Coming Not So Soon: Battle Angel

I would like to intorduce a segment I call "Coming Not So Soon" which will profile and showcase movies coming out in 2008 and beyond. My first entry in this segment will be James Cameron's Battle Angel

Battle Angel is based on a popular Manga in Japan. It tells the story of Alita, an amnesiac female cyborg. This cyborg's intact head and upper torso are found in a state of suspended animation by the cybermedic expert Daisuke Ido while he is out searching for useful scrap. Amazed by his discovery, Ido quickly returns home and works to revive her. Upon finding that the girl has lost her memory, Ido names her Alita, the name of his recently deceased cat. The rebuilt Alita soon discovers that she possesses instinctive knowledge of a legendary martial art, although she has no other memories of her previous life. Alita must learn to navigate, exist, and fight in the Scrapyard, whose inhabitants themselves live in the shadow of the tantalizingly close floating city, Tiphares. Her journeys take Alita across the Scrapyard and surrounding areas, as she tries to recall more of her past.

The manga spans through nine volumes, and James Cameron plans on adapting the first three for the first movie (and then the next three for a sequel, and so on and so on) Alita will be a CG character that will be performed by a real person (i.e. I,Robot). Filming will be made with the new digital 3D system Cameron has developed for Avatar.

I'm excited for this movie for more reasons than I can list. First of all, as some of you might not know, I'm a huge anime fan. Maybe not as huge as some of the other anime fans, but I grew up watching a lot of anime on Television, and I still enjoy watching a few now that I'm older (namely Naruto, and Bleach). Anime and mangas tend to have these very complex and usually unorthodox stories, but when it all comes together it results in a story that is truly remarkable. Americans were given a taste at how great and complex these stories can be with the smash hit Spirited Away.

People are already excited about Avatar just because James Cameron is involved, and people should be, because James plans to supposedly reinvent the way movies can be made with Avatar. However, I consider Avatar to only be the eye of the storm in his eventual comeback. Battle Angel appears to have the potential to have the thrills and action of Terminator, but also have a touching and emotional story like that of Titanic.

This movie could end up being what Spiderman was for Comic Book movies. It may be the movie that brings Hollywood to adapting more animes and mangas onto the big screen, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. The stories that are told are very different than anything out these days. It would be very refreshing to see adaptations of such great animes as Gundam Wing, and Ghost in the Shell, whose stories are more mature, sophisticated, complex, and meaningful than the average comic book adaptation these days.

As far as awards go, or how the movie could go, James could end up doing one of either two things. He could go the action movie route, which will probably have critics saying this is the return of the Rated R action movie (The movie will be rated R, since the manga is very graphic and violent) or he could go the sentimental way (sort of like Pinocchio meets Frankenstein) which critics would probably like even more. Although I doubt it will match Titanic's box office, I do think, best case senerio, it could match the Titanic's success award wise and basically sweep the Oscars (which hasn't been done in awhile). But, anything could go wrong. So this next big hit can be destined to be nothing more than trash. Only time will time...

Bryce's Thoughts on August

I think that this month was a pretty good month for the contest. Not as good as last month (July, which I would say is the best month so far) but still a good month. For the past few months my top 5 have been completely different than the actual nominees. This month 3 out of the 5 nominees (Bee-Bee's Funhouse, Quiet Room, and The Winter Sun) were on my top 5 so looks like my taste in baits is back lol. I'm actually bummed out Fallout didn't get nominated for Best Picture. It's my favorite zGamer video game bait, and the way he tackled the project made the story very baity. Plus getting Jack Bender as director is brillant, I thought at least Bender would be nominated. Six Days in 67 was also snubbed. I can understand Chiwetal being snubbed, and the same for it's director, but it should have been nominated for Best Picture. Oh Well, I guess if the Oscars were predictable it wouldn't be that much of a fun contest. My prediction, which is an obvious one, is that The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson will take home the prize. I have a feeling if there is any upset, it will be from Bee-Bee's Funhouse (which actually won the SAG award) I want to thank everyone that gave support to The Courtroom. Six nods is really good considering it had some pretty mixed reviews. I'm just happy Will Smith got a nod. Hopefully him and Tom Hanks get some more exposure now.


On another note I plan to start doing some segments on the blog (both for movies and the bait an oscar contest). I'll reveal them when I do them, but I think there pretty fun ideas, and hopefully will be good reads. Anyway, thanks for reading and stay tuned for those segments. And be sure to check out my two baits in September "Knights of the Old Republic" and the very experimental "Project Sin"

Bryce

Hello all! Well, I'm the new addition to the team, and I'm very excited to join them. I just wanna thank them both! and good luck to everyone on the Oscars.

Welcome Bryce

I'd like to give a big welcome to I! and The Zone of Zgamer's newest author Bryce. He has been very helpful with things like the GG's, so I am sure he'll be a great addition to our team. So from us two at I! and the Zone, welcome Bryce.

The August Nominees/Predictions

Well, the nods are here. Some surprises on both ends, but this is a great list for a great month. So, here are my predictions (excluding mine as always).

