Bait Spot Interview: Tony

CP: Yo Tony! First off, was it hard finally giving up as a consistent participant of the contest? What have been the pros and cons of becoming a panelist member? Has it been what you’ve expected thus far?

TONY: Hi Chris. At first, it was pretty tough. When I discussed the idea with Chris M, I was pretty hesitant about giving up the right to send baits. I knew it was a good idea because it would open new opportunities for other writers, and I even tried to discuss perhaps for some months giving up my panel spot to send baits. But either way, I was up for something new and as of right now I think it’s solid. Of course the pro’s are, for one, the contest is still around. The second is I believe that with the panel we have, we can have solid and professional critiquing. The cons, of course not being able to bait and not being able to read the other panelist’s baits. Other then that, not many cons I can think of. All of the panel are trustworthy when making their decisions so I worry about no personal bias.

CP: When you were originally asked to become a panel member did you think the idea was initially a good idea? How long did it seriously take you to take up the job? It’s very obvious you’re an individual with many ideas that have yet to be told.

TONY: Me and Chris M actually kicked the idea around one night in chat. It made me feel a little better about the situation knowing that other great writers were giving up their baiting rights to go along with this, so I wasn’t alone in this. Of course, nothing is out of the water yet. I’m sure in the near future the panel will be able to take an absence for a certain month and be able to re-enter the contest so hopefully myself and others will be able to write our ideas and send them out once again…buut that’s an idea for another time. Right now, we’re just trying to get people to submit baits and keep the contest alive.

CP: In a way, do you think you’re departure as an author will allow other writers to become stronger not only with their baits but as well with the competition? You have to admit that you really were one of the only ones receiving awards left and right during the contest’s rising demise. Not to say that’s a bad thing because obviously your writing is amazing, but do you think your wins became sort of predictable to some people who added more of a lack of interest concerning the contest? I noticed your comment on the blog.

TONY: I doubt my absence will encourage writers to become stronger. If it makes them feel that good about themselves that myself and others have departed from the contest..then maybe. As for competition, of course. Obviously, someone with my career resume, along with the other panelists, yourself, Chris M, DW, Maia, etc, competition is definitely more wide open.

Yes, I did receive multiple best picture nominations during the contest’s demise and it may have become ”predictable” for the newer writers and it probably did add lack of interest. The way I see it though, instead of bitching and complaining about moaning about it, the only way for people to stop it is to write a better bait than mine. Or, better yet, write a better bait than the 5 best picture nominations of that month. I can honestly say, and I mean this with no self-conceitedness, I felt like my best picture nominations through the months of January to March (estimates where the contest started to fall apart) were completely justified. I’m not an idiot, neither are the people who vote for the awards and neither are most of the people who send in baits. We can all clearly see that the lack of quality in baits were on a downward spiral. For anyone, anyone to tell me that the reason I was nominated so many times is because I got along with people in the contest is absolutely ridiculous. Obviously, this has been sparked by one individual so by me even reacting like this I’m just feeding the troll, but I feel like this is the best way to do it..right here on the The Bait Spot (nice plug huh? haha.) I truly felt like I wrote good enough baits within that time to earn my nominations. Batman, not a strong month, good reviews. Seed of Rebellion, one of the best reviewed baits of my entire career. Stalemate, another weak month, but obviously deserving to be in the top 5. And I’ll also add that most of the reviews for all of those baits, the people who wrote those reviews didn’t even come into Chatzy nor did I even conversate with them. I’m no politician, nor am I a leader in any way. I write baits that statistically people have liked. I have bad months like everyone else, I lose like everyone else. You have someone like Chris M, who has earned a best picture nomination for every bait he has ever written (I think.) Is this because of personal bias? No, it’s because Chris is immensely skilled. I just did what I normally do, I write baits, send them in, and read results. Chris, I’m sorry for ranting about this in your questionnaire but this is the last time I’m ever addressing this issue since obviously the contest is in its rebuilding mode and this shit is all in the past. But the main point is, if people didn’t like my nominations, write better…that’s all.

CP: What did you think of this month’s selection? Did it meet your expectations? What do you think baiters should do in order to progress with both the contest and their writing?

