I's 100 Posts, 100 Baits #40-31

Narrator: Foaming at the mouth with anticipation? Ready to stone those in charge of the ceremony? Well, it’s now time for the next section of I’s 100 Posts, 100 Baits Ceremony. Here’s your host for the night, Zgamer!

(Zgamer walks up to the screen in a nice suit as he adjusts his tie)

Zgamer: Hello fellow baiters and readers. Due to massive quantities of homework, Michael is not able to do this section. While he has promised to do the next one due to free time next week, I wish to comfort the readers by informing them I will keep myself on standby in case he cannot pull through. Also, I’m getting ready for my Homecoming date tonight, so that is for my rather fancy apparel. However, I still have time for my fellow cinema fanatics and aspiring Hollywood writers.

(Walks into the Hall of Baiting)

Zgamer: We’ve seen a lot of baits through the course of the ceremony. From political dramas to adaptations of Broadway hits to box-office juggernauts, the list has been diverse and extremely prestigious. However…(indicates a row of blank spaces)… more is needed. So we now bring you the next ten spots on our list. We start with another bait written by the incomparable Tony. Back in March of 2007, Tony released a peculiar but widely acclaimed bait that would continue to cement his gradually increasing praise. With a unique plot, great casting and an inspired director pick, this was one of the first great Arronofsky films. So be prepared to experience the Flashes.

Michael: Almost everything about this bait is perfect, but not something I would ever want to see in theaters.

Narrator: Flashes opened to a mostly positive acclaim. While some criticized its grammar and strangeness, most everyone found something good about the bait. The most frequent praise was for its originality, director and for lead character Edward Norton.

Daniel: This is one of the most original stories that the contest has ever seen. I really don't know what else to say except that this bait is unbelievably imaginative and one of the best in the contest.

Narrator: Flashes enjoyed a good amount of precursor praise, with many nominations and a GG win for Norton. Oscar time proved less favorable. Despite strong nominations, Flashes walked away with only a #8 ranking. However, its influence and popularity is still strong to this day.

Title Card: The #40 bait is…

FLASHES

Zgamer: This next bait is considered one of the most controversial baits of all time. However, it’s not for its subject matter. It’s for its lack of baityness. When James Somerton released this bait back April of 2007, he faced some hellfire from some of the more Oscar-focused authors. However, a small fanbase supporting the bait soon propelled it to acclaim all around. With its great cast, unique plot structure and overall quality, this is considered one of the best un-baity baits of all time and pretty much coined un-baity in our vocabulary. This is The Vampire Lestat.

Michael: This is definitely among the best of James Somerton baits. It proved that you don't have to be baity to be good.

Narrator: The Vampire Lestat opened to great acclaim. While some held a grudge against it for its non-Oscar friendly subject, most praised it as the adapted bait frontrunner of the month. Most comments went to its synopsis and lead star Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

Daniel: "The Vampire Lestat" is the best example, ever, of a bait with almost no baity qualities becoming a hit with awards. Written perfectly and with a very solid cast and crew, "The Vampire Lestat" is the best first person synopsis ever.

Narrator: The debates on baity vs. unbaity hurt Lestat’s precursor run, with no nominations in any of the three precursors. However, the Oscars surprised everyone when Lestat’s name appeared on many nomination categories, including an unexpected best picture nod. Then it really surprised people by winning best plot/synopsis, most likely to become a cult film, best adapted screenplay and placing #5 in the month. A great example that quality can triumph over sucking up.

Title Card: The #39 bait is…

THE VAMPIRE LESTAT

Zgamer: Comedy is usually not a field the Oscars like to reward. However, this bait managed to pull off enough acclaim and praise for its quality, its unique story, crew and great lead casting. Released back in October of 2007 by Al, this remains one of his most popular baits. Just goes to show that bashing this bait is No Way To Treat A First Lady.

Michael: One of my favorite comedic baits of all-time and I think this is one of the few baits that would still do well in the contest today.

Narrator: No Way To Treat A First Lady opened to a decent amount of acclaim. While unfortunately overshadowed by big hits like iLife, The Bang-Bang Club and Live From New York, this bait slowly but steadily built a strong fan base thanks to its unique plot, inspired director choice and superb casting of Kevin Spacey and Meryl Streep.

Daniel: Choosing Alexander Payne to direct this was a fantastic move. Meryl Streep is near perfect casting and Kevin Spacey is great as well. I would like to believe that this film will one day be made and when it is it should be cast and crewed exactly as Al did. This is one of the funniest baits in the contest.

Narrator: No Way To Treat A First Lady enjoyed a great precursor run, with wins at the GG for best picture and best actress in a comedy. At the Oscars, it only won a #11 rank in the month, but it did manage to garner a great fan base that holds the bait high to this day.

