Ranking the Movies of 2011

What follows is a quick list ranking all of the films I was able to see theatrically in 2011. The criteria for this list is simply that a particular movie came out either in the United States or in its native country during that year, and that I was able to see it during its original run. The list is ordered from “First” to “Worst,” starting with the best and moving on down to the… not so best.

ATTACK THE BLOCK
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
RED STATE
SHAME
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
50/50
TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL
SUPER 8
PAUL
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
OUR IDIOT BROTHER
CONTAGION
THE MUPPETS
MONEYBALL
CONAN O'BRIEN CAN'T STOP
30 MINUTES OR LESS
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3
ARTHUR
THE GREEN HORNET
CEDAR RAPIDS
THOR
STRAW DOGS
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
GREEN LANTERN
THE HANGOVER PART II

How to Finally Start That Screenplay You're Always Talking About

A lot of creative people think about starting a screenplay at some point or another. It may begin with an idea for a story, or a description of a character, or even a funny situation or conversation. Eventually that seed of a concept grows into a full-fledged desire. However, it can be exceedingly difficult to actually put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) and start on your opus. It doesn’t have to be, however, so long as you look at it the right way.

Start by separating everything that you’ve already thought of into a few different categories. If you’ve primarily had ideas for characters, for example, write the word “Characters” on the top of a sheet of paper. Follow that with names, back-stories, and personalities – anything that is already in your mind. Do the same with the general concept for your plot, locations and more.

Look back over your list of characters (if applicable) and examine their motivations. For each character you need to answer the questions of “Who is this person?”, “What does this person want from the story?” and “What role does this person play in the larger arc of my screenplay.” As you start to answer these questions, you will begin to get a better picture of the overall story of your screenplay. The situations that they need to get themselves into for the story to work, and how they will react to those situations, will become clear.

Continue by breaking down the overall story of your screenplay into a series of scenes. Feature length screenplays tend to have anywhere from 70 to 150 or more scenes, depending on the genre. Writing down all of your scene ideas will give you a good indication of just how far along your idea actually is.

Write down each scene onto a notecard, using one new notecard for each. You can do this any way you’d like: you can write a description of the scene on the front of the card and the location on the back, or write both pieces of information on the same side.

Arrange all of your notecards in chronological order, the way they would unfold if you were watching the finished film on television or in a theater. This will allow you to flip through the notecards from beginning to end, which will tell you where your story flows naturally and where there are holes that need to be filled.

Separate your notecards into three sections, or “acts.” Almost all major motion picture screenplays follow a standard three act structure. The first act introduces the characters and sets up the conflict. The second act takes the protagonist on their journey, and shows the difficulties they face along the way. The third act builds towards the climax of the story, as well as the resolution. Put the notecards you’ve written into one pile for each act.

Spread out all of your notecards on the floor, or pin them up to a cork board or bulletin board. This will give you a visual idea of how far along you are with your story. If all of your notecards are in the “Act 1” section and the “Act 3” section, for example, you know that your “Act 2” is going to need to be fleshed out. If you seem to have an equal amount of notecards in each section, you’re on the right track.

Do as much research as you can. This can encompass watching films that are similar to the one you’re trying to write, or reading published screenplays purchased in bookstores or downloaded from the Internet. Watch how professionals do their job, and learn from the best along the way.

Study the screenplay format. Writing a screenplay is not like writing prose – the formatting is very particular, and a poorly formatted script will be thrown into the garbage by studio executives, producers, actors and the like. Each scene has to have a scene heading, for example, which is formatted in a very particular way. The dialog goes in a specific place on the page, and can’t go anywhere else. You also can’t write anything in a script that can’t be seen or heard – this means you can’t arbitrarily write why a character is performing an action, or what they’re thinking while it’s going on.

Make time in your day to start writing and do so. One of the hardest parts of writing for many screenwriters is staring at the blank page before they actually begin. Write “FADE IN:” in the upper left corner of the page, and then keep going. Even if you can only write for twenty minutes a day, or can only commit to two pages a day, that’s still an excellent start. The more pages that you write, the more motivation you will have to continue to the end.