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Best Plot / Synopsis

Bee-Bee's Funhouse
Deep Secret
The Legend of Zelda: The End of Forever
The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Quiet Room
The Winter Sun

Predicted: Quiet Room
Runner-Up: The Winter Sun
Possible Upset: Deep Secret

Best Awards Campaign

Everyday
Fallout
The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Rabbit Hole
The Witching Hour
The Winter Sun

Predicted: The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Runner-Up: The Winter Sun
Possible Upset: Rabbit Hole

Best Online Awards Campaign

The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Rabbit Hole
Six Days in 67
The Winter Sun
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Predicted: The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Runner-Up: The Winter Sun
Possible Upset: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Title

Cartoon Wars!
Diary of an Adopted Child
Foggy London Nights
No More Smiles
Off to Rome
The Truth Lies Within

Predicted: No More Smiles
Runner-Up: Foggy London Nights
Possible Upset: Off To Rome

Best Box-Office Potential

The Courtroom
Fallout
The Legend of Zelda: The End of Forever
Shipwreck'd
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Predicted: The Courtroom
Runner-Up: You're A Good Man Charlie Brown
Possible Upset: The Legend of Zelda

Most Likely Bait to Become a Cult Film

Bat Out of Hell
Blackwater Park
House of a Shattered Soul
The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
The Munsters with Yvonne DeCarlo

Predicted: Blackwater Park
Runner-Up: The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Possible Upset: Bat Out of Hell

Most Original Bait

Blackwater Park
Bee-Bee's Funhouse
The Final Days
No More Smiles
Quiet Room
The Winter Sun

Predicted: Quiet Room
Runner-Up: No More Smiles
Possible Upset: The Winter Sun or Bee-Bee's Funhouse

Most Original Character

Daniel Etim (Clive Owen) in Blackwater Park
Eileen Kwiasniewski (Grace Zabriskie) in Cocker Spanchovy
Johnny Ringers (Daniel Radcliffe) in Foggy London Nights
Alice (Jennifer Connelly) in Quiet Room
Malcolm Vaughn (Ryan Reynolds) in The Truth Lies Within
Jack Hanson (Tom Hanks) in The Winter Sun

Predicted: The Winter Sun
Runner-Up: Foggy London Nights
Possible Upset: Quiet Room

Best Cast

Bee-Bee's Funhouse
The Courtroom
Deep Secret
Grey Gardens
Six Days in 67

Predicted: Six Days in 67
Runner-Up: Bee-Bee's Funhouse
Possible Upset: Deep Secret

Best Casting Choice

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Ike in Fallout
Eddie Jemison as Martin Ziggle in The Lonely Life of Martin Ziggle
Julian McMahon as Rock Hudson in The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Catherine Zeta Jones as Yvonne DeCarlo in The Munsters with Yvonne DeCarlo
Kelsey Grammer as Bob Hope in My Life in Jokes
Chiwetel Ejiofor as LeRoi Jones in Six Days in 67

Predicted: My Life in Jokes
Runner-Up: Six Days in 67
Possible Upset: The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson

Best Crew

Friendly Enemies
Foggy London Nights
Indigo Prophecy
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Six Days in 67

Predicted: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Runner-Up: Six Days in 67
Possible Upset: Foggy London Nights

Best Tagline

"In a State Run by Man, She Fought for Change"
Equality

"Death is something you cry about. Tragedy is what makes you scream"
Everyday

"Home is wherever you make it, and London is just the place to start it all"
Foggy London Nights

"Time Isn't Always Going To Be There"
The Legend of Zelda: The End of Forever

"There is no truth without belief"
The Truth Lies Within

"The sun is the soul as sorrow is the heart"
The Winter Sun

Predicted: The Winter Sun
Runner-Up: Everyday
Possible Upset: Foggy London Nights

Funniest Bait

Cocker Spanchovy
The Munsters with Yvonne DeCarlo
No More Smiles
My Life in Jokes
Off to Rome
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Predicted: The Munsters Witth Yvonne De Carlo
Runner-Up: No More Smiles
Possible Upset: You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown

Shameless Oscar-Vehicles

The Courtroom
Deep Secret
Grey Gardens
In Between
Like Beauty
Six Days in 67

Best Poster

Blackwater Park
My Life in Jokes
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Quiet Room
The Truth Lies Within
The Winter Sun

Predicted: The Winter Sun
Runner-Up: Quiet Room
Possible Upset: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Author of the Month
Special Achievement on Writing and Creativity

Brian (Bee-Bee's Funhouse)
Josh P. (The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson & Foggy London Nights)
Pat (Everyday & Bat Out of Hell)
Sergio (Quiet Room)
Tony (The Winter Sun & Blackwater Park)
Zgamer (Fallout & Indigo Prophecy)

Predicted: Josh P.
Runner-Up: Tony
Possible Upset: Sergio

Best Director

Jonathan Demme, Bee-Bee's Funhouse
Ang Lee, The Winter Sun
David Lynch, Quiet Room
Anthony Minghella, Deep Secret
Bryan Singer, The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson

Predicted: Quiet Room
Runner-Up: The Winter Sun
Possible Upset: The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson

Best Actor

Jeff Bridges, Bee-Bee's Funhouse
Brian Cox, Deep Secret
Tom Hanks, The Winter Sun
Michael Imperioli, The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Thomas Kretschmann, In Between
Will Smith, The Courtroom

Predicted: Michael Imperioli
Runner-Up: Will Smith
Possible Upset: Jeff Bridges

Best Actress

Jennifer Connelly, Quiet Room
Virginia Madsen, Everyday
Kerry Washington, Six Days in 67
Sigourney Weaver, Equality
Catherine Zeta Jones, The Munsters with Yvonne DeCarlo

Predicted: Jennifer Connelly
Runner-Up: Six Days in 67
Possible Upset: Catherine Zeta Jones

