Pre-Production Pitches ROUND 17

Suburban Vampires
Director: Anthony Waller
OPINION: 

Short/Summary

Original Idea Horror
Blockbuster Website
Jesse Bradford; Ryan Reynolds; Delroy Lindo; Sarah Polley; Richard Domeier; Kent Faulcon
Two high school students (Ryan Reynolds, Jesse Bradford) notice some strange deaths going on in their small town. When they go to investigate further they get no answers from anyone, especially the cops. Skateboarding their way home from school they meet up with a Vampire Hunter (Delroy Lindo) who let’s them in on what’s about to go down in their small town. Vampires are slowly taking over the town and it’s up to the three of them to bring this Vampire shindig down.
Shadow of the Assassin
Director: Andrew Davis
 

Pitch&Poster

Original Idea Thriller
Major Chains Website
Mark Dacascos; Gabriel Byrne; Rutger Hauer; Steven Seagal; Bradley James Allan; Mirai Yamamoto; David Leung; Ron Smoorenburg; Jake Busey; Tom Pompert
Mark Dacascos plays a member of an elite black covert ops known only as the eliminators, taught by the CIA to kill those who pose a threat to National Security. On one of the routine missions in Paris, the whole team is betrayed and left for dead. Mark must find out who betrayed them and why. The trail leads to his superior and best friend, Gabriel Byrne, with the help of ex-CIA assassin Rutger Hauer he vows revenge and takes on both his ex-partners and Byrne in a deadily showdown.
Events of My Life
Director: Robert Zemeckis

REVIEWED LAST ROUND

OPINION:  Since everything that has happened to Lenny is good, what is the "inevitable" thing he wants to change?  I am confused.  This pitch sounded a little like "Unbreakable" at first, but then ...  The end is confusing.

Full Production

Original Idea Drama
Blockbuster Website
Cary Elwes; Julia Roberts; Cuba Gooding, Jr.; Jennifer Love Hewitt; Robert de Niro; Robin Williams; Nicolas Cage; Haley Joel Osment
After a horrible accident that should have killed Lenny Thompson (Elwes), he begins to put together all the pieces of his life: all the times he should have died, all the times he should have lost his job, all the times should have lost his family (Roberts, Osment). He begins to wonder -- what is his destiny? Can he change what seems to be the inevitable? His friends (de Niro, Williams, Cage) and co-workers (Gooding, Hewitt) can only support him in his quest for the truth.
Fear Effect
Director: David Koepp
 

Short/Summary

Original Idea Horror
Blockbuster No Website
Kirsten Dunst; Thora Birch; Christina Ricci; Brad Renfro; Thomas Ian Nicholas; Rob Lowe
Five young adults are dared by a wealthy owner of a local theater to stay in a creepy house, supposedly haunted. Doing this for publicity, the owner offers each of them $5000 if they complete the dare and videotape what happens. Not believing in the supernatural, they decide to accept the dare. However, nothing can prepare them for what they are about to face. They will take a fearful journey unimaginable to anyone. A journey not only in the house, but to the deepest parts of their minds. Will these people ever escape the horrors of the fear effect?

Bitterblue
Director: Frank Darabont

 

Pitch&Poster

Original Idea Comedy (Black)
Blockbuster No Website
Clint Eastwood; Kurt Russell; Kyle Secor; Dennis Franz; Lukas Haas; Dolph Lundgren; Christopher Plummer
February, 1942. Captain Richard Diekman (Eastwood) is comfortably retired after serving his country for 40 years. But after only two months of war with Germany, the Atlantic fleet has been ravaged by U-boats, and the navy is desperate for flag officers. Diekman is ordered to return to active duty and lead a convoy through the icy waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a suicidal mission; the threats are numerous: U-boats, the Luftwaffe, the battleship Tirpitz, and, perhaps, the most dangerous threat of all -- the bone -chilling weather.

Brando Returns
Director: Marlon Brando

 

Full Production

Original Idea Comedy (Political)
Multiplex Only Pre-Release Link & Website
Marlon Brando; Catherine Zeta-Jones; Karl Malden
Brando is sent a cursed magic flute by an obsessed fan. It magically sends him back in time, circa 1954, at the height of his popularity. With the mind of the old, guarded Brando, he must come to terms with a second chance in his young Brando body. Will he make all the same choices as before? Will he still turn down his Oscar for The Godfather? How much weight will he gain this time? All these questions and more are answered as we take a biographical journey through Brando’s career, as he would have liked it to turn out.
Frank And The Universe
Director: David fincher
 

Short/Summary

Original Idea Drama (Black, Comedy)
Multiplex Only Website
Emilio Estevez; Charlie Sheen; John Malkovich; Ving Rhames; Christina Ricci; Molly Ringwald; Gary Coleman; Jennifer Lopez
A man named Frank (Estevez) is plagued by bad dreams of a futuristic hell, with which, when he wakes up he is soaked and in front of a governmental building. Then one day, he is kidnapped and brought to the place from his dreams. Then he must escape from this hellish place with the help of Leroy (Rhames) before the Giant Head (Lopez) has her way and Frank is killed because of his secret, which is so secret, not even Frank knows about it.

