Movies Films where the Director was the problem

[the ambush]

Wind River - The revelation was too predictable, lack of mystery and tension. Director or writer

 

[Brother Numsi]

Ocean’s Twelve

Soderberg did an excellent job with the first film and basically killed the franchise with the follow up. “Let’s make Julia Roberts play Julia Roberts. It’ll be so fun!” Dafuq!!!

Miracle at St Anna

Big Spike Lee fan but he fumbled the ball trying to make a WW2 African American movie. The premise had potential to be another ‘Glory’ but without Denzel to carry the movie, it just fell flat. Tried to mix too many social and political topics instead of telling the story. Lee tends to get a little self righteous and it cost him a chance at making a masterpiece

 

[Brother Numsi]

Tim Burton for Charlie and Chocolate factory. A movie that probably should have never been made featured a lead in Johnny Depp who acted as though he was trying to simplify the complicated character that was Willy Wonka. Burton's loyalty to his friend--Depp-- and his predictable and bland style that has been his signature since this film really made this movie one of the worst remakes of all time.

Speaking of Burton, Joel Shoemaker took a cash cow franchise and drove it into the ground with his ego and unwillingness to learn about the batman series beyond the 60's show. Shoemaker made overly campy and silly versions of a series that was up to that point dark and serious. His two films Batman Forever and Batman and Robin were horrifically directed with the the Batman and Robin being the reason for a long break in the series despite both his films earning profits.

Nia DaCosta for Candyman 2021. This was just a cash grab that played on hot button political issues missing the entire point of the original movie. A frustrating watch that was directed like an edgy film school student look for approval for how many current social issues they can include in a film. A horrid remake that should have never been done. Jordan Peele deserves some blame for this as well but he wasn't behind the camera so Nia is going to take the heat for this piece of shit.

Shoemaker hahahaha

But yeah Joel effed it up. When Clooney pulled out that credit card in Batman and Robin I knew he was finished

The Candyman remake should have never been made. I like seeing black directors get a shot but make something original. That’s why I like what Jordan Peele did with Get Out. It was something we all had never seen before and was a hit with all different types of audience's

 

[GearSolidMetal]

FanT 4 Stick

 

[Bacco]

Dark Knight
Dark Knight Rises

Batman Begins was saved by Nolan still not be sure to have green light to do full nolan shit, so end up more like a Batman movie

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Fucking all Quinten Tarritino movies.

 

[I Am Legion]

Jordan Peele This is Us and Nope

After his homerun in Get Out, he hit two foul balls with his follow up. This is us had a creepy premise and started out so strong, and just went off the rails with stupidity. I give him credit with a unique idea, but it was poorly executed. The fathers actions in life threatening situations seemed silly and unrealistic. Nope started off with another cool premise but his directing of Keke Palmer created a terrible character that made no sense to the plot or family she belonged to. He didn't have to make her a hardcore ghetto lesbian. She was unlikeable.

 

[BisexualMMA]

Jordan Peele This is Us and Nope

After his homerun in Get Out, he hit two foul balls with his follow up. This is us had a creepy premise and started out so strong, and just went off the rails with stupidity. I give him credit with a unique idea, but it was poorly executed. The fathers actions in life threatening situations seemed silly and unrealistic. Nope started off with another cool premise but his directing of Keke Palmer created a terrible character that made no sense to the plot or family she belonged to. He didn't have to make her a hardcore ghetto lesbian. She was unlikeable.

Nope was dumb as fuck. Peele has the early M. Night Shyamalan and early Neill Blomkamp carte blanche to do whatever he wants and he seems to be heading for the cliff faster than M. Night did.

 

[MacGregor]

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Uses Lee's GoD image to sell the Kill Bill films, then trashes him while putting pedo Polanski on a pedestal(pedostal?).

Ironically, Lee was invited over the night of the murders by Sebring but didn't show. Polanski thought Lee had something to do with the murders and had him investigated.

Pitt was friends with Brandon Lee and allegedly had the fight scene changed to a 'draw'.

 

[BB in Crazy!!!!]

FanT 4 Stick

I heard the director was a complete train wreck.