Best Supporting Actor

James Gandolfini, The Winter Sun
Mandy Patinkin, Bee-Bee's Funhouse
Ron Pearlman, Fallout
Daniel Radcliffe, Foggy London Nights
Justin Theroux, Quiet Room

Predicted: Daniel Radcliff
Runner-Up: James Gandolfinin
Possible Upset: Mandy Patinkin

Best Supporting Actress

Kathy Bates, Rabbit Hole
Jill Clayburgh, Grey Gardens
Julie Christie, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Eddie Falco, Everyday
Sara Ramirez, No More Smiles

Predicted: Kathy Bates
Runner-Up: Edie Falco
Possible Upset: Jill Clayburgh

Best Original Screenplay

Bee-Bee's Funhouse
The Courtroom
Deep Secret
Quiet Room
Six Days in 67
The Winter Sun

Predicted: Quiet Room
Runner-Up: The Winter Sun
Possible Upset: Six Days in 67

Best Adapted Screenplay

Equality
Grey Gardens
The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Rabbit Hole
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Predicted: The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Runner-Up: Rabbit Hole
Possible Upset: Grey Gardens

Best Picture

Bee-Bee's Funhouse
Deep Secret
The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Quiet Room
The Winter Sun

Predicted: The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Runner-Up: Quiet Room
Possible Upset: The Winter Sun

Big 8 Predictions (Excluding mine)

Since we are getting to the point where everyone will begin their predictions, I figure I should give it a whack. Seeing how this is such a hectic month based on the GG's and SAG's, predicitions are going to be a hard thing to do. I'll do my best to acknowledge who I think should win and be on the list.

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson***
Rabbit Hole
Grey Gardens
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Deep Secret

This is probably one of the most competitive months this category has seen in a while. Many acclaimed films were based on books and previous sources and even if they weren't the best baits, many adapted baits were able to score for their potential. Alex has the best chances for nominations, given he did two pretty good adaptations of stage stories. Harry, though snubbed for his film in precursors, is likely to score with the final awards for Dorian Gray (like many films do in the finals). Deep Secret, though not my favorite, definately has the support from many veterans so it will get a spot. I feel, however, that Rock Hudson will get some love in more than just best picture. I see it snagging the award, but Deep Secret and Dorian Gray have a chance too.

Best Original Screenplay
Six Days in ‘67
Quiet Room***
Foggy London Nights
Bee-Bee’s Funhouse
The Winter Sun

I was surpsied that this category was a little weaker this month (in my opinion). Not that their weren't a lot of good ones, but that there is no real frontrunner here. The five on my list though, each had something unique to bring to the table. For what it lacked in its synopsis, Six Days had easily one of the most baity stories and would definately be a good contender here. Foggy London Nights had a great story just because its characters were very nicely written. Bee-Bee's Funhouse, though a bit flawed in its plot a bit too, had one of the Oscar-friendliest stories of the group. And The Winter Sun is one the list for its uniqueness and characters. However, my vote goes to Quiet Room for its creativity and wonderfully designed characters. My favorite for this category.

Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates for Rabbit Hole***
Robin Wright Penn for Quiet Room
Jill Clayburgh for Grey Gardens
Amy Adams for Bee-Bee’s Funhouse
Uma Thurman for The Witching Hour

This month, though not strong, had a couple heavy hitters. Adams and Thurman, despite getting no big noms, did have interesting roles that could serve them in the long run. Clayburgh has slowly but steadily been getting recognition and I think she should get a nom. I think it boils down to Penn and Bates. While Penn is great and was part of one of the contest's best ensembles, Bates character is so well suited for her that I think she is a lock.

Best Supporting Actor
Daniel Radcliff for Foggy London Nights***
James Gandolfini for The Winter Sun
Mandy Patinkin for Bee-Bee's funhouse
Justin Theroux for Quiet Room
Greg Kinnear for Rabbit Hole

I'm all for recognizing actors you wouldn't expect to win. This was a strong month for this category and all the nominees I picked are worthy. From actors in strong ensembles (the last three nods) to actors with great characters (the top two), the talent was great. But I will award it to Radcliff cause I enjoyed his character so much and he's a part of the Josh cannon this month. With Rock Hudson a lock in other categories, Foggy London Nights should get some recognition. And where else could you see someone not only bait a Harry Potter actor, but bait him seriously? That alone gets my vote.

Best Actress
Julianne Moore for The Witching Hour
Kerry Washington for Six Days in 67
Diane Lane for Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Connelly for Quiet Room***
Sigourney Weaver for Equality

Again, female acting categories are usually weaker, but there were some hits. Each one had a great role for them and many are in some of the best baits of the month. However, Connelly gets my vote because not only is she in one of the months best baits, but she has a great character that would really utilize her talents. Bravo Sergio.

Best Actor
Michael Imperioli for The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson***
Will Smith for The Courtroom
Ralph Fiennes for The Picture of Dorian Gray
Jeff Bridges for Bee-Bee’s Funhouse
Chiwetel Ejiofer for Six Days in 67

This is one of the most competitive categories of the month. So many great leads and each on my list are all worthy. From Fiennes's Oscar friendly role in Dorian Gray to Bridges's interesting character in Funhouse to Ejiofer's nicely chosen role in '67 to Will Smith's "likely to be a winner" role in Courtroom, this was a tough pick. However, I am seeing Rock Hudson becoming this month's World's Longest Suicide in sweeping the best picture, actor and adapted screenplay. So I see Imperioli winning for his very baity and intriguing role.

