I!'s 2nd Annual Top 100 Baits of All Time (#90-81)

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!

(Montage segment)

Announcer: Once again, please welcome the one, the only, the nerdy: Zgamer.

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

Zgamer: Geez, we really need a map here. Ok, tonight we have the continuation of our ceremony celebrating the Top 100 Baits ever written. We have received the votes, scoured the forums and compiled together the following section.

Before we start, I want to thank you for your continued patience and I especially want to thank my partner Bryce and this section’s comment volunteers (and BOTM winners) Alex S. and Harry. So here are your choices for the 90th to 81st best baits ever.

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#90

Alex S.- Even if Michael's musicals are seen now with a little resentment, “Into the Woods” is one of the best executed adaptations from stage, dealing with a complicated story difficult to translate to movie terms, “Into the Woods” was a humble and uplifting musical that never pretended to be something it wasn't and that was its greatness.

Announcer: Released back in December 2007, this acclaimed Stephen Sondheim musical shines a new light on the lives of such classic fairy tale characters like Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. Finally getting a big screen adaptation, Michael took the Tony winning musical and added a top-notch cast and crew to the mix.

Harry- I had loads of fun reading “Into the Woods”. It is a musical, but also a nice tribute to fairy tales with references to the little red Riding Hood and Rapunzel among others. My favorite part of the bait is some of the casting, particularly Amy Adams as the princess with very long hair. Her voice and talents would shine in this role. Rob Marshall, while being a little safe, would truly work. In “Chicago”, he proved that he could be an actor’s director with the musical genre. I don’t see why he couldn’t continue showing this with this project. As a whole, “Into the Woods” is a fun bait with a nice plot structure.

Announcer: Though it took a while, “Into the Woods” became one of the month’s hits thanks to its cast and entertaining subject matter. After a good precursor run, the bait became a surprise Oscar darling by nabbing the #8 spot and a win for Adapted Screenplay. Most people still consider this Michael’s best musical adaptation so far.

Zgamer- Musicals are particularly hard to do in Bait an Oscar and Michael took a risk by doing one of the most unbaity musicals ever. Thankfully, it just so happens to be one of the best musicals ever and Michael did his very best to do justice to the material. I love his casting choices and after seeing the musical on stage, I’m sure I’d be very entertained seeing it in the theaters.

(#90-INTO THE WOODS, WRITTEN BY MICHAEL)

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#89

Zgamer: Batman? You’d think that would be a sign for failure. But oh boy, how wrong we were when we all read Tony’s “Scars of Tomorrow”. Not only is it one of the most entertaining baits ever written, but it has an inspired cast, crew and story that give the bait that distinct Tony feel to it. Thank goodness “Batman Begins” came out before this, because it just makes the bait that much better.

Announcer: Released in July 2007, “Batman: Scars of Tomorrow” brings another reinvention to the Batman mythos. However, Tony skips the origin story to go straight to the action, following Batman attempt to combat villains Two-Face and the Black Mask. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and with such stars as Billy Crudup, Ralph Fiennes and Benicio Del Toro, this had all the potential for a blockbuster hit.

Alex S.- Through his career Tony is known for always pushing the envelope in terms of storytelling and his first attempt with a familiar story was no different. With brilliant casting and kick**s villains, this Batman actually prepared us for this summer, without fears Tony gave us a gripping story.

Announcer- Hot off of good Festival buzz, Batman found great support from the readers. Many pointed out the all-star cast, compelling storyline and distinct style as sources of its success. However, the most praised aspects were the casting of the villains, with Fiennes as the tormented Two-Face and Del Toro as the insidious Black Mask. While it was never considered an Oscar vehicle (and still really isn’t), it found the right support to place #7 in the month and easily nab a Box-Office Success award.