TONY: I thought this month was..expected. Honestly, I didn’t expect any eye openers because lets face it, the contest is in rebuilding mode. There’s a lot of pressure on all the writers to do something incredibly special because this is literally the contest’s second life. I will say this, this month could have been worse. I haven’t wrote reviews for the baits, wanting to keep my opinions secretive for now..but the one thing I really could say about the month as a whole as far as advice and progress…be creative and organized. I’m sure an entire novel can be written about critiquing baits, but that’s the best advice I’ve got for now. When I say this, I don’t mean have the most random cast and crew all that jazz. Just taking that as an example. If you’re going to have a director and a cast that has worked with that director, something else has to stand out in the bait for us just to not go “not again.” If the point of your bait is to be dry or bland, you need something to make us understand this…which is creativity in of itself. I can name tons of examples, but to sum it all up, it’s just to be creative. And one more thing, sometimes it’s not about what you want, but what you think the readers want. Every writer goes through this. A perfect example would be Jame’s “The Wall.” He’s made it loudly known he doesn’t like that bait with a passion, but he wrote it anyway because I’m sure in his mind, he thought it would be something others would like. And trust me, I’ve been told seeeeveral times to go out of my comfort zone and try something else. Creativity…once again. Go outside your box and explore other options. The first time I did this, it won me my first Best Picture.

CP: I remember seeing somewhere in the forums where you said you weren’t really big on seeing films like “Julie & Julia”. I believe it was the Oscar forum. You also said the same thing about “Doubt” back when the chat was around. What did you particularly mean by that? Is that you don’t really enjoy seeing films with female leads or movies with Meryl Streep?

TONY: Haha, yes I did say that. I’m not quite sure I said the same about Doubt, since that was a film I did see in theaters. But there is a vast difference in Julie and Julia and Doubt. What I basically meant was is that stories like that just doesn’t appeal to my interest. It’s not that it has to do with female leads. I’ve enjoyed quite a lot of films with a female lead, but it’s particular ones like that to which I have no interest. With “Julie and Julia” it just didn’t appeal to me. A story about two cooking show hosts in different time periods with complexities and problems…it doesn’t sound good to me so I choose not to see it. “An Education” again, the performances might be good, but the premise has little to no interest for me what so ever.

CP: Its damn near the end of the decade and that probably means bloggers, Oscar followers, etc will be making list of the best films released during the 2000-2009 period. Well, what do you consider to be the worst movies released during this era?

TONY: So many to choose from. One that instantly comes to mind and will always come to mind until the day I die when discussing the worst movies I’ve ever seen, Spider-Man 3. I loathe that film more than anyone has ever hated a film in their life. If I were to make a top 10 worst movies within the last 10 years, that would definitely be on there. I’d have to give it more thought to actually narrow it down to a list but just to name a few off the top of my head, Alone in the Dark, The Master of Disguise, 88 Minutes, Wild Hogs, Cars (yes, Cars) Fear Dot Com, Last House on the Left, Shrek 3, Meet the Spartans, Pearl Harbor, Dreamcatcher…yeeah.

CP: Final question…”A Nightmare on Elm Street” is one of my favorite horror films. Robert Englund truly delivered an iconic and terrifying performance. I’m not really sure how good the re-make will be next year but I want to know what your opinion is on the film? Don’t you think it at least has promise considering the fact that they got Jackie Earle Haley to ‘re-imagine’ Freddy’s persona? Do you think it could be like Ledger taking on the Joker and making it his own?

TONY: Oh boy, where to begin? Not to quickly point fingers…but Michael Bay is the kiss of death. Chances are, when he’s involved with any type of film, you’re going to get what he wants to satisfy his own stupidity and amusement rather than someone who likes films. Yeah, Jackie Earle Haley is the new face, but that is not as big of a factor as everything else that is going against this movie. I love Englund in the first Nightmare, but what can Jackie Earle Haley really bring to the table that’ll open eyes? It’s just something that really doesn’t need tampered with. You get what you get when you play Freddy, a shit eating grin, gut some teenager in an inevitable gruesome fashion while scratching his knives against pipes. After the first time, it all becomes routine, kind of like the character of Jack Sparrow, Austin Powers, etc…but when you first saw the character, you were mesmerized which is why the first and only time the performance is worth a look was with Englund in Nightmare 1. I’m aware that Haley is one creepy sumbitch, but they could have found any creepy looking guy for the role and I bet they’ll get the same result.

This is what I believe we’re going to get with this movie. A shiny new outlook on the film since technology has changed since 1984, shitty flashy jump scenes in pure Michael Bay fashion, gruesome deaths (more gruesome then the original) and another case of Michael Bay milking original ideas, or at least getting his name in on it, and turning into his own glorified steaming pile of shiny unadulterated dog shit. That’s the keyword with Bay, shiny.

I mean c’mon, look at the track record, ANOTHER music video director on the project. Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, and The Hitcher, all horror remakes from a music video director and Bay producing. All terrible. TCM: The Beginning, Amityville Horror, and The Unborn, all horror films without a music director that Michael Bay has produced. I think it’s fair to assume we’re going to get the same formula shoved down our throats and not even a great, underrated actor like Jackie Earle Haley can save this film. Of course, it’ll get its early praise, much like the Friday the 13th remake did, but ultimately will be forgotten very soon and will be frowned upon as another waste less attempt of “reiminaging” an old film and making it shiny. Not to mention, Haley is 5’5″. That’s a relatively small Freddy, not so frightening. I’m a little touchy about this film, can you tell? Haha…I would have been like this for Friday the 13th as well…if I liked or had any sort of respect for the original.

