Most Underrated Directors

After reading my list of overrated filmmakers, I was asked by a friend if I would make a list of the most underrated film directors. Though skepticism and negativity is as fun to read as it is to write, I feel I should give just as much credit to the positive. So here is my list of the 5 most underrated or under-appreciated directors:

5. Bobcat Goldthwait
In the eighties and nineties there was a sometimes grating but always darkly funny comedian by the name of Bobcat Goldthwait. With a gruff but high pitched voice and twitchy mannerisms, Goldthwait sometimes acted like a live action Tasmanian Devil. Fast-forward to today and Bobcat has managed to make a splash as a feature director. Taking taboo and sometimes tactless subjects and making them seem human and even sympathetic, Goldthwait makes the best mix humor and pathos this writer has seen in a while.

Filmography
Shakes the Clown (1991)
Sleeping Dogs Lie (2006)
World's Greatest Dad (2009)

4. Sofia Coppola
It's a man's world out there. Very few women make it as writers, directors, even actresses have it hard. Sofia Coppola has not only managed to make quality films for the past few years her 2003 romantic drama Lost in Translation was downright incredible. Though her next film Marie Antoinette didn't make as big a splash, Sofia Coppola's will inevitably rise to new heights as the new decade begins.

Filmography
The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Marie Antoinette (2006)

3. Alex Cox
Eccentric oddities abound in Alex Cox's films. Usually featuring outcasts and misfits as the main protagonists, Alex Cox has had a long but marginally successful career. Ironic and brimming with anger, movies like Repo Man and Sid & Nancy gives voice to those who live fast and die young and prove that you don't need a big budget to make timeless classics.

Filmography
Repo Man (1984)
Sid & Nancy (1986)
Straight to hell (1987)
Walker (1987)
Highway Patrolman (1991)
Death and the Compass (1992)
The Winner (1996)
Three Businessmen (1998)
Revengers Tragedy (2002)
Searchers 2.0 (2007)
Repo Chick (2009)

2. Guy Maddin
Guy Maddin is a director for only the die hard fans of cinema. Finding a niche recreating images from early films, Guy Maddin simultaneously pays homage and prods the genres of the 1920's and 30's. Anyone who thinks avant-garde is a fencing phrase should stay far away from Maddin movies, but for those willing to be weirded-out maybe you should dabble into the mind of the mad Manitoban.

Filmography
Tales From the Gimli Hospital (1988)
Archangel (1990)
Careful (1992)
Twilight of the Ice Nymphs (1997)
The Heart of the World (2000)
Dracula: Pages From a Virgin's Diary (2003)
The Saddest Music in the World (2004)
Cowards Bend the Knee (2004)
My Dad is 100 Years Old (2006)
Brand Upon the Brain! (2006)
My Winnipeg (2008)

1. Rian Johnson
With unique visual flair, pristine characters and undeniable storytelling abilities, Rian Johnson is probably one of the most unique new visionaries in film today. Within two movies, Johnson has captured the true heart of what cinema is all about; imagination, glamor and suspensions of reality. Stories so pure in heart and constructed with such care that one can just lose themselves in the magic. I have no doubt Rian Johnson will one day recieve the praise and attention he deserves, but until then I will anoint him: most underrated director ever.

Filmography
Brick (2005)
The Brothers Bloom (2008)

Most Overrated Directors Ever
Throughout the years it seem the average movie watcher tends to watch movies featuring their favorite actor or actress. Recently however there has been a resurgence of cinema-files who watch movies for who directs them. Many times this serves as a better barometer for whether or not the movie is going to be placed in the upper echelons of movie history or be banished to obscurity. Greats like Spielberg, Scorsese and Kubrick have all but mastered cinema while others, in my humble opinion should just quit while they're ahead. Listed below are not what I consider the worst directors ever, far from it. I simply feel these particular movie makers have reached a level of acclaim that seems undeserved.

5. Tim Burton: Tim Burton has been a household name for well over a decade wowing us with blends of the surreal and quirky to bring something unusual and original to almost every onscreen outing. That being said however, some of his movies simply aren't worth all the bruhaha. Take Sweeney Todd; a pedestrian musical on stage gets a Brechtian makeover complete with fake looking blood and quickly moving camera shots that look computer animated and try to compensate for scene changes. Remakes are also not his bag. Planet of the Apes was just terrible and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was near sacrilege. Still for every Mars Attacks! there's an well engineered Edward Scissorhands. Also I blame Tim Burton for Emo kids but that's a conversation for another day.

