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Post by My Name is Matthew on Jul 25, 2014 2:52:38 GMT -8
Post your reviews here
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Post by Leeman on Jul 25, 2014 3:33:44 GMT -8
Die Young, Stay Pretty
I have mixed emotions about this bait. I think it is very quirky and well constructed, but something felt a bit missing for me. This by no mean defeats the quality of the bait, as I think it is inspired. The is obviously a vehicle for Tilda Swinton and she is good here, but I was more impressed by James Urbaniak. I loved his character and his portrayal exemplified great range of emotion. Overall, a solid bait. Well Done!
Hatchet: The Return
My major issue with this bait is it’s length. I found that there wasn’t enough there to impress me. I was impressed by what the bait was and the story, but I did want more. I liked the original, but I don’t think this comes to par with the original, but I still think it’s very well written. Josh Wiggins reprises his role quite well and will hope recieve an long-awaited Oscar nomination. Well Done!
In The Shadows
This is one of the best baits of this month! I think the subject matter is incredibly baity. I think you used writing conventions (such as the inner monologues) really effectively. Even in her small role, Sophie Okonedo really stands out for me. Forest Whitaker is good also, but I must admit I am not fond of Alfre Woodard in this role, but understand your casting of her. The ending is brilliant! I want to know if Charlotte dies!! Excellent Job!
Insensitive Care
I have no idea why, but this bait reminds me on The Grand Budapest Hotel or like a classic British farce, with like a dark twist. I wasn’t overly impressed by it, but I think it was good and entertaining. Claire Skinner stole the bait for me with all her one-liners and vulgar attitude. Solid effort! Well done!
Jumpship
Amanda Byrnes! Amanda Byrnes! Amanda Byrnes! She didn’t get nominated for Let It Burn and that was a travesty, but if she is snub for this, it would be a crime. She is just utterly brilliant, I mean the rest of cast is good, but she is just on a completely different level. In terms of comparison, I don’t know whether it meets my love that I have for Let It Burn, but that by all means should not be a distraction for how entertaining and fabulous it is. Side - note: Love the bedazzled knife!. Good Job!
Military Excuse
This did remind of The Hunger Games and I see there are some major differences, but all I could was it’s comparison the whole time. However, I think it is very well written and I really like your cast particularly Taissa Farmiga. I don’t think it’s your absolute best bait, but it is definitely not one I would dismiss.
Murder on the Dance Floor
You are very good at writing actors overall, but you can write some really good actors! And this is no exception. I think Martin Short is absolutely perfect, reminds me your wonder Jefferson Mays last month in Night and Day. In terms of the bait overall, it reminded me of American Hustle, but that was more of the period than the story, however I did feel some plot comparisons. It is definitely interesting and entertaining and could see this as being the big winner at the end of the month. Great Job!
One The Way to Hell: The Final Dead Simple
Dead Simple bounces again and it doesn’t disappoint. Absolutely perfect! This is proberly my favourite part in the trilogy, as I felt more story and plot was evident that the set up and atmosphere writing. I think this is your best bait you have ever written and I think deserves to clean up this month. The cast you have assembled for this trilogy is remarkable, but the stand out for me is Melissa McBride. She is winning Best Supporting Actress in my book! Well Done!
Quicksilver
This reminds me of Spike Lee’s Adaptation. Obviously there are some great differences e.g. the whole premise - but that was the type of vibe I was getting. I really love your enthusiasm for new genres and styles in this game Kevin and this is definitely the icing on the cake. Paul Giamatti gives a tour-de-force in a film where is on screen the entire time. The story got slightly excitement in the middle, however I still found myself engaged by the end. Terrific Job!
Silent Youth
I have mixed emotions about this bait. I really like some elements, but then I see some elements are unneeded. I disliked the Keri Russell character and believed she had not relevance to the story, but I think it still allowed you to explore a interesting scope into Blake’s past. The story is fascinating and interesting, as well as well written. Nick Roux was a bit more flashy than Dylan Minnette, however I think both did a solid job. I did find the great emotional pull of bait and that really elevated me and believe that it can be a hard contender. Well Done!
