Most years, the adapted screenplays are the good ones while the original screenplays are mostly just filler. Not this year. This year, we had screenplays like The Croods, Inside Llewyn Davis, Gravity, and Saving Mr. Banks, none of which made the cut, although they might have in a weaker year. With that said, here are the films that did make the cut.

First up, American Hustle. Are you kidding me? All four of the films I mentioned up there have much better screenplays than this film. This film is the worst of the four nominees. and to top it all of, people say that this film can actually win! Well, I guess it makes sense. The film has 10 nominations, and it has to win something, right? But try telling that to True Grit. Or The Color Purple. Everyone on the internet seems to think this is going to win, so I’ll make it my alternate.

Next we have Blue Jasmine. Now here’s a tip, Woody Allen. If you’re going to make a movie, you need to make it feel… cinematic. Blue Jasmine is the kind of story that you’d see on a stage. I wasn’t a big fan of the screenplay, and Woody Allen has already won this award three times already, and his film is the only nominee without a Best Picture Nomination. While I think some Academy members will vote for it, it won’t be enough for Woody to pull off another win.

Welcome to the Dallas Buyers Club indeed. In an especially crowded year, the film managed to get not only this nomination, but a nomination for Film Editing as well. While the screenplay is good, I don’t see it winning. The film is already likely winning three of it’s six nominations. (actor, supporting actor, makeup) It doesn’t need a fourth oscar. Especially when it’s going up against a movie like…

Her. It’s won the Writer’s Guild, the Critics Choice award, the Golden Globe award, as well as awards from numerous Film Critic’s Associations in Chicago, Detroit, San Diego, Georgia, Washington DC, San Fransisco, and others as well. Oh, and it’s by far the best screenplay of the year. The evolving relationship between man and machine is a fascinating subject, and this film delivers it’s message even better than WALL-E. It’s winning an Oscar, and nobody is changing my mind about that.

Oh, and let’s not overlook the second best screenplay of the year. Nebraska is a wonderful little gem with a wonderful little screenplay. In a different year, I would have voted for it, and it’s possible that some Academy members will be voting for it, too. But it’s not winning. Not in this year, with this competition.

WILL WIN: Her
RUNNER UP: American Hustle
SHOULD WIN: Her

(I believe GLaDOS said that Her was her favorite movie.)