4. Michael Bay: How this shallow self-absorbed spendthrift of a human being managed to make movies for so long is beyond me. Every time I watch a Michael Bay film in theaters I feel like I had just been tricked. Entice me with flashy cars, explosions and one liners will you? Masters of the action packed like James Cameron and Michael Mann manage to blend special effects, character development and humor or lacking that seamless editing into their movies but Michael Bay seems to throw the spaghetti to the wall to see what sticks. "Are you impressed yet?" No not really.

3. M. Night Shymalans: The master of the third act plot twist manages to somehow convince his audience that his movies are interesting. I will admit, when The Sixth Sense came out I was as dumbstruck as anyone but the film just doesn't hold up to repeated viewings. Neither does Unbreakable which is the only other movie I believe pasts muster. Some compare Shymalan favorably to Hitchcock to those people I say, "what a twist!"

2. Wes Anderson: Pretensions abound in Wes Anderson movies as every character with lines does something cooky on screen to get attention. Fans of Anderson will point to the subtle humor, sympathetic characters and gentle cinematography as the labor of their love. There is nothing subtle about the humor, its just deadpan and bone dry which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you can't fill 88+ minutes of screen time with just that. The characters aren't sympathetic, they're misanthropic and as for the cinematography...Anderson's movies look more like 70's porno than high art.

1. Quentin Tarantino: Every time I see a Tarantino film being advertised I get excited. In the trailers they look action packed, fun and very very bloody. As a movie buff I can appreciate his genre bending style, taking a host of opposing influences he seems to have just drawn out of a hat and mixing them together to see what happens. As I walk out of the theatre out 7 bucks and bloated from the popcorn, I feel a woebegone sense of dissatisfaction. Tarantino is the only director I know that can take a great idea and bore me to tears with it. Asinine segments of dialogue punctuated by flashes of violence isn't my idea of a good time. Take the highly lauded Inglorious Basterds as textbook Tarantino. After a 10 minute setup involving a British Lieutenant speaking with an unconvincingly serious Mike Myers, the Lieutenant and a fellow Basterd walk into a bar to rendezvous with their informer. Both the Lieutenant and 'Hugo' have been introduced and fleshed out with Hugo receiving his own cinematic aside. At the end of a lengthy scene filled with trite dialogue, there is a shootout where both are killed in a hail of gunfire. Two interesting characters, each with a solid back story are dispatched without so much as a goodbye. I like this storytelling tactic...sometimes, it keeps the audience guessing but a note to Mr. Tarantino, if you're going to kill off interesting characters be sure you have others to fall back on.

Top 25 Biographical Films

25. Talk To Me (2007)
Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene Jr. was of little social importance through the first portions of his life. Working as a prison DJ during his sentence for minor crimes, Petey's luck changes when he has a chance run in with real radio producer Dewey Hughes. Offering a job to shut him up Petey eventually shakes up the entire DC area with his bawdy humor and outrageous antics. As the seriousness of the Civil rights sweeps the capital city, Petey bridges the gap between local celebrity to civil right icon. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Don Cheadle as Petey this movie is part low key biography part civil rights morality play.

24. Man On the Moon (1999)
Jim Carrey stars as avant-garde comic Andy Kaufman in this uneven but lovable biopic. Those familiar with Kaufman no doubt remember him from the popular 70's sitcom Taxi but few have ever delved into his troubled life, tortured soul or dangerously funny comedy like director Milos Forman and writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. From his rocky start in night club comedy to his sudden downfall and premature death, Andy Kaufman still immortalizes the soul of a comic who lives in his own world.

23. Monster (2003)
The true callous mind of a serial killer is revealed in Monster based on the life of Aileen Wuornos who killed seven men in Florida. Working as a prostitute to support her girlfriend and constant drug use, Aileen took out her frustrations on the men she slept with, many of them violent and unfeeling. Charlize Theron eventually took home the Oscar that year for her disturbing portrayal.

22. Kinsey (2004)
The life and times of the founder of human sexuality research gets the starring treatment from Hollywood in Kinsey. Dr. Alfred Kinsey (Liam Neeson) becomes curious about the subject of sex when questioned by newlywed students and begins his research into human sexuality to the disgust of many of his peers. Criticized by moralists and and McCarthy era dissenters, Kinsey's research laid the groundwork for the sexual revolution of the 1960's.

