Favorite/Least Favorite Filmmakers

[masterofsparks]

It's crazy how many classics Billy Wilder made. Love him!

Yeah, I like almost everything I've seen of his. Even One Two Three, which seems like it should be a recipe for disaster, was great. And while The Fortune Cookie may be considered a minor work, I love it. Walter Matthau's performance is amazing. The way he says "Hello" when he answers the phone in that movie is enough to crack me up.

[jbissell]

It's crazy how many classics Billy Wilder made. Love him!

Yeah, I like almost everything I've seen of his. Even One Two Three, which seems like it should be a recipe for disaster, was great. And while The Fortune Cookie may be considered a minor work, I love it. Walter Matthau's performance is amazing. The way he says "Hello" when he answers the phone in that movie is enough to crack me up.

The best thing about Wilder was his range, you've got great comedies, fantastic dramas, he can do it all.

[Fido]

I forgot to mention the late Taiwanese director Edward Yang, who died last year. His movie Yi Yi has become one of my all-time favorites, one that I've watched several times and appreciated more each time (a rarity for me). I doubt that he makes it onto anyone's list of favorite directors, but I always admired his stuff.

Bergman, Coen Bros., Hitchcock, Truffaut, Kurosawa, are favorites too.  I've really appreciated every movie I can remember seeing by Krzysztof Kieslowski and Zhang Yimou (great call, Petey!). Also have to confess that I really admired Jim Jarmusch, although I don't think of him now as one of my favorite directors.

Kinda gotta hand it to:  Scorsese, Coppola, John Ford, John Huston.  Whatever.

I'm most conflicted about: Ang Lee, Gus Van Sant.  Both have done movies I've loved and admired, and movies that I have thought were garbage. They don't seem to bring it consistently, however.

I'm dismayed/embarrassed that I like:  Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Jacques Tati, John Waters.

Directors I can't stand: Clint Eastwood, James Cameron, M. Night Shyamalan (I didn't even like The Sixth Sense).

[Chris L]

I forgot to mention the late Taiwanese director Edward Yang, who died last year. His movie Yi Yi has become one of my all-time favorites, one that I've watched several times and appreciated more each time (a rarity for me). I doubt that he makes it onto anyone's list of favorite directors, but I always admired his stuff.

He might if more of his films were readily available.  I loved Yi Yi but haven't seen anything else. 

[masterofsparks]

I'm dismayed/embarrassed that I like:  Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Jacques Tati, John Waters.

What's wrong with Tati? I can see being embarrassed about liking some of the others (although I too like Woody Allen), but Tati seems out of place in that list.

[jbissell]

Kinda gotta hand it to:  Scorsese, Coppola, John Ford, John Huston.  Whatever.

Now I don't know if this is John Ford or John Ford of Under Siege 2 fame.

[Martin]

I'm dismayed/embarrassed that I like:  Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Jacques Tati, John Waters.

What's wrong with Tati? I can see being embarrassed about liking some of the others (although I too like Woody Allen), but Tati seems out of place in that list.

What's wrong with any of them? All greats in my book.

[masterofsparks]

I'm dismayed/embarrassed that I like:  Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Jacques Tati, John Waters.

What's wrong with Tati? I can see being embarrassed about liking some of the others (although I too like Woody Allen), but Tati seems out of place in that list.

What's wrong with any of them? All greats in my book.

I personally haven't enjoyed any of the John Waters movies I've seen (probably 7 or 8 of them) but I think he's a hilarious guy - I love his books and interviews with him are always entertaining. I'd put him alongside Henry Rollins and Ice-T as folks who are great as long as I avoid their artistic output.

[jamesp]

I'm dismayed/embarrassed that I like:  Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Jacques Tati, John Waters.

What's wrong with Tati? I can see being embarrassed about liking some of the others (although I too like Woody Allen), but Tati seems out of place in that list.

What's wrong with any of them? All greats in my book.

I personally haven't enjoyed any of the John Waters movies I've seen (probably 7 or 8 of them) but I think he's a hilarious guy - I love his books and interviews with him are always entertaining. I'd put him alongside Henry Rollins and Ice-T as folks who are great as long as I avoid their artistic output.

I'd have to agree. The only Waters movie I've ever really liked was Serial Mom.

I'm most conflicted about: Ang Lee, Gus Van Sant.  Both have done movies I've loved and admired, and movies that I have thought were garbage. They don't seem to bring it consistently, however.

Directors I can't stand: Clint Eastwood, James Cameron, M. Night Shyamalan (I didn't even like The Sixth Sense).

I think Ang Lee & Gus Van Sant have a really bad track record of hits/misses that I just can't say either is a fantastic director. I've never been a fan of any of the Eastwood directed movies (Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby, etc) and same with Shyamalan. I love T2 and Aliens is great but Cameron seems like a loser now (especially since all he cares about is lame 3-D IMAX cameras).

[Joe Rogaine]

I used to think I really liked Tim Burton, but now I'm not so sure. Especially after Big Fish. That movie blew.

I am right there with you w/r/t Big Fish.  Everyone in that movie is an asshole.  And  it makes no sense.  And you can't even UNDERSTAND what the man is SAYING.

Also, Tim Burton just can't tell a story.  At all.  All he can do lately is make elaborate variations on his leftover childhood/adolescent fetishes and obsessions.  Planet of the Apes phase?  Oh, gotta remake that.  Fan of the Ichabad Crane cartoon?  I'll just do my own little no-story variation on that.  How 'bout Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?  That's a really good kid's movie that's also kinda weird.  I'll do ANOTHER remake with Johnny Depp and disregard the fact that the performance of Gene Wilder in the original is at least half of what makes that movie a classic.  It's not the orange face paint on midgets, Tim! It's not the wacky sets! It's called acting! Grrr.

What about Ed Wood?

[Joe Rogaine]

I'm dismayed/embarrassed that I like:  Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Jacques Tati, John Waters.

What's wrong with Tati? I can see being embarrassed about liking some of the others (although I too like Woody Allen), but Tati seems out of place in that list.

What's wrong with any of them? All greats in my book.

I personally haven't enjoyed any of the John Waters movies I've seen (probably 7 or 8 of them) but I think he's a hilarious guy - I love his books and interviews with him are always entertaining. I'd put him alongside Henry Rollins and Ice-T as folks who are great as long as I avoid their artistic output.

If you havent seen it his John Waters: This Filthy World film is pretty good for a one man show.

[Satchmo Mask]

I don't know, I like John Waters. And David Lynch. And Tim and Eric for bringing those two worlds together.

Regarding Tim Burton, I really love Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Though, that may be a testament to Paul Reubens and Phil Hartman more than anything.

[Son of Dorvid]

It's been 15 months since I posted in this thread, and I'd like to reiterate that David Lynch films not named "Straight Story" are awful.

[dave from knoxville]

Here's a list I put together about 6 years ago; at that point in time, it purported to be the 500 greatest directors of all time.

http://gaughin.edublogs.org/2006/12/29/the-1000-greatest-directors-of-all-time/

Yah, I know the url says 1000.

[jamesp]

I don't know, I like John Waters. And David Lynch. And Tim and Eric for bringing those two worlds together.

Regarding Tim Burton, I really love Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Though, that may be a testament to Paul Reubens and Phil Hartman more than anything.

Yeah, I love it too and it's great because Burton's style isn't exactly present throughout the film. It seems like Reubens and Hartman's movie, and I can't say much for Burton's role in making it.

Overall, I love Batman and Ed Wood and liked Sweeney Todd, but that's about it for Burton. I'd also say that I'm not sure how much credit Burton gets for Batman because the real mastermind behind the cool production was Anton Furst.