Baldrick

Before I even care about who the actor/actresses are in a film, it's the director or writer that will first make me interested in seeing it or not. Who are your favorite directors, and which director do you feel is the most over-rated?

Just a couple of my favorites are Martin Scorsese, Akira Kurosawa, and David Lean. With only a few movies under his belt, Peter Jackson is right up there for me as well. There are MANY more, but I'll leave some for you.

For over-rated directors, I have to go with the Wachowski Brothers. I'm not saying they're bad directors, just over-rated. Before Matrix, their only movies were Assassin (pure crap) and Bound, which was pretty good. While I enjoyed The Matrix, it definitely wasn't near good enough to give these guys their "super director" status. One decent movie shouldn't make these guys icons!

And don't even get me started on Brett Ratner!

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Derwood

Favs:

Fincher
Burton
Tarantino
Jonze

Overrated:

Anyone who makes movies about car chases, explosions and T&A (though i guess that's more of a producer specialty than a director)

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BigGov

Favs:
Tarantino
Besson
Scorsese
Mel Gibson (I really liked Braveheart)
Steven Spielberg (Not all of his movies, everything after Saving Private Ryan can be burned for all I care)

Overrated:
Wachowski Brothers
George Lucas

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CSflim

My favourite director, by a long shot is Kubrick.

Some others fav's would be
The Coen's
David Fincher
John Woo
P.T. Anderson
David Lynch
and maybe Darren Arronofsky (tough call with only two movies to base it on!).
pretty ecclectic list that!

As for the Wachowski brothers being over-rated...It's a tough call. The Matrix/Reloaded were pretty damn amazing, I just don't want to judge the series as a whole, until after Revolutions. Then we will find out if they have just being leading us on, and making it up on the spot, or if there really is some great master plan behind it all!

Most over rated director? No question about it: Speilberg.
Not that he is a BAD director, but he is mediocre at best, and his the quality of his output is very inconsistent.
He has made some great movies...but he has had also produced a hell of a lot of garbage also....yet he is probably the only director that gets mentioned by name in trailers/movie blurb.
(e.g. I almost felt like getting sick when I heard that Gangs of New York was "from the director of Goodfellas")

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Gortexfogg

My favorite director is definitely Woody Allen. He's the man, and one of the best.

Overrated? I wouldn't know.

Batman976

It seems my list isn't all that different from many of yours.

Favorites:
Stanley Kubrick
Tim Burton
Terry Gilliam
Quentin Tarantino

Over-rated:
Steven Spielberg
M. Night Shyamalan (I can't believe I'm the first to mention him)

Xiangsu

Fincher is my all time favorite. Tarantino is good and I've always loved Spielberg. I guess if I were to say an overrated director I would go with Kurosawa. However, It's tough to say because I'm sure that compared to other directors in his time he was great.

spectre

Favorite: Kevin Smith

Over Rated: M. Night Shyamalan

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Mr. Spacemonkey

As far as my favorites, first i should say Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg. I also like David Fincher, and Kevin Smith can make some funny shit. I don't really know about the overrated ones though.

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Baldrick

I'm really getting into some of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's stuff lately as well. Just picked up Fantoma's Whitey and Pioneers in Ingolstadt DVD's, and really enjoyed them! And I thought his BRD Trilogy Criterion just released was brilliant.

Terrence Malick is fantastic as well. I can't wait for Che - his biopic of Che Guevara with Benicio Del Toro.

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djflish

Favs:

Pre-Hollywood John Woo
David Fincher
Akira Kurosawa

Over-rated:

I don't know if he's rated at all, but how the hell does Michael Bay keep getting work?

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mystmarimatt

Favorites:
Aronofsky
Spielberg
Tarantino
Burton

Overrated:
Schumacher- i fuckin' hate that guy, he blamed the shittiness of Batman Forever on Val Kilmer, and then pumped out Batman and Robin, and with all his other movies...how can he still be getting jobs. and that he's even attempting to direct a movie version of the phantom musical is just blasphemous. i'll pay any of you to kill him.