My Review of “New Moon”

Okay so I just got back from seeing “New Moon”. I don’t know anything about the books, first film, or the rules concerning the existence of both the vampires and werewolves but they do mention some sort of treaty in this film that has many rules and regulations involving what the vampires and werewolves can do. Honestly, I’m not very interested in knowing the full details of these obligations.

Don’t you remember the good old days when vampires, werewolves, and zombies simply lived for the thirst of human blood? These days it seems like everywhere you turn whether it be on your television or movie screen, these typically scary monsters have been transformed into teeny boppy, clean-cut, supermodel-like, and appealing vampires with fake fangs and muscular bodies. Well in “New Moon” it’s essentially nipples galore. But remember, the reason is because these dangerous and monstrous teenagers are “too hot” for their shirts…literally.

If I sat here and tried to explain the plot of “New Moon”, I’d simply be wasting your time and mine. Basically it’s a love triangle between a human girl who wants to be with a vampire but is dumped by him and finds comfort with a guy who she discovers is really a werewolf who is supposed to kill vampires. Yet really, the girl truly loves the vampire and will do anything to get his attention even putting her own life at risk. There’s also numberous scenes where the characters express their undeniable love for each other and at this point I’m rolling my eyes with cynicism.

The movie is played on one note. A very slow and at times boring one. There are moments where the action does become intriguing but never truly pays off in order to squeeze in more of the corny love triangle plotline. The dialog is what you’d expect from a movie like this where everything seems stretched out in order to make a two-hour long movie with characters that appear and are never mentioned again. The acting is just okay. I at least appreciate the fact that these actors didn’t go over the top with their characters but with Kristen Stewart, I wish she would’ve given her role a little more sense of surprise and shock. The girl just saw her friend turn into a werewolf and her face, eyes, and emotions never change.

Maybe the biggest problem I had with this film was that it never mentioned anything that happened in the first film. This sequel requires you to know what’s happened before which, for a person like me whose completely unaware about anything involving these stories, made me feel a little discouraged and confused. It’s not as bad of a film as I expected but it definitely wasn’t as great as the fan hype made it seem. Maybe next time…?

**1/2 out of ****

Most Anticipated Films of 2010

“Inception” (July 16)

*Christopher Nolan + Leonardo DiCaprio = Masterpiece? Sure sounds like it could be one.

“Toy Story 3” (June 18)

*These movies are like part of a staple of my childhood so its great to see that the third film is finally being released. Hopefully a whole new generation of “Hannah Montana”/Jonas Brothers/Miley Cyrus crazed kids will love and discover these movies because of this one.

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (April 30)

*After “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, “Halloween”, and “Friday the 13th”, I’m not expecting for this slasher re-make to be anything great or better. But with Jackie Earle Haley as the creepy, knifed fingered, and iconic Freddy Krueger, this may have promise…

“Machete” (April 16)

*I totally loved “Grindhouse” and the fake trailers shown through out. Though I much would have rather seen a full feature-length film based on “Thanksgiving“, I’m actually curious to see how this is pulled off. Plus, Lindsay Lohan & Jessica Alba are going to be in it which means it’s already on Razzie’s radar.

“Green Zone” (March 12)

*Matt Damon has become one of the my favorite movie/action stars and by the looks of the trailer, this film shouldn’t disappoint. Considering how much I loved “The Bourne Ultimatum”.

“Alice in Wonderland” (March 5)

*Tim Burton is truly a visual genius. I absolutely love the idea of him taking “Alice and Wonderland” and transforming the story into a creepy yet visually appealing film. Should be great!

“Shutter Island” (February 19)

*Okay first of all, I don’t even want to get into how much this film has already disappointed me. At first it was supposed to be this great thriller now it has a February release? No film released early in the year can be good. Well with the exception of “Zodiac” back in ’07…

“I Love You Phillip Morris” (February 5)

*Umm…this looks just…um….but I’m still interested.

Also Being Released:

“The Tree of Life” (Release Date TBA)
*Was supposedly going to be released this year from sites I’ve read – but anyway, the premise sounds very promising. Brad Pitt and Sean Penn look like an intriguing, possible “award-worthy”, screen team.

“Scream 4” (Release Date TBA)
*The “Scream” trilogy is by far the best out of any of the countless re-hashed horror movie sequels, prequels, re-makes I’ve ever seen. Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox have all signed on to reprise their respective roles. The only question is how much of the movie will be centered around their characters? I hear this may be the last film for one of them…

“Burlesque” (November 24)
*Christina Aguilera makes her screen debut opposite Cher in a story about “a small girl, with a big voice, who wants to make it big”. This could either be “Glitter” or “Cabaret”. Let’s not hope for the latter.

