James Cameron's nomination from the WGA is just as puzzling as that from the Golden Globes. As Pres. Obama would say, let us be clear:
Avatar's achievement is entirely visual. That Cameron has created a fully immersive, dazzlingly realistic fantasy world is beyond question. But the story itself is pedestrian and derivative. (For those who need convincing,
here is a beat-by-beat comparison of Avatar to Pocahontas). The dialog and characterization are serviceable but nothing more. Cameron did not deserve this nomination for the writing.
I want Neustadter and Weber to win for (500) Days of Summer, easily the most innovative, affecting romantic comedy I have ever seen. In the adapted category I have no preference having seen only "Star Trek", but given the other buzz it's been getting I'd say "Up in the air" is a shoe-in.
But what's "Star Trek" doing in the 'adapted' category? Granted it's based on the series premise by Gene Roddenberry but for me an adaptation should be more tightly based on a prior literary or cinematic work. I don't consider the Star Wars prequels to be an adaptation of the original trilogy, for example.