Tag: screenplays

Week 52

Posted by Leo – January 17, 2011

December 24 – December 31

Films watched: None

Books read: None

Screenplays read:

  1. Please Give – by Nicole Holofcener
  2. Undercover Brother – by John Ridley – 10/24/2000
  3. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle – by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg – 5/28/2003
  4. The Lookout – by Scott Frank – 12/31/1998
  5. The Social Network – by Aaron Sorkin – 5/28/2009

It was a mad dash at the end, but I’m happy to report that I actually completed my main goal of watching 365 films in 2010! I even read 52 scripts! Although I didn’t reach my goal of reading 24 books that have been adapted into movies (I read 16) nor writing a screenplay (I finished the 1st act), I believe I have definitely accomplished a lot more than I would have if I hadn’t set those goals at all.

Looking back, there were quite a few really amazing films I saw in 2010. Many of them were well-known classics such as Tokyo Story or Umberto D, but there were also many new discoveries for me. David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive was certainly a dreamy cinematic experience. Koreeda’s Still Walking is almost like a modern day Ozu film. My car movies phase introduced me to such classics as Vanishing Point, Le Mans, and Two-Lane Blacktop, and my new food obsession took me to the scrumptious Babette’s Feast.

Scott Frank’s The Lookout was a very pleasant discovery, and so was Starting out in the Evening. I saw some films that I had been wanting to see in years, and many of them turned out to be even better than I expected. George Sluizer’s The Vanishing (the original version) is one of the most chilling films I have ever seen. Swingers is thoroughly enjoyable. And A Simple Plan is a first class thriller that deserves to be in the same league as Fargo.

And some of my least favorite movies? Cannonball Run. Catwoman. Everybody Wants to be Italian.

Pick of the Year:

Mulholland Drive

2010:

Total films watched: 365 (in 365 days)

Total books read:  16 (8 to go)

Total screenplays read: 52 (0 to go)

Week 51

Posted by Leo – December 25, 2010

December 17 – December 23

Films watched:

  1. Big Fan (2009)
  2. The Chinese Feast (金玉满堂) (1995)
  3. The Tourist (2010)
  4. The Whole Shebang (2001)
  5. I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)
  6. Going the Distance (2010)
  7. Primal Fear (1996)
  8. Frida (2002)
  9. Three O’Clock High (1987)
  10. Lake Placid (1999)
  11. Camilla (1994)
  12. Single White Female (1992)
  13. Bodies, Rest & Motion (1993)
  14. The Road to Wellville (1994)
  15. A Simple Plan (1998)
  16. Scandal (1989)
  17. Mr. Jealousy (1997)
  18. Chances Are (1989)
  19. Black Swan (2010)
  20. Monsters (2010)
  21. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010)
  22. The Lookout (2007)

Books Read: None

Screenplays Read:

  1. Ocean’s 11 – Screenplay by Ted Griffin – May 31, 2001.
  2. Due Date – Written by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland – March 6, 2009 (Second Draft).
  3. Somewhere – Written by Sofia Coppola.
  4. Easy A – Written by Bert Royal – August 3, 2006.
  5. Chloe - Screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson – July 31, 2008.
  6. Going the Distance – Written by Geoff LaTulippe.

Pick of the Week:

Black Swan


2010:

Total films watched: 365 (in 357 days)

Total books read:  16 (8 to go)

Total screenplays read: 47 (5 to go)

Week 50

Posted by Leo – December 16, 2010

Books Read: None

Screenplays Read:

  1. Gran Torino – written by Nick Schenk – May 5, 2008.
  2. Before Sunset – written by Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke - Aug., 25th, 2003.

Pick of the Week:

Agora

2010:

Total films watched: 343 (in 350 days)

Total books read:  16 (8 to go)

Total screenplays read: 41 (11 to go)

Week 49

Posted by Leo – December 9, 2010

Books Read: None

Screenplays Read:

  1. The Bucket List – written by Justin Zackham – November 29, 2006.
  2. The Kids are All Right – written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg – August 3, 2009.
  3. The Devil Wears Prada – screenplay by Peter Hedges – March 5, 2005.