Screenplay Formatting Sample: "The Graduation Party"

What follows is a short film script written years ago for a college writing class. I thought it would be a good way to show an example of the screenplay format and all of its many requirements. Note the font size and type face, and pay particular attention to the margins for different elements like “Action” and “Dialog.”

 "The Graduation Party"

FADE IN:

INT. JIMMY'S HOUSE, BASEMENT - DAY

FIVE KIDS all around the age of ten play in the furnished
basement of a typical suburban house. A banner hangs that
reads "Happy Graduation Jimmy!" Sitting on a couch across
from a TV, watching a movie and looking annoyed at what is
going on around them, are JIMMY and MATT, two high-school
aged kids.

After a moment, one of the little kids comes over to the
couch.

                 TOMMY
        Jimmeeee! Come play with us!

                 JIMMY
        We're trying to watch a movie. Why
        don't you guys go play outside?

                 TOMMY
        Mom says we can't go play outside.

                 JIMMY
        Can't you play upstairs, then?

                 TOMMY
        The grownups are upstairs.

                 JIMMY
        There are grownups down here, too.

                 TOMMY
        You're not grownups.

                 JIMMY
        We'll play later.

A Nerf football, thrown from the other side of the room, hits
Jimmy in the head. Tommy wanders away.

                 MATT
        Dude, your cousins are driving me
        insane. When you said you were
        having a graduation party, I didn't
        think we'd be the only two people
        that aren't insane little ten year
        olds or under the age of 45.

                 JIMMY
        Joe'll be here when he gets off of
        work. That should be soon.

As if on cue, the door from upstairs leading downstairs can
be heard opening.

                  JOE
           (to someone upstairs)
         No thanks, Mrs. Parker. I'm not
         hungry right now, maybe later.

JOE, another high school aged kid, rushes down the stairs and
over to his friends.

                  MATT
          About frigging time.

                  JIMMY
          What took you so long?

                  JOE
             (out of breath)
          Dude, you are never going to
          believe what I just heard.

Joe stops to catch his breath and looks around him.

                   JOE (CONT'D)
           Lot of little kids here.
                  (beat)
           Where is everyone?

                   JIMMY
           We're it. What did you hear?

                   JOE
           I was at work, right? And I just
           heard the craziest story about Nick
           and Amanda.

                   JIMMY
           Well, drop the suspense. What did
           you hear?

Joe looks around.

                    JOE
            It's a pretty... dirty story. Tell
            your cousins to go upstairs.

                    JIMMY
            Cousins, go upstairs.

                    TOMMY
            NO.

                    JOE
                 (to Jimmy)
            Really?

                    JIMMY
            They've been like this all day.

                    JOE
            There's no way I'm telling this
            story in front of little kids.

                    JIMMY
            Well can't you just... clean it up?

                    JOE
            Not really... it's pretty vulgar,
            dude.
                   (beat)
            No, no wait. I've got it. Okay,
            follow me here.

Jimmy and Matt sit up on the couch, attentively.

                    JOE (CONT'D)
            Alright, so I'm at work, and we're
            pretty dead, so I start talking to
            Jeremy Whittimore. Now, Whittimore
            is a lot of things, but one thing
            he doesn't do is BS. So when I hear
            something from him, I believe it.

                    JIMMY
            Right.

                    MATT
            Uh-huh.

                    JOE
            So we start talking, and he starts
            telling me this story about Nick
            and Amanda. So Nick and Amanda are
            at his house, right? And they're on
            the couch... "watching TV."

                    MATT
            Right.

                    JOE
            And after awhile, they get done
            "watching TV," and Nick gets up,
            and realizes he can't find... "the
            remote control."

Matt and Jimmy laugh. By this time, the little kids have
started to gather to listen to Joe's story.

                    JOE (CONT'D)
            So Amanda's freaking out, right?
            And Nick panics, because she's
            really upset, and she's all "We
            don't want to get... charged for
            any movies we didn't order!"

