I!'s 2nd Annual Top 100 Baits of All Time (#100-91)

Announcer: For over two years, Bait an Oscar has awed, enlightened and entertained audience and authors alike. The concept was simple: create your dream Oscar winning movie. What it became, however, is something for the history books. Ranging from the ensemble dramas to witty satires to whimsical fantasies, the stories written by these authors will surely be the audience and critical darlings they are meant to be. These are truly ‘the greatest films never made”. So without further ado, we bring you I’s Second Annual Top 100 Baits of All Time Tribute Ceremony!

(A montage segment highlights clips from dozens of classic baits)

Announcer: To start us off tonight, we bring you the man in charge. Author of such classics as Jackrabbit and last year’s #1 bait Wackos, it’s Zgamer.

(Zgamer walks through one of the doorways of the Hall of Baiting and faces the camera)

Zgamer: Hello again fellow readers and authors. You know, it’s been a while since we walked down these halls. The memories we shared, the baits we read and the cheers we gave made last year’s event a time to remember.

(The camera zooms out slowly, to reveal a hall filled with blank spots)

Zgamer: But now another year has passed and a new wing has been built. All we need now is to fill it up with more baits. For over three weeks, the Bait an Oscar community sent in ballots with their picks for the greatest baits, actor and directors to ever grace the contest. For now, we’ll start with the traditional Top 100 Baits.

(Points to another hall)

Zgamer: But the actors and directors will have their time come shortly. Now let’s take a seat and welcome the first ten inductees to the new Hall of Baiting Top 100 Baits. Remember, these were voted by the community, so every ranking is final.


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#100

Chris P: July 2007 still remains the best month ever for the contest and when I think about the great batch of baits that month, “Under Fire” definitely is one that comes to mind. It's still probably the best war bait since "Sandstorm" and Ryne did a terrific job gathering together a great all-star cast with standouts like Michelle Williams and Ludacris.

Announcer: Released July 2007, Ryne's sensational war drama, centered around the lives of soldiers in Afghanistan, witnesses the horrors and trauma each person faces fighting the War on Terror and how it affects them and those they love.

Ryne (the bait’s author): I love “Under Fire” because of its simple story about a "Forgotten War" as I make no secret in the bait about how I view it that way. The casting is my personal favorite part of it. I love Colin Hanks in that role along with Chris Bridges, who I feel is an underrated actor. I am honored to have it be in the Top 100.

Announcer: “Under Fire” received a great amount of praise when it released, making most of the Top 10 lists. In addition to placing #5 of the month, it won a well deserved best crew Oscar, along with a good amount of nominations at the SAG awards, and is also hailed as one of the contest's best war dramas.

Bryce: A lot of war movies in real life tend to try and focus on an anti-war/war is useless theme in their movies, and some of the past war baits in the contest have tried implementing this into their bait, but it comes off distracting and a bit preachy. “Under Fire” does not suffer from this, as it actually delivers this theme, and it's own, in a very effective manner that made the bait very memorable.

(#100- UNDER FIRE, WRITTEN BY RYNE)

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#99

Chris P: December 2007 wasn't really a terrific month for baits but “Reminiscence” was one that stood out that month. I think mainly because the story is baity, Mel Gibson's direction was superb, and the leading performance by Paddy Considine was great.

Announcer: Released in December 2007, Tony surprised everyone with this haunting first person account of a man who is captured by the British and condemned to a Indonesian prison. We then experience the man’s attempt to survive while experiencing horrors like he hasn’t seen before.

Ryne: “Reminiscence” reads just like actually memoir entries of the main character which in Bait an Oscar's case doesn't offer enough to make a film, but Tony does a fantastic job with the press section at offering glimpses into what happens outside the cell walls. The press section paints the real picture of what “Reminiscence” would look like on screen and that is something rarely found in this contest.

Announcer: “Reminiscence” met with great praise from the forum, with people pointing out director Gibson’s handling and the stellar cast in particular. Oscar time was particularly kind to the film, awarding it #3 Bait of the Month and awards for Original Screenplay and Original Bait. Add the film’s great precursor run to the mix and you have one of Tony’s most harrowing and acclaimed baits ever.