Pick of the Week:

Broken Embraces

2010:

Total films watched: 328 (in 343 days)

Total books read: 16 (8 to go)

Total screenplays read: 39 (15 to go)

Week 46

Posted by Leo – November 28, 2010

November 12 – November 18

Films watched:

  1. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
  2. Go (1999)
  3. The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
  4. Waiting (2005)

Books Read: None

Screenplays Read:

  1. Ratatouille – written by Brad Bird.

    Pick of the Week:

    Go


    2010:

    Total films watched:  301 (in 322 days)

    Total books read:  15 (9 to go)

    Total screenplays read: 36 (18 to go)

    Week 42

    Posted by Leo – November 22, 2010

    October 15 – October 21

    Films watched:

    1. Kinky Boots (2005)
    2. Stick It (2006)
    3. Il deserto rosso (Red Desert) (1964)
    4. Desperately Seek Susan (1985)
    5. The Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009)
    6. Zoolander (2001)
    7. Adam (2009)
    8. Payback: Straight Up – The Director’s Cut (2006)
    9. Porky’s (1982)

    Books Read: None

    Screenplays Read:

    1. Jennifer’s Body – by Diablo Cody 9/20/2007.
    2. Anchorman – Action News! With Ron Burgundy – by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay 2/26/2003.

    Pick of the Week

    Red Desert

    2010:

    Total films watched: 276 (in 287 days)

    Total books read:  14 (10 to go)

    Total screenplays read: 34 (18 to go)

    Week 40

    Posted by Leo – November 3, 2010

    October 1 – October 7

    Films watched:

    1. Please Give (2010)
    2. Splice (2010)
    3. The Rebound (2009)
    4. Mamma Mia (2008)
    5. Zwartboek (aka Black Book) (2006)
    6. Juno (2007)
    7. Max Manus (2008)
    8. The Special Relationship (2010)
    9. Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (精武風雲－陳真) (2010)

    Books Read: None

    Screenplays Read:

    1. Predators – Screenplay by Robert Rodriguez – 1st Draft, Aug. 2, 1996.
    2. Frost/Nixon – Screenplay by Peter Morgan – 8/24/2007 Draft.

    Films:

    Please Give

    I really like slice of life movies like Please Give, or pretty much anything with Catherine Keener. This movie is similar in style to Nicole Holofcener’s two other movies, Friends with Money and Lovely and Amazing, where the plot is not the really focus. Holofcener prefers to pay more attention to the flawed characters, and the dynamics between them. There is even a Woody Allen-esque feel to her films.

    Splice

    While Splice is certainly a good thriller, there is a deeper level of human emotions (and the questioning of it) that makes it quite a wonderful sci-fi. A bit like a futuristic Frankenstein, the interesting part of the film is human parents/monster child dynamics. I like that the filmmakers are willing to take it far enough to be both shocking and disturbing.

    The Rebound

    I don’t think The Rebound, even with Catherine Zeta Jones as the lead, got a U.S. distribution. It got released in the U.K. though. Compare it with a lot of the recent romantic comedies, it is actually quite sweet and charming for the most part (although the part with toilet humor just does not seem appropriate). However, the plot is entirely predictable.

    Mamma Mia

    Mama Mia is without a doubt a guilty pleasure. Apparently, some of the catchiest pop songs ever made + gorgeous scenery + beautiful people + lots of dancing = Box office gold. What more can you say about Meryl Streep? She is absolutely fabulous again. Pierce Brosnon, on the other hand, is such a terrible singer that it actually adds to the fun of the movie.