Best Director
David Lynch for Quiet Room***
Antoine Fuqua for Six Days in ‘67
Roman Polanski for The Picture of Dorian Gray
Ang Lee for The Winter Sun
Anthony Minghella for Deep Secret

Another tough category. All the people on this list are very worthy just because they fit their material well. However, my vote goes to Lynch just cause I love Quiet Room so much and I think it should get it. However, I wouldn't mind seeing any of them win.

Best Picture
Quiet Room
The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson***
The Courtroom
Bee-Bee’s Funhouse
The Picture of Dorian Gray

The category that everyone wants is one of the most competitive yet. Through all the films this month, each author has brought some quality work to the table. Harry did one of his best baits yet through Dorian Gray. Brian still proved his veteran status with Funhouse. Sergio continues to improve into one of this contest's best authors with Quiet Room. And good old Bryce powers through his bait's flaws to make it a likeable story. However, there's one film that eclipses most of them. Josh, a veteran who has been both in and out of the top lists, has finally written his masterpiece through Rock Hudson. An Oscar friendly story, a mostly good cast and crew and great writing make this film a winner. Plus, since Josh had the best profile of the month (which will guarantee him an author win), he is likely to win best picture as well. This is his to lose.

(Good) Thoughts on The August Competition At the Time Being

Hey all. I've been reading the baits and trying to think about the final awards. So, here's my view on some of the big baits of the month and my early predictions on some categories.

Baits:

The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson- This is probably my favorite bait of the month. It just has the quality and interest needed to make it a winner. If anything may hinder the bait's success, it might be one of two things. One is the cast. Though it has some good roles for Imperioli and MacMahon, it's a little overstuffed with characters who may have not needed to be in their in the first place. The other is its director choice. Singer is not a horrible choice, but I think Condon should have taken both the writer and director's credit instead. Still, my favorite bait of the month.

Quiet Room- Like Sweet Black and Blue, this film really has that feel to it that makes it a Lynch movie. It's the obvious frontrunner for director and it's cast is likely to get recognition. However, two things hinder this bait. One is the bait itself. I don't think people are too comfortable with the more quirky or bizzare films, so it may affect their opinion (like it did for Sweet Black and Blue). The other is the press section. It didn't do the bait justice since it neglected the fact it's suppose to support the film, not add to the plot. Don't get me wrong, it's well written but it's not a press section. Still, a big contender for many awards.

Foggy London Nights- Josh is almost a shoo-in to win best author this month. Rock Hudson is getting him great acclaim and this film is a great support film. It really feels like a British movie and is just interesting. Kudos for making Daniel Radcliff a frontrunner for best supporting actor. When someone can break an actor's typecasting or image like that, you know it means they got talent. So while maybe not a best picture canidate, don't be surprised to see this film later at the official awards.

Six Days in '67- Probably one of the baitiest baits this month, with a subject that's pure Oscar material. Plus, it has the strength of a competent director choice and probably the best cast of the month. The only thing hindering this bait is the somewhat malnurished synopsis. It's not bad, but it just seems to kill the momentum at the end of the reading. Plus, some characters need more description. Still, this bait's got a lot going for it and is likely to see Oscar and precursor gold.

Bee-Bee's Funhouse- An improvement for Brian over some of his recent baits. It has an Oscar friendly cast, a good story and quality writing to spare. However, it lacks the spark that made so many of Brian's previous baits like iLife and Balton Productions shine. This is definately Brian's comeback bait though, so I bet there will be good support for it throughout.

The Picture of Dorian Gray- I admit, this is much more of a Polanski film than Ashes was. It's simple, artisitic and easily one of Harry's best in quite a while. However, like '67, this bait seems to kind of lurch to a halt at the end of the synopsis, not giving us enough to continue even though we really want it to. It's going to be tricky for this film to get the right attention, but if Harry plays his cards right (and utilizes those great posters effectively), he may get some recognition come Oscar time.

The Courtroom- Bryce seems to know what he was doing when he wrote this bait. It's style is well suited for it's director, the cast is good and it's plot is very Oscar friendly. However, it's still a bit too safe to get major recognition and lacks some of the uniqueness of the other competitors. Still, it should definately benefit Bryce in the long run, especially as a great vehicle for star Will Smith.

So with those examined, here's a early prediction for Oscar winners.

Predictions:

Best Picture- This is going to be one of the most competitive months in all of the contest. There's no true frontrunner at this point, so any film has a chance. However, the only film so far to gain the most recognition is The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson. Winning Chris's Oscar for Best Picture and the Festival Grand Prize, this bait has the most acclaim to back it up. That doesn't mean it's safe, but it does mean it has a good shot.

Prediction: The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Other Possibilities: Quiet Room and Bee-Bee's Funhouse

Best Director- While many directors shone this month, the one who stood above the rest in my opinion is David Lynch in Quiet Room. His style fit the bait well and I could easily see him making this movie. So he's my frontrunner, but there are still other directors to consider.

Prediciton: David Lynch for Quiet Room
Other Possibilities: Antoine Fuqua for Six Days in '67 and Roman Polanski for The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Actor- Easily the most competitive field this month behind the best picture race. In a month filled with male driven films, it will be tricky to find a sure winner. And such, I can't decide between the three considerations. All three competitors, Will Smith, Clive Owen and Michael Imperioli, are well chosen and star in some very good baits. I can't break a tie between them, so they will all be my prediction. While there are many others who are also worthy, these are my main competitors.

