+1

He blows dead bears.

I watched unbreakable last night when i was flicking through my dvd collection looking for something, i didn't even realise it was a shymalalalan movie. Somehow i didn't fall asleep. Weirdly i didn't mind The Happening, maybe i was drunk

You must have a massive crush on Zooey Deschanel. It's the only explanation I can think of.

Clint Eastwood.


His films are ok, I like them well enough, more than his acting sometimes, but some people seem to think he walks on water or something.




The Jedi Master

Joel Schumacher. He completely destroyed the Batman franchise in it's day and hasn't done anything redeeming since.

Micheal Bay

But...but...BATNIPPLES!



The Jedi Master

In terms of the differential between quality of work my vote goes to Tarantino.

Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction are really fantastic movies because of the dialog and characters, and the way he was able to coherently weave multiple threads into a whole (especially with Pulp Fiction, given his choice to present the story out of chronological sequence).

Jackie Brown was OK, but generally forgettable.

Then came Kill Bill (1&2) which was such a disappointment for me. Tarantino seems to thought that the pulpy B-movie veneer of his previous works would be sufficient to make a great movie; that merely outsized characteristics alone gives character to people and a movie... Inglorious Basterds was just schlocky and predictable...

I've given up on thinking that he'll be able to reproduce anywhere near his previous work. I didn't even bother seeing Django.

Disagree with James Cameron. He's created plenty of very decent movies since The Abyss: Aliens, Avatar, dare I? Titanic, etc... But he's never been a brilliant director. His movies don't try to make larger point about anything, either directly or subtly. He has, however, been quite good at creating action movies with atmosphere and characters you care about.

I agree about M. Night Shyamalan... I'm surprised any of the studios is still willing to bankroll him.

That's the exact point that prompted my initial post. Those last 4 films I listed were not only critical failures but big commercial flops with the exception of "Last Airbender".

Actually, Aliens predates The Abyss, but to say Terminator 2 wasn't good???
True Lies is a you-like-it-or-you-don't homage/sendup of 80s action flicks that was much better than The Last Action Hero. Jamie Lee's pseudo-seduction scene, Paxton wetting his pants, and of course a Harrier in Miami.
Titanic was IMO the best film about the ship ever made, I never cared for Night to Remember, the love story aside.
Avatar...well, original visuals with an unoriginal story. Again, take it or leave it.



The Jedi Master

Good point re: T2, Jedi.
I also agree re: Avatar. In fact, that kind of illustrates my point about Cameron. When he does try to make a point (enviro-aliens vs. big bad exxon industrialized humans) the story falls flat (imo). How anyone couldn't see that he wasn't just recycling Dances with Wolves is beyond me (and yes, I've had that discussion with someone).

I was tempted to throw Spielberg in the list, given how solid his early- and mid-career movies were but he merely sank to "average" rather than truly execrable .

Spielberg has made some forgettable films like "Always", "1941" and "The Terminal" but I wouldn't say he's overrated.

Agreed

Woody Allen is by far the most overrated, talentless director in history. Worst than Uwe Boll.

Hey, I liked "Always"! Sure, there were a lot of cheesy moments, but getting to see them A-26s fly? And what about that daring fire retardant bombing of that Catalina's port side engine? I mean, what more can a SimHQer ask for?

Judd Apatow!

I'm with you Wolfdancer. That movie, seen in my early teen, actually had quite an impact. I still remember it with sentiment.
I also love 1941, Belushi could never go wrong.

Speaking of washed up, I'd like to add Robert Rodriguez to the list. Machete Kills, Shorts, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Spy Kids: All The Time in the World. All of them creative and commercial flops.

Halt. Sin City is awesome, you infidel!
plus Eva Greene


EDIT: ach, the second Sin City... didn't see it yet.

Kevin Smith.