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bundy

overrated...
Joel Schumacher
Tim Burton
M. Night Shyamalan
Steven Spielberg

favs...
David Lynch
David Fincher
Steven Soderbergh
Peter Weir
Fred Schepisi
Spike Jonze
Hayao Miyazaki
Woody Allen.

and special mention to the Coen Bros and Peter Jackson.

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JcL

I've liked all of M Night Shalaalallala's movies so far. That doesn't mean he isn't overrated though in general, just saying IMO.

Favs:

Spielberg for everything but AI I suppose, which I really could not stand...
Peter Jackson shows himself to be fantastic with the two LOTR movies.
Bill Paxton - i believe he directed Frailty which I loved, though I think thats the only movie to his directing credit.

Overrated:

Lucas

But then again is he even overrated anymore? He gets so much trash now a days that Im thinking he wouldn't even qualify.

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G4ME

the guy who did the sixth sense and signs, i didn't really think they were all that great.

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frankgrimes

as for over rated, id have to go with spielberg, however if michael bay is rated at all positively, by anyone, then he is ridiculously over rated. i'll also throw richard donner out there.

trench

Favs: Kevin Smith
Gregory Widen (Highlander and Prophecy)

Overrated: Woody Allen, never saw what the big deal was.

almostaugust

I'm gobsmacked nobody has mentioned Terrance Malick. He is definately my favourite (although with only 3-4 films under his belt im not sure he qualifies). Apparently he is an absoloutly interesting articulate person in real life too.
Besides Malick i would list
- Aronofsky
- The Coen Brothers
- Spike Jonze
- Quention Tarantino
- Scorcese
- Coppola
- Anderson

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Batman976

I'm kinda suprised to see Spike Jonze showing up on these lists. Has he done anything other than Being John Malkovich and Adaptation? I love both of those movies, but don't think I could add him to my list of favorite directors yet.

I'm also suprised Terry Gilliam isn't getting more votes. I think his movies are great.

Also, almostaugust, do you mean P.T. Anderson or Wes Anderson? Or is it a different Anderson altogether? I'm actually surprised Wes Anderson isn't getting more nods either.

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RedCometChar

I was going to say Gilliam myself... conditionally. I love his visuals and sense of imagination, but at the same time every single movie of his I've seen goes completely apeshit in the last 20-30 minutes. In Fear & Loathing, at least this was intentional.

Let me reiterate though, I love the guy! Flame me not!

I do add my vote for Overrated to Schumacher's pile. I liked the Lost Boys... what have you done for me lately?

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ARTelevision

favorite: David Mamet

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CSflim

True that! Both of those films are pretty damn high up on my personal "greatest films ever" list, but its hard to put him on a great directors list, with only two films to his name.

Same goes for Aronofsky. Pi and Requiem for a Dream were great! But its hard to make a call, especially considering that both of the films were really quite similar! Is Aronofsky a "one hit wonder"? I don't really think so, but we'll all have to wait and see!

I'm surprised at not seeing the Coen's on absolutely evereyone's list! C'mon people! Best directing duo ever!

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maximusveritas

Favorites: Kubrick, Kurosawa, Aronofsky, Gilliam, early Coppola
Overrated: Kevin Smith, Shyamalan, David Lynch

rogue49

I really don't have any favorites, I take each movie as they come
Some are good, some are bad, some are eh.

Overrated?
WOODY ALLEN!
I hate his shit, it is annoying as hell...and I don't understand why everyone drools over him.

almostaugust

Also, almostaugust, do you mean P.T. Anderson or Wes Anderson? Or is it a different Anderson altogether? I'm actually surprised Wes Anderson isn't getting more nods either. [/B][/QUOTE]

PT Anderson actually (though i like them both). Oh and for the record i mean Francis Ford Coppola, not his daughter.

