Blacklisted

So for two or three days now I've had the 2010 Black List [pdf] open in the first tab of my browser. For the uninitiated: the Black List is a list of the top unproduced screenplays, as voted on by Hollywood producers. It's a formerly insider-y document that has, in the last several years, become a normal end-of-year Internet Event, like the best movies of the year and the worst literary sex scenes of the year and so on. Presence on the Black List does not necessarily indicate quality; one of the top scripts in years past is now this fucking thing. It's also not exclusively for niche/indie fare, much as I wish it was. Rian Johnson's (Brick, The Brothers Bloom) script for his next film "Looper" is on here, but so is some new likely piece of shit from Kurtzman and Orci (Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen).

Anyway, it warrants mentioning here that Abduction, the new Taylor Lautner movie, (which probably actually has already been filmed?) is on here, in a 14-way tie (A 14-WAY TIE!) for seventh place. Click to enlarge:

Notice that this film is being produced by Tailor Made Entertainment. You guessed it: it's a production company founded by Lautner's father Dan, specifically geared at producing movies for Taylor Lautner. REALLY? REALLY?! YES, REALLY. We just recently discussed Incarceron; do you think one of the stipulations for Tailor Made productions is "one word titles"?

Fun Dan Lautner story: I have a friend who works for HASBRO, and Taylor Lautner and his father came to visit their offices (maybe six months ago) since Taylor will be playing Stretch Armstrong (the script for that film, if it exists, is notably absent from the Black List). My friend reported two things: that one of his female co-workers told him that if given the opportunity, she's "strip naked and fuck [Taylor Lautner] in front of everyone," and that Dan Lautner is "super fucking fat."

Anyway, give the Black List a read if you have a chance. At some point after you've read thirty or forty ridiculous premises (I mean, every premise sounds ridiculous summed up in three sentences, but still look at this:

The story of one woman's struggle for redemption as she fights to stay alive and unite with her mother and young daughter, all while staving off viscous by a ruthless army of Yakuzas who have trapped her in her apartment.

Oy gevalt) they will all start to blur together, but you'll notice things like, for instance, Abduction is not the only film in a 14-way tie for seventh place that involves confusion over a kidnapping. That's right: there are two films tied for seventh place about confusion over a kidnapping. That's enough, Black List, okay?

Earlier today: Happy Birthday, Twilight Blog