21. Cry Freedom (1987)
Richard Attenborough directs his second of three biographical films this time focusing on the life and tragic death of South African anti-apartheid leader Steve Biko. Told from the perspective of British journalist Donald Woods (Kevin Kline) Biko's message of racial pride becomes a danger to the Afrikaan regime leading to his demise. Woods must then race against time to get the manuscript of his accounts published before the government shuts him down. A young Denzel Washington was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Steve Biko kick starting his fledgling career.

20. Raging Bull (1980)
Based on the life of Middleweight boxing champion Jake "Raging Bull" LaMotta, Martin Scorsese illustrates a tragic character who looses everything through his own volatility and at the end of the film looks for redemption with no avail. considered one of Scorsese's finest works and Robert DeNiro's finest performances, Raging Bull is hauntingly tragic and intense.

19. Mongol (2007)
Released in 2007 by Russian director Sergei Bodrov, Mongol aims to tell the legend of the rise of Genghis Khan. Not much is known about the great conqueror who once ruled most of the known world. This ends up working to the advantage of Bodrov who weaves an intricate tale of a young boy who raises above a tradition of anarchy and tribalism to be with the one he loves while gaining followers due to his compassion. Alluringly shot in Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan Mongol is chalked full of cinematic beauty.

18. Patton (1970)
Controversial figure General George S. Patton becomes the focus of Franklin J. Schaffner's uncompromising biopic. From the first monologue, performed amicably by George C. Scott as the titular WWII General, the audience is captured by a man truly enamored by the honors of war. Is Patton a bloodthirsty tyrant or a noble warrior out of step with the modern world; the film ultimately leave those questions to you.

17. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Frank Abagnale Jr. was at one time the most infamous conman to grace the FBI conscience. Before he was 21 years old, Abagnale managed to forge 2.5 Million dollars worth of fake checks and managed to successfully impersonate a doctor, lawyer and Airline pilot. played deftly by Leonardo DiCaprio and costarring Tom Hanks as humorless FBI agent Carl Hanratty tasked with bringing him in, Catch Me If You Can is a fun film about breaking the rules, living the dream and living with the consequences.

16. Amadeus (1984)
The life of musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is recalled from the perspective of jealous contemporary Antonio Salieri. Convinced that Mozart's talent is divine though confused that God would choose such a vulgar man as his vessel, Salieri plots his vengeance against God and the good-humored composer. Starring Tom Hulce as Amadeus and F. Murray Abraham who won and Oscar as Salieri, Amadeus, like Mozart's concertos, transcends art, storytelling and the human heart.

15. American Splendor (2003)
Harvey Pekar has lived a life of seclusion working as a clerk at a VA hospital, but after a chance encounter with cartoonist Robert Crumb, Harvey decides to create his own semi-biographical comic series that becomes a cult phenomena. Starring Paul Giamatti as the young Harvey Pekar and Harvey Pekar who plays his older self, American Splendor is a odd but rewarding movie about a blue-collar schlub who becomes a celebrity.

14. The Pianist (2002)
The amazing story of pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman who ultimately became the only member of his family to survive WWII Warsaw. After the Nazi invasion of Poland, Wladyslaw and his family live their lives in the Jewish ghetto awaiting the worst. With the help of friends, family, strangers and his own talents, Szpilman escapes the concentration camps and lives to tell his tale of human survival in the face of evil.

13. Finding Neverland (2004)
A universal story of childhood innocence told from the perspective of J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan. Inspired by the Davies family, a group of forlorn children growing up without a father, Barrie creates what would become his opus. Starring Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet and Dustin Hoffman, Finding Neverland is a drama that even the kids might enjoy.

12. The Elephant Man (1980)
Dr. Frederick Treves works as a surgeon in the prestigious London Hospital and discovers John Merrick a deformed man held captive and living as a side-show freak. Treves soon discovers that under John's deformities lies an intelligent mind and gentle soul. Starring John Hurt as John and Anthony Hopkins as the good doctor, The Elephant Man benefits from David Lynch's strong direction.

11. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Russell Crowe stars as John Nash, a brilliant but socially inept mathematician suffering from schizophrenia. The film ultimately won Best Picture at the Academy Awards but not without much controvercy. Many believed the screenplay was a big departure from the truth completely excluding Nash's extramarital affairs. Still Ron Howard's sure hand makes A Beautiful Mind a beautiful movie about a brilliant man overcoming adversity.