When The World End
I really like this bait. It’s poignant and emotional, and even thought-provoking at times. I had little things similar to The Impossible and but then it that’s quickly abandoned by how your writing really elevates the subject matter and the character. I think your cast was solid, but I do like flashy performances so I did think Jennifer Lawrence was brilliant, in a role that I wasn’t expecting from her. Evan, I was pleasantly surprised by this bait. Well Done!
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Post by Marci on Jul 25, 2014 5:56:20 GMT -8
First part of my reviews.
MATTHEW’S NIGHT written by Liam McWhinney
Well, I do give you a huge standing ovation for trying out another genre and type of story. It is really well-written and some of the monologues and dialogues are pretty much spot on! Your cast is a little bit expectable, but fantastic indeed – Chloe Grace Moretz is my personal favorite among them. I’m all for personal baits and it’s great to see you so passionate about it! Well done!
DIE YOUNG, STAY PRETTY written by Matthew Jenner
I have to be honest here. This genre is not my cup of tea at all. But the fact that you made it so enjoyable and interesting shows the real truth, that you are such a genius and devoted author. This bait is an actress-vehicle indeed – Tilda Swinton is brilliant here and would be a deserving Best Actress-winner this month. Thank you for bringing this story to our competition!
HATCHET: THE RETURN written by Evan Peck Dunbar
First of all, incredibly nice and simple poster – I adore it. Secondly, good director choice (I was shocked not to see Affleck making the cut for the first part – I ranked him first that month) and realistic cast this time. It’s a little bit weird and short for a sequel, but your writing is excellent as usual.
SILENT YOUTH written by Evan Peck Dunbar
Well, I decided not to mention your brilliance in writing, because I already did that. Instead of the fact that you are a gifted author, I will concentrate on other segments. This story has it potential, but too short and the plot is not very impressive – you starting it slowly, then it become too fast by the end, so it cannot make a huge impact on the reader. But to tell you some positive – Nick Roux is outstanding here, I’m really happy you introduced him to the Contest!
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Post by Marci on Jul 25, 2014 6:59:45 GMT -8
INSENSITIVE CARE written by Matthew Jenner
I’m in love with Mike Leigh, so it’s nice to see him around. I have to tell you I wasn’t over the moon by the first few paragraphs but when the “incident” happened I started to show interest and understand the whole structure and idea. Overall it is really captivating and truly an ensemble piece.
WHEN THE WORLD ENDS written by Evan Peck Dunbar
I love the way you presented the story element when the dad was also skeptical about the other race (“two white boys”) – American films used to show the one-sided “white people skeptical about black people” stereotype which is unrealistic and extremely overused. I know it’s only a few words but it shows a fair characterization which is rare in the film industry – so thank you for that! I’m not sure about Bassett, Hounsou and especially Lawrence as the parents and the photography student, but everyone else seemed fit perfectly for their characters. This bait is an incredibly graphic and very emotional piece and my small issues with casting doesn’t take away from it greatness!
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Evan
Member 
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Post by Evan on Jul 25, 2014 8:25:39 GMT -8
"Die Young, Stay Pretty" written by Matt
An issue that we had back in the old contest when we had 20-30 submissions a month was length. However, I still think it's a problem even with smaller selections. All of your baits tend to be lengthy, Matt, but when a plot is as slight as this one, it becomes incredibly noticeable. Everything really drags and a bait that could have been a short, cute little indie-vibe type dramady turns into this long, monotonous thing that just doesn't fit with the material it's discussing. I like Swinton a lot here, but Giamatti wasn't doing it for me at all (I've never liked him so this is probably my fault). It's not the most original story but it's decent. But, as I said, THE LENGTH! it's just not needed for this type of story.