Saga: Dawn of the Evil
Director: John Woo

 
Full Production
Original Idea Independent (True Life)
Major Chains Website
Tom Cruise; Hugh Jackman; Catherine Zeta - Jones; Sandra Bullock; Russel Crowe; George Clooney; Ian McDarmid; Dennis Quaid
On Tristal it's a period of peace. The world is ruled by the sage King Duncan (Clooney)and war and destructioon seems to be far in the time. Two adventurers (Cruise and Jackman) find a job for a misterious mecenate and left their home for a new quest. At the same time orcs and Dark Elves begin to appear in the North Side of the land...Something new starts... What is the misterious wand the two are searching for? Are legend about dragons true? Who is the masked warrior who leads the orcs's army?

High School: The Real Story
Director: Larry Clark

 
Full Production
Original Idea Thriller
Major Chains Pre-Release Link & Website
Brendan Sexton III; Chloe Sevigny; Giuseppe Andrews; Clarisa Glucksman; Leo Fitzpatrick; James DeBello; Julia Stiles; Harold Hunter; Wes Bentley; Richard Belzer
Mike(Sexton) is your average high school underachiever. All he wants in life is to hang with his friends(Fitzpatrick, Hunter, Glucksman, DeBello) and get the love of Ashley(Sevingy) for one night. The problem is, Ashley is part of the ultra cool cliq(Bentley, Andrews, Stiles) while Mike is nothing but a stoner to his school. He will fight forever to win the love of Ashley, even if he can't keep it for long.
Bridge The Gaps
Director: Rick Mercer
 
Short/Summary
Original Idea Independent
Minor Release Website
Rick Mercer; Teri Polo; Ralph Fiennes; Josie Maran
Mercer, Maran, Polo and Fiennes are all representatives of different countries at an important U.N meeting. They happen to meet each other and decide to get togerther for dinner and play a game of bridge after. Each person believes the other is a spy, so everyone is very causous to disclose any information. However, each person trys to be clever and expose the other as being a spy. They some how come to think the bridge game means more than it really does, and out of sheer stupidity, they might get themselves into a lot of trouble.
Through The Looking Glass
Director: John McTiernan
 
Short/Summary
Original Idea Thriller (True Life, Suspense/Mystery)
Blockbuster Website
Melora Walters; Jill Hennessy; Nicholas Lea; Nia Long; Ron Livingston; Kylie Minogue; Sean Bean; Valarie Rae Miller; Oded Fehr
Lenora (Walters), a high-powered businesswoman, goes to sleep Wednesday night and wakes up Friday morning, having missed an entire day. Only thing is, several co-workers claim that she was in that day, and apparently partook in a brief romance with a fellow colleague (Lea). As Lenora investigates, she soon discovers that she has been implicated in a murder/robbery and has become a wanted woman. Lenora must retrace her steps and uncover the truth before it's too late.
Sibling Rivalry
Director: Sally Field
 
Pitch&Poster
Original Idea Drama (Romantic)
Major Chains Website
Patrick Fugit; Katie Holmes; Linda Cardellini; Christopher Gorham; Elijah Wood; Danielle Fishel; Topher Grace; Anna Paquin; Demi Moore; William Petersen
It’s graduation time and Josh, a junior in h.s., is dating Ashley (Holmes), a senior. Amanda, Ashley’s younger sister, has seen Josh as an older brother over the past two years. While Ashley is away at college, Amanda professes to Josh that she is in love with him. Josh visits Ash to get her advice and catches her cheating, so he breaks up with her. He quickly falls in love with Amanda. The love triangle that ensues can't be missed, as three relationships hang in the balance, most importantly, will Ashley and Amanda ever be able to be close again?
Stripclub
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
 
Full Production
Original Idea Arthouse
Limited Release Pre-Release Link & Website
Heather Graham; William H. Macy; Jennifer Connelly; Milla Jovovich; John C. Reilly; Jason Alexander; Philip Baker Hall
The strippers at NYC’s "Sensation" are often cynical about the men who come to see them perform. The clientele often justify their cynicism. In this ensemble piece, Paul Thomas Anderson shows us the big picture that none of the participants can see. We learn about Leslie (Graham), whose small-town sweetness is about to be sorely tested... Svetlana (Jovovich), who left her Russian homeland expecting something very different... and the mysterious Laila (Connelly). We also see the lives of the clients (Macy, Reilly, Alexander) and what keeps bringing them back to the club.
American Taboo
Director: John Raffo
 
Full Production
Original Idea Independent
Major Chains Website
Peter Gallagher; Frank Langella; Laura San Giamco; Jean Reno; Delroy Lindo; Lynsey Bartilson; Tina Majorino; Brian Bonsall
John Howell (GALLAGHER) a Medical Examiner in an industrial American city, where his life is the same day in and day out. Even an affair with a sexy assistant (SAN GIAMCO) isn’t enough to break the monotony. One night he finds a note inside a corpse that leads to a secluded club where people indulge in forbidden adventures. There he meets a powerful public figure (LANGELLA) that befriends him and takes him farther into his deranged world. It gets too violent for him and tries to get out, but his new friend wants to stay one step ahead of him.
The Russia Game
Director: Harold Ramis
 
