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Most Underrated & Overrated Directors
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Author:  Bradley Witherberry [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:27 am ]
Post subject:  Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Most Underrated: Doug Liman

I've enjoyed every one of his movies (though I've yet to see Swingers).



Most Overrated: Steve Spielberg

Only Jaws and Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom hold up - - it's been decades since he's made a great movie.

Author:  Algren [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

The most underrated is Sylvester Stallone. The most overrated is JJ Abrahms or Christopher Nolan.

Author:  Bradley Witherberry [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Algren wrote:
The most underrated is Sylvester Stallone. The most overrated is JJ Abrahms or Christopher Nolan.

I agree that all of those could be good choices.

Author:  Dr. Lecter [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Could one say (disregarding one's own opinion) that Matthew Vaughn is underrated? I'd go with him. Overrated: Pedro Almodóvar or Ang Lee.

Author:  Bradley Witherberry [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Dr. Lecter wrote:
Could one say (disregarding one's own opinion) that Matthew Vaughn is underrated? I'd go with him.

I liked Layer Cake and look forward to Kingsman - - but was severely underwhelmed by his other 3 movies.



Dr. Lecter wrote:
Overrated: Pedro Almodóvar or Ang Lee.

I've only see Almodóvar's Volver and loved it.

As for Ang Lee, I agree he certainly hasn't lived up to his potential in recent years, but his early Taiwanese movies are just so much fun, and of course Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is on my lifetime top ten list.

Author:  David [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 10:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Underrated: Mike Hodges or Sally Potter
Overrated: Pedro Almodóvar or Dario Argento

Author:  Chippy [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 11:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Underrated- Spielberg
Overrated- Liman

Author:  Thegun [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 12:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Underrated- James Mangold, Ivan Reitman, Danny DeVito, and Wes Anderson
Overrated- Tim Burton, Steven Soderbergh, Peter Jackson and of coure the Wachowskis

Author:  Bradley Witherberry [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Thegun wrote:
Underrated- James Mangold, Ivan Reitman, Danny DeVito, and Wes Anderson
Overrated- Tim Burton, Steven Soderbergh, Peter Jackson and of coure the Wachowskis

I can definitely support the first three in each of your lists - - interesting choices!

As for Wes Anderson, and even though I'm generally a fan, I would say he is simultaneously underrated and overrated.

The Wachowski's on the other hand have only made a single crappy movie, The Matrix Reloaded - - every other film has been brilliant and far ahead of it's time.

Author:  trixster [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

underrated: uwe boll
overrated: orson welles

Author:  Brian [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 5:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Underrated: Zack Snyder
Overrated: Ang Lee

Author:  Thegun [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Bradley Witherberry wrote:
Thegun wrote:
Underrated- James Mangold, Ivan Reitman, Danny DeVito, and Wes Anderson
Overrated- Tim Burton, Steven Soderbergh, Peter Jackson and of coure the Wachowskis

I can definitely support the first three in each of your lists - - interesting choices!

As for Wes Anderson, and even though I'm generally a fan, I would say he is simultaneously underrated and overrated.

The Wachowski's on the other hand have only made a single crappy movie, The Matrix Reloaded - - every other film has been brilliant and far ahead of it's time.


I say underrated for Anderson as he still can't really find big mainstream success. As for Wachowskis, they've made one great movie, and the rest have all been shit (Assassins and V for Vendetta not withstanding as they were merely involved in the writing process.

I also wouldn't mind putting Clint Eastwood in the underrated category as well, despite of course being so beloved. His production schedules and sheer amount of detail he can get done often times in a single take is legendary and an often overlooked aspect of directing, and then add in the extra stress of having to act as well.

Author:  Flava'd vs The World [ Tue Jun 17, 2014 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Two obvious answers here. Edgar for underrated and Terry Malick for overrated.

Author:  David [ Wed Jun 18, 2014 12:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Roberto Rossellini is undervalued by many younger film fans.

Author:  Inny Binny [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 2:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

my sort of topic

very overrated

steven spielberg
george lucas
stan brakhage
ridley scott
charlie chaplin
jean vigo
roberto rossellini
john ford

a bit overrated

paul thomas anderson
peter jackson
steven soderbergh
georges melies
sergei eisenstein
jean renoir
rainer werner fassbinder
alfred hitchcock
brian de palma
orson welles
luis bunuel
michael haneke

underrated

lars von trier
gaspar noe
...
most everyone i like is reasonably acclaimed

Author:  Bradley Witherberry [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 5:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

I had to look up Stan Brakhage ...and I still don't know who he is.

Otherwise, quite a good list Inny (though I'd cut Melies a bit more slack, being a pioneer and all).

Author:  BK [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 8:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

bryan singer is overrated.

Author:  Algren [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 9:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

All the Spanish directors from the last 5 years that seem to have gained popularity are overrated. I think they're only popular because toffs are employing an "oh these foreign directors are so hip" attitude, not because of talent.

Author:  Webslinger [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 10:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

While I'll agree that Guillermo Del Toro consistently works below his ability in Hollywood, his most impressive work is damned impressive. Pan's Labyrinth is great. On the other end of the equation, Alfonso Cuaron's last three films - all studio films - were great.

Alejandro Gonzalez Innatiru is the only one who I might deem overrated, but that's mostly based upon the awards season love that Babel received. His latest, Birdman, does look like it could be fantastic.

Author:  Algren [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 11:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Guillermo Del Toro is a hack. While I like Pan's Labyrinth, he has made so much more that is just shite: Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Blade II, Pacific Rim, and Mimic. He only got a good reputation because of one film, and before and since that film he's made complete shit, and he's locked down to make another Hellboy movie too. So he's continuing his shit. Oh, and Hollywood takes up most of his directing career.

Result: 16.6%
Verdict: Crap

Inarritu made 21 Grams, Amores Perros, and Babel, and I love all three, so he's exempt from my statement.

Result: 100%
Verdict: Great

Cuaron is ok, but doesn't deserve the praise he gets; so he's a classic example of being overrated. Gravity is great, Children of Men is so-so but ultimately unmemorable, Y Tu Mama Tambien is good but not great and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is utter trite. He gets Godly praise for some unknown reason.

Result: 50%
Verdict: Overrated

I am sure there are other ones I'm forgetting.

Author:  Chippy [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 11:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Gravity, Children of Men and Hellboy 1/2 are all great. And Pacific Rim is enjoyable.

Author:  Price [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 2:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Algren wrote:
All the Spanish directors from the last 5 years that seem to have gained popularity...


None of the three you mention is Spanish. They're all Mexican.

Author:  Chippy [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 3:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

But they SPEAK spanish!

Author:  Algren [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 6:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Price wrote:
Algren wrote:
All the Spanish directors from the last 5 years that seem to have gained popularity...


None of the three you mention is Spanish. They're all Mexican.

Ok, but judging by Webslinger's reply, people knew exactly who I meant when I said it. So it really makes no difference if they're Mexican, Chilean, Spanish or Puerto Rican.

Author:  Price [ Thu Jun 26, 2014 8:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Most Underrated & Overrated Directors

Chippy wrote:
But they SPEAK spanish!


So all American and Australians are English.

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