"Matthew's Night: written by Liam
First off, I love Chloe, she would rule in a role like this. Asa, not so much, it reminds me a bit too much of how into film his character in "Hugo" was so that casting kind of threw me off. The whole bait has a "Perks" vibe with the older girl introducing the introverted boy to the party side f high school and that makes the bait seem quite unoriginal. I don't love dialogue in baits unless it brings something to it, and I found that this was just okay for me, as some of it was VERY clunky and would have been better just as something you described happening, not dialogue. I thought the party segment was too similar to "The First Time" and unrealistic that Brie would just leave Matthew there after making this big deal about helping him. It's a good effort and you're clearly passionate about the project, so i give you props for that.
"Quicksilver" written by Kevin K.
I really enjoyed this one. It's not very baity and I can't stand Giamatti, but it was thoroughly entertaining and funny and clearly about a topic you're very passionate about. I don't understand why you only have one role cast here... but i think that was a bit of a mistake. It's an intriguing premise, but I know I personally couldn't watch Paul Giamatti yell into a phone for two hours. Good effort and a nice passion project, but it would have been cool to see people like Evan Peters and Aaron Tyler Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen making fun of themselves by playing exaggerated versions of themselves. I think an angle like that would have been far more effective.
"On The Way To Hell: The Final Dead Simple" written by Marci
While this chapter doesn't quite reach the same heights as "Dead Simple: The First Chapter" it is an abundantly fitting conclusion to one of the greatest trilogies in the history of the contest. It's a bit confusing at times and required a re-read to really get everything, but it was very good and very effective. I thought the old cast-members all got good roles, but Melissa McBride and Tina Majorino stole the show for me: so fantastic and would have such great chemistry. It's too bad, though, because by contrast I was a little let down by Franco, I think he was good before but this seemed almost too difficult a turn in the character for him to pull off. Gandini is also fantastic again though and should pull off yet another deserved nomination. This is a great bait, Marci, and I'm so proud at what you've accomplished with this monumental trilogy.
"Military Excuse" written by Marci
good poster! I wasn't a huge fan of this bait as I found it incredibly confusing. I think it was rushed a bit because some of the wording was weird and didn't make sense. Asides from a phenomenal choice of Taissa Farmiga (who could be a double nominee this month) it all fell a bit flat. I though the rest of your cast was okay but nothing special, and there wasn't quite enough backstory so it didn't really make sense to me why these people were all there. It's an intriguing idea for sure, I'm just not sure that it lived up to that idea and potential.
"Murder On The Dance Floor" written by Matt
Again with the length comment... it would be okay if one bait a month was overly long (We've all done it: "The Cave," "Dead Simple") but every bait you submit is overly long. I personally prefer baits of medium length where the story moves along, this one, like your first bait, just gets tiresome after a while. I don't get the casting of Martin Short, who I've never found particularly funny or good in anything, but Paul Dano and Kete Mulgrew are fantastic and would excel in their roles. Not sure what Sally Field is here for, she literally dies in the second scene. Good effort, but this one was just WAY too long for something so light.
"In The Shadows" written by Matt
The main issue for me with this bait is that I don't know many of the cast, which makes it hard to visualize. While still long, this one is WAY better justified in being a long bait as it has a lot of story to go through and a lot of characters. My problem is that I really didn't like Charlotte or Fez as characters, they just seemed weird and 2-dimensional which made it hard to enjoy a lot of the bait. The character of Fez especially bothered me because it's not a role Whitaker would ever do, especially not after "Last King Of Scotland." I did like Okonedo thought, she would do well here.
"Stormom" written by Marci and Liam
The style and format reminded me a lot of "Flying Away The Blue." I think this month is just full of fantastic roles for Taissa Farmiga, and this is one of them. However, I think Dylan O'Brien was really not right for that part, I just can't see him forcing himself onto someone like that (especially after staring in the no-sex until marriage propoganda film "The First Time") he just seems way too nice. The second part is a lot more original and has less cliche's, and Kate Walsch is a fantastic pick (although I myself am not personally a fan). I liked how we got a real backstory with her and her character developments seemed logical and realistic, matching the cold way in which you wrote about her reaction to her husbands suicide (a brilliant piece of writing). Ir is very well written and while I don't see it as a Best Picture contender, Farmiga and Walsh are both threats to win Best Actress for sure.
