I!'s 100 Posts, 100 Baits: The List #70-61

Narrator: Please welcome tonight, for the next segment of the Top 100, Zgamer.

(Zgamer walks to the center of the scene)

Zgamer: Well, looks like it’s time for another ten baits to get the recognition they deserve. You know, as we get closer to the end of the list, it gets harder and harder to decide what movies deserve to make the top spots. Thankfully, we are able to announce these next great baits right now. So let’s kick off the night with a bait that helped Maia on her way to success with Bootleg. No, it’s not Arabic Café we’re talking about right now. It’s A Child of Shame.

Daniel: This is one of Maia's best baits. This shows a real strength in baiting female characters as both Keener and Watts could really do wonders with these roles. This is a crowning achievement in Maia's flawless collection of baits.

Narrator: Released back in February of 2007, A Child of Shame opened to mostly favorable reviews and landed on many predictions and Top 10 lists. While not the most praised, it was one of the favorite adapted baits of the month. Most people praised it for its baity story and likable cast.

Michael: While I think it's a bit overrated, it was full of great acting roles.

Narrator: What the bait lacked in great reviews, it made up for it with awards love. After a good number of nods and two Golden Globe wins, it made it big at the final awards. Landing at #2 at the final list and earning two wins for its title and lead actress Catherine Keener, it ended up a winner.

Title Card: The #70 bait is…

A CHILD OF SHAME

Zgamer: The next bait on our list comes from all the way back August 2006. Jamie Madden hasn’t been incredibly active lately, but this bait remains one of his best. So prepare to experience the flavor of I Do Solemnly Swear.

Michael: I'm really glad that this made the list. I think it's really underrated and was one of my favorites back in August.

Narrator: Though a likable bait, it’s reception was not the greatest. Aside from Pat, many authors didn’t give it a great reception. However, most people gave great comments for lead star Eckhart and the overall attitude of the bait.

Daniel: I must say, this is a surprising, but welcome, addition to the list. This is an extremely sweet and funny bait. Aaron Eckhart could really excel in this role.

Narrator: I Do Solemnly Swear didn’t receive a great reception at the Oscars, but it got a good amount of nominations and placed #17 of the month.

Title Card: The #69 bait is…

I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR

Zgamer: This next bait is the one that started the series Brian would make a name off of. We’ve already inducted Vol. II on the list, now it’s time to bring Fresh Heir Vol. I into the fold.

Michael: This kicked off the most sucessful trilogy in contest history and is a great political story.

Narrator: Released way back in June of 2006, this volume of the bait was the one that helped Brian earn the popularity of the authors and his success in the month with his bait Contemporary Comedy. With the praise for its originality, great cast and competent crew, Fresh Heir Vol. I was the start of something big.

Daniel: This started one of, if not the, most successful series ever in the contest. It is certainly my favorite series. This was a highly original story and I remember not knowing what to think when I read it for the first time. Then I realized I loved it. Volumes II and III proved to be just as good if not better.

Narrator: Fresh Heir didn’t win anything that month, but it earned plenty of nods and placed #13 in the month. If anything, the most notable thing this bait did, other than be great, was help pave the way for Vol. II and III.

Title Card: The #68 bait is…

FRESH HEIR VOL. I

Zgamer: Our next bait is considered by many to be one of Daniel’s best. Released back in January of 2007, this bait told a compelling story about one person’s battle with the rare disease known as aphasias. This is the story of E.L.

Daniel: Even in the bait's first stages, Betty White was always going to play E.L. Hughes. This idea came to me when I was thinking back on a Biology course that I had taken. My teacher had spoken about aphasias and their effects. That was my main inspiration for this bait and it is one of my favorites of all my work.

Narrator: E.L. opened to very favorable reviews from the get-go, with praises for its well picked cast and crew, along with its nicely developed characters and story progression. Though it had plenty of competition from baits like Sandstorm, it was able to stand on its own and make a name for itself.

Michael: I think that this is one of the most forgotten baits of all-time, but it's one of my favorites. It was a bit of a comeback for Daniel after a few off months and Betty White was a fantastic choice. A great bait overall.

Narrator: E.L. earned plenty of love from reviews and precursors, so it was given that it would gain good reception at the Oscars. Though it didn’t win best picture, the bait won well deserved awards for best casting choice and a win for supporting actor Bill Nighly.

Title Card: The #67 bait is…

E.L.

Zgamer: This next bait was the turning point in Bryce’s career. Released in May of 2007, this interesting story of a town controlled by gangsters won the attention of many in what was considered a weak month. So let us examine the story of The Guy Who Owned the Store.

Michael: I really think this bait kind of missed the mark. It's a great story, but I didn't like it when I first read it as much as I love it now. One of the baits that is better in memory.

Narrator: The Guy Who Owned the Store opened to good reviews. Most people praised its likable cast and compelling story. Most of all, people praised that it was Bryce’s first biggest step into the ways of professional baiting.

Daniel: I remember reading this at the film festival. I liked it but wasn't completely wowed. When I read the bait for a second time during the month's competition, I saw what all the buzz was about. This is a great story. I've come to love this bait and everything about it is spot on.

Narrator: The Guy Who Owned the Store garnered many nods over the month and even though it didn’t win much, it helped push the bait to a best picture nod. While it only won for Bryce’s unique online campaign, its main victory was for solidifying Bryce as a competent and serious contender among the authors.

Title Card: The #66 bait is…

THE GUY WHO OWNED THE STORE

Zgamer: Alright, we’re halfway through tonight’s segment. And the next bait is a good way to continue the momentum. The sequel to Connor’s hit The Breadwinner, Paravana’s Journey made just as much of a splash to make it a hit back in October of 2006.

