Adaptation. (2002)

Actors: Jim Beaver (actor), Ray Berrios (actor), Ryan Bosch (actor), Nicolas Cage (actor), Nicolas Cage (actor), Curt Clendenin (actor), Tony Collucci (actor), Chris Cooper (actor), Lynn Court (actor), Brian Cox (actor), Lathan Crowe (actor), John Cusack (actor), Donald Dowd (actor), Tarek Elsokari (actor), Lance Acord (actor),

Plot: While his latest movie _Being John Malkovich (1999)_ (qv) is in production, screenwriter 'Charlie Kaufman' (qv) is hired by Valerie Thomas to adapt 'Susan Orlean' (qv)'s non-fiction book "The Orchid Thief" for the screen. Thomas bought the movie rights before Orlean wrote the book, when it was only an article in The New Yorker. The book details the story of rare orchid hunter John Laroche, whose passion for orchids and horticulture made Orlean discover passion and beauty for the first time in her life. Charlie wants to be faithful to the book in his adaptation, but despite Laroche himself being an interesting character in his own right, Charlie is having difficulty finding enough material in Laroche to fill a movie, while equally not having enough to say cinematically about the beauty of orchids. At the same time, Charlie is going through other issues in his life. His insecurity as a person doesn't allow him to act upon his feelings for Amelia Kavan, who is interested in him as a man. And Charlie's twin brother, pretentious 'Donald Kaufman (I)' (qv), has moved into his house with a goal of also becoming a screenwriter. Despite not admiring Donald as a screenwriter, Charlie asks for his advice. Together, they feel that there is some interesting subtext in the book on which Orlean herself can only elaborate, if only Charlie has the nerve to talk to her. If she can't or won't elaborate, they may have to find out the meaning of that subtext on their own.

Keywords: actor-playing-multiple-roles, alienation, alligator, alligator-attack, author, bad-back, bad-english, based-on-novel, bee, behind-the-scenes
Genres: Comedy, Drama,
Taglines: From the creator of Being John Malkovich, comes the story about the creator of Being John Malkovich. Charlie Kaufman writes the way he lives... With Great Difficulty. His Twin Brother Donald Lives the way he writes... with foolish abandon. Susan writes about life... But can't live it. John's life is a book... Waiting to be adapted. One story... Four Lives... A million ways it can end.

Quotes:

Charlie Kaufman: You sound like your in a cult.::Donald Kaufman: No, it's just good writing technique. Oh, I made you a copy of Mckee's ten commandments, I posted it over both our work stations.::[Charlie tears the page from over his work area]::Donald Kaufman: [in threatening tone] You shouldn't have done that. [smiles] 'Cause it's extremely helpful.

Marty: See her? I fucked her up the ass.

Marty: I'd fuck her up the ass!

John Laroche: Who's gonna play me?::Susan Orlean: Well, I've gotta write the book first, John. Then, you know, they get somebody to write the screenplay.::John Laroche: Hey, I think I should play me.

[last lines]::Charlie Kaufman: I have to go right home. I know how to finish the script now. It ends with Kaufman driving home after his lunch with Amelia, thinking he knows how to finish the script. Shit, that's voice-over. McKee would not approve. How else can I show his thoughts? I don't know. Oh, who cares what McKee says? It feels right. Conclusive. I wonder who's gonna play me. Someone not too fat. I liked that Gerard Depardieu, but can he not do the accent? Anyway, it's done. And that's something. So: "Kaufman drives off from his encounter with Amelia, filled for the first time with hope." I like this. This is good.

Charlie Kaufman: There was this time in high school. I was watching you out the library window. You were talking to Sarah Marsh.::Donald Kaufman: Oh, God. I was so in love with her.::Charlie Kaufman: I know. And you were flirting with her. And she was being really sweet to you.::Donald Kaufman: I remember that.::Charlie Kaufman: Then, when you walked away, she started making fun of you with Kim Canetti. And it was like they were laughing at *me*. You didn't know at all. You seemed so happy.::Donald Kaufman: I knew. I heard them.::Charlie Kaufman: How come you looked so happy?::Donald Kaufman: I loved Sarah, Charles. It was mine, that love. I owned it. Even Sarah didn't have the right to take it away. I can love whoever I want.::Charlie Kaufman: But she thought you were pathetic.::Donald Kaufman: That was her business, not mine. You are what you love, not what loves you. That's what I decided a long time ago.

John Laroche: [about himself] The smartest guy I know, huh?

Susan Orlean: I suppose I do have one unembarrassed passion. I want to know what it feels like to care about something passionately.

