Alex
Still a Music Elitist
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Is Christopher Nolan the most overrated director of all time?
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ham
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Gavinmad
Mr. Poopybutthole
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How is Michael Bay an overrated director? He delivers exactly what you expect with every single movie. An entertaining visual spectacle set to a story that ranges anywhere from forgettably generic to memorably terrible. If anything, he's one of the most underrated directors in Hollywood.
I mean The Rock is easily one of the best action movies ever, Bad Boys 1/2 and The Island were solid with some great humor and explosions, Armageddon was a bit cheesy but still entertaining, and the Transformers series started out better than where it ended up but was still a fun ride. I haven't seen Pain & Gain but I assume it's the same formula of funny and shit blowing up as people go diving away from the explosion.
The only real shitty movie he made was Pearl Harbor, and my god that was a shitty fucking movie. I mean yeah he's never gonna win best picture, but he's not trying to. Aside from Pearl Harbor, I've never not been entertained by one of his movies, and unless he goes on a streak of releasing shit as bad as Pearl Harbor, I can't imagine ever not seeing one of his movies.
Grimmlokk
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Transformers 2 is one of the worst big budget movies I have ever seen. But yeah, again, people are confusing overrated with bad.
Think of someone almost universally praised that doesn't remotely deserve it(Woody Allen). Not someone who no one in the last 15 years has treated like a genius(Lucas).
Alex
Still a Music Elitist
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Platoon is one of the best movies ever and W. is pretty damn good. Honestly, I haven't seen enough of his material to judge appropriately. Natural Born Killers is certainly overrated. I just haven't seen enough of his material to judge. The three movies I mentioned are the only Stone films I'm seen.
Phazael
Confirmed Beta Shitlord, Fat Bastard
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Allen is easily the most overrated director of all time. He has not done anything relevant, outside of circle jerks for movie snobs, for decades. Most of his original classics have not aged very well, either (Everything you always wanted to know about sex but were afraid to Ask being the major exception) when compared to other well known directors' work from the same era. And I actually LIKE his work.
Lucas did some really retarded shit, especially later in his career, but a lot of his original movies are still enjoyable. I seriously doubt even Nolan's or Tarrentino's worst stuff will become any less watchable a decade or two from now.
Lucas did some really retarded shit, especially later in his career, but a lot of his original movies are still enjoyable. I seriously doubt even Nolan's or Tarrentino's worst stuff will become any less watchable a decade or two from now.
pysek
It Didn't Happen, It Should've, and It Will.
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In answer to OP, no.
Moving on, I've said it before and I'll say it again, Bay is amazing for exactly the reasons Gavin specified. You know what you're getting. A metric fuckton of explosions, some sweet, sweet ass shots, some ham-fisted acting and shitty one-liners and a generally kinetic ride. Bay's movies are in no way GOOD, as most critics would define the term, but I think of Bay as the fast food of movies. Yeah, it's shitty, but when I want that greasy-assed American flavor, I know where to go to get it. And I think Bay is a uniquely (for good or ill) American director. For all our well-earned faults, I fucking love America and Bay makes movies that feel like the best/worst parts of America, and I love him for it. But mostly for the ass shots. IN EVERY MOVIE. Give him Jesus on the Cross: the Movie, and he'll work Mary's bikini-clad ass in there somewhere. God bless him.
Moving on, I've said it before and I'll say it again, Bay is amazing for exactly the reasons Gavin specified. You know what you're getting. A metric fuckton of explosions, some sweet, sweet ass shots, some ham-fisted acting and shitty one-liners and a generally kinetic ride. Bay's movies are in no way GOOD, as most critics would define the term, but I think of Bay as the fast food of movies. Yeah, it's shitty, but when I want that greasy-assed American flavor, I know where to go to get it. And I think Bay is a uniquely (for good or ill) American director. For all our well-earned faults, I fucking love America and Bay makes movies that feel like the best/worst parts of America, and I love him for it. But mostly for the ass shots. IN EVERY MOVIE. Give him Jesus on the Cross: the Movie, and he'll work Mary's bikini-clad ass in there somewhere. God bless him.
Namon
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I agree with the sentiment about Tim Burton. Outside of his first Batman and Edward Scissorhands, the only other movie of his that I enjoyed was Big Fish. I dunno that movie tugged at my "dad" heartstrings. However, everyone I know seems to hail him as some genius. The statement about being washed with Hot Topic was dead on.