Possibilities (Can't decide): Will Smith for the Courtroom, Michael Imperioli for The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson and Clive Owen for Blackwater Park.

Best Actress- The female acting categories have never really been as competitive as the male. This is usually because a frontrunner is chosen very early on in the race. This month, expect to see Jennifer Connelly as the woman to beat.

Prediction: Jennifer Connelly for Quiet Room
Other Possibilities: Kerry Washington for Six Days in '67 and Diane Lane for Rabbit Hole

Best Supporting Actor- This is usually a very tough race and for the most part, it remains so this month. However, one young man has already risen above the competition to be a frontrunner. You may know him better as the kid from Harry Potter, but I kid you not that soon you'll be seeing Daniel Radcliff at the final awards for his role in Foggy London Nights. The reason being is that not only is he in one of the best baits this month and is backed by a frontrunner for best author, but his character is very engaging and well suited for him. Which is saying a lot given there were many good supporting roles this month. So he's my frontrunner for the time being.

Prediction: Daniel Radcliff for Foggy London Nights
Other Possibilities: Justin Therox for Quiet Room and Mandy Patinkin for Bee-Bee's Funhouse

Best Supporting Actress- Again, female field less competitive. Kathy Bates has gotten a lot of love for her role in Rabbit Hole and will likely get more. There might be some competition, but expect her to be the one leading the pack.

Prediciton: Kathy Bates for Rabbit Hole
Other Possibilities: Robin Wright Penn for Quiet Room and Uma Thurman for The Witching Hour

Best Original Screenplay- With so many original films, this is going to be a hard category. My vote is going to go to Quiet Room for it's originality, but there are still many other worthy canidates that could usurp it.

Prediction: Quiet Room
Other Possibilities: Bee-Bee's Funhouse and Foggy London Nights

Best Adapted Screenplay: This is probably one of the strongest months that this category has had in a long time. A lot more people sent in adapted stories (including me) and they thankfully had quite of bit of quality to them. Obviously I'm not going to put myself on this since that would be very amateurish of me, so my frontrunner is The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson just cause it feels like it has a good chance given its writer. Of course, there are others who could win it as well.

Prediction: The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson
Other Possibilities: The Picture of Dorian Gray and Rabbit Hole

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So that's what I got to say. I will follow this up eventually as the contest progresses. Feel free to leave your comment and predictions here. Oh, and if you have any comments for Fallout or Indigo Prophecy, they would be very appreciated.

OH MY GOSH!

I was browsing through YouTube recently and I just rediscovered one of my favorite cartoons from my younger years. Anyone remember when Nickelodean and Cartoon Network were legitimately funny? I hope so, cause this was one of my favorite cartoons from Cartoon Network in those days. Back then, Cartoon Network actually tried to make their shows wittier and funny without little gimmicks (and this is based on my view of them then and now). It also helpsthat this was made by the same geniuses who made Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain. So without further ado, here's a hilariouus short clip from the classic cartoon Freakazoid.

One of My Favorite Broadway Musical Songs of All Time

No song made me laugh as hard I hard as I did like this one. Helps it's from one of the best musicals on Broadway right now. Tell me if you agree.

First Look at Rabbit Hole

Alex has been a part of this contest for quite a while now. Having written many classic baits like Fosse, Ralph's Food and Drug and Mermania, Alex has shown his talent in writing various genres of baits. Noticably though, Alex has been associated with many baits based on plays and musicals. And it so happens he's releasing one of each this month. However, the bait I will cover is his adaptation of the Tony nominated Rabbit Hole.

The story, adapted by the original playwright, takes place eight months after the tragic death of a five-year-old boy. Obviously, this pays a heavy price on the parents. However, the father Howie (played by Greg Kinnear) is able to find ways to cope with such a loss. The one who is suffering the most is the boy's mother Becca (Diane Lane). So much so that she has alienated herself from everyone around her, including Howie, her outspoken but understanding mother Nat (Kathy Bates) and her newly pregnant younger sister Izzy (Maria Bello). The majority of the story deals with how these people learn to accept death even when it hurts. Of course, this has to be accompanied by many hard moments that threaten to tear the family apart.

The synopsis itself is well written. The characters are nicely developed and the conflicts are well established. While the press section is nicely done, it did need a little better spacing of some of the paragraphs. Overall, the bait is nicely written. However, its key strength for reading and awards is its cast. Alex has chosen a great group, whose star power is good enough to give the bait credibility but not overwhelm it. Diane Lane is a great casting choice for lead character Becca. It's a very baity role that is sure to guarentee her a nomination. Greg Kinnear and Maria Bello are also nicely chosen, but they may not be able to garner attention due to the lack of focus for their characters (plus, it's a very competitive field for their categories). Even Haley Joel Osment, in his small role, is a good choice given his character's role in the conflict. However, the true star of this bait is Kathy Bates as rude and outspoken mother Nat. It is a role that if she was in would likely serve a good comic relief to the tragedy and would be a good vehicle for her overall. And seeing how she's just won the Festival Award for best supporting actress, I have no doubt that she will be nominated and possibly win if the field is weak this month.

If I had any overall complaints other than some formatting issue, it's that this bait might suffer where Proof did in the bad transition from stage to film. If this could do it right, it would be a hit. However, it is John Madden so it all depends on how the final draft turns out.

So look forward to Alex's Rabbit Hole this August. It just might be Alex's key to some more Oscars on his resume.

