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:
The Artist
The Descendants
The Ides of March
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball

The Golden Globes consolidate screenwriting to just one race, grouping together both original and adapted screenplays. It’s usually made up of Best Motion Picture – Drama nominees and sometimes a truly odd choice like “The Ides of March,” “It’s Complicated,” or “Love Actually.” Good bets for this race are Argo, Django Unchained, Lincoln, and The Master. Also in the running are Silver Linings Playbook and Beasts of the Southern Wild. Les Miserables is possible but less likely, since it will fare better in other races, and I think that Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom could score the last slot.

Current predictions:
Argo
Django Unchained
Lincoln
The Master
Moonrise Kingdom