“Piranha 3-D” (April 16)
*Yet another re-make…but this one may be put in the “Why was it necessary?” category. But after my surprising enjoyment of “My Bloody Valentine 3-D“, I may give this one a chance as a fun, cheesy, and entertaining movie going experience.

Bait Spot Interview: Alex S.

CP: What’s up Alex? It seems like you disappeared off the face of the earth. I’d see you had signed on to the chatroom a couple of times here and there but other than that what’s been going on? Were you still following the contest even in your absense?

AS: Yes constantly, this contest is very important to me and I’m proud of being part of it. I’ve never been very active on the boards, but I tried to log in to the chat now and then to see if someone was there, kind of miss that to be honest, even if it caused all the turmoil it did. Now that the contest lives again, I will try to help restore its former glory.

CP: Okay so I have to get this out of the way because it’s something that a lot of people may be curious about concerning some issues that took place with you and the contest…would you like to elaborate on the situation and OR discuss how you’ve learned from that experience?

AS: Well there’s little I can say about it othere than I truly regret what happened. I always tried to put the best of me on my stories and eventually it all becomes a matter of laziness, but sometimes the quickest way is not the best one. Now I know that even if things get competitive and you’re desperate to win using the best hand, if it’s not yours it doesn’t matter. So I apologize again for my missteps.

CP: In a way, do you believe you let down a lot of people who believed you were one of the best participants in the contest? What will you do in order to regain their trust and love of your work?

AS: Well yes, after all as you hope your readers take the best out of your work, it’s also a two way street. It definitely harmed my work and my credibility, but I can stand behind my ideas. Using the easy way out was the wrong choice, but the essence of my work reamins mine. I’m not a big fan of promising, but I am of showing what I can do and proving that I’m a good writer. After all of this, if you ever liked my work I’ll guarantee, that won’t change.

CP: Anyway, let’s talk about your latest bait. Everytime you release new work, people literally loose their minds with excitment and anticipation. What’s your new bait about and do you think this is a change of style for you compared to your most significant pieces?

AS: Well to be honest I’ve been experiencing an excruciating mind block and nothing comes out the way I expect it to be. This month I had a lot of ideas and plans, but somehow it’s been really difficult to put them down in paper and come up with something worthy, so I’ll sit this one out hoping to see some work from new writers and check out what some of the old ones are up to. I’ve always thought that you can’t ask from people what you’re not willing to give, so I’ll guess I’ll use this space to remember all members to review and participate, without this everything will eventually fail again. It takes minutes to give feedback and every author appreciates it, so let’s keep this contest alive.

CP: Unfortunatley, I know you are one of the many people online who truly believe Jennifer Hudson didn’t deserve her Oscar for “Dreamgirls”. Are there any awards you feel you didn’t deserve during the end of the month/year ceremonies?

AS: Interesting question, I guess there are some nominations that came as a surprise to me and it’s easier to complain about what you didn’t get that about what you did, but I don’t have a lot of baits and that’s because I usually spend a lot of time considering every part of it, every role, every actor, even the producers and production companies. However I think I would say I didn’t deserved Awards Campaign for obvious reasons, other than that I guess I was pretty shocked when Naomie Harris won.

CP: Whatever happend to “Cambrige Four” and “Mexico 68″? I remember when you released the posters for those baits so many of us were ready to be amazed. Did you ever finish writing them or is there still a chance the contest will be able to read them?

AS: Both of them have gone through lots of changes and are still in the works, haven’t got quite there for them to see the light, but I can assure that early next year they will definitely be out, I just hope the wait is worth it. I’ve been out of the contest for a while but I’ve released baits in the past I wasn’t sure about and I want to be proud of every bait I do.

CP: Final quesiton…the decade is saddly coming to a close. With the number of great posters/ads you’ve created throughout the three years you’ve been involved with the contest I’d expect you’d be an expert on what makes a fantastic poster. What are your favorite top 5 posters of real films from 2000-2009 and why?

AS: Three years, they went fast. Funny you mention it because not too long ago I was checking out this amazing list of the history of movie posters and I’m huge fan. Out of the last 10 years there are some amazing posters, in my opinion some of my favorites are from Munich, Brokeback Mountain, Lost in Translation, Catch me if you can, Capote, Collateral, Dogville, Eastern Promises, Elizabethtown, Eternal Sunshine, I heart Huckabees, Junebug, Little Children, Match Point, Pan’s Labrynth, Paris Je T’Aime, Precious, Punch Drunk Love, Revolutionary Road, Sideways, Sin City, Sunshine, Synechdoche, New York, The Assasination of Jesse James, The Pianist, The Savages, Lars and the Real Girl, The Wrestler, 500 Days of Summer, Zodiac. There are plenty of amazing posters.