Daniel: The sequel to the wildly successful "The Breadwinner" was a hit. I loved the whole series. This was a great second part. This was very buzzed when it was announced and was liked then. Apparently it is still liked now.

Narrator: Paravana’s Journey opened to great reviews that month. While it had a lot of competition from such classics as Live From New York, iLife and The Bang-Bang Club, it garnered raves for star Keisha Castle Hughes and just being a quality sequel.

Michael: It may not have been as good as The Breadwinner, but it is still a fantastic bait.

Narrator: Hughes earned lots of recognition for her performance, earning a trifecta of nominations in all the precursors. Though she didn’t win and the bait wasn’t recognized with any wins, it still remains a winner in the hearts of many.

Title Card: The #65 bait is…

PARVANA’S JOURNEY

Zgamer: I think this next bait really speaks to many of the authors just because it’s kind of relatable to our situation. It’s a story of people across the U.S. who bond through a common medium: the internet. Yep, it’s Matt’s August 2006 fan favorite Internet Connection.

Michael: While I'm not to surprised that this bait is so far down on the list, this is still one of my favorite baits of all time. Full of a great cast and great relationships, it made me an instant Matt fan.

Narrator: Internet Connection opened to a mixed reaction. While many praised its highly likable cast and characters, some complained about its possible troubles translating into a real movie. However, that didn’t distract it from being a popular pick.

Daniel: As I've said on many occasions, this is one of my all time favorite baits. I did a special on this bait on the forums not too long ago. The characters in this story are so rich and original. Everything about this it a hit. Unfortunately missing out on the top award, this was the rightful winner of August 2006.

Narrator: True to Daniel’s statement above, Internet Connection did not receive a nod for best picture that month. However, it lives on through being the contest’s first winner for the Golden Globes best picture drama (tied with the big winner Photograph), its placing as #13 of the month and its support from its fans.

The #64 bait is…

INTERNET CONNECTION

Zgamer: When people think of Harry, a lot of thoughts come to mind. He was one of the contest’s most unique and slightly aggravating author’s during its start. Many didn’t take him seriously at first, seeing him as nothing more than a second rate young foreign writer. This bait, however, changed that. So let us explore September 2006’s Between Elephants and Mice.

Daniel: This was Harry's first big hit. Not to offend but his earlier works were not deemed very high quality. This is the bait that showed that Harry really could crank out an amazing bait. I loved this one when it came out. Laura Linney really was great casting.

Narrator: While it wasn’t a complete critical darling, the bait did get many praises for being Harry’s comeback bait after his first few flops. Most praised its appropriate style as a Woody Allen film and nice cast.

Michael: I remember when I first read this bait, I thought "Wow, that would make a great film" and I stand by that today. This was a truly great bait.

Narrator: Between Elephants and Mice received a good following at the Golden Globes, earning a screenplay nod and win (like many Allen films). It’s Oscar reception wasn’t huge, but the film did manage to earn an award for its original lead character and place #7 in the month. Most of all though, this bait won Harry his first bits of respect to help save his reputation and help him write baits like Destiny.

Title Card: The #63 bait is…

BETWEEN ELEPHANTS AND MICE

Zgamer: We’re very close to our last few baits of the night, so let’s keep the train rolling. Back around August of 2006, a new author named Tony arrived to the scene. With one bait to his name after that month, he continued on to the next with no enthusiasm of the authors. Little did we know that this new author would write a bait that would cement his status as both a very dark author and a very skilled author. This is his September 2006 bait The Iniquity Beyond.

Michael: I loved this bait. When I first read it I was extremely confused, but after re-reading about a week later, it quickly became one of my favorite baits.

Narrator: Like Michael above, some were unprepared for Tony’s style when this bait released. However, Iniquity Beyond quickly found an audience among the respected authors of the competition, earning praise for its quality writing and uniqueness.

Daniel: This is one of the most original ideas to ever come through the contest. Unfortunately, this missed out on a Best Picture nomination that it so badly deserved. This bait established Tony as a great writer in the contest and rightfully so. This is a great bait.

Narrator: Like Daniel said, Iniquity Beyond just barely missed a BP nod, placing #6 in the month. This bait still thrived though, earning a GG win for lead Eric Bana, a tagline win at the Oscars and giving Tony praise to continue writing great baits.

Title Card: The #62 bait is…

THE INIQUITY BEYOND

Zgamer: We have reached the last bait of the night. We’ve had quite a variety of baits here so far, from dark dramas to Woody Allen comedies to political thrillers. This next one appropriately shakes the list up a little. An interesting biopic on the life of sex symbol Clara Bow, The It Girl surprised many back in August of 2006 with its blunt but appropriate storytelling and interesting cast. This is its story.

Daniel: This is an amazing character piece. In an extremely competitive month for Best Actresses, this role stood out. If made into an actual film, this would win Best Actress from every critics group in America.

Narrator: The It Girl opened to much praise from the authors. In a month filled with high profile biopics, this one found an audience with its Oscar friendly story, cast and crew.

Michael: While I think it is a bit overrated, it is a great Best Actress vehicle.

Narrator: Though the bait lost out in the final ceremony, it didn’t go completely unnoticed. The bait earned plenty of nods for its lead star Jena Malone and became one of D.W.’s biggest early hits. This bait helped him continue on with stories like The World’s Longest Suicide.

Title Card: The #61 bait is…

THE IT GIRL

Zgamer: So comes the end of an eventful night. There will be a recap at the end of this paragraph for those who may not have a long enough memory to recall all the baits. So until next time, I’m Zgamer and have a good night.

70. A Child of Shame
69. I Do Solemnly Swear
68. Fresh Heir Vol. I
67. E.L.
66. The Guy Who Owned the Store
65. Parvana’s Journey
64. Internet Connection
63. Between Elephants and Mice
62. The Iniquity Beyond
61. The It Girl