Stories by @jamesbess

A soldiers story (2024)

A black Army investigator travels to a remote military base in the heart of the Louisiana backwoods to look into the mysterious murder of a black sergeant toward the tail end of World War II. Once he arrives, the investigator discovers an Army regiment and an entire community that, despite the beginnings of integration, is still torn apart by race and segregation. He soon learns that on this base, trust is sparse and secrets are a currency all their own.

Cruising (2020)

A psychopath is scouring New York City gay clubs and viciously slaying homosexuals. Detective Steve Burns is ordered to don leather attire, hang at the city's S&M joints and keep an eye out for the killer. But as Steve becomes immersed in club hopping, he begins to identify with the subculture more than he expected. Meanwhile, Steve behaves distantly around his girlfriend, Nancy the police force's homophobia becomes apparent and the killer remains at large.

Do the right thing 1979

Salvatore "Sal" Fragione is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.

The Graduate 1967 (alternate casting)

Benjamin Braddock has just finished college and, back at his parents' house, he's trying to avoid the one question everyone keeps asking: What does he want to do with his life? An unexpected diversion crops up when he is seduced by Mrs. Robinson a bored housewife and friend of his parents. But what begins as a fun tryst turns complicated when Benjamin falls for the one woman Mrs. Robinson demanded he stay away from, her daughter, Elaine

Scorsese’s mean streets 1973 (alternate casting)

A slice of street life in Little Italy among lower echelon Mafiosos, unbalanced punks, and petty criminals. A small-time hood gets in over his head with a vicious loan shark. In an attempt to free himself from the dangers of his debt, he gets help from a friend who is also involved in criminal activities.

Reservoir dogs 70s

Six criminals with pseudonyms, and each strangers to one another, are hired to carry out a robbery. The heist is ambushed by police and the gang are forced to shoot their way out. At their warehouse rendezvous, the survivors, realising that they were set up, try to find the traitor in their midst.

Scent of a woman (1982)

Frank is a retired Lt. Col. in the US army. He's blind and impossible to get along with. Charlie is at school and is looking forward to going to college. To help pay for a trip home for Christmas, he agrees to look after Frank over Thanksgiving. Frank's niece says this will be easy money, but she didn't reckon on Frank spending his Thanksgiving in New York.

Everything everywhere all at once (Jackie Chan version)

https://thescriptlab.com/wp-content/uploads/scripts/32661-EVERYTHING-EVERYWHERE-ALL-AT-ONCE-by-Daniel-Kwan-and-Daniel-Scheinert-.pdf

Drake and Josh (80s)

Teens Drake and Josh couldn't be more different, and now that they've become stepbrothers and live in the same house, those differences are all the more obvious. With separate friends and aspirations in high school, the new siblings have unpredictable days and hilarious adventures while getting used to being family.

Boy meets world 1983-1990.

With the help of true love Topanga, best friend Shawn and teacher Mr. Feeny, Cory Matthews juggles school, friends and romance. The series, a popular Friday night staple on ABC for seven seasons, began with Cory in the sixth grade and follows him and his entourage through their college years.

Good Will Hunting 1987

Will Hunting has a genius-level IQ but chooses to work as a janitor at MIT. When he solves a difficult graduate-level math problem, his talents are discovered by Professor Gerald Lambeau who decides to help the misguided youth reach his potential. When Will is arrested for attacking a police officer, Professor Lambeau makes a deal to get leniency for him if he will get treatment from therapist Sean Maguire.

Pleasantville (1988)

Impressed by high school student David's devotion to a 1950s family TV show, a mysterious television repairman provides him with a means to escape into the black-and-white program with his sister, Jennifer While David initially takes to the simplistic, corny world of the show, Jennifer sets about jolting the characters with doses of reality that unexpectedly bring a little color into their drab existence.

American History X (1988)

Living a life marked by violence and racism, neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard (finally goes to prison after killing two black youths who tried to steal his car. Upon his release, Derek vows to change his ways; he hopes to prevent his younger brother, Danny who idolizes Derek, from following in his footsteps. As he struggles with his own deeply ingrained prejudices and watches their mother grow sicker, Derek wonders if his family can overcome a lifetime of hate.

Cabin Fever (1984)

Bert a college student vacationing with friends in the mountains, mistakenly shoots a local man with a skin infection while hunting in the woods. Panicking, he abandons the scene and leaves the man for dead. When the man stumbles into a reservoir, he infects the water supply, and soon one of Bert's friends becomes infected. The friends struggle to stop the contagious, flesh-eating disease while on the run from a group of ornery backwoods locals out for revenge.

Final Destination (1980)

Alex Browning is embarking on a trip to Paris. Alex experiences a premonition -- he sees the plane explode moments after leaving the ground. Alex insists that everyone get off the plane and 7 people including Alex, are forced to disembark. All watch as the plane actually explodes in a fireball. He and the other survivors have briefly cheated death, but will not be able to evade their fate for very long. One by one, these fugitives from fate fall victim to the grim reaper.

Mallrats (1985)

T.S. and his best friend, Brodie take a trip to the mall after their girlfriends break up with them. T.S.'s girlfriend, Brandi is participating in a dating game show at the mall, which was the initial cause of their breakup. Meanwhile, Brodie's ex, Rene , has begun dating sleazy store manager Shannon. T.S. and Brodie seek out ways to ruin the game show, hunted all the while by Brandi's father, Jared

Ray (1994)

Young Ray watches his 7-year-old brother drown at age seven. When he loses his sight at the age of 9, his hardworking mother urges him not to feel sorry for himself. He rises through the ranks of the Seattle jazz scene, struggling with drug addiction and infidelity while on the road. Supported by his wife. Ray Charles redefines soul music and inspires a generation.

Spider-Man the movie (1986)

The variation on the origin story had Otto Octavius as a teacher and mentor to a college-aged Peter Parker. The cyclotron accident which "creates" Spider-Man also deforms the scientist into Doctor Octopus and results in his mad pursuit of proof of the Fifth Force. "Doc Ock" reconstructs his cyclotron and causes electromagnetic abnormalities, anti-gravity effects, and bilocation which threatens to engulf New York City and the world.

Malcolm x (early 70s)

was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of Islam until 1964, he was a vocal advocate for Black empowerment and the promotion of Islam within the Black community.