My Review of “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

There’s a scene during the last few emotionally charged moments of “Precious” where Mary Johnston (the volatile and abusive mother to Claireece “Precious” Jones) desperately tries to explain the cruel and unethical behavior she inflicted upon her daughter for years. This scene is by far the most shocking yet saddly sympathic incident to occur within the harrowing confounds of this story.

“Precious” is a faithful adaption of the critically acclaimed novel “Push” written in 1996 by Sapphire (who appears only briefly in the film as a day care woman). The film was directed by up and coming director Lee Daniels whose last film “Shadowboxer” (which also starred Mo’Nique) was an overall disater. This time around, Daniels manages to create a risky, vibrant, gritty, and entertaining movie that appropriately mixes both humor and an appaling sense of realism. Personally, these types of stories involving pregnant teens, damaged family relationships, and a goal to fulfill ones happiness are ideas that exist through my reality. Many observers have already dismissed “Precious” as another “Dangerous Minds“, “Freedom Writers“, “urban” type of drama where the main herione stumbles in the beginning and triumpths in the end. But in the world of “Precious”, life is a struggle that repeats as a cycle and making the right or wrong decisions influences the outcome of the goals desired by the people involved.

The cast is universally exellent. All of the actors do a superb job at portraying their roles with authenticty and skill. Of course, Mo’Nique has recieved the most buzz for her electrifiying performance as Precious’ destructive mother and deserves it rightfully so. Never in a million years would I have thought that she was capable of delivering a performance of this caliber but every moment her character appears on screen, its sure to send shivers up and down your back. I can’t say that she’s a clear Oscar frontrunner but at this point, a nomination is almost garaunteed. “Precious” is Gabourey Sidibe’s debut screen performance but by the way she carries this film, its no wonder Daniels believed in her abilites. There are times where its almost hard understanding the words that Sidibe’s character tries to express but everything she does subtly informs the audience about the true emotions that hide beneath the surface of her life and inner thoughts. Also, Sidibe manages to showcase Precious as more than a helpless victim but a young, independent, woman seeking the life she wants to obtain for both her and her children.

“Precious” is a movie that will keep you intrigued even after it’s over. This was truly the first film that had me on the verge of tears. Some of the scenes in this film are so honest and real that in a way it’s like most of the people involved experienced some of the loneliness and heartache Precious endures throughout the entire movie. A lot of people will dispute whether or not this film deserves to be recognized as an achievement of the year, but truly this is a movie that will remembered for years because of its bravery and raw performances.

***1/2 out of ****

The State of the Race

 

First and foremost, I’d really love to thank all of the authors who’ve signed up for interviews during the upcoming month. It definitely means the world to me that after three years, “The Bait Spot” is still taken seriously and people are interested in recieving questions from yours truly.

Honestly, since the contest has been delayed for quite sometime, I generally feel as if my writing and blogging have been lacking the quality and substance I am convinced made the blog credible and have lasting power within the contest. Also, without any baits or news to report concerning BAO, it’s very hard to generate stories or posts that will keep readers intrigued. In a way, I believe that this blog belongs to us. Many times I’ve reflected upon my personal opinions but now I think that in order to re-build the contest we must work together in order to start a whole new beginning. This time around, the majority of the posts will be strictly about BAIT AN OSCAR.

In the future I hope to have several film reviews, Oscar predictions, pop culture critiques, and a play-by-play description of the state of the race. I hope to see “Precious” as soon as I get back from a trip I’m taking over the weekend.

Make sure you send your baits to baitanoscar@awardscircuit.com and follow BaitanOscar on http://twitter.com/BaitanOscar

 

 

Bait Spot Interview: Douglas Reese

CP: Hey Doug! It seems like even with the contest gone for so long, you stayed around and continued to support BAO. What makes the contest so special and how long do you think it will take for BAO to get back on its feet?

DR: Hey Chris! Yes, I’ve tried to stay with the contest as much as I possibly could, especially when Adrian tried to get it back on its feet. Unfortunately that site never seemed to really cling on with the community and it honestly began to depress me a bit; feeling like this contest had really reached its expiration date. But now I’m stoked and so very excited that it’s now getting the chance to see the light of day once more, and with these new rules, I think it will be a knockout!

 CP: A lot of people would argue that BAO began to shift its gears once the chatroom was introduced. You happened to create the chat. How do you feel when people say that the chatroom single-handedly caused a lot of tension within the contest? Do you believe there were other reasons as well?

