top 5 most overrated directors

[Guest Crucifixio Jones]

I don't have any problems with anything anyone has added so far except including Steven Soderberg. I LIKE Soderberg. I don't HATE Kevin Smith but I'm sick and tired of college-aged frat boys acting like his movies are manna from Heaven and that he is God because he can link a few movies together and fill them with dick and poopie jokes and somewhat intelligent (and extremeley wordy) dialogue.

 

That doesn't make him great.

[Guest The Amazing Rando]

I'm not a frat boy......I just respect the fact that he came from nowhere and made a film that was critically acllaimed...then did Mallrats...which has now got cult following...then did films about gay/lesbian relations and the Catholic church (things that aren't touched much in movies) ....and then just did a dick-fart joke movie at the end for kicks....

 

I am still pissed over his idea of putting J-Lo in Jersey Girl

[Guest Karnage]

I also think J-Lo in Jersey Girl is a bad idea. I've only seen her act in a movie called Selena (which is about a singer who is supposedly some sort of latin goddess the way the movie shows it) and she was an okay actor. But not okay enough to be in Jersey Girl.

[Guest The Man in Blak]

Kevin Smith, as a writer, is fairly decent.

 

Kevin Smith, as a director, however, is fairly horrible.

 

And, though you may not realize it by her ultra-glam pop star image, Jennifer Lopez was a very good actor at one point (Out of Sight, Selena).

[Guest Crucifixio Jones]

ManInBlak, I was just about to make your post. In Out of Sight, J-Lo was tolerable. I don't see how anyone who likes Kevin Smith as a director can complain about who he casts in his movies. He's almost never had anyone resembling a true actor in any of his movies with a few exceptions. The people who are the most "over" in his flicks are also the least trained. Smith fans oughta be happy someone who can actually act is gonna give Kev the time of day. It's not like Lopez needs HIM.

 

But I guess the popular rationale is, "who needs acting when you've got crude schoolyard humor to fall back on?" If listening to Smith's characters wax philopsophical about the most trivial of subjects makes you feel smart, then more power to ya.

[Guest J*ingus]

Okay, my list:

 

5. Ridley Scott: I loved Alien and Blade Runner, but jesus his work went into the toilet after that (except for the ignored and underrated Someone To Watch Over Me). Gladiator was one long ripoff of better movies, and Hannibal did nothing for me. And don't even mention Legend.

 

4. Stanley Kubrick: incredibly overrated on some movies rather than others. Personally, I don't understand anyone who claims that A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, or Full Metal Jacket are great cinema. On the other hand, I think that Eyes Wide Shut was received with unfair harshness.

 

3. Wes Craven: I hated all three Scream flicks, 'nuff said. Also, Music of the Heart? (barf)

 

2. Harmony Korine. I don't care if he remakes Citizen Kane better than the original, I will always be a detractor of his work because of the rancid piece of shit known as Gummo, which was, even worse, filmed in my hometown.

 

1. Oliver Stone. I have never, ever, EVER seen a movie by Stone that I liked AT ALL. I disliked Platoon, wanted to flunk JFK, and thoroughly hated every single godawful wrongheaded moment of Natural Born Killers, the single most overrated movie of all time. In other words, Stoney doesn't do much for me.

[Guest J*ingus]

He's almost never had anyone resembling a true actor in any of his movies with a few exceptions. The people who are the most "over" in his flicks are also the least trained. Smith fans oughta be happy someone who can actually act is gonna give Kev the time of day.

Did you just close your eyes whenever Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Linda Fiorentino, George Carlin, Carrie Fisher, Alan Rickman, Salma Hayeck, Jason Lee, Michael Rooker, Bud Cort, Janeane Garafolo, Chris Rock, Judd Nelson, Seann William Scott, Jon Stewart, Jamie Kennedy, Shannon Elizabeth, Eliza Dusku, Ali Larter, Jason Biggs, James Van Der Beek, and Mark Hamill were onscreen?