Harry- This bait has two of my favorite supporting performances ever. It’s curious since both Ralph Fiennes and Benicio Del Toro play villains. “Batman: Scars of Tomorrow” is Tony’s masterpiece that chronicles Batman’s adventures and how Black Mask and Two-Face, the two previously mentioned villains, came to be. The bait’s character development is extraordinary and psychological. Jean-Pierre Jeunet is a fascinating director choice considering his film “The City of Lost Children” and Billy Crudup is also great casting. Tony proved that a superhero film could be taken seriously at the contest.

(#89- BATMAN: SCARS OF TOMORROW, WRITTEN BY TONY)

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#88

Harry- Cinema is seen as art by some and as an industry by others. “Buzzed”, Zgamer and Chris P.’s fresh parody, is bashing the industry. This bait’s accomplishment is to achieve its goal by being symbolic rather than manipulative. Patrick Layton, the bait’s principal character, isn’t making a film for himself. All he wants is that his film wins an Oscar. To achieve this goal, the studio’s head decides to hire a film critic to write fake reviews in the Internet and assure the film’s Oscar buzz. While the bait’s story is lots of fun, if you look closer, the bait is defending cinema as an art and attacking cinema as an industry. Jason Reitman is a solid directing choice and the bait’s ensemble is simply perfect. All of this reminds us why “Buzzed” is the only team bait to ever win BOTM.

Announcer: Released in November 2007, “Buzzed” was the combined brainchild of Chris P. and Zgamer. The story centered on a satirization of the Oscar season, where a director and studio construct an elaborate plot to push their movie to an Oscar win. Directed by rising comedy director Jason Reitman and led star Jason Bateman, Andy Griffith and J.K. Simmons, “Buzzed” was poised to sink its fangs into corporate Hollywood.

Zgamer- To this day, I still attribute the success of this bait to Chris. He came up with the idea, he got most of the cast and he was the one who helped promote its success. I feel like I was just along for the ride. The BOTM win was pretty much his. But I’m glad that it all worked out in the end and I’m especially glad I was able to help Chris along his way to becoming the author he is today.

Announcer: Though it got off to a shaky start, “Buzzed” slowly worked its way into the hearts of its readers. Many found the bait to be quite funny thanks to its sharp writing and SAG winning cast, with stars Griffith, Simmons and Cloris Leechman earning the most praise. Come Oscar time, Buzzed surprised everyone by leaping into the BOTM spot while also winning awards for its Online Campaign and Original Screenplay. To this day, “Buzzed” remains the only team bait to win the big prize and one of the best satires in the competition.

Alex S.- Movies spoofing Hollywood are common, movies that do it right are rare. With a fantastic cast and a hilarious and quirky storyline, “Buzzed” is one of the best comedies released in the contest. Aiming for natural laughs instead of artificial humor, this is a great accomplishment.

(#88-BUZZED, WRITTEN BY CHRIS P. AND ZGAMER)

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#87

Zgamer- I remember reading “Steamboat Disney” for the first time back in August and thinking to myself “Why hasn’t this been made already?” Well, Daniel showed how it should be done. With an expert crew, great writing and a stellar casting of David Strathairn, this remains one of my favorite biopics of the competition.

Announcer: Released in August 2006, “Steamboat Disney” took a look into the life of animation pioneer Walt Disney. From his service in the war to his early success in animation to the opening of Disneyland, the legend’s life is fully realized thanks to the dedicated direction of a certain George Clooney.

Harry- Daniel’s storytelling is simple, yet emotionally profound. “Steamboat Disney” is one of the most heartfelt biopics I have ever read in the contest. During the inauguration of the Walt Disney Resort, Disney begins to remember moments of his life. This is one of the most intimate biopics, as it tells the story from its main character’s viewpoint, making it have more depth. Now, I don’t think I need to talk about the perfection of David Strathairn’s casting as Walt. Daniel then picks George Clooney to direct him like in “Good Night, and Good Luck.” Daniel can achieve such greatness with such ease, portraying depth from the simplest things.