Valerie Thomas: I guess we thought that maybe Susan Orlean and Leroche could fall in love, and...::Charlie Kaufman: Okay. But, I'm saying, it's like, I don't want to cram in sex or guns or car chases, you know... or characters, you know, learning profound life lessons or growing or coming to like each other or overcoming obstacles to succeed in the end, you know. I mean... The book isn't like that, and life isn't like that. You know, it just isn't. And... I feel very strongly about this.

Charlie Kaufman: The script I'm starting, it's about flowers. Nobody's ever done a movie about flowers before. So, so there are no guidelines...::Donald Kaufman: What about "Flowers for Algernon"?::Charlie Kaufman: Well, that's not about flowers. And it's not a movie.::Donald Kaufman: Ok, I'm sorry, I never saw it.

Galaxy Quest (1999)

Actors: Dian Bachar (actor), Gregg Binkley (actor), Corbin Bleu (actor), Patrick Breen (actor), Heath Castor (actor), Bill Chott (actor), Enrico Colantoni (actor), Gregory Colbrook (actor), Joseph J. Dawson (actor), Brandon de Paul (actor), Paulie DiCocco III (actor), David Dorfman (actor), Jonathan Feyer (actor), Joe Frank (actor), Tim Allen (actor),

Plot: The sci-fi television series "Galaxy Quest", which took place aboard the intergalactic spaceship NSEA Protector, starred Jason Nesmith as suave Commander Peter Quincy Taggert, Gwen DeMarco as sexy communications person Lt. Tawny Madison (a role which consisted solely of repeating what the computer stated, much to Gwen's annoyance), Shakespearean trained Sir Alexander Dane as alien Dr. Lazarus, Fred Kwan as engineer Tech Sgt. Chen, and Tommy Webber as child gunner Laredo. Seventeen years after the series last aired, it lives on in the hearts of its rabid fans. However, it lives on in infamy for its stars, who have not been able to find meaningful acting work since. Their current lives revolve around cashing in on however those roles will afford, which usually entails attending fan conventions or worse, such as shopping mall openings. Only Jason seems to relish his lot in life, until he finds out that his co-stars detest him because of his superior attitude as "the Commander", and much of the public considers him a laughing stock. Their lives change when Jason is approached by who he thinks are convention fans asking for help. They are in reality an alien race called Thermians, led by Mathesar, who have modeled their existence after the series, which they believe to be real. When Jason and then the rest of his co-stars (along with Guy Fleegman, who was killed off before the opening credits in only one episode) go along with the Thermians, Jason's co-stars who believe they are off to yet another paying gig, they learn that they have to portray their Galaxy Quest roles for real. With no scriptwriters to get them to a happy and heroic ending, they have to trust that their play acting will work, especially in dealing with the Thermian's nemesis, General Sarris. Guy in particular fears that he will go the way his character did on the series. But when they run across technical issues that they as actors didn't care anything about during the filming of the series and thus now don't know how to deal with, they need to find someone who should know what to do.

Keywords: 1990s, actor, actress, alien, alien-love, alien-race, artificial-intelligence, autograph, bare-chested-male, battle
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi,
Taglines: The show has been cancelled... But the adventure is just beginning. A comedy of Galactic Proportions

Quotes:

Jason Nesmith: All right, let's settle down. If we're going to get through this we're going to need self control.::Gwen DeMarco: Self control? That's funny coming from the guy that slept with every Terrakian slave girl and Moon Princess on the show.

Fred Kwan: Hey guys, I just wanted you to know that, the reactors won't take it; the ship is breaking apart and all that... Just FYI.

Gwen DeMarco: Alex, where are you going?::Sir Alexander Dane: To see if there's a pub.

Jason Nesmith: Never give up. Never surrender.

Jason Nesmith: As long as there is injustice, whenever a Targathian baby cries out, wherever a distress signal sounds among the stars, we'll be there. This fine ship, this fine crew. Never give up... and never surrender.

Sir Alexander Dane: You don't hold the turbo down, it's for quick boosts!::Jason Nesmith: Oh, like you know!

Voice of Computer: Negative, there is no replacement Beryllium Sphere on board.::Gwen DeMarco: [to crew] No, there is no replacement Beryllium Sphere on board.::Tommy Webber: You know, that is really getting annoying!::Gwen DeMarco: [shouts] Look! I have one job on this lousy ship, it's *stupid*, but I'm gonna do it! Okay?::Tommy Webber: Sure, no problem.

Gwen DeMarco: [backstage at the convention] I mean, this is unreal. They're gonna start eating each other out there.

Sir Alexander Dane: [Guy is grinning at Alex] What?::Guy Fleegman: I'm just jazzed about being on the show, man.

[last lines]::Announcer: And now, back again after 18 years: The New Adventures of Galaxy Quest.