[Guest whatitistoburn]

"Did you just close your eyes whenever Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Linda Fiorentino, George Carlin, Carrie Fisher, Alan Rickman, Salma Hayeck, Jason Lee, Michael Rooker, Bud Cort, Janeane Garafolo, Chris Rock, Judd Nelson, Seann William Scott, Jon Stewart, Jamie Kennedy, Shannon Elizabeth, Eliza Dusku, Ali Larter, Jason Biggs, James Van Der Beek, and Mark Hamill were onscreen? "

 

In all fairness, look at that list of people, and think about how they were used in the movies. Off that entire list, the only two on there that have actually done really good acting in a K Smith movie were Affleck (he may suck most of the time, but Chasing Amy is great) and Rickman.

[Guest J*ingus]

I wasn't commenting on the performances in said movies, just disputing CJ's claim that Smith had few-to-no real actors worth mentioning in his films.

[Guest The Man in Blak]

That, and I wouldn't exactly call Shannon Elizabeth a "true actor" either.

 

There are lots of big names on your list, Jingus, but outside of Rickman, Lee and Affleck, most of them are enhancement talent or cameo fodder.

[Guest LexLugerRules]

Kevin Smith, as a writer, is fairly decent.

 

Kevin Smith, as a director, however, is fairly horrible.

Thank you!

 

I dont hate Smith, infact Clerks is one of my favorite movies.

 

But he is a above average writer, and a bad director.

[Guest The Amazing Rando]

i liked the fact that Kevin Smith took guys that had NO professional acting or very little.... i.e. all of Clerks pretty much....and made them known...at least to those who saw the movie....the acting wasn't great...but it wasn't horrible...he also took a pro skateboarder (Lee) and made him into somewhat of a star...

 

Also I believe Mallrats was one of Ben Affleck's first movies...but I could be wrong....

 

 

I don't know....I saw Dogma first...and enjoyed it...and have since seen the other 4 numerous times...

 

I think as a writer he is great...even though his first three movies centered around some sort of love...as did his last one in a way...

[Guest Gamengiri2002]

I wouldn't call Smith an overrated director as his movies rake in a lowly 30 or so million in the box office (which is, needless to say, very small)

 

Also, Smith himself admits to having the visual sense of a blind porcupine (though I feel some of his self-deprecating humor is half-hearted at best)

 

For the record, I am a Kevin Smith fan because he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously or his craft too seriously (watch the audio commentary for Mallrats).

 

His movies are fun, and for the most part well written (sans "Strike Back" which I still enjoy if only because I liked the previous four movies so much.)

 

Yes, as a writer he's great. As a director he's subpar. But he's not overrated.

 

Oh and George Carlin has a integral role in "Jersey Girl" which is fine by me.

[Guest MentallyNormal]

I don't care who is directing. Just as long as the movie is good. It could be directed by a monkey named Jerry for all i care.

[Guest What?]

In all fairness, look at that list of people, and think about how they were used in the movies. Off that entire list, the only two on there that have actually done really good acting in a K Smith movie were Affleck (he may suck most of the time, but Chasing Amy is great) and Rickman.

Jason Lee had some major roles (Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma) and, IMO, is a great actor. Having to transition from great skateboarder to great actor is hard work, and Lee ran with the ball....did that make any sense?

[Guest razazteca]

4. Stanley Kubrick: incredibly overrated on some movies rather than others. Personally, I don't understand anyone who claims that A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, or Full Metal Jacket are great cinema. On the other hand, I think that Eyes Wide Shut was received with unfair harshness

 

Clockwork Orange is one of the greatest movies ever made, its most famous scene of the eyes forced wide open while being force to watch violent images has been copied several times in current pop culture tv and movies. I guess if you don't like government is evil movies than you probably wont like Kubricks films.

 

And Eyes Wide Shut is Kubrick's worst movie ever.