"Insensitive Care: written by Matt
This totally seems like something right up Leigh's lane. It's darkly funny and the most enjoyable bait you submitted this month. I really liked your cast, especially Walters and Cassell. I like when you do stuff like this, Matt, we need more entertaining stuff in this contest! Very good job, one of my favorites this month.
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Post by Marci on Jul 25, 2014 8:47:06 GMT -8
JUMP SHIP written by Evan Peck Dunbar
Once again, a very lovely and inspired poster here. The casting is one of the strongest and most amazing one in the history of the Game – it better win some awards. Let it Burn was by far my favorite of the Trilogy, but this part is a worthy runner-up. It is very dynamic, evil and incredibly disturbing. I think it’s one of your best works so far. Congrats!
QUICKSILVER written by Kevin Klawitter
I see that you are kinda obsessed and passionate with superheroes, and I like your enthusiasm. However I can’t imagine the plot as a real-life movie. I also needed to see actors casted for the smaller roles like Janet’s. Paul Giamatti is good, and it’s a great actor-vehicle, but I’m not really pleased.
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR written by Matthew Jenner
Big cheers for the breathtaking poster! It is an impressive story and Paul Dano would be amazing in it! The length is a little bit over the sun, but as the bait entertained me I didn’t feel that bad about it. Good job!
IN THE SHADOWS written by Matthew Jenner
I’m not sure I liked the casting – I’m too skeptical with baits having ten plus members. It seem a little unrealistic for a fantasy bait. You handled the story well but I wasn’t as impressed as I was with your other baits this month. Good effort, but not marvelous!
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Post by My Name is Matthew on Jul 25, 2014 23:09:05 GMT -8
SILENT YOUTH
One of my biggest complaints for many people in this game are that all of us at some point don't pay attention to character development and concentrate more on story, leaving the actors to get nominated and win based on popularity. However, this wasn't the case here. You had good potential here, but you just didn't have too much story. It doesn't feel very cinematic, and while I can understand the influence, I think you sacrificed a little bit of the story for some reason. It is too abrupt and fast, and I would have liked to see these characters develop. Avant-garde European films like the original of this have so much story and imagination, it would have been nice to see a little more flavor in this.
A very solid B
STORMOM
Oh boy. I don't know what to say about this one. Full disclosure - I was not a fan at all of the first segment, but loved the second, so it is difficult for me to judge this bait and give it a score because whatever score I give will not reflect the true feeling I have for this. So I will offer some advice for the first segment - this felt like little more than an entry in a teenaged girls diary. Teenage pregnancy is a sad reality, and this story is all too common. Thus it is very uninteresting and quite frankly contrived. Liam, you did a very similar story last month, and to be perfectly honest, these kinds of teenaged pregnancy stories aren't really good enough for baits because there is very little room for fresh angles. No matter how you sell it, teenaged pregnancy stories are always the same. On the other hand, the second segment was great. Kate Walsh was well-cast, and it just seemed more like a developed story. The fact is that while Part 1 had emotion, it had too much and thus become messy and complicated. Part 2 had just the right amount of emotion. It wasn't your best work either Marci, but it is still pretty good. Liam, just because you're telling this story from two different perspectives does not mean it has to be just one long paragraph of narration. There was no tangible story development in it, and it felt very clunky next to the more well-constructed Part 2.
I am very conflicted as to what to give this bait, so I will compromise and between the "D" I would give Part 1, and the "B" I would give Part 2, I will give it an average C
QUICKSILVER
I am a sucker for films set in one location. They may not be very exciting, but they are usually very well written and well-acted. This is a very odd bait, but that's not a bad thing. It is very unique and well-thought out. Paul Giamatti is an interesting choice for the lead. Overall, not a bad bait at all. There isn't much to say about it, but it isn't bad in the slightest
B+
HATCHET: THE RETURN
I liked Hatchet, as it was tense and thrilling and had an interesting vibe to it. The sequel is still good, but it never reaches as high as the first one did. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little bland and uninteresting. There seems to very little character development, and with the exception of Wiggins and Pace, no one really gets anything to do, which is a shame when you have talented people in your cast like Affleck and Amy Ryan, who just seem to get glorified cameos. I think any of your supporting players could have been contenders for the win, but for now perhaps it is only Lee Pace who I can see nabbing a nomination (and t be perfectly honest, he seems miscast to me). But it is a good effort.
