quint
Posts 94
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7/18/2007 10:51 PM
posted awhile ago
Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
I was thinking about this question recently, so I'll pose it to the group. What directors do you feel have yet to make their masterpiece? The sense I mean here is that say Coppola or Scorcese. They've done it. They can rest on their laurels if they like. But who among today's respected directors has yet to make the masterpiece that is clearly within them? I had originally said this in the context of Oliver Assayas who I think has yet to fully blossom. I would say that Del Toro did his with Pan's Labyrinth. No matter what he does now, there will be some indulgence. Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings put him over the top. Anyway, here are some of my picks: 1. Oliver Assayas 2. Michel Gondry 3. Alfonso Cuarón
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Risselada
Posts 2068
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7/19/2007 12:07 PM
posted awhile ago
Re: Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
Wow that's a good question. I'll have to think about it more, but I'm curious to see what other people say. I'm trying to think of younger directors who have made a few films that are pretty great, but not the greatest. I keep thinking of people that I'm not sure if you would consider what that have already done to be the greatest yet. I'm thinking maybe Darren Aronofsky. I know a lot of people consider Requiem for a Dream a modern masterpiece, but I think he could do better. I still have yet to see The Fountain, but I know there was enough dissention that it still can't have been a masterpiece. I'm even excited for some directors that have fully established themselves in my mind, making their own masterpieces already. But its exciting to think that something even better is still on the way. The Coen brothers' latest film No Country for Old Men is currently their highest rated movie on IMDB. Although I know sometimes movies that have only been seen in limited release can get huge IMDB ratings and then come down once the general public absorbs it.
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mythman
Posts 37
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7/19/2007 7:05 PM
posted awhile ago
Re: Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
My unconceived children
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indieabby88
Posts 327
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7/19/2007 8:26 PM
posted awhile ago
Re: Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
 Risselada:I'm even excited for some directors that have fully established themselves in my mind, making their own masterpieces already. But its exciting to think that something even better is still on the way. The Coen brothers' latest film No Country for Old Men is currently their highest rated movie on IMDB. Although I know sometimes movies that have only been seen in limited release can get huge IMDB ratings and then come down once the general public absorbs it.
Yeah...the Coens have made so many good movies, it'd be hard for me to single out one as better than another, although there are a couple I'd peg as sub-par ("Intolerable Cruelty"). They're so consistently good, I'm afraid a masterpiece might just blow my mind. "No Country for Old Men" looks flipping amazing, though.
Directors yet to make their masterpiece (according to me):
-Zack Snyder: he's still pretty new to the game, I think, and I'd like to know if he's capable of more than "300"
-James Gunn: "Slither" ranks among my favorites, and I'd love to see more.
-Guillermo Del Toro: Hey, if Alfonso Cuaron gets listed, I can list Del Toro. "Pan's Labyrinth" is every bit as good (maybe better) than "Children of Men," and Del Toro has less of a track record. I think "Pan" is Del Toro coming into his own as a director. We'll be seeing more of him to be sure.
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joem18b
Posts 689
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7/20/2007 1:47 AM
posted awhile ago
Re: Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
indieabby88:
Yeah...the Coens have made so many good movies, it'd be hard for me to single out one as better than another, although there are a couple I'd peg as sub-par ("Intolerable Cruelty").
In their defense, the Coens weren't working with their own original material in this one; they picked up somebody else's project, and it shows. But having said that, I've watched and enjoyed "Intolerable Cruelty" twice. I think I like it for the same reason I like "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" and the Ocean movies, viz., sometimes it's a pleasure to sit back and watch beautiful Hollywood stars up there onscreen, having fun making a picture.
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Risselada
Posts 2068
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7/20/2007 1:19 PM
posted awhile ago
Re: Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
joem18b: In their defense, the Coens weren't working with their own original material in this one; they picked up somebody else's project, and it shows.
First of all, why is working with someone else's material "in their defense"? :) And also, according to IMDB, even though it's based on a novel, they did write the screenplay. It's definitely not the first time they've written a screenplay based on other material. The Ladykillers based off the original british film Intolerable Cruelty seems to be based off of someone else's story. I know the screenplay was rewritten and floated around for many years. O Brother, Where Art Thou? from Homer's Odyssey The Big Lebowski is in many ways a retelling of The Big Sleep (a novel first) Miller's Crossing was taken from the novels of Dashiell Hammett most notably The Glass Key Several of their other movies are specific homages to certain other movies or styles or eras of movies
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Risselada
Posts 2068
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7/20/2007 1:21 PM
posted awhile ago
Re: Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
I also like a lot of Wes Anderson's stuff, but I am still almost sure that he has a real masterpiece in him somewhere. Even though his last couple movies have been great, I will be very disappointed if he doesn't come up with something even better eventually.
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dj4our
Posts 7
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7/20/2007 1:33 PM
posted awhile ago
Re: Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
Well, for me I can't see a film of his being any better than "Rushmore" which is perfect in every way.
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Risselada
Posts 2068
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7/20/2007 2:04 PM
posted awhile ago
Re: Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
dj4our: Well, for me I can't see a film of his being any better than "Rushmore" which is perfect in every way.
Well it's not even my favorite of his, but I guess it's a matter of opinion. Heh three of his movies have already been on the Criterion Collection.
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joem18b
Posts 689
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7/20/2007 2:16 PM
posted awhile ago
Re: Directors who have yet to make their masterpiece
Risselada: joem18b: In their defense, the Coens weren't working with their own original material in this one; they picked up somebody else's project, and it shows.
First of all, why is working with someone else's material "in their defense"? :) And also, according to IMDB, even though it's based on a novel, they did write the screenplay.
Actually, I listened to the latest "All Movie Talk" podcast yesterday and one of its segments included a discussion of the Coen brothers' movies. One of the podcasters said that Intolerable Cruelty was not as good as their previous films because the brothers had not conceived and developed the movie from scratch as with their others, but instead had picked it up from someone else and finished it off. So I just took that as gospel and repeated it here.
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