Bryce: First person point of view is used a lot these days, and this bait is a great example of how it should be used. By putting us in the shoes of the main character, Tony was able to make the audience relate to the character's problem, motive, and emotions; while delivering a very intriguing and engrossing story.

(#98- REMINISCENCE, WRITTEN BY TONY)

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#98

Chris P: I remember I first learned about the contest in March of 2007 and “Wicked” was one of the most buzzed about baits of that month. Choosing Menzel and Chenoweth as the two lead witches would definitely be approved by major fans of the musical and the rest of the cast were pretty interesting choices as well. Cuaron, though not the conventional director choice, seemed to fit with the epic and adventurous landscape of Oz.

Announcer: Based on the popular theater musical of the same name, “Wicked” (March 07), written by Al, was based in the world we all saw in “The Wizard of Oz”, but showed everyone there much more going on in Oz than we could of guessed. While “Wicked” had been done before in 2006, Al decided to adapt the stage version rather than go through the original book to give a new experience to the bait.

Ryne: I haven't seen the play so Al did a terrific job at painting the picture at what happened before Dorothy dropped in. Alfonso Cuaron is the perfect choice of director for this film

Announcer: Released in March 2007, the bait was met with huge praise from fans and newcomers alike, coming in at # 2 of the month. The bait won four Oscars for its Awards Campaign, Box Office Potential, Adapted Screenplay and Chenoweth’s electric performance. This remains to this day one of the most acclaimed musicals in Bait an Oscar history.

Bryce: Everything that was great about the source material, and the musical was in this bait. Al was successfully able to capture the brilliance of “Wicked”, and make us escape into a world we knew, yet knew nothing about.

(#98- WICKED (March 07), WRITTEN BY AL)

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#97

Chris P: “The Great Fitzgerald” is the definition of baity. By 2006's standards, most casts were filled with big named stars so that's pretty understandable and the story, ensemble, and crew are some things that would guarantee real Academy Awards.

Announcer: Released in July 2006, “The Great Fitzgerald” brought a scrutinizing eye to the life of “The Great Gatsby” writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. The man’s personal problems, rocky love life and various roadblocks were all brought to life through the talents of the late Anthony Minghella and his all star cast.

Ryne: “The Great Fitzgerald” is the original ensemble piece in Bait an Oscar. In terms of the contest now, the cast might seem "bloated" but I love every aspect of it. Tom delves into F. Scott Fitzgerald's life and shows the difficulty in the way he lived. The Press Section is one for the ages, expanding on the synopsis while successfully baiting his actors. In my mind, the title is what really stands out. It is the perfect title if this movie would ever be made. Tom truly deserved to win Bait of the Month for this and I can only imagine what he would do in today's contest.

Announcer: “The Great Fitzgerald” managed to stand out amongst a crowded month, receiving its share of love and support from many of today’s biggest authors. The bait came somewhat as a surprise at Oscar time, winning Bait of the Month and Awards Campaign amongst heavy competition. Though the ensemble drama has lost some of its power nowadays, this remains one of the best.

Bryce: In a time when almost all of today's expert authors were total noobs and wrote baits that had many writing problems, “The Great Fitzgerald” stood out like a sore thumb. The writing can be compared to the writings of today, and became an instant classic

(#97- THE GREAT FITZGERALD, WRITTEN BY TOM HOUSEMAN)

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#96

Ryne: The thing that makes “Little Miss Murder” so good is its ability to make its audience feel a specific way. We feel sad when we are supposed to and we feel confused when we are supposed to. Its like we are characters in the baits itself.

Announcer: Released in September 2006, “Little Miss Murder” followed the lives of the infamous Ramsey family and the trial against John Mark Kerr for the death of one of their own. Many still find this bait a powerful read, thanks to support from “Capote’s” Bennett Miller and his stellar cast.

