“We're eager to share the loglines of these finalist scripts on our blog, not just to amplify the achievement of their writers, but also to help other developing writers see what kind of premises generate excitement and engagement in readers.”

In the film’s recurring motif, Charlie holds his hand into a flame, as if reminding himself of hell’s immediacy, with a perennial yet pathetic degree of guilt.

As with any mismatched movie pair, Brock and Venom eventually find a common understanding- literally and symbolically bonded by their shared loserdom.

Dead Ringers begs broader questions about individual self-worth and self-identification, and the nature of a society which forces people to conform — no matter how that might deform them.

Rather than attempting the impossible task of adapting Naked Lunch literally, Cronenberg treats the disjointed, hallucinatory novel as a secondary source, incorporating the author himself as well as his well-documented drug habits.

Most supporting characters serve as cynical and witty players, in a manner suited more to bouncing around in a screwball comedy than an existential gloomfest.

Naturally, because this is England, our villagers find but one refuge from the scourge: the pub, where they can take sanctuary to contemplate infanticide.

After the summer of Barbenheimer, of audience participation based on pointing at the screen and saying ‘literally me’, critic-turned-screenwriter Paul D Zimmerman’s monologue for Rupert’s comedy slot seems more relevant than ever.