B-
MATTHEW'S NIGHT
I was going to remark that Robin Wright and David Schwimmer can't possibly pass as a married couple because of the age difference, but damn, they're the same age. Wright just seems too old in her personality to be married to the goofy Schwimmer, but that is not a problem at all because they are both wonderfully cast. Liam - TOO MANY MISTAKES. I know you wrote this in a hurry to help us out with numbers, but I wish you had just taken the time to just make sure you didn't make this many errors. Another complaint - Chloe Grace Moretz is an awful actress - she is boring and bland and uninteresting and is incapable of acting more than a spoiled teenager. She was tragically miscast here, and she already played this type of role in Hugo. This bait has so much going for it - you have a wonderful idea here, and it is actually very different for you. I am happy you chose to go down this route. Your casting of some of the major characters was brilliant, but once again I just can't get past the fact that Chloe Grace Moretz was cast. There are dozens of other, more worthwhile actresses her age that could pull this off, so I have no idea of why you had to use her.
Kudos for creating the word "vulumpious" by the way
I liked this bait, so I am going to give it a B. It would have been an A for sure if there weren't many spelling errors, missing words and grammar tragedies.
MILITARY EXCUSE
What an awesome bait. It is nothing compared to Dead Simple, but it is absolutely great. Your casting is brilliant, and you used some very good character actors. Taissa Farmiga is way overused this month, so I'm not entirely sold on her here, but otherwise it was a really good bait, and one very unique. I seriously enjoyed it.
A
ON THE WAY TO HELL: THE FINAL DEAD SIMPLE
This will probably remain some of the greatest baits in the history of the contest. It is dark, twisted and wonderful. You have crafted something absolutely amazing here, and I think you should be proud of what you have created. The contest will never be the same again.
A+
JUMP SHIP
I wasn't around for Let It Burn, so this offered some good background to the trilogy. I think Bynes is a very interesting choice for the lead, and your cast is pretty good. I'm not sold when anyone uses Disney Channel or Nickelodeon child actors in their baits, because if they were talented, they'd have proper shows. Bridgit Mendler is pretty good here though, so I will overlook it. You have the cream of the young actress crop here, so I kinda wish you had chosen a few more obscure teen actresses to introduce to the game (there is absolutely nothing wrong with using actors that the others may not know, because like we have seen with Leila Saalik and Brenda Gandini, we have some captivating performers just hiding away from view). Overall, a solid bait.
B
WHEN THE WORLD ENDS
I will be perfectly honest here - the use of Butterfield and Luthman was unnecessary here, and Camille Winbush is way too old to be a potential love interest for Butterfield and Luthman. I don't see the use of any child actors here, because it would have been much better if it was just Hounsou, Bassett and Winbush experiencing these events. Jennifer Lawrence was too miscast, IMO. Overall, it is one of your better baits this month in regards to writing and story, so well done on that.
B-
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Post by gizmo457 on Jul 27, 2014 2:00:04 GMT -8
"Die Young, Stay Pretty" written by Matt
I really liked this one. Since I’m the king of long baits and some of my future baits surpass like 3000 words, I couldn’t care less about the length of this bait. I was engaged, and loved it for every second. Swinton was an excellent choice, and so was Giamatti. I could really see them doing this. I’ll be reading this one again and again. An excellent job! A "Matthew's Night: written by Liam
Asa is one of my favourite child actors, so I instantly connected with this bait. Whilst your plot choice of high school introvert meets party girl, blah blah blah, is an overused film concept, I found myself still engaged in your intriguing plot, which proved that this film genre is not becoming overused. Your use of dialogue is awesome, and one that I will probably be using in my future baits, just coz I love it so much  A very nice job! B+ "Quicksilver" written by Kevin K.