                     MATT
            Understandable.

                     JIMMY
            I feel bad for the girl that one
            day ends up ordering a movie with
            Nick.

                     TOMMY
              (to one of his little
               friends)
            I have no idea what they're talking
            about.

                     JIMMY
                  (to Tommy)
            Quiet.

                     JOE
            And this is the part that got me -
            he tells her not to worry, and that
            the remote is probably just stuck
            in the... "couch" somewhere, and
            they'll find it at the end of the
            month when the "cable bill" comes.

Matt and Jimmy laugh a lot.

                     MATT
            Does Nick know how the cable bill
            works?!

                     JOE
            Clearly not.

                     MATT
            Wait... she didn't believe that,
            did she?

                     JOE
            According to Jeremy, yes. Yes she
            did.

Jimmy shakes his head.

                     MATT
            Those two idiots are made for each
            other.

                     JIMMY
            I can't believe Nick told *anyone*
            that story, let alone Jeremy.

                     JOE
            I know, right! It's Jeremy!
            Everyone will probably know by this
            time tomorrow.

                     MATT
            We go to school with some
            interesting people.

                     JOE
            I know, right! Isn't that one of
            the most fucked up things you've
            ever heard!

As he finishes his sentence, Joe, Jimmy, and Matt's eyes all
bug out of their head.

                     JOE (CONT'D)
                (to the ten-year-olds)
             You didn't hear that.

                     TOMMY
             Yes we did!

Tommy starts running up the stairs.

                     TOMMY (CONT'D)
              Mommy, mommy! Jimmy's friends are
              swearing and telling dirty stories
              and they won't play with us!

                     JIMMY
                    (to Joe)
              You son of a bitch.

FADE OUT. 

The Top Ten Cancelled TV Shows of the 2000s

Television has been changing drastically over the last decade. If you're not an instant hit, the writing is on the wall almost immediately. Out of all of the shows that were prematurely canceled in the last ten years, these are the ones that broke my heart the most.

10. Clerks: The Animated Series (Kevin Smith & Scott Mosier & David Mandel, 2000)

In concept, an animated "Clerks" show doesn't really make a lot of sense. In execution, however, we were treated to something pretty wonderful in the way of adult animation. A mixture of classic "Simpsons" and Kevin Smith's famous characters, "Clerks: The Animated Series" was killed after only two episodes aired (with one being aired out-of-order, really confusing the then 15-year-old Me).

9. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (Aaron Sorkin, 2006-2007)

After one of the best hour-long television pilots of all time, Aaron Sorkin's "Network: The Show" really struggled to find itself for the better part of a season. It didn't help that "30 Rock" premiered the same year on the same channel. Axed as it was just starting to find its footing, I still miss Matt Albie and Danny Tripp dearly.

8. Angel (Joss Whedon, 1999-2004)

This is an odd one - "Angel" may not be as great as it is if it hadn't been canceled prematurely. "Buffy" had gone off the air and "Angel" was beginning to truly stand on its own when it was canceled, which caused Joss Whedon to end the show in the most frustratingly brilliant way possible.

7. Undeclared (Judd Apatow, 2001-2002)

Not as good as Apatow and Paul Feig's brilliant "Freaks and Geeks," "Undeclared" was still a great character-driven show. Yet again, another show that followed the rule "Just when it starts to become a truly great show, it gets canceled."

6. Stella (Michael Ian Black & Michael Showalter & David Wain, 2005)

"Stella" is definitely not for everyone, but those that love jokes about how funny words sound and obscure literature references really understood how great the few episodes we saw were. "Stella" was able to effortlessly move between extreme high brow humor and low brow, sometimes within a matter of seconds. This, coupled with the show's "Anything can happen at any time" attitude lead to a show that was always fresh and unpredictable, and consistently funny from the beginning of its short run to the end.

5. Veronica Mars (Rob Thomas, 2004-2007)

Who doesn't love a film noir detective story set in high school? People will Neilsen boxes, apparently.

