Golden Globe Musings: Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Golden Globe nominations for this year will be announced in just a few weeks, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anything important. A reminder that the Globes are wildly unpredictable and that it is still a bit early to gauge the reception or awards potential of a number of the so-called “contenders” at this point.

Last year’s nominees:
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
It’s Complicated
Up in the Air

This category is strange because it aggregates original and adapted scripts, unlike the Oscars, and last year it included interesting choices like sci-fi film “District 9” and romantic comedy “It’s Complicated.” That said, there are some clear frontrunners for this year. The Social Network is a lock, and The King’s Speech should be as well. Perusing the two lists of Best Picture contenders, I’d say that The Kids Are All Right and Inception probably look strongest. After that, there’s 127 Hours, The Fighter, Somewhere, and True Grit, plus a bunch of others. My choice for the surprise fifth nominee is Roman Polanki’s The Ghost Writer.

Predicted nominees:
The Ghost Writer
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King’s Speech
The Social Network