 

[BB in Crazy!!!!]

Mario Brothers (1993)
It was a husband and wife duo that was more interested in making their own sci fi movie than actually making something that resembled Mario.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

I don't watch movies much, I can't really see the influence of what a director does either tbh

 

[Fedorgasm]

Wind River - The revelation was too predictable, lack of mystery and tension. Director or writer

Really? Man, I completely disagree. I love that movie.

 

[moreorless87]

Wind River - The revelation was too predictable, lack of mystery and tension. Director or writer

I actually think thrillers often tend to be one of the best examples of big Hollywood films which stand or fall based heavily on the director.

Indeed I tend to feel like that was probably the most underrated genre of films in the 90's, stuff like The Fugitive, Basic Instinct, Double Jeopardy I think critics especially underrated just how much the direction brought to them, if your looking for examples of stylish 90's Hollywood I feel that stuff holds up way better than stuff like Gump which was praised so much at the time but really is pretty blandly directed.

 

[the ambush]

Really? Man, I completely disagree. I love that movie.

I am not saying it isn't a good movie. I just prefer the filmmaker set it up differently.

The Energy company being in on it is a little too obvious. First half of the movie is better than the second half.

 

[the ambush]

I actually think thrillers often tend to be one of the best examples of big Hollywood films which stand or fall based heavily on the director.

Indeed I tend to feel like that was probably the most underrated genre of films in the 90's, stuff like The Fugitive, Basic Instinct, Double Jeopardy I think critics especially underrated just how much the direction brought to them, if your looking for examples of stylish 90's Hollywood I feel that stuff holds up way better than stuff like Gump which was praised so much at the time but really is pretty blandly directed.

I like these type of films but I prefer mystery and tension built up. The Fugitive and The Silence of the Lambs did this seamlessly.

 

[moreorless87]

I like these type of films but I prefer mystery and tension built up. The Fugitive and The Silence of the Lambs did this seamlessly.

I think people perhaps underestimate how important a director is to that, thrillers the focus very often tends to be in the writing, how clever the twist it, etc but honestly I fell its often the reverse, you kind of know what your getting with a thriller in terms of general story, lots of plot heavy twists and turns, not so much direct character focus. How well the director builds the tension and how well they sell the characters even if there isnt a ton on the page about them.

 

[Two Crows]

Found another, at least IMO;

The Game (1997)

At moments looked great, but by the end it's an incoherent mess. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in the editing room. Either Fincher made the wrong cuts, or he didn't get the shots he needed to fill out the story.

 

[Prefect]

The best example of this for me is Clint Eastwood's direction of Richard Jewell.

Amazing story, fantastic cast (Any cast with Sam Rockwell is fantastic) but oh my God was this movie awful.

And it's full of horrible directing.

Part of the movie takes place in a crowd, and there were supposed to be thousands of people but Clint only hired like 100 extras. No big deal, as there are techniques to making a crowd look bigger than it is. But then Clint goes and takes a wide overhead shot where it really shows how small the crowd is.

Then there's another scene where a reporter played by Olivia Wilde walks into work after landing a big story and everyone gives her a standing ovation and the scene just... Doesn't work. I can't explain it but you know those scenes that look fine in the script but when you actually shoot it for some reason it's just not translating to the screen well? It's the director's job to recognize that and adapt, but he didn't.

Add to that the fact that there are several times where the actors are given shitty dialogue and instead of letting them ad lib or directing them to get a better performance he just shoots one take and moves on.

If I watched it again I'm sure I could write a book on every bad directing decision he made but I never want to watch that crap again.

And I love Clint Eastwood too, but he really mailed it in on this movie.

I liked Richard Jewell. It wasn't so heavy handed as Clint Eastwoods recent movies. Eastwood is turning into a shitty director. Cry Macho was shit.

 

[Prefect]

Untouchables with De Palma.

I like some of De Palma's stuff but his style is so fucking 80s. It just did not age well at all. Scarface and Untouchables both should have had different directors. They both kind of feel like overrated shlock.

That said, Carlito's Way, was brilliant.