Chris P. A story like this would really be hard to tell but I think performances from someone like Susan Sarandon and direction by Bennett Miller would elevate something like this to Academy Award level work.

Announcer: Matt's bait soon became a huge forum favorite, winning a best ensemble at the SAG awards and garnering continued love for stars Cillian Murphy and Elle Fanning. However, many were stunned that both were omitted from the Oscar shortlists. Nevertheless, the bait found success with a win for Murphy’s Casting Choice and a spot at #8 of the month.

Bryce: Bait an Oscar has a lot of baits that tackle very controversial topics, and most, depending on how controversial, are met with negative reviews. This, however, did not apply with “Little Miss Murder”, which was handled its topic in a very appropriate manner to make it a great bait.

(#96- LITTLE MISS MURDER, WRITTEN BY MATT)

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#95

Ryne: The cool thing about “iLife” is the message it sends warning about how technology is slowly taking over daily life. It is one of the few baits in the contest to actually send a message to its readers while still being entertaining enough to not roll your eyes. The characters created are superb and it would make a great movie if actually made.

Announcer: Released in October 2006, Brian Erickson’s futuristic ensemble comedy pokes fun at the tale of various individuals and how technology has influenced their lives. Whether it’s the family whose mother tries to encourage time without it or quirky characters who thrive on its potential, the scenarios here are priceless.

Chris P: This was released during the time ensemble casts were the rage but I think that's really not an issue. The story and crew is really what stands out. Just a really fun idea.

Anouncer: “iLife” was met with great success from the get-go, earning unanimous praise for its originality and director choice. After a great precursor run, the bait became an Oscar favorite. Though narrowly beaten out for BOTM, it still ranked #2 of the month and earned awards for Most Original Bait and Original Screenplay. Among the baits from Brian’s first winning streak, this stands as the pinnacle.

Bryce: An ensemble with a great cast and crew, that was oozing with originality and was greatly written. It's one of the contest’s best ensembles that is hard to forget.

(#94- ILIFE, WRITTEN BY BRIAN ERICKSON)

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#94

Bryce For a long while, “Freak Show” was my absolute favorite bait of all time. I just love the uniqueness and originality of the bait. The story was so awkward but brilliantly delivered, and Tony was able to just hammer in how this bait would appear as a movie in your mind with his great writing and great press section. The characters were not only interesting, but just characters you really couldn't find anywhere else on the big screen. The crew was pitch perfect, and the cast was equal amount perfect. Reading this bait back in 2006, you knew Tony was going to be a force to reckon with in the future.

Announcer: Released in November 2006, Tony's classic followed a group of quirky and unusual characters in an effort to find the PERFECT clown. Helmed by mockumentary giant Christopher Guest, he extracts a bevy of laughs from powerful and unique ensemble.

Chris P: A very funny and hilarious ensemble comedy that was creative, fun, and really well written. I loved the fact that Tony used Christopher Guest and didn't use his usual stars (Catherine O' Hara, Eugene Levy, etc.) and used actors who really fit their parts.

Announcer: The bait became a huge hit thanks to its SAG winning ensemble, with such names as Hugh Laurie and Wayne Brady garnering the most acclaim, and is known as innovative author Tony's breakthrough bait. It went on to become the #4 bait of November 2006 and won an Oscar for its quirky Original Screenplay.

Ryne: “Freakshow” is a true Christopher Guest comedy, which is hard to pull off in this contest. Tony has the ability to show us the characters and let ourselves play out the moments in our head, which is difficult to do.

(#94- FREAK SHOW, WRITTEN BY TONY)

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#93

Chris P: “Cigarette Burns” has the same spirit of something like "Bootleg" or "Buzzed". It's a funny bait set in the movie business and its very well cast. Mary Louise Parker delivered one hell of a performance and it's a shame she wasn't nominated at the Oscars. It was just the beginning of the greatest comedy trilogy ever and Ben really set the standards of how Hollywood satires and comedies should be written.

