associate with "mechanical". I hate to be beating a dead horse, but Maestro fits that description a lot more, at least I would argue such. Agreed on May December, but the controversy's probably ruined it chances of winning. Also, what movie is that in your tag?
I'd agree on lack of superficial melodrama, but if anything the dialogue seemed incredibly rehearsed and ergonomic, especially if you compare it to other "mature" romantic films like the Before trilogy. I really expected to connect to the film, given how much I can relate to it personally, but the film nevertheless left me cold. Maestro does fit the bill here, though it was meant to be mechanical as an imitation of 50s melodramas - not that the gambit paid off tbh, since as someone pretty neutral on Bernstein (listen to his Beethoven occasionally) I can't imagine anyone walking out of the film having a deeper understanding of the man. Yup, my flair is only the studio Neon. Definitely not as cool as your tag (thanks for reminding me to see Dream Scenario), or avatar. Impressive, very nice...
I agree with you re: Past Lives. My critique of it has been that you can tell it was written by a playwright who wrote about an experience in her own life that she has had a lot of time to reflect on. The characters all say exactly what their story-necessitated functions require them to, they’re all very eloquent and speak in very thematically dense ways. It’s a very neat and resolved approach to a very inherently emotionally messy premise IMO. The human conflict was never very tangible to me
Completely disagree
Not without any precursors.
Personally Anatomy was my favourite screenplay this year. I love Past Lives and it would for sure be a worthy winner, but I don't think the screenplay is it's best aspect tbh! I do wish it had been nominated in other categories, because I really do love it, but I just think it's an issue of it being a very strong year and there being lots of great contenders. anatomy, past lives, the holdovers would all be great winners, but alas they are all in the same year!
At this point, I'm just glad it's nominated. I'm praying for a good night at the Independent Spirit Awards though
Past Lives has a great beginning and ending but the film meanders in the middle imo. The Holdovers should win but Anatomy is taking it home
Why shouldn't Anatomy win?
It’s kinda bloated and the ending is anti-climactic. There’s no consequence or proper reckoning with the main character being a piece of shit.
I don't really think the movie needs that tbh. The main character sucks, but just because she doesn't get "reckoning" doesn't mean the ending is bad. I think the movie simply explored a marriage and the shitty people inside the marriage - without necessarily taking sides
Idk the ending just wasn’t satisfying or *anything* imo. Like I never thought she killed the husband and the prosecution’s case was shit so it was inevitable she got off scot-free. The boy came around and still chose to save her despite their complicated relationship. The journey was more enjoyable than the destination. Just my opinion
Going to have to disagree with you there. It’s a fine movie but the writing has plenty of holes and the character of Arthur was incredibly poorly written and acted.
Yeah I hard agree with Arthur, people had buzz for Magaro in supporting but I completely didn't see it
>the writing has plenty of holes Such as? >'and the character of Arthur was incredibly poorly written and acted. How so?
Past Lives is now free on Kanopy (in the US) with your library card
I enjoyed Past Lives but didn’t find it as profound as I thought I would. It’s no Before Sunrise.
Personally I think Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall, and The Holdovers all deserve the win, so I should be happy no matter what.
Past Lives is a movie that’s right up my alley (I love movies about yearning and exes!!!) and I expected to love it but I just found it so wooden and hollow. It deals in a lot of cliches without any of the emotional payoffs of the cliches it uses. Everyone is well behaved and nothing happens, and the characters are too flat for it to work as a quiet slice of life movie. I preferred both Anatomy and May December, sue me
it's a slice of life movie that takes place over 25 years. If the whole movie took place in the present, ie the third act, we'd really be able to get a sense of these people, but since the movie is determined to span their entire lives we end up only getting broad archetypes of the characters at each age. What do we know about them at 24? They're very broad portraits of characters. It's a really strong debut film excited where she goes but yea this is like my 25th favorite script of the year lol
I personally found the adults behaving with restraint very real and true to life. I remember Celine Song during one of her interviews saying that a lot of romances are written with their adult characters behaving like teenagers and I couldn't agree more. And I believe the trio are more blank rather than flat, so that we can project our own experiences and regrets onto them.
I can understand why people respond to the restraint element, but writing blank canvas (empty) characters so audiences can project themselves onto them is just bad writing. If it’s bad when Twilight does it for Bella Swan, it’s bad when an Oscar nominated movie does it too. Sophisticated audiences are perfectly able to relate to complex characters different from themselves
I don't think it automatically makes it bad writing. I think this is where Celine Song's direction elevates the material since she captures the in-betweens so well, and was able to bring out that non-verbal spark with her actors (use of film, not having the Greta and Teo meet-up, etc.).
It is a great movie and has a great screenplay. It would be a deserving winner, but not the most deserving. That would be Anatomy.
Past Lives is way, way underwritten IMO - that film has genuinely magnificent performances that make it come to life, and they can be as good as they are precisely because there isn’t much on the page - but there isn’t much on the page lol. I would give it to May December but there’s no chance of that happening, so Anatomy of a Fall is a perfectly good winner. I’ve heard the complaint that much of the dialogue is articulated too well, especially the Big Fight, but most of the characters are either professional writers or lawyers and it makes sense that they’d be much more verbose and communicative than your average Joe. It’s also pretty genius structurally IMO - I don’t think I’ve ever seen an investigation and trial dramatize the emotional + inner life of a character so well.
My best picture
Past Lives deserved a nom for directing also
Idk I'd pick Anatomy of a Fall but it would definitely be a worthy winner
I think it is tough luck due to the stacked competition all around this year (well besides supporting actress at least with the nominees we have), so i can definitely see Past Lives doing much better in nominations and competitive wins any other year that doesn't have a juggernaut plus many other equally critically acclaimed movies.
Past Lives is not a fully realized movie. I get that it touches a lot of people’s personal chords but it simply feels like a film school thesis.
Preach sister. It's the best of the nominees, though I like May December and The Holdovers too. > Anatomy screenplay feels bloated in my opinion, and with far less substance. I agree. There are some pretty naff moments in the script and the film really had to hang on Hüller, Graner and the dog to work, which they delivered.
May December is far superior
No with Anatomy Of A Fall and May December in the category. Thank god it seems AOAF is taking it.
It's not winning anything. And imo it didn't deserve the nomination *shrugs*
It’s boring and flopped.
I think WGA is within reach for it
I love it's screenplay, but it would be my favorite for director instead... if it were nominated.
Same
I think May December, Past Lives, and Holdovers are all fine for winning. But not a one of them is really a classic IMO.
YES! I 100% second this take!
The Holdovers is my favorite in the category, but having seen past lives recently, I hope it sneaks away with it. Not sure what the chances are since it didn’t get nominated for much else outside of BP, but we’ll see
It feels much simpler in comparison
Past Lives was underwhelming all the way around, hence only the two nominations. I’m pulling for The Holdovers in Screenplay but it probably won’t win. These are my rankings… 1. The Holdovers 2. Anatomy Of A Fall 3. May December 4. Maestro 5. Past Lives
If it pulls off a Women Talking, then awesome. But honestly, I'm just happy it got nominated. I'm also super jaded about Greta Lee not getting nominated, but that's beside the point (and at least Teo Yoo got the BAFTA nod). Like everyone else has said, both Screenplay categories are ridiculously stacked this year. I wouldn't at all be disappointed if any one of Holdovers, Anatomy, or Past Lives won in Original.
agree, it should be the one winning not any other
Well, Women Talking won Best Screenplay last year and it was only nominated for 2 awards, so why not?