4. Andy Richter Controls the Universe (Victor Fresco, 2002-2003)

This was a great little show that tried to be nothing but fun from beginning to end, and succeeded in a really great way.

3. Arrested Development (Mitchell Hurwitz, 2003-2006)

Proof positive that there are original ideas left in Hollywood. Though they did end up going a little too far into "meta, trying desperately to save the show" territory, "Arrested Development" stands proud as one of the finest comedies ever forged. Luckily the show's popularity is unwavering, and Netflix is bringing back "Arrested Development" for a fourth season to proceed a feature film in 2013.

2. Firefly (Joss Whedon, 2002)

There really isn't anything that I can say about this show that hasn't already been said. Consider this proof of the age old theory that "good things are not allowed to happen to Joss Whedon."

1. Freaks and Geeks (Paul Feig & Judd Apatow, 1999-2000)

I'd rank the pilot of "Freaks and Geeks" up with some of my favorite movies of all time.  Though it did have a few missteps as it neared cancellation (the hermaphrodite subplot doesn't really work in any show, let alone this one), the entire 18 episode run is largely perfect, and is one of the best American television shows of all time.

Honorable Mention:

That's My Bush! (Trey Parker & Matt Stone, 2001)

This one gets an honorable mention because, while being officially canceled, it probably shouldn't have run longer than the six episodes it did. What we got was the perfect execution of a great concept, and anything more probably only would have weakened it.

The Top Ten Movies of the 2000s

10. The Dark Knight (2008)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan

I can't be a comic book fan and a movie fan without mentioning "The Dark Knight." Though it can be *insanely* convoluted at times, it really is the most mature comic book movie ever made. Plus, it answers a question I've long pondered: "What would happen if Batman and the Joker were in the movie 'Heat'?"

9. Zodiac (2007)

Director: David Fincher

Writer: James Vanderbilt

If for nothing else, "Zodiac" is impressive because David Fincher literally ends the "serial killer" genre. After this, there's nothing left to say.

8. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Director: Wes Anderson

Writers: Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson

This will probably end up as the best thing Wes Anderson ever does. One of the last true auteurs, this is a perfect mixture of his signature style and a hell of a lot of substance.

7. A History of Violence (2005)

Director: David Cronenberg

Writer: Josh Olson

I didn't think Viggo Mortensen was a real actor until "A History of Violence."

6. The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Director: Noah Baumbach

Writer: Noah Baumbach

Jeff Daniels gives the performance of his career in Noah Baumbach's divorce-dramedy. This is one of those movies that people will still be talking about in 20 years.

5. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Director: Edgar Wright

Writers: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright

Not so much a parody but a "tribute" movie, it's amazing how funny and emotional this movie can be, often at the same time.

4. Almost Famous (2000)

Director: Cameron Crowe

Writer: Cameron Crowe

If you don't tear up during the "Tiny Dancer" sequence, you have no soul.

3. High Fidelity (2000)

Director: Stephen Frears

Writers: D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, John Cusack, Scott Rosenberg

Every once and awhile I wonder what Rob Gordon is doing now, over ten years after the movie premiered. I ultimately decided that he still works at Championship Vinyl, only now he's happy. And Barry still tours with "Kathleen Turner Overdrive."

2. 25th Hour (2002)

Director: Spike Lee

Writer: David Benioff

Edward Norton stars as Monty Brogan, a man in the process of reevaluating his life in the 24 hours prior to beginning a seven year prison sentence. In a rare Spike Lee film that isn't overly bogged down by the subject of racism, 25th Hour is a story of friendship, love, and consequence. It's a movie I'm truly happy to be able to say I caught during its initial theatrical run. I've used this movie to weed out acquaintances in the past. If you don't like "25th Hour," I don't want to be friends with you.

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson

Daniel Plainview is one of the most fascinating characters of the (admittedly short) 21st century. "There Will Be Blood" is essentially the story of a man who, when presented with the opportunity for redemption, thinks about it and decides "Nah, I'm going to go on being evil. Thanks, though." Truly extraordinary.