Title Card: The #38 bait is…

NO WAY TO TREAT A FIRST LADY

Zgamer: Pat is one of the contest’s most respected baiters. He has been with us since the first month and always surprises us with a new bait that is baity and quality filled. So when it was time to crown him with a best picture win, it was for one that was well deserved. This bait, packed with a great plot, crew and cast, remains one of his best. This is Photograph.

Michael: I really liked some of the things about this bait, but I can't say it's one of my favorites. Still, it was very deserving for Pat to win Best Picture for the bait.

Narrator: Photograph opened to much praise despite being in one of the most competitive months ever seen in the contest’s history. While some were tired of seeing Paul Haggis in yet another bait, they praised Photograph for doing a Haggis story the right way. Most of the other comments went to the unique story and the all star cast.

Daniel: For all of those baiters who strive to write the perfect ensemble bait, "Photograph" is required reading. It is, to this day, the best Paul Haggis bait ever and the most likely story that Haggis would write. I loved all of the casting when it was released and I am even fonder of it now. It's one of the best ensemble baits ever.

Narrator: Photohgraph was the first winner of the newly established GG’s best picture drama. Come Oscar time, it surprised everyone by sweeping many major awards. Along with its BOTM win, Photograph scored awards for best plot/synopsis, best original screenplay and an award for lead actor Phillip S. Hoffman. One of the best ensemble baits on the site.

Title Card: The #37 bait is…

PHOTOGRAPH

Zgamer: This next bait was one of Brian’s biggest baity hits he’s written. Released back in April of 2007, he took biopics to a new level with his look at the life of dictator Joseph Stalin. With an amazing cast and unique take on the topic, this was a truly great bait. So let’s experience Faded Red.

Michael: I absolutely adore this bait, it is fantastic on every level and it's a shame it didn't win Best Picture back in April.

Narrator: Faded Red opened to a good amount of praise in April. In a very competitive month, it managed to make a name for itself for being one of the few actually baity stories. Most praised its quality writing and great casting of major players Geoffrey Rush, Rachel Weitz and Gary Sinise.

Daniel: When I first heard about Geoffrey Rush being cast as Stalin, I was a little upset because I planned on baiting Rush to a Best Supporting Actor award as Jerry Garcia for my Grateful Dead bait. But once I read the bait, I read it before it was released, I didn't care anymore. The casting of this bait is what really impresses me. The Rachel Weisz description in the awards campaign is just excellent. It is the kind of part in a movie that would pull a Judi Dench and win for a very limited time on screen.

Narrator: Faded Red scored precursor wins across the board, with wins in all three precursors for stars Rush and Weitz. The acclaim didn’t stop there, as the Oscars proved favorable for the bait. Along with the expected wins for Rush and Weitz, the bait also picked up a win for its awards campaign and placed #3 in the month. It also helped Brian pick up a best author prize. One of the best biopics of 2007.

Title Card: The #36 bait is…

FADED RED

Zgamer: Adapted stories have a way of being Oscar friendly hits and this next bait is a good example. Written by Gabby back in October of 2007, this bait won acclaim for its Oscar friendly topic, great lead and overall quality. While Gabby is sadly no longer allowed to bait for the contest, The Awakening remains a hit to this day.

Michael: I think this has to be one of the most overrated baits of all-time, but it's very baity.

Narrator: The Awakening opened to great acclaim. While it had many heavy hitters to butt heads with, the bait won praise for its topic and lead star Reese Withersppon.

Daniel: When I first read this bait, I wasn't really all that impressed. I reread it probably four months ago, just because I was curious, and I realized that I must have read the wrong bait the first time because this bait totally deserved all the acclaim it received.

Narrator: The Awakening pulled a double win at the precursors for Witherspoon. It then followed this by surprising folks with a best picture nod and many other nominations. Though it only placed #4 in the month with no other wins, its impact and the eventual ban of Gabby helped increase this bait’s popularity. Worth a read for its uniqueness and for being the last great bait of a talented writer.

Title Card: The #35 bait is…

THE AWAKENING

Zgamer: We have four more baits to award tonight and I am excited to see all of them on the list. Let’s start with the bait most consider Tony’s greatest. Written back in May of 2007, this bait stood out among a generally consider “weak” month for the fact it baited Shyamalan accurately in a good movie. Aided by a unique story and ideal cast, this is one of his best indeed. So let’s enter Tony’s Dominion (the bait, not his blog).

Michael: This may not be one of my favorite baits, but it's pure Tony goodness.

Narrator: Dominion opened to raves across the board. While there was the infrequent naysayer, most praise its originality and just for the fact it did a Shyamalan story right for once.

Daniel: I loved "Dominion" mainly because of how appropriate it was for M. Night Shyamalan. Tony produced something fantastic in this bait. I can honestly say that this is one of the long baits that actually work, and I criticize heavily on baits that are too long and shouldn't be. The whole bait is perfect. This should have won Tony his long overdue Bait of the Month (and he also should have won for The Iniquity Beyond so this should have made him our first double winner).

