FrankenScript :: Lee Gabel's Screenwriting Journal/Blog

This film has a nice setup, in that it really solidifies the sympathy for the main characters. You really want to see them succeed in taking down the bad guy. Coming from Peter Berg as one of the writers, you know you’re in for a lot of action. Those are the good things. Unfortunately, the [...]

I was surprised that I ended up liking this film, even though there were lots of things I disagreed with. For example, introducing one character and never showing them again for more than an hour, until they’re really needed, feels like a big cheat. The seemingly endless action and CG sequences can get tiring. The [...]

There’s a point in this film where you just don’t know where it’s going to go. It’s exciting. Moral conflict. Then something happens and chunk, chunk, chunk, pieces of story fall into place and film becomes predictable. Although, one could argue that “something” was done to increase tension and suspense, and it does for a [...]

Every once in a while, it’s good to go into the movie vault and watch an old film. Granted, this was made in 1986, that’s still more than 25 years ago. It is interesting what filmmakers accomplished without using CGI. Some might draw comparisons of Johnny-5 to WALL-E, but I have to say WALL-E wins [...]

This is a film you are either going to love or hate. Well, let me back up. You’ll either kinda love it or really hate it. There’s no middle ground. It sets up situations and never adequately resolves them. And if logic flaws irritate you, there are several in this, such as when running a [...]

I don’t think there’s a writer out there that doesn’t find it a struggle most of the time. At least that’s what I like to think. I ran across a recent article in Wired about Dan Harmon and his show Community (although to be fair, “recent” is a pretty loose term with me since I [...]