Writing for an Oscar

As avid movie goers, my husband and I were thrilled to have seen all nine of the movies nominated for best picture for 2018. Also, before Oscar night, we always attend a special showing of the nominated animated short films, the live action short films, and the short documentaries at the Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

The writing for some of the full-length feature films is exceptional. Four of the movies are standouts for me.

1. “Get Out,” a horror thriller with serious issues about race relations and stereotypes
2. “The Shape of Water,” a romantic fantasy with subtle tones of discrimination
3. “Phantom Thread,” a riveting depiction of serious control issues
4. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” a heart wrenching story about seeking justice

If you’re looking for good writing, you can’t go wrong viewing these movies as well as the other five nominees:

1. “Call Me by Your Name,” shows the awakening of a teenager’s unconventional romance
2. “Darkest Hour,” tracks Prime Minister Churchill’s early fight against the Nazis
3. “Dunkirk,” a World War II movie from the point of view of the soldiers on the beach hoping for rescue
4. “Lady Bird,” depicts a relationship between a rebellious teen and her overly anxious mother
5. “The Post,” the true-life story of the journalists’ need to expose the truth about the Vietnam War

At the time of this posting, the Oscars were already awarded. Did your favorite movie receive the coveted gold-plated statue? Do you think you could have written a better script?