Honorable Mention:

Superman Returns (Bryan Singer, 2006)
X2 (Bryan Singer, 2003)
Inglorious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky, 2004)

How the Movie "Prometheus" Relates to the Movie "Alien"

The movie “Prometheus” marks director Ridley Scott’s first entry into the science fiction genre since the early 1980s. His last sci-fi film, “Blade Runner”, was released in the summer of 1982. Not only is he returning to a genre he once left an inarguable mark on, he is also returning to a franchise he created – the world of the “Alien” films. According to pre-release and promotional material, determining how “Prometheus” fits in with the other films in the franchise including “Aliens”, “Alien 3” and “Alien: Resurrection” is a bit more complicated than calling it a simple “prequel.”

The film that would eventually be called “Prometheus” started life very much as a literal prequel to “Alien”. In cinematic terminology, the word “prequel” means that a particular film takes place chronologically before a film that has already been released. Ridley Scott himself even identified “Prometheus” as such in promotional material included with the “Alien Anthology” Blu-ray boxed set, released in late 2010.

Though “Prometheus” started out very much tied to the previous film, things got a bit more complicated when writer Damon Lindelof became involved in the project. Lindelof, who many genre fans will know as one of the driving forces behind the hit television series “Lost”, rewrote an existing script and turned the film into something else entirely. His draft is the one that was used when production began.

The finished film “Prometheus” is still very much a part of the larger “Alien” universe – however, it has now just become one small part. Chronologically, the film still takes place an undetermined amount of time prior to the events depicted in “Alien”. However, the story of “Prometheus” no longer concerns itself with simply answering questions that were posed by that previous movie. Instead, it tackles larger questions like “Why are we here?” and “How did humanity come to be?”

Tonally, “Prometheus” shares a lot with “Alien.” The looks of the two films are very much in sync, with both being dark, gothic takes on similar material. Both films are also a blend of science fiction and horror, with thrilling elements thrown into the mix.

A staple of the “Alien” franchise since its creation has been the sinister Weyland Yutani Corporation. This is the organization that the characters in the first film worked for, and the entity that was behind the crew of the Nostromo checking out a mysterious distress call. “Prometheus” features the corporation in its infancy, when it was called Weyland Industries and before it ever merged with the Yutani Corporation.

“Prometheus” also features a character that was present in the film “Alien.” In “Alien”, a corpse of a large, hulking creature dubbed the “Space Jockey” by Ridley Scott himself makes an appearance early on inside a derelict ship. The film “Prometheus” also features creatures from this race, still very much alive.

When you sit down in the theater (or at home, to enjoy the eventual DVD and Blu-ray release), it is best if you go into “Prometheus” not expecting a literal prequel to “Alien” but instead an entirely new story. Though the story is set in the same world and features similar themes and production design, expecting to see pretty much the same thing again will only lead to disappointment.

Movie Review: "Prometheus" (2012)

“Prometheus” is a science fiction thriller film directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. It tells a completely new story despite being set in the universe created by Ridley Scott in 1979 in the film “Alien.” It stars Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Noomie Rapace as the crew of a spaceship investigating the origin of man. A lot has been trumpeted about “Prometheus” being heralded as Ridley Scott’s return to the genre he left an incredible mark on. With the film officially in release, the question of whether or not it is actually any good is sure to be on a lot of people’s minds.

It is difficult to talk about the plot of “Prometheus” without spoiling potential surprises. Simply put, the film is about the crew of a space ship in the process of investigating the origin of life as we know it. They seek to find answers to the age-old questions “Who are we?” and “Why are we here?” Throughout the course of the film, it looks like they very much have the opportunity to get some concrete answers. Those answers come at a terrible (and often bloody) price.

The question that viewers should refrain from asking while viewing “Prometheus” is, “Is this better than “Alien”? Despite the similarities in plot, tone and characterization, they are largely separate films and should be treated as such. “Prometheus” is more than strong enough to stand on its own, and it asks thematic questions more powerful than the original “Alien” ever attempted.

