To me, the bottom line is that the first ten pages of a script need to be exceptionally well-written. (So does the rest of the script, of course, but the beginning is worth putting extra energy into refining.) The greatest "hook" ever imagined is useless if the person reading the script doesn't feel like they're in the hands of a talented writer. But if the quality of your writing is up to par, people will want to keep reading even if you haven't managed to blow up the White House and take the President hostage in the first twenty lines.

Having just read American Beauty as part of the challenge, I noticed that it had two 'hard' openings. First, the kids plotting the dad's death. And second, the announcement that he was going to die in a year.

I was actually wondering if the kids stuff was in the script or edited in after the fact before opening the pdf up.

But anyway, just wanted to point out that you don't need 'splosions and nunchucks to do the hard opening...

Inglourious Basterds had a pretty good 'soft' opening. They started off talking, and I was like "Why is this movie 2-1/2 hours?" and it actually won me over pretty quick.

I think there are multiple hooks in a story. I'm defining a "hook"...as a question raised in the viewers mind. The "big hook" is the question not answered until the end.

Within the first 5 - 12 minutes a question is raised(a big hook)...and that is what your hook/story is about.

As your story moves along there are smaller hooks that raise new questions, hooks that answer old questions but raise new ones (reversal). etc.

it can be very small, if my character wants peanut butter but no one will give him some. that can be my opening hook...will he get the peanut butter?

it can be big, an asteroid is heading to earth, my hero wants to stop it...will he stop it?

what does your character want...and how can you hold it from them. that's where you will find your hook.