The Writers Guild Awards were held last night, and we’re pretty baffled by some of the winners but most upset with all the American losers. Read below which movies and TV shows made the cut.
Writers Guild Awards winners
Best Original Screenplay: The Grand Budapest Hotel by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Imitation Game by Graham Moore; based on the book Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges
Best TV Show, Drama: True Detective by Nic Pizzolatto
Best New Series: True Detective by Nic Pizzolatto
Best Episodic Drama: The Good Wife, episode “The Last Call” by Robert King and Michelle King
Best Episodic Comedy: Louis, episode “So Did the Fat Lady” (Louie), by Louis C.K.
Now for the snubs
1. Birdman for Original Screenplay
Image: Fox Searchlight
Probably the most inspiring, outlandish and emotionally raw film of 2014, the screenplay for Birdman shouldn’t have worked as a movie — but it did. About aging actor Riggan (Michael Keaton), who was best known as the superhero Birdman, the film blasts Hollywood stereotypes by adding magical realism into the story. Sadly, however, the four writers (Nicolás Giacobone, Armando Bo, Alexander Dinelaris and Alejandro González, who was also the director), are not members of the Writers Guild and were all ineligible. We absolutely expect Birdman to win the Oscar next week for Best Original Screenplay.
More:5 Tiny details in Birdman that absolutely blew our minds
2. Boyhood for Original Screenplay
Image: IFC Films
We agree that Grand Budapest Hotel was quirky and imaginative, but the story left us a bit empty. Boyhood is the genre-smashing film about an average American boy growing up over the last 12 years. The movie’s story may not be revolutionary, but filming the actors over 12 years certainly is. There’s never been a movie like it, and there’s something about the authenticity of the film, the real aging, the real emotions, that makes the movie stay with you for a long time.
More:Patricia Arquette “explodes” Hollywood stereotype, resists pressure to stay young
3. Gone Girl for Best Adapted Screenplay
Image: 20th Century Fox
We were certainly moved by the tragic story of Alan Turing in The Imitation Game, but we would have much rather seen the award go to Gone Girl‘s Gillian Flynn. Like her book, the screenplay was fresh, subversive and pushed the boundaries. Oh yeah, and it was written by a woman.
4. Guardians of the Galaxy for Best Adapted Screenplay
Image: Disney
Guardians of the Galaxy‘s James Gunn and Nicole Perlman adapted their comic book to make what was arguably the most fun summer movie in years. The character of Groot made us fall in love. We really think that when comedy and fantasy are really well done, it’s a much more amazing effort than a drama.
5. Game of Thrones for Best TV Series, Drama
Image: HBO
Yes, True Detective was shocking, terrifying and addictive, but it was only eight episodes. Game of Thrones’ fifth season will air on April 12, and the show has given life to a fantasy world that has hooked us over a period of years — that’s incredibly difficult to do, and the writers do it so well. We think the award for Best New Series going to True Detective was justified, but we seriously think GOT should have won for Best TV Series, Drama.
More:2015 Golden Globes: 7 Nominees who lost but should have won
To see a full list of Writers Guild Award winners, visit WGA.org.
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