Why I Decided to Read All 101 Scripts on the Writers Guild of America's List of the Greatest Scripts of the 21st Century.
It's the best and fastest 101 crash-course in learning how to write a screenplay.
On December 6, 2021, the Writers Guilds of America West (WGAW) and Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) members selected what they believed were the 101 best screenplays that had been written since the beginning of the new millennium. At least as at the time of voting— hence the “so far” caveat. Each year, there’s always a fresh voice and exciting screenplay that makes its presence heard, and will no doubt get its due on the list when it’s time to update it.
When the Writers Guild of America went on strike in 2023, I thought about this list. See, the Guild were striking over issues largely connected to fair compensation and residuals, but also, about the threat of artificial intelligence (AI). Could new software like ChatGPT wipe screenwriters out of the filmmaking conversation altogether; or worse, could they be reduced to tinkering and polishing whatever the program spat out, for half the price? More importantly: Could AI ever write a screenplay as good as any on this list?
After the strike ended (148 days later), I still had to know. That was when I decided to make it my personal project: I would read, study, and write about every screenplay on the WGA’s 101 Greatest Screenplays list, starting all the way from the bottom and working my way up to number one (click the links to read the available script reviews in depth):
Get Out (2017)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
The Social Network (2010)
Parasite (2019)
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Moonlight (2016)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Almost Famous (2000)
Memento (2000)
Adaptation (2002)
Bridesmaids (2011)
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Sideways (2004)
Lady Bird (2017)
Her (2013)
Children of Men (2006)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Michael Clayton (2007)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
Promising Young Woman (2020)
Juno (2007)
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Arrival (2016)
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Inside Out (2015)
The Departed (2006)
Spotlight (2015)
Whiplash (2014)
Up (2009)
Mean Girls (2004)
WALL-E (2008)
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
Inception (2010)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Before Sunset (2004)
In Bruges (2008)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
A Serious Man (2009)
Amélie (2001)
Toy Story 3 (2010)
The Favourite (2018)
Zodiac (2007)
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Even if it is very English-centric and mostly leans Hollywood, the WGA’s 101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century (*so far) is still a wide-ranging and comprehensive list of screenplays absolutely worth checking out, whether one is an up-and-coming screenwriter or an established screenwriter. It has a good mix of comedy, drama, action, and more (sadly, it only has one horror entry, even if it is number one on the list); what they share in common is good storytelling told with great writing.
This is what the Script By Line Substack is about: it’s my effort to carefully parse through what makes each script deserve a place on this list. What makes them special or not special; why they are ranked at a certain position versus another script. I wanted to incorporate what I learnt into my own screenwriting efforts, and I wanted to share what I learned. Mostly, though, I wanted to prove that no matter how sophisticated these AI programs became, what makes great screenplays still resonate- such as the 101 screenplays on this list- is the undeniable human touch.
Join me on this journey and let’s look at what makes a screenplay worthy of being great.