Who is the most overrated director in movies today?
06-03-05, 06:49 AM
#1
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Thread Starter
Who is the most overrated director in movies today?
Well, everyone seems afraid to say it because they think he's going to bust out his Magnum 45 and say "Go ahead, make my day punk," but I think Clint Eastwood is currently the most overrated director.
Not that he's a bad director, but I wouldn't put him in my top 20. I liked UNFORGIVEN alot, but most of his stuff like BLOOD WORK and MYSTIC RIVER I found to be pretty average at best. I thought MILLION DOLLAR BABY was heavy handed and really ran off the rails in the last 30 minutes. The portrayal of that white trash family was really over the top and belonged in a Farrelly Brothers comedy.
My runner-up would be Wes Anderson.
Not that he's a bad director, but I wouldn't put him in my top 20. I liked UNFORGIVEN alot, but most of his stuff like BLOOD WORK and MYSTIC RIVER I found to be pretty average at best. I thought MILLION DOLLAR BABY was heavy handed and really ran off the rails in the last 30 minutes. The portrayal of that white trash family was really over the top and belonged in a Farrelly Brothers comedy.
My runner-up would be Wes Anderson.
06-03-05, 07:02 AM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
On this forum it would be Kevin Smith by a wide margin. Tim Burton and John Carpenter are also somewhat overrated here, but I enjoy many of their films so I'm more forgiving with them.
In the real world, Ron Howard would probably be my pick for most overrated.
I do feel Clint Eastwood is a little overrated based on his whole body of work. However, the last 15 years have definitely been his finest.
In the real world, Ron Howard would probably be my pick for most overrated.
I do feel Clint Eastwood is a little overrated based on his whole body of work. However, the last 15 years have definitely been his finest.
06-03-05, 08:34 AM
#6
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Little Rock, AR
Posts: 4,086
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would say Ron Howard, just because so many of his films seem to be made just to scream "NOMINATE ME FOR SOMETHING!"
I wouldn't call Kevin Smith an overrated director just because I don't think that many people rate him high as a director (or know who he is .... though the comment was tempered with "in this forum", which I can buy).
I wouldn't call Kevin Smith an overrated director just because I don't think that many people rate him high as a director (or know who he is .... though the comment was tempered with "in this forum", which I can buy).
06-03-05, 08:45 AM
#8
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 1,197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by das Monkey
Oh, I love these threads ...
How about Steven Spielberg!
das
How about Steven Spielberg!
das
i'll say spielberg gives ron howard a run for his money in terms of 'please nominate me for something' movies. insert schindler's list reference here..... i mean really, i get it. the holocaust was bad mkay? how many movies do i have to endure?
06-03-05, 10:51 AM
#22
DVD Talk Legend
Directors aren't really "overrated" until after their deaths...that being said, I think both Kubrick and Hitchcock are slightly overrated...not to say that I didn't enjoy a lot of their films.
I disagree strongly with the first poster...Eastwood is my FAVORITE director. I'd like to see Speilberg do the number of takes and spend the amount of money Eastwood does on a movie (both very low) and turn out the kind of product Clint does. Clint's biggest attribute is that he knows the importance of just turning on the camera and letting the actors do their work.
I disagree strongly with the first poster...Eastwood is my FAVORITE director. I'd like to see Speilberg do the number of takes and spend the amount of money Eastwood does on a movie (both very low) and turn out the kind of product Clint does. Clint's biggest attribute is that he knows the importance of just turning on the camera and letting the actors do their work.
06-03-05, 10:57 AM
#23
DVD Talk Legend
I predict mass misuages of the term "overrated" in the posts to come, e.g. "Michael Bay", "McG", "Uwe Boll", "Paul Anderson", etc..
Now I don't know if he's the MOST overrated, but lately I've been shaking my head with all the love given to Doug Liman. I haven't liked a single thing he's worked on (including SWINGERS, although it did have moments of perspicacity), and outright loathed THE BOURNE IDENTITY and GO. Yet his films seem to gather both critical acclaim and popular sentiment. I must be missing something.
Now I don't know if he's the MOST overrated, but lately I've been shaking my head with all the love given to Doug Liman. I haven't liked a single thing he's worked on (including SWINGERS, although it did have moments of perspicacity), and outright loathed THE BOURNE IDENTITY and GO. Yet his films seem to gather both critical acclaim and popular sentiment. I must be missing something.
06-03-05, 11:30 AM
#25
Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Martin Scorsese, by a country mile.
I've complained about The Aviator before. It's an entirely routine, big-budget bio-pic which could have been helmed by a dozen different directors to exactly the same effect. I don't think Scorsese has made a great movie since Goodfellas and that was, what, fifteen years ago. Frankly I think he's a director of rather limited ability, technically brilliant but also undisciplined, self-indulgent and uncomfortable with mainstream narrative. He's generally proven himself unable to create characters with whom one identifies or is particularly interested in. You can feel sorrow or pity for his characters but that's not the same thing.
I'm also unhappy at the way too many critics give Scorsese's alleged masterpieces a pass despite noticeable flaws. The plot of Taxi Driver, for example, doesn't make any sense in its final act. Why does Travis target the Presidential candidate? Why, after his murdeous rampage, is Travis improbably shown back on the streets driving his cab? Another example, Raging Bull is undeniably powerfully made but it's also a very alienating and unlikeable experience. In fact, with the exception of After Hours (which I thought was excellent) and the heartfelt Last Temptation of Christ I simply don't think he's produced anything justifying the frenzied adoration which surrounds him in some quarters. It's all very strange.
I'd like to believe that his next movie The Departed will mark a return to form but the omens do not look good. It's another $100 million plus 'blockbuster' with an all star cast and I've little doubt it will end up as another bloated and over directed Scorsese effort. One that will, no doubt, be acclaimed as a 'masterpiece' by the usual suspects.
I've complained about The Aviator before. It's an entirely routine, big-budget bio-pic which could have been helmed by a dozen different directors to exactly the same effect. I don't think Scorsese has made a great movie since Goodfellas and that was, what, fifteen years ago. Frankly I think he's a director of rather limited ability, technically brilliant but also undisciplined, self-indulgent and uncomfortable with mainstream narrative. He's generally proven himself unable to create characters with whom one identifies or is particularly interested in. You can feel sorrow or pity for his characters but that's not the same thing.
I'm also unhappy at the way too many critics give Scorsese's alleged masterpieces a pass despite noticeable flaws. The plot of Taxi Driver, for example, doesn't make any sense in its final act. Why does Travis target the Presidential candidate? Why, after his murdeous rampage, is Travis improbably shown back on the streets driving his cab? Another example, Raging Bull is undeniably powerfully made but it's also a very alienating and unlikeable experience. In fact, with the exception of After Hours (which I thought was excellent) and the heartfelt Last Temptation of Christ I simply don't think he's produced anything justifying the frenzied adoration which surrounds him in some quarters. It's all very strange.
I'd like to believe that his next movie The Departed will mark a return to form but the omens do not look good. It's another $100 million plus 'blockbuster' with an all star cast and I've little doubt it will end up as another bloated and over directed Scorsese effort. One that will, no doubt, be acclaimed as a 'masterpiece' by the usual suspects.