Grade: B

Awards Possibilities
Best Picture
Best Director (John Madden)
Best Adapted Screenplay (David Lindsay-Abaire)
Best Actress (Diane Lane)
Best Supporting Actress (Kathy Bates)
Best Cast

The Music of Games

Music is an aspect of entertainment that makes or breaks the product. A good score/track can make the mood and style of an entertainment product come to life, while bad music can make a product unbearable. However, few people really recognize the one field that has been continually improving on this aspect: the game industry. So, in honor of this field, here are some of the best of video game music, original or lisenced:

Halo series- Few games have had such an impact with its music than Halo. When the very first trailer came out, people everywhere stopped to listen to the grand violins and trumpets of this game's score. And with each game, the music style changes and improves itself to give each entry an identity of its own. This has been noticable through each entry. Halo 1's score consisted of a rousing action-oriented score with trumpets and deep vocals. Halo 2's score involved more violins and softer sounds to emphasize the sense of transition and foreboding. And for the upcoming Halo 3, the composers seem to have gone all out with putting emotion into the score, with a great piano composition taking center stage. Halo is a testament that a great score can make a great game even better.

Metal Gear Solid series- Probably the grand daddy of all the cinematic elements in video games. Along with being the first game to utilize a movie-like plot, script and style, MGS was also one of the first games to implement a cinematic score to the mix. While the midi score used in the first game may seem archaic by our standards, it was a huge leap back then. And how do they one up that? By having professional movie composer Harry Gregson-Williams compose the phenominal score for the sequel. This was the first time it truly sounded like movie music, with great use of drums, trumpets and other action movie instruments. But he didn't stop there. With MGS3, Williams showed he could improve his music based on style as well as quality, capturing the feel of 60's Cold War within the game's score, filled with guitar, trumpets and such. And how can we forget the next installment? With the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4, Williams is now changing the formula a bit, as he goes for a Middle Eastern style of music. With what's been played so far, the most I can say is "Great Job". Another classic score for the ages.

God of War series- Though it has not been around as long as Halo or MGS, God of War's music still rocks the socks off almost any other game. With a sense of energy, bloodlust and power, the game's thundering score perfectly sets the pace to this heart pounding game. From the lively theme to the little bits of soft music during the game's few slow moments, the music really sets the pace and tone of the story while still feeling like a piece of music from ancient Greece. And with the release of the sequel, all of those qualities were amplified from great game music into a musical masterpiece. No other game has this game's life or power, and most of that is thanks to the rousing score.

Grand Theft Auto series- Yeah, call it controversial if you want, but for what it's worth, Grand Theft Auto has always been spot on with their lisenced music. Carefully choosing the best of each era of the various games, the guys at Rockstar really show they know their tunes. It works even better when the right song is played during the right moment in the game. So while other games try desperately to lisence music that don't do them justice, we can always be comforted by the fact the guys at Rockstar don't sell out to simple popular bands. Like I said, they know their good tunes.

Bully- This little game from Rockstar was definately not as controversial as people claimed it to be (they hardly even swear through the game), yet people still didn't flock to the stores for it. That's a shame, cause not only did Bully have great gameplay to match its witty and hilarious story, but it had a great score accompaning it. The score, utilizing a lot of simple tunes and instruments, seems to be spiritually linked to the situation at hand. Each tune that plays sets the mood and pace of each scene, whether its the music playing while running from cliques or the game's theme playing on the school yards. Plus, this is probably the only game that actually has old style greaser music from the 50's as one of its tunes (obviously from when you fight the Greasers in the game). A truly great score that deserves praise for the guys at Rockstar. Probably the first and best example of their skills in music outside of lisenced tracks.

The Warriors- Based on the cult 70's film, The Warriors, another Rockstar underrated classic, was a thrilling game with great combat and a great story to match. But where was the game's real strength? You guessed it, the music. Showing off their era-specific music knowledge again, Rockstar assembled a great selection of original music and popular tunes to set the mood of The Warriors in the best way possible. Once you hear the music, you know what you're in for. Man, how does Rockstar do it so well?

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That's just some of the best. There's plenty more, but I won't bore you by listing all of them. So, what do you guys think?

A Tribute to Pan's Labyrinth

I know this film was released at the end of last year, but I still can't get enough of it. I have rented it again this week and I still love this movie. No matter how many times or different ways I view it, there's always something there that help me appreciate the film more. I just want to share my love of this film on the site.

So what makes this film so remarkable? Well, a lot of things. But first, let me start with one of the most noticeable parts: the technical work. This film is absolutely stunning in terms of visual design. The cinematography is beautiful, with every shot a work of art. It works so well that you forget you're watching a movie and it almost feels like watching flip show of beautiful artwork. It also works that the colors are so vivid that you're eyes will soak in every bit of it. The art design is also masterfully done, creating a sense that you are really traveling back and forth between the real world and the world created by Ofelia. And since this part of the film goes hand and hand with the color/cinematography section, it makes it all the more stunning. Probably the best part though is the make-up design, with the creatures of the Labyrinth being rendered in a beautiful yet terrifying way, just like the original fairy tale creatures. The best has to be The Pale Man, who is a wonderful representation of a dispicable creature.