[Guest godthedog]

David Lynch: See David Fincher minus the part about one good movie.

eraserhead? the elephant man? blue velvet? wild at heart (which admittedly i hated, but plenty of other people loved)? lost highway? the straight story? mulholland drive? you didn't like ANY of these?

[Guest jimmy no nose]

Kevin Smith himself has said that he's a better writer than director, but outside of the internet he doesn't have that huge a following. Per haps he is overrated though. I think that Speilberg and Tim Burton are overrated.

[Guest J*ingus]

Clockwork Orange is one of the greatest movies ever made,

 

And Eyes Wide Shut is Kubrick's worst movie ever.

Then we must agree to disagree, sir.

[Guest massivHEDtrauma]

David Fincher has made only one good movie? Bah. Se7en and Fight Club were both good.

 

Oliver Stone sucks? Uh, okay. I think Platoon, Born On the Fourth of July, JFK, and even the oft-hated-upon GENIUS WORK Natural Born Killers pretty much collectively debunk that.

 

David Lynch is too cool for school.

 

Steven Soderbergh also made Ocean's 11, the best crime caper movie in years.

 

Kevin Smith is, in fact, an overrated director. But I love the guy anyways.

 

Spielberg is overrated simply because people call him the best of all time, and that is a ridiculous statement. He pretty much fucking rocks, still.

 

American Beauty was not only one of the best movies of the 90's, but also one of the best movies ever. But Sam Mendes still isn't all that.

 

Barry Lyndon is Kubrick's worst, not Eyes Wide Shut. And Barry Lyndon was still pretty damned good.

 

Whoever said Francis Ford Coppola hasn't made a good movie in the 90's obviously forgot about Bram Stoker's Dracula.

 

Anyways, enough commentary. My list:

 

5) Steven Soderbergh - I like his movies alright, but I despise his use of lighting. He makes even the best-looking people in Hollywood look like absolute shit.

 

4) Todd Field - Just for subjecting me to In The Bedroom.

 

3) Ron Howard - The only really well-directed movie he has made in his entire career is A Beautiful Mind, and even that did not deserve his winning the Oscar.

 

2) Gus Van Sant - Beyond To Die For, he has been useless. The only good movies he has made have been because he had tremendous scripts.

 

1) McG - Fuck Charlie's Angels, this guy's only achievement.

[Guest godthedog]

American Beauty was not only one of the best movies of the 90's, but also one of the best movies ever. But Sam Mendes still isn't all that.

i agreed with every word of your post (even the part about 'natural born killers') up to this point. i don't want to condescend, but...were you locked in a closet for that entire decade except that one month when 'american beauty' came out? 'american beauty' wasn't even in the top 5 of 1999. i enjoyed 'fight club', 'boys don't cry', 'the war zone', 'being john malkovich', 'magnolia' and even 'the blair witch project' more.

 

and the 90s in general...i liked 'pulp fiction', 'the shawshank redemption', 'lost highway', 'chasing amy', 'clerks', 'in the company of men', 'welcome to the dollhouse', 'schindler's list', 'unforgiven', 'boogie nights' & 'reservoir dogs' better.

 

that's not to say i hate 'american beauty'. i do like it a lot. but the 90s, and especially 99 were really competitive.

[Guest massivHEDtrauma]

I get flack for my love of American Beauty all the time, and I understand your point. It's just that the subject matter and the actors involved are mostly personal favorites of mine (especially Kevin Spacey and Thora Birch), therefore I love the movie. I can't help it. I frickin' love American Beauty.

 

Speaking of it, when you think about it, American Beauty and Fight Club are basically about the same exact thing - the absurdity of our modern idiom. Odd how you can like one so much more than the other, isn't it?

[Guest godthedog]

I get flack for my love of American Beauty all the time, and I understand your point. It's just that the subject matter and the actors involved are mostly personal favorites of mine (especially Kevin Spacey and Thora Birch), therefore I love the movie. I can't help it. I frickin' love American Beauty.