    Zwartboek (Black Book)

    Paul Verhoeven’s Black Book has so many twists and turns, betrayals and double betrayals, that there is not a dull moment in its 145 mins running time. It is also quite melodramatic. Carice van Houten is fantastic as the heroine.

    Juno

    I like Juno even more after reading two drafts of Diablo Cody’s script, and watching the film a second time. It helps that it is perfectly cast.

    Max Manus

    Another WWII movie. Max Manus is a well made, if a bit straight forward, account of the Norwegian resistance during World War II. Max Manus is a well known hero in Norway, but I must admit I’ve not heard of him before watching this film. It is always fascinating to learn something new about a culture or history of a country that I do not know much about.

    The Special Relationship

    The third film of the Peter Morgan’s Tony Blair trilogy. The Special Relationship, a HBO film, has many of Morgan’s signature elements. And it is another intriguing and entertaining re-imagination of two high profile public figures.

    Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen

    Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen has an very entertaining and interesting opening in France. But the main story never really gains any momentum. The superhero storyline never develops. There is a lack of character development. And too many unnecessary subplots drags down the movie. Good fight scenes though.

    Screenplays:

    Predators - screenplay by Robert Rodriguez, 1st Draft, Aug.2, 1996

    This 1996 Robert Rodriguez screenplay of Predators has undergone so many rewrites that it is almost completely different from the final movie.

    Frost/Nixon - Screenplay by Peter Morgan - 8/24/2007 Draft.

    Another wonderful screenplay from Peter Morgan.

    Pick of the Week:

    Juno

    2010:

    Total films watched: 256  (in 280 days)

    Total books read:  14 (10 to go)

    Total screenplays read: 31 (21 to go)

    Week 39

    Posted by Leo – October 22, 2010

    September 24 – September 30 Films watched:

    1. Coco avant Chanel (aka Coco Before Chanel) (2009)
    2. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)
    3. Death Proof (2007)
    4. Planet Terror (2007)
    5. Predator (1987)
    6. Predator 2 (1990)
    7. Predators (2010)

    Books Read: None Screenplays Read:

    1. Juno – Screenplay by Diablo Cody – Unknown Draft
    2. Juno – Screenplay by Diablo Cody – Shooting script – Feb. 6, 2007.

    Films:

    Coco Before Chanel

    Coco Before Chanel is a rather conventional biopic, but I was interested in the subject enough to like it. However, I think I would be even more interested if it was about Coco as Chanel. Audrey Tautou displays a cold edge that is very different from Amelie.

    Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

    The main problem I have with this eagerly awaited sequel is that Gordon Gekko is not the main character. It was perfect for him to be the villain and supporting character in the original,  but he is now the reason to see Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, and the film struggles to hold my attention whenever he is not on screen. It doesn’t help that the main storyline and the protagonist are just not interesting enough.

    Death Proof

    Planet Terror

    A homage to 70′s car movies (among many other genres), Quentin Tarrantino’s Death Proof is a lot of fun to watch. I was kind of dreading to see a lot of gore (but that’s actually more of Robert Rodriguez’s thing), but the film never really descends to that level. Tarrantino is more interested in the violence and the intention,  and not just the consequences, which gives this movie an edge over Planet Terror. Rodriguez’s movie is such a gorefest that I just couldn’t really enjoy it. It is supposed to be a homage/parody, but apart from having actors who can act, and expensive action set pieces, is it any better than those cheap grind house movies?

    Predator

    Predator 2

    Predators

    I am going to ignore the Aliens vs Predator nonsense spin-offs and only count these three: Predator, Predator 2, and Predators as the true Predator movies. The original one, with Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a solid 80′s B-movie with an excess of muscles. The second one, set in LA with Danny Glover, doesn’t have the much point and lacks the tension and memorable action scenes in the first one. The newest one, Predators, goes back to the jungle with a cast of interesting characters. The story is paper thin. It’s all about the dynamics of the characters and action sequences. In that regard, it is an enjoyable sequel to the original.

