Sam Riley on "On the Road."

Credit: IFC Films

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I'm not sure of Steve Pond's assertion that the adapted screenplay race is significantly "more crowded and competitive" than the original one this year, but I do like his point that judging adaptations can entail a different set of considerations than with originals (one reason I think the Academy gets it right, where many other awards don't, with separate categories). This year's crop, he suggests, "should be judged the same way diving competitions are: with one score for how artful the film is, the other for the degree of difficulty." With several films this year taking on source material once widely tagged with the "unfilmable" label, from "Cloud Atlas" to "On the Road" to "Lie of Pi," Pond talks to the screenwriters who gave the lie to that curious adjective. [The Wrap] 

Meanwhile, Sasha Stone examines what she sees as the top contenders for the Best Original Screenplay Oscar. [Awards Daily]

To stick with the screenplay theme, Nathan Fillion has been tapped to host the Writers' Guild Awards in LA next month. [The Race]

A.O. Scott declares 10 films too few to represent the class of 2012, expanding his list to 25 -- topped by "Amour." [New York Times]

A look at the recording sessions of Howard Shore's "The Hobbit" score with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. [The Guardian]

The premiere of "Jack Reacher" and the post-premiere party for "Django Unchained" are among the events that have been postponed or cancelled in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. [Variety]

Historian Jim Downs considers the arguments for and against "Lincoln"'s depiction of abolition, accusing the film of ignoring economic motivations. [Huffington Post]

Nathaniel Rogers vents his frustration over the negative reviews for his beloved "Les Misérables," though he acknowledges it's not without flaws -- and then examines the weak spots in other Best Picture frontrunners this year. [The Film Experience]  

Another hat-tip to Nathaniel for digging up a link to Jean-Pierre Jeunet's storyboards for his abandoned adaptation of "Life of Pi." Do you wish we'd seen his version, or are you glad Ang Lee took the reins? [Jean-Pierre Jeunet]

Presumably in honor of "This Is 40" and/or "Amour," a list of the best works -- not all of them cinematic -- about the panicky perils of ageing. [The A.V. Club] 

Guy Lodge
Critic

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Guy Lodge is a South African-born critic and sometime screenwriter. In addition to his work at In Contention, he is a freelance contributor to Variety, Time Out, Empire and The Guardian. He lives well beyond his means in London.