However, the film is much deeper than a story with a lot of technical superiority. The story that Guillermo Del Toro tells is involving and significant. Though set in the overused era of WWII, this setting never feels cliche or too familiar. Maybe because it's not a WWII movie. This movie is a classic fairy tale, both beautiful to tell but also horriying to experience. While the message underneath is encouraging, the presentation is realistically dark and forebodding. No one in the film is truly happy, as the atmosphere is oppressive and haunting. But that makes the film better, since it is exactly what a fairy tale like the ones from The Brothers Grimm should be like. It's meaningful and symbolic, not cheesy and carefree. Also, the music is absolutely amazing. It contains all the essence of a fairy tale and fits so perfectly that you almost forget it is there (which is what music should do in a movie). The music should have won Pan's Labyrinth its fourth Oscar, but it was unjustly and undeservedly given to Babel just because it wasn't going to win anything else (that film's original music was no where near as good).

Now as for the screenplay, this is in a league of its own. Obviously we Americans aren't used to hearing foreign languages, but thankfully Del Toro writes and directs the story in a way that is universally understood even past the words. The expressions and motivations of the actors speak louder than any of their dialogue so that you understand it even if you don't know the words. And though the English version has subtitles, Del Toro makes it where the subtitles don't distract from the scene behind it (a smart move on his part). It also helps that the dialogue (as it is translated) and scenes are fresh, original and intelligent, with no groan-inducing cliche fairy tales lines or plot points to screw up the gritty reality of the situation. Del Toro definately deserved the nomination for his screenplay, though he probably should have been nominated for his directing as well.

Speaking of directing, talk about your inspired direction. This is truly Del Toro's masterpiece in terms of his directing of it. It's good that he's found the genre and story he's comfortable with, cause it does him no good to pander in mediocre action films like Blade 2 or Hellboy. The pace Del Toro sets for this film is perfect for the story, as it is slow but never droning. It functions at the appropriate speed needed for the story to progress. Almost all of the scenes are directed to the best they can get. From the beautiful opening sequence to the incredibly sad death of the doctor Ferreiro, Del Toro never lets a scene be unneeded or lackluster. Sure, some scenes are incredibly brutal and somewhat sickening (particularly the scene where the captain beats a poor man's face in before shooting him and his father), but that just shows that Del Toro knows what he's doing. He knows what reaction the audience should be getting. He knows how powerful to make a scene. He knows how to make the scene serve the story. And that is the brillance of his direction.

Now for my favorite part of the film I like to judge: the acting. While most English speakers won't understand them without subtitles, there's no doubt or confusion to how well the actors perform. Ivana Baquero is simply amazing as the main character Ofelia, a young girl who creates an alternate world to escape the horrors of her step-father's base. Baquero plays the part in a way that is subtle in its delivery but so loud in its emotion that it makes her character all the more memorable. She's not a damsel in distress or a no-brained little kid. She is a real girl caught in a real situation, with only her imagination available to set her free. Also among the top performers (and probably the most memorable character for the wrong reasons) is Sergi Lopez as the evil Captain Vidal. This character is such a dispicable human being that you really grow to hate his very exsistence. This isn't a bad thing, cause that means Vidal and Del Toro perfectly expressed the character. Lopez does such an amazing job with that that it is easy to forget he is acting. However, he does more than just be a cold hearted machine. You actually connect (so to say) with the character cause he actually has a motivation, a past and desires behind his exterior. He has things he collects from his past (that broken pocketwatch in his pocket), he has weaknesses and he can express some humanity at times (though not often). In a way, Vidal is probably the most human character in the whole story just because we understand him so well that it's sickening. Pretty much the whole cast is on top of their game, including Verdu as the resistance double-agent, Angulo as the double-agent doctor and even the man who plays the stuttering prisoner captured by Vidal (it's so sad to see him after he's torturred). You forget that anyone is acting here, as each person pretty much becomes his or her character. The biggest kudos though has to go to Doug Jones just because he had to wear all that make-up and still be amazing in his performance. To think he that he can't speak any Spanish, yet he can learn when to talk and when not talk so well that you forget he's being dubbed. Plus, his performance overall of both Pan and The Pale Man are both stunning just because they feel so different.

Now, this may surprise people, but I found that Pan's Labyrinth actually had a lot of religious significance to it. This isn't some bull cooked up by a religous person, this is a non-biased view of the movie. It's very subtle in this part, but if you look carefully, the film is pretty much a representation of life through the most ideal beliefs of Christianity, mostly portrayed through Ofelia. She enters her new world with very little details about her past. She has to deal with a life that filled with sin and evil. She discovers a new way of living through the servant of a higher being. She has to follow a set of commands to reach her true glory. She experiences sin through disobedience. She experiences redemption. She pays a sacrifice for her cause. And in the end, she receives glory. If you think really hard, this is pretty much a movie seeped with religion. Characters represent many ideas or people from the faith (Pan is a prophet, the doctor is in a loose way the savior, Vidal is the Devil, etc.) and the theme of celestial glory is abundant. When I first discovered this, I was surprised. Then I realized that most fairy tales do have some religious ideas behind them, so it came around as a "how did I not realize that?" kind of thing.

Pan's Labyrinth will remain a classic for many reasons. It's beautiful to watch, it's wonderful to listen to and it is such a deep and meaningful story. Del Toro has now entered the group of filmmakers who can justifiably be called artists. This is his masterpiece.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots- An equivalent to TV's Lost

Man, if there ever was a video game that had you scratch your head in puzzlement so much your scalp burned, it's got to be the Metal Gear series. There are so many twists, turns and convolution that many are still trying to find answers to it's mysteries. The next game doesn't seem to help much for this problem. Though there has been almost an hour's worth of footage and trailers that have been released for the game (I kid you not!), far too many questions have been raised that need to be answered. Among some of the notable ones for the new game includes:

1. What's the deal with Raiden? Is he completely a robot now or what? I mean seriously, if he can stab a sword through himself and still live, there's got to be something strange going on behind it.