Announcer: “Steamboat Disney” met with great praise in a month full of great baits. Serving as a companion piece to his other biopic “I, Bergman”, the bait thrived thanks to the help of Clooney and lead star Strathairn in what is considered one of the best performances of the competition. Then it came with one of the most shocking omissions ever as Strathairn missed the shortlist. Fortunately, the bait still succeeded enough to place #6 in the month and helping Daniel get his first Author win. One of the first biopics to stand out in Bait an Oscar, it remains one of the best too.

Alex S.- One of the best biopics in past years, the amazing story of Walt Disney was perfectly told by its helmer George Clooney and in a second collaboration Disney is flawlessly portrayed by David Strathairn. Dan Futterman's words are able to capture our attention and hearts in the telling of a story that changed the world forever.

(#87- STEAMBOAT DISNEY, WRITTEN BY DANIEL CROOKE)

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#86

Zgamer- Josh P.’s career has been one of ups and downs. While I can’t say I consider this his greatest ever, “Paradise Lost” is definitely one of the most ambitious baits ever attempted. With an epic scope and a competent director choice, this could prove to be an interesting film if made. Sure, some may say its not perfect, but I give him props for being the only one to actually give it a shot. Plus, how often do you see a bait tackle religion in such a unique way?

Announcer- Released in April 2008, “John Milton’s Paradise Lost” details a complex story depicting the literal confrontation between God and Satan for the control of man’s destiny. Helmed by director Ang Lee and with such stars as Eric Bana and Jeremy Irons, “Paradise Lost” hoped to end Josh’s prolific career with a bang.

Harry- It is a shame Josh P. left. His casting, crew choices and storytelling were all impeccable. “Paradise Lost” is no difference; it is a religious epic that, if made as a film, would certainly be a grand spectacle with amazing visuals and solid acting. Ang Lee is the perfect directing choice and the crew is extremely impressive. “John Milton’s Paradise Lost” was the final great bait of a great author.

Announcer- “Paradise Lost” opened to a mixed reception. While many tried to point out flaws in the writing and the overblown cast, there were many who praised the bait for its epic story, Lee’s directing and Irons tour de force performance as the Almighty. Come Oscar time, “Paradise Lost” found good success, tying for #7 of the month and earning a prize for its Box-Office Potential. Though Josh is no longer active, we at least have baits like this to remember how great an author he really was.

(#86-PARADISE LOST, WRITTEN BY JOSH P.)

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#85

Harry- There have been amazing stories in Bait an Oscar. Brian’s “Ashes of Elmwood” can be included among those stories. It is the story of Suzanne Elmwood, a woman who gets kidnapped while being with her boyfriend Sean, and how her mysterious return affects the lives of the people around her. I saw images in my head as I read the synopsis, dark images that portrayed humans and their psychological shocks. The cast is a dream with Björk being one of the most original casting choices Bait an Oscar has ever had. Sidney Lumet is the perfect director. This bait will surprise with its many unexpected twists, and an unrevealed ending.

Announcer- Released in May 2008, Brian’s deep drama on psychological scars centers on a cop’s investigation of a child abduction and how it ties many in his life to the scene. Directed by the legendary Sidney Lumet and led by Don Cheadle, Ellen Burstyn and singer Bjork, this was a story with a point to make.

Alex S.- With it's complex story and excellently defined characters, this story holds your attention from beginning to end and distinguishes itself as one of the best baits of that month with an amazing performance by Bjork.

Announcer- While May was not geneally considered a competitive month, Ashes found a way to stand over the crowd. While it received praise for many things, it is universally acknowledged that Bjork’s Oscar winning performance that garnered its #3 of the month and Original Bait win and sealed its fate as a classic. Easily another great bait Brian can add to his illustrious profile.

Zgamer- Funny that it has been two months since this bait’s release because I still vividly remember Bjork’s performance. She was pretty much the reason why I loved this bait so much, as it was one of the most inspired casting choices I’ve seen. Add to that the fact the bait was really well written and you have pure Brian.

