So, once again, it's time for the
Black List - the list of the top unoptioned (mostly - several have been picked up) screenplays in Hollywood. Let's see what the people who read
Variety are excited about. First, the top screenplay is...
HOLLAND, MICHIGAN
Andrew Sodroski
When a traditional Midwestern woman suspects her husband of infidelity, an amateur investigation unravels.
Give this one to the Coen Brothers. (Though it's too late - this is one of the optioned scripts.)
Some others:
SOVEREIGN
Geoff Tock, Greg Weidman
A man goes to space to destroy the ship that, upon going sentient, killed his wife.
I can see it now - EA Legal on line 1, Bioware's lawyers on line 2...
POX AMERICANA
Frank John Hughes
In the Old West, a group of soldiers go on a mission to slaughter a peaceful tribe in retaliation for another tribe’s attack on a white settlement, only to suffer at the hands of a devastating disease.
Poetic horror.
SWEETHEART
Jack Stanley
A young hitwoman tries to escape the business but finds herself in more danger after a high school reunion and a one night stand.
A genderbent
Gross Pointe Blank for a new generation.
GAY KID AND FAT CHICK
Bo Burnham
Two high school misfits become costumed vigilantes and take out their frustrations on the students who have bullied them throughout high school.
Can you say "revenge fantasy"?
1969: A SPACE ODYSSEY OR HOW KUBRICK LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LAND ON THE MOON
Stephany Folsom
With NASA’s Apollo program in trouble and the Soviets threatening nuclear war, a female PR operative conspires with NASA’s Public Affairs Office to stage a fake moon landing in case Armstrong and Aldren fail, the goal being to generate public excitement that will aid the U.S. in winning the Cold War. But the op is faced with the biggest challenge of all: Filming the fake lunar landing with temperamental Stanley Kubrick.
Because the conspiracy crackpots need validation.
So, which ones should be picked, and which should be burned?
Posts
Gay Kid and Fat Chick could if had talented actors, a good director and a great script become an average retread of Kick-Ass.
1969 sounds like a joke, an offensive joke to the Apollo space program, Stanley Kubrick and to cinematic history.
Sweetheart is as you said a genderbent Gross Pointe Blank for a new generation, while the old one is still relevant and funny.
Pox American sounds like sappy drama at best, crappy gross out horror at worst,
Holland,Michigan could work if the right director gets it.
Sovereign has potential if it goes all in with special effects. If there is a sentient space ship, I want to see it and the universe it inhabits.
You will be blacklisted because we allow it, and you will be sued because we demand it.
Other than the ones already listed, I'd say there's three that I would like to see (Randle Is Benign, Spotlight, Time and Temperature).
Edit: The actual site is http://blcklst.com/2013-black-list - that Collider article has that annoying "READ MORE" Javascript when you try to copy text out of the article
fuck the hatas, this sounds amazing
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Butter is a great example of a movie that was on the black list that sounded boring and weird but was a joy to read.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Like, the government or corporation in question is revealed at the end to really just be doing mundane things, and the protagonist is basically told to go home, clean up and get a job. And the audience is then berated for buying into the stupid conspiracy nonsense.
Like, Ink and Bone - could it be a psychological thriller? A supernatural horror? An unlikely buddy/odd couple comedy for the family? A feel good carpe diem thing? A sober reflection on the introverted nature of some creative types?
Usually, at the very least you can put a Coen bros-esque hijinks black comedy spin on most things.
This movie should be punched in the nose.
Like so:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wcrkxOgzhU
I really want this to be more than just Ted with Jonah Hill and Peter Griffin the talking car in place of Mark Wahlberg and Peter Griffin the talking bear.
The title might be the best boner joke/pun I've ever seen though.
I'd fear that dramatizing a biopic of Mr. Rogers would be irresistible, and ultimately offensive.
Have you ever seen The Game?
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
I was thinking Burn After Reading fit this almost to a t.
Technically true...a nuclear weapon did explode when the plane carrying it crashed during takeoff from Travis AFB in 1950. That is how the base got its current name; Travis was the pilot (killed on impact).
Of corse, what exploded was just the bomb, itself; there was no nuclear detonation. We didn't transport live nukes inside the US, so the nuclear core wasn't even on the plane. The only radioactive material on board was the depleted uranium ballast.
- John Stuart Mill
I watched this analysis by a Hollywood / film expert on what would be required simply to film the fake moon landing, and the conclusion was that creating a camera - much less secretly - in 1969 that could simply film the faked moon landing would be comparable to the technical ingenuity and involvement of about as many people the actual moon landing.
I just think a case where the government earnestly WANTED to fake the moon landing but just couldn't would be pretty fascinating fiction.
Mitchell & Webb already examined that, and did it in 5 minutes.
I would watch that.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
On the other hand, it could be filmed by Michael Bay.
Which could apply to any of those scripts, I guess.