Short/Summary
Original Idea Comedy (Black)
Major Chains Pre-Release Link & Website
William H. Macy; Terence Stamp; James Rebhorn; Izabella Scorupco; Christian Bale; Elya Baskin; Benjamin Bratt
August 1990. The Soviet Union’s foundation is crumbling. The once powerful nation that ruled with an iron fist and could strike fear into the citizens of the faraway Western World was collapsing in on itself. With threats to national security diminishing by the hour and the disbanding of the KGB inevitable, world leaders everywhere could sleep easier. But not spy novelists. Those writers spinning tales of espionage so crafty MI6 was ripping them off were loosing their livelihoods. So what is any respectable author to do? Trick Bush, looking for reelection, into another bout with the Soviet Union, that’s what.
Cult
Director: Sam Mendes
 
Full Production
Original Idea Thriller (Drama)
Major Chains Website
Matt Damon; Benecio Del Torro; Tom Hanks; Judi Dench; Ashley Judd; Monica Potter
Sean Wilder, writer for Newsweek, is sent on his latest and most daring mission- to go undercover and live with a family. This isn't just your normal family- they're members of a releigous cult. One of the daughters in the family has a four month old infant named Jacob. The patriarch "Pop" claims he has visions from God- Jacob could not eat until God says he could. Wil Sean stop this? Will he ruin his story to save this baby's life?

Six Pack
Director: Jon Amiel

 

Full Production

Original Idea Action
Blockbuster Website
Taye Diggs; Arnold Schwarzenegger; Nia Long; Denis Leary; Regina Hall; Alfre Woodard; Ice Cube; Samuel L. Jackson; Vanessa Williams; Spike Jonze
Herlik Jaffrows (Schwarzenegger) is a cop who is trying to defend his old neighborhood: a rough ghetto. Larry Tanning (Diggs) is a gangmember who has just gotten shot after his gang's latest escapade. He is seriously considering going straight. However, when his gangleader, Maximillian (Cube) wants to assasinate Larry's shooter, Roald (Jackson). Herlik wants to arrest Roald in the just way. Larry must choose who he has to go with.

Mitch, The Man Witch
Director: Steve Odekerk

 

Full Production

Original Idea Comedy (Spoof)
Blockbuster Website
Adam Sandler; Jenna Elfman; Jerry Stiller; Lara Flynn Boyle; Artie Lang; Judi Dench
When Mitch (Sandler) was a kid his father (Stiller) wanted him to grow up to be the magician he never was. He even forced Mitch to attend “The Wicca school for Little Girls.” Being the only boy in the school and being a relatively incompetent witch, Mitch was soon ostracized and became a laughing stock. After being humiliated at his final exam, Mitch shunned his past and never practiced magic again. 20 years later Mitch is forced to regain his magic touch to save the world, win the heart of his childhood love (Elfman) and foil his arch nemesis (Boyle).

The Innocent
Director: Lasse Hallstrom

REVIEWED LAST ROUND

OPINION:  Another stock plot with clichés.  And where's the horror?  Here's an alternative:

It was 6:15 Saturday morning when the four friends found her.  Her face looked like ground beef.  She had been dead awhile.  Great, just what they needed.  Their weekend fishing trip was going to be ruined with police, questions and reports.  But an ambitious local sheriff, a 10 year old arrest for attempted rape and a mistaken eye witness, makes it worse than they ever imagined.  In a race against time and mounting evidence, they desperately try to clear their name.  Then they find her mother.  That's when the nightmare really begins.

Full Production

Original Idea Horror
Major Chains No Website
Jude Law; Ben Affleck; Mark Wahlberg; Luke Wilson; Sigourney Weaver; Kiefer Sutherland; Michelle Williams
Four friends (Law, Affleck, Wahlberg, and Wilson) across country to spend a nature weekend at a cabin in upstate New York. When they accidently stumble upon the dead body of a local girl (Williams), they attract the eye of the local sheriff (Sutherland). Attempting to clear their names, they go off in search of the girls mother (Weaver) and find much more than they bargained for.

The Seclusionary
Director: Robert Lepage

 

Full Production

Original Idea Thriller (Superhero)
Blockbuster Website
Ethan Hawke; Barry Pepper; Nicholas Lea; David Morse
Brent Killas and his parents were in a horrific car accent after a madman (Morse) ran them off a snowy road in northern Canada, seemingly without provocation. As a result Brent (Hawke) completely withdrew himself from society, never leaving his apartment and surviving solely through his computer. An unexpected and unwelcome visit from an old classmate Ryan Hawley (Pepper) turns deadly when he discovers Killas is a multi-millionaire, making a fortune off a variety of internet ventures. When Pepper claims to know the identity of the man who killed Brent’s parents, Brent’s long isolation may finally come to an end.