 DR: Oh my.. the chatroom. I’ve answered this question so many times in the past and it seems that I will always be giving out the same answer. While the chatroom did have its many person vs. person battles, I do not in any way think it effected who won the contest every month, or even if it really caused this so-called “tension”. There has always been “tension” in the contest, it’s just we never got to talk back with one another on the message boards as quick as the chat allowed us to. I think it’s just blown a bit out of proportion. For instance, the way the chat room supposedly helped Tony become what seemed like a “baiting God”, winning every other month. I think had the chatroom not even existed, he still would be championed the same way and the same attacks would be made, just with a different “reason”. Stuff like this goes on in the real Oscar world, so I don’t see a problem with it happening in the contest. However, if it’s voted out, I wouldn’t mind permanently getting rid of the chat. It’s not a very necessary tool for the contest, really.

 CP: You’re one of those individuals whose opinions help push certain material to the fore front. I think your reviews truly change a lot of perceptions regarding certain baits or even films. With the new panel thats been assembled to vote on the Oscars, do you think that some may be persuaded to vote a certain way based on how they feel about a particular baiter or how a bait is generally received by respected authors?

 DR: Of course there will be that in some instances, but I don’t think it happens much. It’s just like the real Oscar season, it’s all about building buzz and the way to do that is to, well, get some good word out. Doesn’t always mean others are going to like the work, but if they do it makes sense that their appreciation for the work as well as the other praise it receives would obviously factor in the panelist bringing forth a high probability of voting for it. I really don’t think any panelist is going to vote for a bait they really didn’t care for just because of the hype; they’re going to have to appreciate at least a minor aspect of the work.

 CP: Speaking of reviews, I remember a period where people sort of attacked you for some of the really harsh critiques you gave to some of the new baiters. Do you think, in some way, some of the bait bashing made certain authors question their participation in the contest?

 DR: I think it did hurt some, and sometimes I really regret some of the things I say. But I’m not gonna deny how I feel when I read a baiter’s work. If I find it a piece of shit, I’m going to tell you, and I expect the same honesty in return when my work is critiqued. But I never really bashed newcomers as bad as has been said, especially considering some of the first baits by newcomers that I reviewed. I always specially treat those baits with my understanding of being a newcomer myself. It’s a terrifying experience, and even if the bait ‘does’ turn out to be something hard to sing positives to, I really think that a baiter shouldn’t really take offense at all. Instead it works much better to somehow incorporate the negative word into their writing and become as positive as they can get; aka – help them understand what may help improve them as writers, as well as help realize the importance of all the processes and careful mastery behind creating a great film, and showing that its much more than piecing a quick summary together.

CP: Since the contest was no longer an option, did you ever think that it would never come back again? Did you still work on baits or did you just give it up all together and start visiting other sites?

 DR: I really did have many doubts that the contest would ever come back. I did see a nice glance of hope with Adrian’s website, but then once again I saw darkness once it failed to catch. I’m really, really hoping for the best this month because I truly feel this contest needs to come back. I could stay on IMDB forever, but I still need to find something I can somehow pursue my creative mind just as much as the critic side of myself. Nothing creative comes out of IMDB’s message boards…

 CP: Do you believe BAO can get back the large amount of participants it once had? How do you think we can get them back? I mean it is Oscar season so do you believe more people will be interested in joining the contest?

 DR: I really think it could, and I’m really hoping it does this month. This contest needs to be given that extra shot of adrenaline. It needs that fire back, and I honestly think it could earn it. With the new system, I think we could really pull off a triumphant return for this fantastic contest that I miss so much.

 CP: Final question…I must admit that you have some of the most interesting views on movies that people would generally find, well, terrible. Could you name some films and performances that you feel are overlooked or underrated?

DR: Oh my, there are way too many. I do know for a fact that the film I most highly regard as a masterpiece that is considered one of the all-time worst consensually is probably 1995′s “Showgirls”. I just think it’s thoroughly a misunderstood film, and one of the few that works on an array of levels in an assortment of different genres. Many of these “terrible” films I love actually come from this decade; like I might be the only one with films like “Fat Girl”, “Femme Fatale”, “Gigli”, “Twentynine Palms”, “The Devil’s Rejects” (save for Tony.. haha), “Wolf Creek”, “Southland Tales”, and “Funny Games U.S.” on his yearly top ten lists. But I also, as conceited as it may sound, feel I have yet to come across someone who can really debunk my reasons for appreciating those certain films on my own personal terms, and I feel that I can successfully get across why I feel those films are either misunderstood works of genius, or ones that have come attached with ludicrously biased hate.

Bait Spot Interview: James Somerton

CP: What’s up James? It seems like you disappeared a long time ago. What you been up too?

 

JS: Hey, I’ve been doing pretty well for myself. I left the contest about a year ago so that I could put all my energy into film school. It paid off to say the least. Since then I’ve made a few short films, directed some music videos and am now trying to sell a screenplay. No takers just yet but heres hoping.

 

CP: How do you feel now that the contest is officially coming back? Do you believe people are still interested even though it’s been off for so long?

