Who are your favorite directors and what movies have they done that you like the most? In contrast what directors do you feel are the most overrated?
Note: I've only had the opportunity to watch a wide variety of movies within the past year, so my list is bound to change in the next few years.
First and foremost for me is Akira Kurosawa. He, in my mind, has made some of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. For actual shots and lighting I use Throne of Blood as the prime example. Beautiful and lots of contrast with darkness and light with shots that really put things in an odd, desolate perspective. I love how he made everything in the movie completely Japanese but based on a European story (Macbeth) - which I find interesting because when I read the play I imagined things in a very European setting (which was intended) but seeing it fleshed out by the mind of a man who clearly though of it in a completely different cultural respect is interesting. Kurosawa is also responsible for Ikiru which is my current favorite movie, mostly for the screenplay itself which I believe was done by Kurosawa. Still the scene with the protagonist alone on the swing brought me to tears when I watched this movie. Something about it is just very moving.
My second favorite is Ingmar Bergman. The first movie I saw by Bergman was Wild Strawberries when it was on AMC about a year ago. Having never seen any of the "foreign classics" I was blown away and immediately got an account at netflix so I can see more movies like this. My favorite movie of his is The Seventh Seal, without a doubt. He does an excellent job making the movie dark and foreboding and really creating a very convincing and artistic representation of life during the black plague.
For the most overrated, I say M. Night Shyamalan. Given I like Unbreakable and Sixth Sense, and yes I know it's all too popular to hate on the guy, but he really is pretty awful most of the time. There's too much content in his movies that has absolutely no purpose (see: The Happening) and should have been cut out and subtlety really isn't his forte. WHAT A (predictable) TWIST! Also Michael Bay really rubs me the wrong way. Although I love The Island and haven't seen Transformers which I hear is pretty good.
There are other directors I greatly enjoy and could go on about but I don't want to start the thread off with what looks like an essay.
alejandro gonzalez inarritu: Amorres perros, 21 grams, Babel,
and many more....i cant think of any others now....
M night shyamalan
The happening sucked i like his other stuff tho i dont know why but alot of it reminds me of like a wierd dream lol i think its different and creepy.
and mel brooks cant live without him i love all of his movies!! :)
Most overrated spike lee ...boooooring.
I like Peter Berg. I like his movie Hancock and the series named Friday Night Lights.