Plan9Senior

Favorites: Tarantino & Romero


Overrated: Kevin Smith (has not had one single great film yet some people manage to adore the crap he puts out and love to be his fanboys)

Pellaz

Favs:
Tarantino-I love his sharp and quick style
Coen Bros-Always seem to be able to capture moods extremely well
Sam Raimi-Gets amazing and relevant camera work done without being gimmiky
Hitchcock-well, it's alfred hitchcock for gods sake

Overrated:
Kevin Smith-One of the greatest story tellers of our time, but as a director he's merely good, not great.
Oliver Stone-Guys just never done it for me.
Ron Howard-Way over valued, imo

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evilmongolian

Favorites:
Peter Jackson (Especially his stuff prior to Lord of The Rings, showed his talent minus a budget. for those that don't know, see Forgotten Silver, Dead-Alive, Meet the Feebles, Heavenly Creatures, Bad Taste, and the Frighteners)
Hitchcock
Dario Argento
Lucio Fulci
Sam Raimi (same thing as Peter Jackson)
Lloyd Kaufman (Grand-daddy of true independent films and helped start Tre Parker and Matt Stone's careers)
Martin Scorsese

Over-Rated:
Kevin Smith(Great Writer, OK director)
Steven Spielberg (anything Post-Jaws was good, but not spectacular)
M. Night Shyamalan (6th Sense was lame)
Quentin Tarentino (once again, love his writing, just don't always enjoy his visual style)
and the most over-rated director of all time... Ridley Scott (padding out a movie with landscape shots is not genius, it is laziness)

JohnnyRock

Favorites are Tarantino [wish he worked more] and Kevin Smith...

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krazixs

Guy Ritchie end of story

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Hal Incandenza

I don't think anyone's mentioned Jim Jarmusch yet for favorite director. Stranger than Paradise, Down by Law, Ghost Dog, Dead Man, Night on Earth, Mystery Train--the guy is great. (Other faves: the Coen Brothers, David Lynch)

Overrated, even though I think he's done some good and maybe even great stuff: Tim Burton. He has no idea how to end a movie. Also the inexplicably popular Kevin Smith, who has no idea how to start or middle or end a movie.

LHFire

Favorites: John Woo, Spielberg, Scorsese, Peter Jackson. Robert Rodriguez (minus the spy kids stuff.)

Least Favorite: Any director who casts a damn shitty pop star in a even shittier genre.

bundy

wow.
good call.
Jarmusch is fantastic. Dead Man and Ghost Dog are both fantastic.
thanks for the reminder.

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PeaceFrog

Gilliam
Kubrick
Tarantino
Burton

Those are my 4 favorites directors.They're all masters at what they do.
And as far as over-rated goes i'd have to say....
Spielberg (seems almost obligatory)
Oliver Stone

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Da Munk

Favorites: Akira Kurosawa, Quentin Tarantino, Peter Jackson, Stanley Kubrick

Overrated: Ron Howard, Spielberg(some great films, but some absolute crap too), and the Wachowski brothers.

Stare At The Sun

Guy Ritche
Kevin Smith
Tarintino
Krubrick

Yup.

Gortexfogg

Favorites:
Woody Allen
Howard Hawks
Billy Wilder
Oliver Stone

Overated:
Spielberg

heccubusiv

Overated: M. Night Shyamalan, and John Woo(at least his films in english)

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bltzkriegmcanon

Peter Jackson
Wachowski Brothers
Clint Eastwood

Overated: George Lucas
M. Night Shylaman
Steven Spielberg

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Mr.Deflok

Favourites
Christopher Nolan
David Fincher
Darren Aronofsky
Steven Spielberg
Jim Henson
Ridley Scott
David Lynch
Jim Cameron
Bryan Singer

and most of all
AKIRA KUROSAWA

As for overated people, Jerry Bruckheimer.