(#85- ASHES OF ELMWOOD, WRITTEN BY BRIAN ERICKSON)

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#84

Alex S.- This remake of “Day of the Jackal” succeeds in taking us back to the amazing 70's when this kind of movies were more than just action movies but also gives us a feel of the renovated genre by movies like “Casino Royale” or “The Bourne Ultimatum”. A very concise storytelling and a brilliantly assembled cast & crew make this filck something more.

Announcer- Released in December 2007, “Day of the Jackal” reinvents the Frederick Forsyth novel and previous film to tell a thrilling story of an attempt to foil a presidential assassination. Directed by Martin Campbell and led by new James Bond Daniel Craig, this thriller hoped to bring old school action back to the Oscar stage.

Zgamer- Ok, I don’t agree with some of the details of this bait, but you have to admit that this was a pretty thrilling story. I mean really, after “Casino Royale”, I’m positive that Campbell and Craig would do a great job keeping the audience at the edge of your seats.

Announcer- “Day of the Jackal” opened to stellar reviews from the get go, with many praising the compelling story and Campbell’s directing the most. After a good precursor run, “Day of the Jackal” proved to be an Oscar darling when it earned the #2 of the month, along with wins for Box-Office Potential and director Campbell. In a world where remakes usually are not good, Adam proved they can work.

(#84- DAY OF THE JACKAL, WRITTEN BY ADAM)

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#83

Zgamer- Whether you love or hate Pat as an author, you have to admit he does write some great baits. I personally feel “Border Man” is one of Pat’s purest hits because it succeeds with what it doesn’t tell us. It sets the stage, gives us the characters and gives us the motives. All it asks of us is to figure it all out. Luckily, he employed a great cast to carry the weight of the bait.

Announcer- Released in July 2007, “Border Man” delves into a story of interracial relationships as a border patrol cop gets involved with the girlfriend of a notorious drug lord. Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu and led by Tom Berenger and Maribel Verdu, “Border Man” brought a needed amount of romantic tension to the Oscar race.

Alex S.- “Border Man” was interesting approach to a familiar theme. Though some aspects of the overall story were less than stellar, the bait achieved to tell a human story with two fantastic characters, Maribel Verdu won her Oscar deservedly and Tom Berenger had a memorable comeback.

Announcer- “Border Man” opened to great praise from the public thanks to its simple but effective storytelling and a great cast of lesser known and former stars. After a great precursor run, “Border Man” became an Oscar hit by ranking #3 of the month and picking up a prize for Verdu’s supporting turn as the drug lord’s girlfriend. Pat’s reputation may be slightly tarnished in the eyes of many authors, but his work still speaks for itself.

(#83- BORDER MAN, WRITTEN BY PAT)

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#82

Alex S.- A story filled with so much symbolism, “Tabula Rasa” is one of the best epics and one of the most original baits I’ve ever read. Taking the theme of the anti-Christ has never been this exciting and more interesting. A visually arresting and breathtaking picture that never ceases to amaze you with every frame.

Announcer- Released back in October 2007, “Tabula Rasa” is Tony’s unique tale detailing a priest’s decent into madness and his new crusade to be the anti-Christ on Earth. With inspired directing and cast choices, “Tabula Rasa” was bound to cock some eyebrows.

Harry- I will first begin with the poster. It left me speechless. It is such an artistic achievement, with such a breathtaking style. Now, I move into the story. “His awakening chose his path. His war will choose his legacy”. This is a dark, gritty story about a priest who, after beginning to feel hate through a surreal hallucinatory sequence, begins to make bad actions including war. Randall Wallace is the screenwriter and Zack Snyder is the director. Both of these chose work incredibly well as a team. Jude Law is perfect casting. The writing is poetry, entering into the reader’s mind, penetrating disturbing yet beautiful images. This is one of the grand achievements of Bait an Oscar and another masterpiece in Tony’s incredible career.