But such comparisons are likely unavoidable, so similarities between the two may warrant further consideration by some. Of all the aspects of the original “Alien” that are unquestionably successful, “characterization” and “story” are not among these elements. The story of “Alien” is relatively straightforward – the crew of a deep space mining vessel is attacked and systematically eliminated by a creature of unknown and terrifying origin. In this regard, “Prometheus” is very similar. However, the aforementioned thematic leaps by “Prometheus” make it the clear victor over the two.

The characters of “Alien” were also relatively straightforward. The only thing that made them shine, and shine they did, was the performances by actors like Sigourney Weaver and Ian Holm. On the page, the characters that populate the ship of the Nostromo are relatively bland.

The main strength of “Prometheus” is in its sense of mood. The film is incredibly tense at times, and downright horrifying in others. Does it offer thrills and scares on par with the original “Alien”? That’s something that will come down to the individual viewer, though if a person likes to be scared and keeps to the edge of their seat during these types of films they certainly won’t be disappointed.

If “Prometheus” has any failings, it’s the strength of the characters themselves. On one hand, “Prometheus” contains excellent performances from some world class actors. This is particularly true of Michael Fassbender’s David, an android who has more in common with a five-year-old child than with anyone else on the crew of the ship “Prometheus.” Some of the background players on the ship, however, are virtually indistinguishable from one another when it comes to characterization and dialog. Viewers may have a hard time caring for them in the first half of the film, which could potentially leave them unaffected as the crew starts getting picked off in the latter half.

Is Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” a good film? Yes. It is without a doubt one of the most satisfying spectacles of the summer, if not of the entire year. It is also one of those rare films that are more than worth the additional prices required to see it in 3D. It was filmed with 3D in mind, unlike many other films that were post-converted.

However, it is unlikely to stand the test of time the way Sir Ridley’s previous efforts have.

Writing Screenplays: About Three Act Structure

It has been said in the past that rules exist purely to be broken. While this is true in certain situations, there are some rules that are considered important for a reason. When writing a screenplay, one of these “rules” that you should follow is the three act structure. The vast majority of all movies ever made, including all of your favorite movies, follow this structure. Before you can follow the structure, you must first understand the specifics of it. The writing process does not involve bending your story to fit the three act structure, but using that structure to tell a better story in the first place.

The first act of a screenplay is designed to introduce the audience to your world. The first ten or so pages should introduce not only your character, but that character’s normal daily life. The audience should see the things that character goes through on any random day when the adventure of your story isn’t taking place. Also in the first act is the “inciting incident,” which is the moment where your main character sets off on the journey you want him or her to go down. In George Lucas’ film “Star Wars,” for example, the “inciting incident” is when Luke Skywalker sees an epic battle taking place in space from his home down on the planet Tatooine.

The end of the first act comes around the thirtieth page in your script. This is the moment where your hero starts out on his or her journey. To continue with the example of “Star Wars,” this would be when Luke and Ben Kenobi leave Tatooine with Han Solo and Chewbacca on the Millennium Falcon.

The second act is the time for your hero to encounter trouble on their journey. This act, much like the first one, is around thirty to forty pages. Just because you aren’t writing an action or adventure movie doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow these rules. In Kevin Smith’s romantic comedy “Chasing Amy,” for example, the main character finds out that the girl he was secretly in love with was a lesbian in the second act. Your hero needs to face obstacles in the second act.

The third act is the resolution of the story. Your hero has been presented with the obstacles that stand between himself and his goal, and in “Act III” he will start to overcome them. The important thing to remember in “Act III” is that, at the end, your main character needs to be profoundly changed. He or she can’t go back to the “normal” world you established in the first ten pages. It wouldn’t be enough anymore, due to all the things he or she learned on the journey you took them on as a writer. If the character you’re writing on the last page of the script is fundamentally the same as the character you introduced on page one, you need to go back and rewrite to give your character more of an arc.