 

JS: Bait an Oscar was always in the back of my mind throughout the months that I was absent. So when I came back around to find out that the contest was all but dead, I was pretty disappointed. I’m glad to see it make a come back and I think there is definitely interest remaining. There were plenty of people signing the petition to bring the contest back so I am hoping that they, along with new competitors, take part and bring some exciting new baits and ideas to the table.

 

CP: You are probably one of the few baiters (along with D.W. and a lot of others I can’t think of at the top of my head) who have been involved in the contest since the very beginning. Is there anything you wish could be brought back that could help benefit the contest’s longevity?

 

JS: In my personal opinion the contest started to go downhill once the, then, Igloo staff left as judges and it was handed over solely to Bait an Oscar winners. The way the contest should be run is that the judges should not have any stake in the contest and I think by having a panel designated specifically for judging and not writing baits is a good idea. However, I do fear that at some point some interpersonal relationships between judges and baiters may become a problem. But hopefully that’s just an empty fear of mine.

 

CP: In your opinion, how do you think the new voting process will work out? You know with the panelists choosing and all. Do you think this could possibly backfire or just smooth things out?

 

JS: Like I said above, I hope it works out. But something tells me that, somewhere down the line, the relationships created through Bait an Oscar first run, are going to become a problem. Now of course the panelists can swear over a stack of bibles that they won’t let this happen but let’s be honest. We are human beings and our feels toward someone usually have a way of clouding out judgement. That’s why I opted out of joining the panel. But I do hope it works out well and that the contest will catch its seconds wind in this new incarnation. 

 

CP: Your name is one that has received much controversy throughout the last couple of years I’ve been apart of the contest. Whether it may have been caused by one of your upcoming baits or just a claim you may have expressed on your blog about certain circumstances concerning BAO. Do you regret anything that you did before now? Can people still expect you to surprise and shock them?

 

JS: I regret nothing. I feel in many instances, I was simply voicing the opinions of many baiters. I do believe, however, that sometimes my blog entries were only my angry ramblings and others may not have felt the same way. But I do not regret anything I have said. And I definitely don’t regretting any of my baits. 

 

CP: I remember a time when you seemed very aggravated by the way the contest was going. I believe that was the time you took to your blog and wrote about why you believed it was traveling downhill. Now that Johnny Alba is no longer involved with BAO how do you think things have changed?

 

JS: Well I’m hoping things will work out. But, of course, this remains to be seen. So far it seems as if BAO has a very dedicated team behind it and I think as long as they stay dedicated then we shouldn’t have a problem. Things will arise, of course, but hopefully nothing like in the past. One thing that always irritated me was when we were made to wait a long time for baits to be posted. I remember these waits lasting weeks at times. Lets hope this type of thing doesn’t happen again.

 

CP: Your baits range from a variety of award-winners to cult classics. Which do you feel the most comfortable writing and are these type of baits usually the kind of material you enjoy watching in theaters?

 

JS: I like baits that I would go see in theatres. These usually aren’t the most baity movies, either. Baits like The Vampire Lestat, Cobra, and The Dark Tower are some of my favourite baits I have written. And although two of them made it into the Best Picture category, I doubt they would in real life. I’ve always liked taking unbaity subject matter, like vampires and porn stars, and making it accessible to readers. Not really making it baity, that was never my intention. I love these kinds of movies as well. Unbaity movies that transcend their lack of oscar appeal and somehow make it into the race. Movies like Pulp Fiction and Lord of the Rings. Baity movies usually bore me. Amelia, for instance. Pure oscar bait and a snooze fest. Sorry for anyone who loved it, but give me Inglorious Basterds over Amelia any day. 

 

CP: Final question…If you could choose a person to host the 2010 Academy Awards who would it be? Kathy Griffin? Tina Fey? Ricky Gervais? Justin Timberlake?

 

JS: I love Tina Fey but I would die to see Kathy Griffin host the Oscars. Her spontaneity would really bring a burst of life to a sometimes boring event.

Bait Spot Interview: Jeffrey

CP: Hey Jeff. Thanks so much for following Bait an Oscar on Twitter. Have you been using your account and why do you think so many people are addicted to this thing?

JEFF: Hey Chris! Well, I pretty much made my account in an effort to support the contest and I never had intentions of using it for any purpose other than just following it. I played around with Twitter a bit and I’m not even sure why it’s become so addictive, but then again I don’t use MySpace or Facebook either sooo perhaps I’m just the perplexing one.

CP: You’ve written some very good baits in the past, “Owner of a Lonely Heart” is probably the one that stands out the most to me. Since the contest has been basically put on hiatus for the longest time now, do you think your writing style has improved or changed completely?