Announcer: The first installment in Ben's famous "Hollywood Sucks" Trilogy, “Cigarette Burns” followed a mis-understood actress trying to get out of the film business by screwing up the films she has to be involved with. Directed by Paul Weitz and featuring a star performance by Mary-Louise Parker, this bait was chucked full of laughs throughout.

Bryce: A Bait with a great concept, and paved the way for one of my favorite trilogies of all time. The bait had an inspiring crew, and likeable cast. It’s really one of the contest’s comedy gems.

Announcer: Released in December 2006, this bait kick-started what became one of the best trilogies of the contest, and ended up becoming a forum hit. After a successful precursor run that nabbed Parker a Golden Globe, the film placed #7 of the month and won Oscars for Original Character and Tagline.

Ryne: Cigarette Burns was the perfect way for Ben Miller to begin his Hollywood Sucks trilogy. Its a quirky comedy with some of the best characters of 2006. Mary-Louise Parker is near perfect casting and truly one of the best performances of the contest. Personally, my favorite part is Ian McShane's role as the director. I love Deadwood and think he would be great in that comedic turn.

(#93-CIGARETTE BURNS, WRITTEN BY BEN MILLER)

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#92

Chris P: I really liked “The Last Page”. The cast is great and the story is very spooky and imaginative, Glenn Close was sensational in her part, and I can see why she won the Oscar that month.

Announcer: When an author's book changes to become the point of view of her dead daughter's, the author embarks on a supernatural journey to find answers about her daughter's life.

Ryne: “The Last Page” is definitely my guilty pleasure bait. Its weird and quirky and great in my eyes. Its one of the only baits that actually left me in a state of suspense for the entire bait. I only wish Maia would tell me the ending cause I'm dying to know

Announcer: Released in June 2007, Maia's bait was one of the month’s sleeper hits, with good praise and word of mouth helping it become #14 of the month. However, it was Close’s Oscar winning performance that gave it the push it needed to be a lasting favorite.

Bryce: Maia took a risk with this bait and it paid off. She was able to give us one of the most successful supernatural dramas of the contest, with a bait that had a great crew, and a compelling story.

(#92- THE LAST PAGE, WRITTEN BY MAIA)

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#91

Ryne: “Rush” truly shows us what a great author Ross could have been had he stayed in the contest. With a great original story line, and an outstanding performance by Heath Ledger, I feel it far surpassed any bait that month. The casting is great and the choice of Michael Mann is one of my favorite directing choices of the contest.

Announcer: Released in May 2007, “Rush” follows a photojournalist who travels to India only to be caught up in a natural disaster, where the nuclear reactor leaks causing a city to go through some tragic times. However, when he goes missing, his editor hires a mercenary to venture in and recover him.

Bryce: One of the best Michael Mann baits ever written, Ross is able to keep the audience guessing to what is in store for the main character, and provide for us a story that is very intriguing and entertaining.

Announcer: Upon release, “Rush” became one of the most talked about bait's of the month. Thrilling audiences with its intelligent plot, fast pace and terrific cast led by Russell Crowe and the late Heath Ledger, the bait easily earned #3 of the month while also winning Oscars for its cast and Michael Mann.

Chris P: Man, when I think about this bait it just makes me know how great Heath Ledger would have been in a role like this. His performance is really what stood out for me and the story was very baity and intriguing as well.

(#91- RUSH, WRITTEN BY ROSS)

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Zgamer: And thus that concludes tonight’s ceremony. Don’t worry, our staff at I! is working double-time to make sure the next installment is up and running ASAP. We will make sure to inform you all about it when the time comes. So until next time, we leave you with a recap of the night’s inductees:

::100. Under Fire, written by Ryne::

::99. Reminiscence, written by Tony::

::98. Wicked (March 07), written by Al::

::97. The Great Fitzgerald, written by Tom Houseman::

::96. Little Miss Murder, written by Matt::

::95. iLife, written by Brian Erickson::

::94. Freakshow, written by Tony::

::93. Cigarette Burns, written by Ben Miller::

::92. The Last Page, written by Maia::

::91. Rush, written by Ross::