I love these kinds of films. Whilst I have come to accept that superhero movies aren’t exactly Oscar worthy movies, you have pretty much proven me wrong with this flick. A tip for next time; try casting more characters. Quicksilver himself has cast perfectly in my opinion, but I would have liked to see what you came up with for the other characters. Overall, pretty good work  B "On The Way To Hell: The Final Dead Simple" written by Marci
Before I begin, I just want to say congratulations on the completion of your trilogy. Over the last few months you have been able to engage me and bring out a variety of emotions from reading your baits. Casting is once again spot on, Storyline is once again spot on, Crew Spot on. Can I say anything more? This is probably the best trilogy of the contests entire history and I am so proud and thankful of you for gifting us with this masterpiece. A+ "Military Excuse" written by Marci
Sometimes this bait was a little bit confusing, but don’t let that get you down. Your cast was great, but especially the casting of Taissa Farmiga (I’m a massive AHS fan :3) was absolutely brilliant and I’d pretty much think she is a confirmed nomination in my books! Next time you should go into more depth into your characters, as you had some really interesting characters with not so much backstory as I would have liked to see. But, overall the story was really original and engaging, one that I will be reading again and again B+/A “Murder on the Dancefloor” written by Matt
If you’ve read my first review you’ll see how much I care about length. I really like this bait. I like it a lot. You casting of Short and Dano are awesome and original, something I like to see in baits and films, and I’m especially blown away by your poster! Very professional! Very entertaining, and a sure runner for BP! A “Silent Youth” written by Evan I don’t care about length in baits, as long as people can captivate me. Your bait did this, while slow at first it steadily became a pretty damn good read. Casting is awesome! Good work! B “Hatchet: The Return” written by Evan
Okay, since I kinda forgot about the first film I read it again and then read this piece. I gotta say you did a pretty good job. I love your new choice in director, and while the bait doesn’t stand up to the same level that the first one did in my opinion, you managed to keep me captivated from start to finish. Very nice work. B+ "In The Shadows" written by Matt
Wow! Blown away! You kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the very good ending. A really nice cast that fit their roles, and a nice crew too. Not as good as your other baits this month, but overall a damn good read! B
"Stormom" written by Marci and Liam
A very well written and engaging story from two very talented authors. First of all your casting is spot on and the story is damn engaging. Your characters have damn good backstories that were not only realistic but awesomely emotive and interesting. Definitly a contender for countless awards. A brilliant piece of writing! A "Insensitive Care: written by Matt
A very entertaining submission Matt! Your cast is great, your crew is exemplary and the skill of you writing is very talented and professional. This is a Bait worth reading again and again! A “Jump Ship” written by Evan
Okay, I just have to say I love your casting choice. It’s very strong and one of the best I’ve seen this month! Your topics and themes are engaging and ones that drew me in from the first words, and blew me away by the last. One of your best works I’ve ever read! A+ “When the World Ends” written by Evan
I love emotional and graphic films, and this one is definitely one of those. The themes you have presented were marvellously entertaining for me to read. Casting was a little bit questionable in certain places, but this was over clouded by just the sheer emotional beauty of the piece. Wonderful work! A
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Post by Kevin Klawitter on Jul 27, 2014 20:20:34 GMT -8
Matthew's Night
The casting here seems a bit obvious, and the story isn't all that distinctive, but it's written with a lot of heart and the characters are mostly well-drawn and distinctive. I'm not sure it feels like a whole movie entirely on its own, but for what it is, it's well-done.
When The World Ends
The Hurricane Katrina story is a natural fit for great and emotionally resonant movies (seriously guys... read "The Great Deluge"... it's a fantastic nonfiction book ripe for filmmaking) and this is a very well done take on it. Honsou and Bassett are the highlights here, and I can imagine the direction being really vivid and intense. I would have liked the parts of the younger actors to be more distinctively drawn, though, and Lawrence's part only seems to have a feeling of importance because she is played by Jennifer Lawrence.