JEFF: It definitely has changed, I’ll say that much. I had an English teacher last year who pretty much flat-out told me my writing sucked and I ended up despising her for a long time. Well needless to say, I did get a perfect score on the writing section of the SAT and a 5 on the AP exam correlating to the particular course she taught, so I shouldn’t care what she thinks BUT, my writing did sort of morph into a style that was more appealing to her simply so I could do well in the class. And I ended up thinking it was a bit more mature and original, so I’ve stuck with it since. It’s still not too concise (which has been a constant piece of constructive criticism I’ve tended to ignore), but I think it’s easier to trademark my writing as a result.

CP: This may sound pretty silly but did it ever bother you when people would wonder why most of your baits had a lot of Asian influence? Do you think in a way you were representing a group that usually never get to be involved in high-profile films unless it’s a martial arts movie or something like “Memoirs of a Geisha”?

JEFF: It was a bit bothersome, firstly because I had gone from being praised for publishing baits that kind of transcended the “safe” and “predictable” boundaries of the contest to being criticised for being one note and, ironically, predictable. Secondly, it’s particularly frustrating when some people even tried to argue that each bait was too similar to the last. Even though one was set in 1990s North Korea (quite mysterious in its own right), another in war-torn Vietnam (with a majority of the cast being white), another in feudal Japan, and then the last I attempted was modern-day Hokkaido. All of these places have very distinct cultural nuances but I think it might have been simply lost on a few because I realise that not everyone is as interested I am in Asia. It’s not a coincidence that after getting panned for “Hokkaido” I went a little more mainstream. I think eventually with a new contest I might surprise people with a bit of Asian flair though. I will get an Asian woman a BAO trophy, I promise you that.

CP: Whenever you’re writing baits, what kind of inspiration do you use to help push your work? I know for me, music is probably what gives me a vision of what I want to write about. Is there a particular thing that you use as a muse for your writing?

JEFF: One of the reasons I’ve had my periods of inconsistencies is because I really don’t have an inspiration or a muse. A lot of the times I’ve written baits just as vehicles, but I’ve also written baits because in the spur of the moment, the idea came to me and I just NEEDED to at least try it (baits like Revenant Dreams, Chasing the Storm, and Big Brother fall into this category). In some rare occasions I choose to adapt something I’ve read or seen on stage (this is not my strong suit), but usually I’ll read a story online that I get really interested in and feel the urge to try it out as a bait, often changing it to my liking so that it’s more cinematic (Owner of a Lonely Hearts and The Shadows in the Night are two examples). Well… the five I named are my most successful, so I hopefully will keep drawing ideas like that.

CP: What ideas are you currently working on at the moment. Is it hard to think of stuff when people aren’t posting posters and plot outlines that pretty much give you an idea of what the  competition may be. Do you even care about the competition or is it all in good fun?

JEFF: Honestly, I love that the competition is silent. I feel like a lot of the time, people might decide that they love a bait by the poster or the hype and it becomes hard to beat on that principle alone. Likewise, some people hype up their baits a little TOO much and it fails, hard. This evens the playing field a bit. I don’t want to say that I don’t “care” about the competition, since I’m competitive by nature and still would like some wins and bragging rights, but pre-BAO apocalypse I did win both Bait of the Month and Best Author, so I will no longer feel like a failure every time I lose. A new contest will likely invoke new goals, though . I’ve been working on two baits, one a dark (and stylistic) bait about an extradition gone wrong and the other a comedy that I’m probably not going to finish. I really like the idea that I have for the comedy, though. My comedies have been relatively successful in the previous contest so I’m using that as my motivation.

CP: For years we’ve seen baits continuously use Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Gosling, and Natalie Portman. Which actors do you believe should be the new breed of BAO staples. Is there a particular actor/actress you’d love to see when an Oscar this year or maybe in the future?

JEFF: I can’t wait for Carey Mulligan to win Best Actress. I’m so confident that she can do it, and I am fully anticipating every British teenager/young woman in a bait to be played by her. Just like every obese African-American will be played by Gabourey Sidibe. Both kind of fall nicely into the niches I’ve mentioned. I think we can also look forward to the use of Christoph Waltz, who has gone from unknown to immensely popular. So long as people use these three uniquely, I won’t have a problem with it.

CP: Final question…IMO 2009 has been a very very VERY weak year for movies. I mean c’mon. Which films are you predicting to score much acclaim come nomination time and which others do you believe will underwhelm most people?

JEFF: It’s hard to say which will underwhelm. I know I am not lining up to see movies like A Single Man or Up in the Air, though the latter might have to do with my George Clooney indifference. Once Precious, Invictus, and The Last Station come out, I think we’ll have ourselves a real race. The one movie I think people are underestimating is definitely The Last Station. If it makes a big enough splash, I think it’ll evolve into a tsunami.

James Somerton Interview Coming Next…