2. How did war become the new hot product of that era? As it has been explained in the new E3 trailer, war is now the most marketable and economical product on the market, surpassing oil in its importance. But how does something like that happen?

3. What's the new Foxhound unit like? Our only glimpse to this was when Meryl from the first game made a cameo and explained her role in the new Foxhound. But does that mean she is an ally or a foe, especially since Foxhound became Snake's enemy after a while.

4. How did Liquid ascend to power over the Private Mercenary Companies? I'm assuming that Liquid has planned this thing all throughout the series, but just how does a man achive that power? What's more, how can a freakin' hand possess someone like how Liquid possessed Ocelot?

5. What bosses will appear in the new game? Metal Gear has always been known for its awesome over-the-top boss battles, so it will be interesting to see what will happen this game. We know that Vamp from Metal Gear Solid 2 will make an appearance, but what new or old bosses will come around?

6. Will this game justify the PS3's exsistence? This is more a question of Metal Gear as a product rather than the game's mythos. The PS3 has had a very rocky opening, with a slew of bad games and a sales killing price tag. So will MGS4 really be worth owning a PS3 for something other than Resistene: Fall of Man?

7. Will Vamp actually die? Geez, while this guy is pretty cool, it's a tad unfair that he can withstand a sniper shot through the chest, a knife through the chest and many other wounds but still live. Will Raiden actually be able to kill him?

8. Why do the new Metal Gear robots moo? Further more, why do they take a dump after everything they do? Heck, what's with the new Metal Gear's overall?

9. Will the story deliver? The series has been known for many things, but nothing is more important to the series than an awesome though convoluted political conspiracy story. So will this game continue the great trend.

10. What's with the young Snake seen in one of the later trailers? That was a big surprise, since we know the story focuses on Old Snake. Is there another clone of Big Boss somewhere in this world?

And the most important question of all:

11. What will happen to Snake? The E3 trailer from 2006 ended (with exception to Raiden's awesome fight against 13 Metal Gear's) with Snake putting a pistol into his mouth contemplating suicide. It's also a shame that we know that if he doesn't kill himself, his clone degeneration will destroy him slowly and painfully. So, how will Snake end his glorious career? That is the biggest mystery and concern for Metal Gear Solid 4.

I hope all these questions will be answered when the game releases. I am eagerly waiting to see how things turn out (unless it ends like Lost with more questions than answers).

Under The Radar: Games People Shouldn't (but do) Ignore or Forget

It's sad but it's true. Sometimes, a great video game either fails in sales and gets forgotten or time buries it with the crap studios like EA processes (Curse juggernaut studios like them for polluting the industry with crap like bad movie based games). Thank goodness there are people like me who remember some of the greatest games that either were forgotten by poor sales or through time. Here's a couple of my favorites of them:


Freedom Fighters- Ever wondered what would happen if the world super powers back in the Cold War were the other way around? Well, someone in the gaming world did, and thus Freedom Fighters was born. The game takes place in an alternate timeline where Russia, the world's largest super power, invades the U.S. to expand their borders. Now it is up to a plumber-turned-freedom fighter to recruit people to send the ruskies back. The thing that makes the game charming, other than the story, is the fun you can have playing this game. The gun controls are tight, the pace is exciting and the squad commanding is a load of fun. That's probably the best part. Throughout the game, you recruit new fighters to your squad. Fortunately for you, they can hold their own. So check it out if you get the chance.

Psychonauts- Who says video games can't be funny? This game is one of the funniest, wittiest and most original games I've ever played. I think the reason people didn't catch on to it is because of its quirky Tim Burton esque feel. The story is quite unique, which puts you in the shoes of a psychic in training named Razputin (Raz for short). In a psychic summer camp, you discover that one of the counsellors is planning a diabolical plot and is stealing the brains of your fellow campers (turning them into TV craving morons). So Raz must enter people's heads in an attempt to dicover clues to how to stop the plot. The writing is fresh, the levels are awesome (especially one that deals with a conspiracy nut job) and the character are wacky and charming in a Tim Burton way (one of them looks like a cotton candy on a stick. Is that not hilarious?). Check this game out immediately.

Viewtiful Joe- Man, whatever happened to this game? It was so fun and awesome, yet it has no more popularity anymore. This game was quite the gem. The story centers around Joe and his girlfriend going to a movie, only to have the movie break the fourth wall and abduct his girlfriend. Now Joe must enter the movie (equipped with new super powers and an awesome costume) and fight his way through hoardes of movie bad guys to save the day. Man, this game had it all. Fun action, a lame catch phrase (it wasn't horrible but it wasn't catchy), and just a sense of unbridled fun. A recommend for anyone who has a Gamecube and especially a Playstation 2 (you can unlock Dante from Devil May Cry in that version).

There are so many games that need our attention. We can't keep neglecting them like this.

Zgamer's September Bait (w/Bryce and Sergio)

Here is the trailer from our thread on the forum and the link to the thread. We hope you enjoy it.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/523328/thread/1185990023/last-1186003032/A+Bait+from+a+galaxy+far+far+away...

Zgamer's August Baits

Here are my August baits. Hope you enjoy the trailers. Leave any comments you'd like here.