Genre: ThrillerSynopsis: A man’s fiance is kidnapped into the depths of New York’s subway tunnels.About: Recently sold specWriter: Jeremy W. Soule It’s time for a weekend kidnapping sandwich! Today I’ll be reviewing the recently sold “Gone” (at least I think it sold), and then Monday the recently sold “Layover.” And no, “Layover” is not a [...]
Genre: DramaSynopsis: A group of individuals battle with what happens in the afterlife.About: This is the Clint Eastwood/Steven Spielberg project.Writer: Peter Morgan Hmm, what do you say about Hereafter? I heard there was a “supernatural” element to the script, and that’s what intrigued me, but the truth is the supernatural plays a very tiny role [...]
Genre: ComedySynopsis: A group of friends decide to go on an adventure to stifle a quarter-life crisis.About: This is that million dollar spec that sold with Superbad star Jonah Hill as one of the writers. Not sure if he’s attached to star (though I assume he is) and whether that had any influence in the [...]
Genre: Comedy Synopsis: A college kid is forced to babysit a very strange family for an evening. About: Big spec script that sold a few weeks ago. Writers: Brian Gatewood & Allesandro Tanaka Noah, 21, is a loser. He’s a fuck-up. He does not have it going on. He’s been suspended from college, is flat [...]
Genre: DramedySynopsis: 5 strangers get stuck at the airport together.About: Yes, this is the infamous “remake” of The Breakfast ClubWriter: Lizzy Weiss Okay I have a suggestion to the people realeasing this film. Do not, under any circumstances, let any media print that this is in any way related to The Breakfast Club. Like me. [...]
Next week I promise to read three of the newer spec scripts out there. Expect a review of a particularly large actor’s recent sale, something that revolves around what you’d do on a couch, and possibly a script being produced by two industry titans. I can’t wait!
Genre: Political SatireSynopsis: A down-and-out political fundraiser will do anything to get his candidate elected president.About: Berger (the son of President Clinton’s National Security Adviser Sandy Berger) wrote the script after interviewing professional fundraisers in Washington and Los Angeles.Writer: Alex Berger “The Office goes to Washington.” Let me let you in on a little secret [...]
Genre: Romantic Comedy Synopsis: A bald overweight TSA screener, Kirk, somehow lands Molly, the most beautiful girl ever. About: Despite Kirk’s description as “bald and overweight”, Judd Apatow alum Jay Baruchel will be playing the lead in this. God are these Freaks and Geeks guys kissing the ground that Apatow walks on or what? There [...]
Genre: DramaSynopsis: An upper-class New York family of five bratty sisters must fight for their father’s inheritence.About: Taxonomy of Barnacles is an adaption from the novel of the same name.Writer: Amy Lippman adapting Galt Neiderhoffer’s novel. Now I’m going to go on a little rant here so hang with me. I hate book adaptations. When [...]
Genre: Thriller/Horror?Synopsis: A woman gets lost in the Everglades.About: A Nicholl’s quarterfinalist. Writer: Leif Lindhjem Give. Me. A. Break. Look, I hate to bash a writer who’s just starting his career. But this wasn’t enjoyable. It wandered. It meandered. It had no idea what it was. Can I just make a statement? Can I make [...]
Genre: Action-Adventure/Sci-FiSynopsis: A down-on-his-luck scientist finds a way to travel into an alternate universe.About: Brad Silbering is directing. The guy who, I believe, did Lemony Snicket.Writers: Chris Henchey & Dennis McNicholas Can I just say how much I hate the 70s? Can I just say how much I hate when people try to make fun [...]
Synopsis: Super soldiers fight a secret war against each other. I think. About: They actually made a G.I. Joe movie. The Mummy’s Steven Sommers has been allowed out of movie jail to direct it. And I was so hoping he would do Van Helsing 2. Writers: Stuart Beattie, Revisions by John Lee Hancock and Brian [...]
Synopsis: The most important people in the world are dying mysterious deaths. Someone is predicting them each and every time.About: Karma Coalition is the kind of spec that sparks outrage. A lot of people thought this was a sloppily executed high concept story. I say…they’re wrong! (well sorta)Writer: Shawn Christensen I am a sucker for [...]
About: FUCK THIS SCRIPTWriter: Christopher Nolan – Revisions by Michael Stokes (novel by Ruth Rendell) I really hated this script. Like hated it. For the record, I’m one of the few people who thought The Dark Knight wasn’t very good. My problems with it were at the script stage. I felt there were way too [...]
Synopsis: An anti-love story.About: This played at Sundance ’08 and stars Zooey Deschenal and Joseph Gordon Levitt.Writer: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber 500 Days Of Summer (Summer is the female character by the way) is a film that, dare I say, a young Woody Allen might have written. It took me awhile to understand [...]
Synopsis: Guy with amnesia wakes up on a train. The train may or may not be a target in a terrorist attack. Sci-fi. About: Source Code is very much like the Denzel Washington vehicle “Deja-Vu”. But, you know, actually good. Writer: Ben Ripley Wow. Wow wow wow wow wow. I absolutely freaking LOVED this script. [...]
About: Tis an artsy film with a nod towards The Squid And The Whale. Totally out of left field and a unique read. Writer: Ann Cherkis Man Under is a rather odd story about a family from Yonkers that’s all sorts of fucked up. Stephen, the father, lives in the basement and refuses to talk [...]
About: I know nothing about “Kept” other than that it showed up at my door with a note. “Read this or die.” I decided I wanted to live so I read it. Writer: Jayson Rothwell Review: Have you ever gone out with a girl who’s physically out of your league? And you two are moseying [...]
About: This edgy comedy – the third from Mike Judge – supposedly stars Ben Affleck. I must be the bearer of bad news however. Affleck is not the one who gets his balls chopped off. Writer: Mike Judge Poor little Mike Judge. The marketing campaign for possibly the funniest movie ever had exactly one laugh [...]
Info: Every once in awhile I like to close my eyes, reach into my pile of scripts, and pull something out. I don’t look at the title. I don’t look at the writer. I want to go in completely ignorant and judge the writing for the writing. Sometimes you get lucky. Other times, you get [...]