Woody Allen would be another one, but honestly I just thought it was because I have extremely campy tastes when it comes to movies and I know this, so I really try to avoid knocking the more intellectual kind of directors/movies since really those kinds of movies just bore me. (Read Million Dollar Baby. I know it was a classic but I personally just didn't like it).
Oliver Stone is another I agree with. His concepts are really cool but the man is way too paranoid and surrounds himself with conspiracy theories. His movie about the Twin Towers was surprisingly good since he just actually focused on factual events. That or his coke raddled brain takes the films on too many weird tangents (Natural Born Killers). I think W was too soon, kind of like the movie about Clinton with John Travolta. Presidents are polarizing figures so you can count on half the people loving it and half the people hating it.
Woody Allen would be another one, but honestly I just thought it was because I have extremely campy tastes when it comes to movies and I know this, so I really try to avoid knocking the more intellectual kind of directors/movies since really those kinds of movies just bore me. (Read Million Dollar Baby. I know it was a classic but I personally just didn't like it).
Oliver Stone is another I agree with. His concepts are really cool but the man is way too paranoid and surrounds himself with conspiracy theories. His movie about the Twin Towers was surprisingly good since he just actually focused on factual events. That or his coke raddled brain takes the films on too many weird tangents (Natural Born Killers). I think W was too soon, kind of like the movie about Clinton with John Travolta. Presidents are polarizing figures so you can count on half the people loving it and half the people hating it.
Man, I was really disappointed by Transformers 2. Not because I was expecting a good plot or good writing or even good acting (I knew that not one of those three would happen), but because I was expecting Good Action and somehow Michael Bay fucked that up. It has some of the absolute worst action shots and camera work I've ever seen and is by far the shittiest thing he has ever done in that regard and it was a big let down.
I went in hoping to be entertained by some good action scenes and baysplosions and instead I got the most disjointed, unwatchable crap ever to disgrace the silver screen.
I have absolutely no clue how he fucked all of that up so badly and totally dropped the ball on doing what he does best. Thankfully Transformers 3 was closer to Transformers 1 in quality and was way more watchable.
Tarantino - for casting himself in every damn movie he directs... I kid, I kid, I love his films but he should really stop doing that.
Neki
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How aboutRidley Scott
I mean, he had some really good films before but has worryingly dropped the ball with more recent films and can't seem to capture back the magic from his earlier works. I am still willingly to give him some benefit of doubt but he seems to be on a downward curve.
I mean, he had some really good films before but has worryingly dropped the ball with more recent films and can't seem to capture back the magic from his earlier works. I am still willingly to give him some benefit of doubt but he seems to be on a downward curve.
Szlia
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These statements have very little connection with reality. First, Allen is making absolutely mainstream movies for a very wide audience. Second, with almost a movie a year in the past forty years, there are ups and downs, but recently Match Point (2005), Whatever Works (2009 - split reception for that one) and Midnight in Paris (2011) are three brilliant yet very different movies (and many of my friends would add Scoop and Vicky Cristina Barcelona to that list - and remove Whatever Works!). Finally... how did Manhattan or Zelig age poorly?
What I am ready to concede though is that Allen's writing is what makes him a singular voice in the movie world, not his directing.
Muligan
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I don't know if directors get "overrated" as they are hired to deliver a product to make money. I think others touched on a lot of valid points. Bay isn't overrated, he's hired to make movies with lots of explosions and large scale action. He may produce some terrible movies buy they are always profitable. I think the idea is skewed because we see directors tied to great movies i.e. Speilberg, Cameron, Jackson, etc. How much did they really have to do with it? The interpreted what they were handed and made a movie. Those guys rise to prominence but I don't think it is because of directing skill but due to writers, casting, actor's ability, etc. I'm sure there is some relevance to directing ability and movie quality to an extent but I think most of these guys find a niche and are hired based on their niche.
Chukzombi
Millie's Staff Member
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ive been working myself up to seeing it anyway, but because it was spoiled for me i dont want to have to watch, Terry Schiavo: The Movie. that shit was done to death in the media and even south park had a go at it.
iannis
Musty Nester
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True. And I agree it's important to bear all those contributions in mind... it obviously takes more than one man to make a movie. But with guys like Cameron, Spielberg, Kubrick, Scorcese, ect., the guys who are really consistent with it you have to think that their role in the process is a lot more than telling actors "nonono, smile more" or telling writers "I think this needs more words" or telling the special effects guys, "The blue catface in this scene needs to be cattier". Either they're taking a quiet leadership role in the process or they are the luckiest motherfuckers alive.
I mean, not like I fucking know. But it seems like.