10. The World's Fastest Indian (2005)
A simple movie as far as plot goes, The World's Fastest Indian is about an overly friendly New Zealander Burt Munro who, journeys to the salt flats of Utah to test drive his 1920 motorcycle to beat the land speed record. Along the way he meets a brier patch of odd characters who help him achieve his dream. Anthony Hopkins plays the zealous Munro with exuberance to spare.

9. Malcolm X (1992)
Controversial film director Spike Lee attempts to recount the life of equally controversial civil rights leader Malcolm X. Denzel Washington deftly plays X with aplomb and fairly accurately portrays his early life as a Harlem hooligan, his later life as a polarizing public figure and ultimately his life as an imperfect man looking for redemption.

8. Schindler's List (1993)
Spielberg soars at the helm of this biopic set in WWII Germany. Neither an amoral Nazi or a moralist dissenter, Oskar Schindler proves himself both as a German entrepreneur to the Reich and a savior to a group of Jewish families who work at his factory. Liam Neeson takes the acting challenge of a lifetime making one of cinema histories most heartfelt speeches at the end of the movie. Definably on the shortlist for one of the best films ever made and required watching for anyone with a pulse.

7. Rudy (1994)
A straightforward story of triumph and overcoming adversity, Rudy is a must see for sports aficionados. Born of a working-class background and lacking the grades, funds or physicality to achieve his dream of joining the Notre Dame's famed Fighting Irish football team, Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger nevertheless gives it the old college try to the behest of his family and friends. What Rudy lacks in strength and stature he more than makes up for in heart in this truly beautiful movie about holding on to your dreams, no matter what.

6. Quills (2000)
Doug Wright's captivating play of the same name gets a much needed adaptation with the help of Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet and Joaquin Phoenix. After the French Revolution, the infamous Marquis de Sade is sequestered to the confines of an insane asylum run by the genteel Abbe du Coulmier. But after the Marquis manages to publish his prurient works, the humorless Dr. Royer-Collard (played by Michael Caine) is brought in to put a stop to it. Witty, dark and sexually palpable, Quills is a must-see.

5. Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Though bringing the word biography to its logical limit, Shakespeare in Love nevertheless conjures a stirring love story inspired by the life of the most famous playwright of the English language. Suffering from a bad case of writers block, young William Shakespeare unknowingly auditions young Viola (played by Gwyneth Paltrow in drag) for a part in his newest play. Eventually the two become entangled in a steamy love affair that inspires Shakespeare to write his most famous love story.

4. Good Morning Vietnam (1987)
Robin Williams gives arguably his best performance ever in this epic comedy that takes place during the Vietnam War. Adrian Cronauer is a talented disc jockey who is assigned to Ho Chi Minh City to provide quality radio entertainment to war weary troops. To his superiors dismay Cronauer boosts morale with his off-kilter humor and (gasp) rock music. Fulled with both humor and tribulation, Good Morning Vietnam is truly one of the exceptional movies that has everything.

3. Gandhi (1982)
Epic in magnitude and breathtakingly beautiful, Gandhi is the amazingly true story of pacifist revolutionary leader Mahatma Gandhi. This movie follows his early life as a lawyer and activist in South Africa to his revolutionary fight for Indian independence. His pacifism and will to maintain peace secured his place in world history and the film Gandhi is a comprehensive tale of the man behind the legend.

2. The People Vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
Though men like Schindler and Gandhi gave us hope, people like Larry Flynt are simply more interesting. Becoming a self-made night club owner, Larry Flynt envisioned an empire he would eventually gain as a revolutionary pornographer. Owner and proprietor of Hustler magazine, Larry Flynt became highly vilified by "decent" Americans evoking the wrath of televangelist Jerry Falwell. But behind Flynt's malicious glee laid the heart of a truly tortured soul.

1. Ed Wood (1994)
There is a poetic justice in bestowing best biography status to a movie about the worst director ever. Edward D. Wood Jr. played with confidence by Johnny Depp is a struggling director for stage and screen who lives to see his shoddy work presented to the masses. Displaying a permanently shiny disposition Ed crosses paths with his hero, Dracula himself Bela Lugosi played by Martin Landau who won an Oscar for his role. Hard up for cash and addicted to drugs, Bela begins to make appearances in Wood's films along with a regular cast of renegade misfits. Directed by Tim Burton, Ed Wood is funny, sad and incredibly weird but a marvelous biography that is a must see for anyone who loves movies.