Narrator: The bait, as with many popular movies, enjoyed much precursor praise, winning best picture and director at the GG’s and many nominations around. Oscar time proved to be very helpful for its cause. Though it lost a very competitive race against Rivalry At 6 P.M. for best picture, it still walked away with wins for most original bait, most original character and a #2 placing for the month. One of the most original stories on the site.

Title Card: The #34 bait is…

DOMINION

Zgamer: When people think about this September 2006 bait, many thoughts arise. Whether its admiration or mixed reactions, this was a bait that eventually proved to be a great vehicle to help Daniel’s career. Though controversial by some opinions for its winning streak, it still was a very well done and unique bait and one of the best Payne stories on the site. Plus, I enjoyed using it as part of my skit for one of the Oscar ceremonies. So enjoy the Ironic Nonfiction.

Michael: I loved this bait ever since it came out. It's a bit out there, but I still love it.

Narrator: Ironic Nonfiction opened to a good amount of acclaim. Though the month wasn’t as competitive as the previous two months, this bait made a name for itself with its quirky story, good director choice and unique but well-chosen cast.

Daniel: This went through many drafts before I actually submitted it. There were many different story lines such as Augustus becoming a contract killer for someone who was holding his parents hostage. I was very happy with the story I chose. Winning Bait of the Year for this bait, while always puzzling to me, was one of the proudest experiences of my life.

Narrator: The precursors were of course favorable to Ironic Nonfiction, as it won best picture and an award for lead Tim Robbins the GG’s. Oscar time, however, took quite a few by surprise. Along with winning the BOTM, it also won awards for its synopsis and a surprise win for supporting star David Bowie. Then Ironic Nonfiction pulled the rug from under our feet by being the first bait to be crowned Bait Of The Year. One of Daniel’s biggest successes yet.

Title Card: The #33 bait is…

IRONIC NONFICTION

Zgamer: A few more to go folks. Up next is a bait I am extremely proud of. When I started my career back in July of 2007, I had no idea what to expect when I submitted my first two baits into the contest. While Metal Gear Solid surprised everyone by proving video games could become good movies, I could not have expected people to enjoy this next bait bait as much as they did. I wrote this bait to express something I felt very deeply about and to help show where I stand on religion, and it was extremely encouraging to discover people admired that. This is A Faith of One.

Narrator: A Faith of One opened to a good amount of praise. While it wasn’t a super critical hit, there were many who praised its quality writing, unique idea and cast.

Daniel: This bait has done what many baits, as much as I have those baits, have not. This bait has stayed with me since the first time I read it. This should have won Bait of the Month in July of 2006. The casting is especially brilliant. I admire Zgamer so very much for this bait.

Michael: It's a great bait that I can see being praised by every critic and winning many Oscars.

Narrator: A Faith of One turned out to be a surprise hit as it unexpectedly garnered a best picture nod in the month. While it lost out on many of its nods, it managed to earn a win for supporting star Jake Gyllenhaal. A unique bait and Zgamer’s first hit.

Title Card: The #32 bait is…

A FAITH OF ONE

Zgamer: We have now reached the last bait of this section. As said, Michael is planned to have the next section up soon, but I will still be here in case he needs help. Anyways, now is he time to announce the #31 bait on our list. Released back September of 2006, this bait proved to be one of Matt’s biggest successes. With an intriguing story and a great cast, Matt scored major points to help him write future successful baits. We now give you Little Miss Murder.

Michael: One of my favorite baits of all-time. Everything about it was perfect in my book. A bit dated and probably wouldn't do well in the contest today, but I still enjoy it as a classic bait.

Narrator: Little Miss Murder opened to a good amount of critical praise. While it had competition from frontrunners Cielo Drive, Ironic Nonfiction and Midnight Mass, this bait made a name for itself with its stellar casting of stars Elle Fanning and especially Cillian Murphy.

Daniel: To be completely honest, this bait never grabbed me all that much but the casting of Cillian Murphy is one that will be forever envious of.

Narrator: Little Miss Murder’s precursor success was mostly dependent on its cast, as it won many awards for star Murphy, Fanning and an eventual ensemble prize at the SAG’s. Then came Oscar time and one of the biggest snubs in the contest’s history. When the names were read off, Murphy and Fanning were nowhere to be found in the supporting field. This hurt the bait’s chances for many wins, but it did manage to earn #8 of the month and win an award for its casting choice of Murphy. One of those underrated baits that can really go places with the right fan base.

Title Card: The #31 bait is…

LITTLE MISS MURDER

Zgamer: And so concludes this portion of the ceremony. From all of us at I’s, we wish you a good day and we hope to have more sections up faster. As I prepare to leave for my Homecoming date soon, here is a recap of this list.

#40- Flashes
#39- The Vampire Lestat
#38- No Way To Treat A First Lady
#37- Photograph
#36- Faded Red
#35- The Awakening
#34- Dominion
#33- Ironic Nonfiction
#32- A Faith of One
#31- Little Miss Murder