Military Excuse
This feels less like a feature and more like a potentially really good episode of "The Twilight Zone"'. It was hard to follow at times, and I would have appreciated more background on the characters and what the end goal was of the experiment they were taking part it. It almost feels like there's a third act missing. I like how you tried to go with different sort of material here, Marci, but it's not one of your best.
Insensitive Care
This reads like the sort of material that would play out better live than by reading it. But the characters are all well drawn and I like the comedic tone that almost bends towards farce... this is a very well done comedic bait. Claire Skinner in particular will be one of my top performances of the month.
On the Way To Hell: The Final Dead Simple
There are some gaps in the story - how Michael escaped and met up with Vicky - but overall this is a very nice closing to the trilogy, maybe not quite as perfect as the first two chapter, but darn good nonetheless. Franco is at his best, and I like how you take the other characters in unexpected directions that still feels completely plausible within their arcs. Very good work.
Murder on the Dance Floor
This has one of the more unusual arcs I've read in a bait in quite a long time. It starts out interesting, takes a turn for the crazy, and winds up having a largely conventional and almost anticlimactic ending. Martin Short and Paul Dano are perfectly cast, and I love the idea of Short playing this sort of role. But the role of the detective isn't all that interesting, and I wish Amy had more of a role than simply a love interest for Dano. But the dark comedy here is palpable, and the idea is very original. |
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Post by Marci on Jul 27, 2014 20:45:33 GMT -8
On the Way To Hell: The Final Dead Simple
There are some gaps in the story - how Michael escaped and met up with Vicky - but overall this is a very nice closing to the trilogy, maybe not quite as perfect as the first two chapter, but darn good nonetheless. Franco is at his best, and I like how you take the other characters in unexpected directions that still feels completely plausible within their arcs. Very good work.
First of all, thank you for reviewing! We know how busy you are, it's great to see you making time for the contest as well! Secondly, to answer your questions: 1. Michael Harrison escaped by burning down Malvina's house in the second chapter. 2. And here is the full segment of the Michel-Vicky meeting from the third chapter:
"Their relationship was strong and still – the two were beginning in a pub as strangers where Michael confessed his grief which later found fulfilment and became real in a domestic, cloudless family life."
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Post by Kevin Klawitter on Jul 28, 2014 12:30:48 GMT -8
Die Young Stay Pretty
I love this bait. Tilda Swinton would be absolute dynamite in it, and I love the gritty and unromanticized look at depression and addiction painted in it. All of the characters feel real, and the story is very engaging and exciting to follow. Definitely one of the best baits of the month.
Hatchet: the Return
I was never as big a fan of the sequels to "Hatchet" as the originals, but I can definitely see them becoming intense movies, a gritty and realistic alternative to the standard YA stuff we've been seeing lately. Your Press section is fabulous, and although some of the issues that came with "Hatchet" are still here, the bait itself is very well written.
In the Shadows
The story here is awfully complicated, but the setting and subject matter are really important, and your writing is spot-on (the tone kind of reminded me of the book "Americanah" which I recently read). It's a little long, and I wasn't always sure where the different threads were going, but the emotional impact is real, and your cast is well selected.
Jump Ship
This IS considerably darker than the previous incarnations, to the point where to me the comedy and satire is almost lost. I'd probably like this more had I not seen "Spring Breakers", because tonally it reminds me of that movie, and I hate it. For some reason neither of the two follow-ups have had the same impact on me as "Let it Burn" did... the first was inspired and clever, while the next two haven't measured up. I don't know why, because you obviously put a lot of thought into the stories and characters.
Stormom
I love movies with this sort of structure. The independent and contrasting POVs both work wonderfully, and your writing is fabulous. But I think there is something missing, specifically a payoff to their meeting. We don't know how the meeting between the mothers affected the characters, if at all, and we don't know how their stories end. It works as a story, but I think it would have been more satisfying if it had followed through a bit more. But your characters are very well drawn and the crew is excellent.
Silent Youth
This feels like a very real and subtle movie stuffed with intense emotions, and I really like that. The tone and slow build of the story feel very good, and the actors are all well selected. I don't have a lot more to say about it, but it's a very good bait. |
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A very nice job! B+
B