    Screenplays:

    Juno - written by Diablo Cody

    Great read. Cody has such an unique voice. Her dialog is quite brilliant.

    Pick of the Week:

    Death Proof

    2010:

    Total films watched: 239 (in 273 days)

    Total books read:  14 (10 to go)

    Total screenplays read: 29 (23 to go)

    Week 37

    Posted by Leo – September 28, 2010

    September 10 – September 16

    Films watched:

    1. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
    2. Penelope (2006)

    Books Read: None

    Screenplays Read:

    1. Talladega Nights – Screenplay by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay – April 6, 2005 draft.

    Films:

    Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

    Not that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is not at times quite fun to watch, but it is amazing that so much money, talent and energy can go into a project and ends up with something so devoid of any personality. The CGI and the action scenes are expectedly well done. I have never played the game, so I have no idea how much it actually resembles the video game. And I am still a bit unsure of movie adaptation of video games, are we to expect some kind of game play element from the movie? In any case, apart from a few “video game”-esque pan shots, the filmmakers do not seem too concern about that.

    Penelope

    Penelope is sweet and it has some flair in its fashion and art directions. It has a promising premise and the set up is intriguing. The actors are fun to watch. But ultimately, the filmmakers play it too safe and the story becomes just too middle of the road to be memorable.

    Screenplays:

    Talladega Nights - Screenplay by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay

    This draft of the screenplay doesn’t have the buddy character (the John C. Reilly character) yet, and it still lacks something. I like the short intro of Ricky Bobby’s early life in the movie better than taking up several pages of his childhood in this draft of the script.

    Pick of the Week:

    Penelope

    2010:

    Total films watched: 230  (in 259 days)

    Total books read:  13 (11 to go)

    Total screenplays read: 27 (25 to go)

    Week 34

    Posted by Leo – September 18, 2010

    August 20 – August 26 Films watched:

    1. Meet Bill (2007)
    2. The Baxter (2005)
    3. The Damned United (2009)
    4. Alice in Wonderland (2010)

    Books Read: None Screenplays Read:

    1. The Yes Man – Screenplay by Nicholas Stoller. Based on the Book The Yes Man by Danny Wallace. First Draft: February 2nd, 2007.

    Films

    Meet Bill

    Despite a strong cast, Meet Bill is a underwhelming movie. Pretty much all the characters in Meet Bill are underwritten and underdeveloped. The bland protagonist Bill, an underachiever having a mid-life crisis, does not give us much too root for. Aaron Eckhart is probably miscast as the helpless loser.

    The Baxter

    I have never heard the term “Baxter” before, but it apparently means a nice guy who never gets the girl. I vaguely remember this movie coming out at around the same time as The 40 Year Old Virgin, which was very unfortunate, as the nerd in that movie gives us so much more to root for. The nerd in The Baxter is rather dull in comparison, and you almost feel that he deserves not to get the girls. However, there are two good things in the movie: Michelle Williams and Peter Dinklage, who both seem to be able to make any character interesting.

    The Damned United

    The Damned United was one of my favorite films of 2009. And after reading the novel, reading the screenplay, and re-watching the film, I still enjoy it immensely. Screenwriter Peter Morgan makes some creative choices that makes the film more uplifting than David Peace’s novel. The Brian Clough in the film is more ambitious, and full of fire, in contrast to the cynical and weary Clough in the novel.

    Alice in Wonderland

    My biggest problem with the 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland (directed by Tim Burton, screenplay by Linda Woolverton) is that it makes too much sense. One of the pleasures of the novel is its liberty with logic, but this movie version explains and ties everything up so neatly that actually makes it seem like the filmmakers are trying too hard.

    Screenplays

    Yes Man - Screenplay by Nicholas Stoller

    Pick of the Week:

    The Damned United

    2010:

    Total films watched:  223 (in 238 days)

    Total books read: 13 (11 to go)

    Total screenplays read: 26 (26 to go)