Announcer- Upon release, “Tabula Rasa” was embraced by the public for being an epic and daring bait. Readers loved its superb story, excellent poster and Jude Law’s lead performance. A critical and precursor darling, “Tabula Rasa” went on to pick up the #7 on the month spot and win prizes for Best Poster and Original Screenplay. To this day, this remains among some of Tony’s most acclaimed work, which is saying a lot considering his profile.

Zgamer- Pretty much, I was sold when I saw that poster. In that simple yet detailed square, you saw everything that this bait had to offer. Style, professionalism, mood, maybe even some controversial stuff. It’s exactly the stuff Tony built his acclaim with and it all served the bait well.

(#82- TABULA RASA, WRITTEN BY TONY)

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#81

Harry- Recently, there has been an author with a passionate talent writing baits that go into the reader’s emotions. His breakthrough bait “Revenant Dreams” is easily among the finest baits this contest has ever had. “Owner of a Lonely Heart” is another profound summation to Jeffrey’s fascinating career. It is tells the true story of a Japanese teenage girl who gets kidnapped by Korean spies and then becomes one of them herself. The synopsis takes its time developing itself. It never lets you go until the bait’s strong climatic finale. The press section is a wonder as it perfectly depicts how these real events would be handled on screen. “Owner of a Lonely Heart” is emotional.

Announcer- Released in April 2008, “Owner of a Lonely Heart” was Jeffrey’s successful follow-up to his breakthrough hit Revenant Dreams. This true story, told as a foreign film, follows the life of a young Japanese girl kidnapped by North Koreans and her struggles growing up in that environment. Headed by an all Japanese cast and crew, it’s easy to believe that many may have been warded off by such a foreign bait.

Alex S- A marvelous story, constructed with perfection and brilliantly acted, this is one of the best foreign movies in the past years. With a story that translates in essence to every part of the world, “Owner of a Lonely Heart” excels in creating a true human story we all loved to witness.

Announcer- “Owner of a Lonely Heart” opened to great reviews from the community. Though some criticized certain flaws within the story, most everyone enjoyed the baits emotional storytelling and the fact it was a truly compelling foreign film. As Oscar time approached, its following was convinced it would become the big winner of the month. While that claim did not hold true, the bait did place #6 of the month, along with earning deserved prizes for Best Original Character and Awards Campaign. This was, and still is, one of the best examples of foreign filmmaking the contest has to offer.

Zgamer- I admit, I never heard of a single person in this bait. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised upon reading it, because it was actually really good. I didn’t like the ending so much, but it was still an emotional rollercoaster and really made me connect with Japanese filmmaking. Plus, how often do you see an excellent foreign bait in the competition?

(#81- OWNER OF A LONELY HEART, WRITTEN BY JEFFREY)

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Zgamer: Thus we conclude this section of the ceremony. We are still hard at work keeping the ceremony on its feet and promise to keep bringing you the baits that made it over the next weeks. I also wish to thank my volunteers again for all their help. So until next time, we wish you a good night and the best of luck to this and future baiting.

Recap of tonight’s winners:

::#90. INTO THE WOODS, WRITTEN BY MICHAEL::

::#89 BATMAN: SCARS OF TOMORROW, WRITTEN BY TONY::

::#88 BUZZED, WRITTEN BY CHRIS P. AND ZGAMER::

::#87 STEAMBOAT DISNEY, WRITTEN BY DANIEL CROOKE::

::#86 JOHN MILTON’S PARADISE LOST, WRITTEN BY JOSH P.::

::#85 ASHES OF ELMWOOD, WRITTEN BY BRIAN ERICKSON::

::#84 DAY OF THE JACKAL, WRITTEN BY ADAM::

::#83 BORDER MAN, WRITTEN BY PAT::

::#82 TABULA RASA, WRITTEN BY TONY::

::#81 OWNER OF A LONELY HEART, WRITTEN BY JEFFREY::