 

gotcha. thora birch is a favorite of mine as well. and she's yummy.

 

Speaking of it, when you think about it, American Beauty and Fight Club are basically about the same exact thing - the absurdity of our modern idiom. Odd how you can like one so much more than the other, isn't it?

they are about the same thing, & i realized that as i was watching 'fight club', but i just thought 'fight club' handled the subject better, it had more humor and bite & less sentimentality.

[Guest massivHEDtrauma]

I gotcha, that seems to be the consensus opinion. And I agree, Fight Club is better overall. It's something about Spacey in American Beauty that just gets me though. He just RULES~! When he does the raised fist at his wife after he buys the Viper (?), I mark out.

 

Myes, Thora. Wasn't she cute/hot in Ghost World?

[Guest Crucifixio Jones]

<i>I don't care who is directing. Just as long as the movie is good. It could be directed by a monkey named Jerry for all i care.</i>

 

That's just it, genius. With an incompetent director the movie isn't gonna be good. Or at least not appealing to watch. Above all else, fillmmaking is a VISUAL medium. If the visuals are subpar, which they are with so many Smith films...then regardless of how good the writing is, it's gonna be boring to sit through.

 

I watch movies to WATCH movies. If i just wanted dialogue I'd read a book and imagine the locations and sets myself.

 

Making a director seem like an expendable part of the process is about the dumbest thing anyone could ever post.

[Guest J*ingus]

Making a director seem like an expendable part of the process is about the dumbest thing anyone could ever post.

I disagree, and Michael Caine sums it up better than I could in his book Acting in Film, in his chapter about dealing with the director:

 

"If, however, as occasionally happens, you've wound up with a complete dummy, you all walk back to the dressing room and say, "Let's do this ourselves." It happened to me in one picture (which I won't mention by name). The director was in the outer reaches of space-and it was clear he'd only bought a one way ticket. I think he might also have been partial to certain substances. Well, we read his altitude early on and quietly agreed to take care of ourselves. And he was credited with having directed a terrific film."

 

Making movies is a joint project. The director is one of the most important members, but even s/he is not absolutely essential.

[Guest Lethargic]

My pick for the most over-rated director right now is Guillermo Del Toro. Here is a guy that's biggest claim to fame is doing a crappy bug movie (Mimic) and a pretty terrible half ass sequel (Blade 2). But for some reason everybody keeps sucking his cock constantly. He gets to do any project he wants. He wants to make Hellboy? Make it! He wants to remake Creature from the Black Lagoon? Hey...here's 100 million dollars...ruin another classic! When has this guy shown any talent at all? The only thing he has proven so far is that he can take a great movie like Blade and suck all the life out of it.

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

Blade II was excellent, just as good, if not better than the original. Del Toro has directed two other fine horror films, Chronos and The Devil's Backbone. So really, Mimic is the only one that can be criticized, and even that film wasn't bad, it looked great, it just had a lousy script. He's anything but an overrated director.

[Guest massivHEDtrauma]

Okay, c'mon now, Blade II was not excellent. It was pretty good, but not excellent. I totally agree with Lethargic.

[Guest Gamengiri2002]

I will also stand in solid defense of David Fincher. He is anything but an overrated director. Except Alien 3, every movie he has made has, if nothing else, been directed the right way. Se7en, The Game, Fight Club, Panic Room all looked great and the characters were portrayed well.

 

Script problems in both the Game and Panic Room do not discredit Fincher as a director. Visually, he may be, at current, unmatched.

 

I look forward to Mission Impossible 3 if Fincher is at the helm, as i would like to see him get another run at the action drama with all the experience he has put behind him.

 

I also wouldn't say that a great movie can't be made with a bad director. A good one can. But film IS a visual medium, and to ignore that and say that a movie can be made on performances and script alone is taking away from the purpose of movies in the first place.