If you’ve read this blog for more than a week, no doubt you’ve noticed that I am directorially obsessed. There is nothing that will send me running to a multiplex faster than knowing there’s a new release by a director I dig (which typically makes the end of the year a stupidly busy time). At the moment, the two directors that have my attention more than any other are my two favorites: Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese.

Both directors have films coming out in the near future (namely HUGO, TINTIN and WAR HORSE). However, the two gentlemen find themselves in different positions going into these features…all of which have prognosticators a bit suspicious for various reasons. Scorsese has just closed out a truly stellar decade, and the one that saw him finally win that elusive Oscar. His last feature film was SHUTTER ISLAND, and that film garnered an interesting reception. Originally planned as a fall release with a possible Oscar push, it was bumped by its studio into February – “no man’s land” where film releases are concerned. However, with worry and lowered expectations came a grand reception, and people gravitating to SHUTTER in ways that few expected.

Spielberg, on the other hand, returns with something to prove. He’s been away from the game since he brought Indiana Jones back to us in 2008. While I liked certain things about The Crystal Skull, Most people agree it was a down note in the man’s filmography (including the man himself). It’s a bit of a shame that the film was so messy since much of the rest of the deacde for Spielberg was reasonably solid. Head-to-head though, Scorsese had a better run.

While the two have rather different sensibilities, there is one small bit of overlap to them. Back in the late 80’s, both men were developing projects and Spielberg found himself unsure of what he wanted out of CAPE FEAR. As such, he decided to offer the script to Martin Scorsese. Scorsese decided to return the favour by handing Spielberg his script for HOOK. Looking at the two directors’ track record, it’s truly clear that the swap got it so that each one was playing to their strengths.

This week, I bought both films on blu-ray on the same day. As I grinned at the symmetry of buying the two films that had been swapped for one-another in one purchase, I couldn’t help but notice one other similarity. While both films have their fans, HOOK and CAPE FEAR are generally considered down notes in their respective directors’ filmographies. CAPE FEAR drew ire because it was a remake of a classic, and what’s worse it had the misfortune of being Scorsese’s follow-up to GOODFELLAS. Whatever people thought would come after that criminal masterpiece, CAPE FEAR wasn’t it.

HOOK on the other hand raked in the requisite bank from families taking their little ones to see movies during Christmas, but by and large was poorly received. While it brings in a wonderful amount of elements from J.M. Barrie’s original tale of the boy who wouldn’t grow up, it is slight, sometimes hokey, and features an unfortunate turn by a then-unworldly-fanous Julia Roberts. What’s interesting is that whatever Spielberg learned making HOOK, he learned it well because his career would rise several weight classes going forward.

So while I know both films have their flaws, I enjoy both of them enough to want copies in my collection. As I await the first of their three movies to come, and prepare to watch the second of these two blu-rays, I ask you dear reader…

What is your least favorite film by your favorite directors?

28 Replies to “Moment of Weakness”

  1. I never cared much for either IRMA LA DOUCE or THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES from Billy Wilder.

    FWIW I don’t think HOOK or CAPE FEAR are terrible, but I wouldn’t put either of them in either director’s top ten.

      1. I will agree with Ryan. When I first saw Insomnia I guess I was too young and just didn’t get it. After all the Nolan love had hit mainstream I revisited it and discovered I was completely wrong about that one.

        Sometimes I question what his “worst” film is and find it hard to consider which one should hold that bottom position. Batman Begins? Insomnia? The Prestige? The Following? None bad (or even mediocre films) but just hard to decide if I had to…

        1. I agree. Nolan did the smart thing and reined in Robin Williams and Al Pacino. Both of them have the potential to be great with good material, and both have the potential to overact and ruin it. He pulled them both back, and both of them carry this movie.

  3. Spielberg is my favourite director and there are only two films from him that I have outright disliked. Amistad and Munich. Now, I saw Munich opening night at the cinema for an 11pm showing and have not seen it since. I remember finding it confusing, which played into my not liking it. I also didn’t expect it to be so damn long, which didn’t help. I suspect that were I to watch it again I’d enjoy it a bit more at least. So then the answer becomes Amistad. Other than one excellent sequence that movie has basically no value.

    1. I think we spoke about this before SAY ANYTHING, but i think there are a few of his less famous films that you either haven’t seen, or haven’t seen in a long time.

      I’m thinking specifically of 1941, ALWAYS, and SUGARLAND EXPRESS…not to mentioned the notorious CRYSTAL SKULL (or even TEMPLE OF DOOM for that matter).

      There’s plenty of value to AMISTAD, even if it is messy. If nothing else, the whole film is worthy for kick-ass performances by Hopkins and Honsou. As for MUNICH, I actually think that one is a bit underrated. I’ll try to remember to bring it next time I see you and you can give it a fresh watch.

      1. I’ve seen all of his films. 1941 is not nearly as bad as everyone claims. It’s a misfire, but really not too bad. Always is a fine little movie. Sugarland Express is quite good. Crystal Skull entertains me, and Temple of Doom is a great adventure movie aside from the screaming Capshaw.

        Amistad, which I’ve seen more than once, is interminably boring, really quite stupid and extremely over-bearing. It’s not good.

        1. 1941 is that bad. I haven’t the foggiest clue what he was trying to do with that movie, but he missed the mark at every turn.

          Part marks for the Ballroom Brawl and a wry smirk for the JAWS reference, but I’d happily listen to Capshaw scream on loop for a week straight then ever go back to this smouldering mess.

  4. So many directors:

    Darren Aronofsky: Pi
    Christopher Nolan: The Following
    Quentin Tarantino: Jackie Brown
    Steven Soderbergh: Bubble/King of the Hill
    Hayao Miyazaki: Ponyo on the Cliff
    Martin Scorsese: Mean Streets
    Coen Bros: A Serious Man/Burn After Reading

    I know I’ve gone through a lot.. but somehow they just kept coming to me.

    Aronofsky is my favourite working director and I love all of his films, Pi however I admit to it not being perfect (and I guess a cop out since I can claim it as his student film). I was so looking forward to him finally going big budget with a possible Wolverine film (can you imagine the horrors – insert Brando impression here – )and to see how he’d handle having a big budget on his shoulders.

    However I do have many other fav filmmakers; their lesser loved films are represented above in no particular order.

    1. You might be the first person I’ve met who isn’t fussed about THE FOLLOWING. Any reason? or is it just because *something* has to be on the bottom of the list…

      1. Ye, something had to be at the bottom.

        Read above reply to the INSOMNIA comment by Sean. Nolan is really hard to pick that bottom film because each of them has something special to them… at times I’d even consider throwing Batman Begins under the bus just because I dig all the others just a little bit more. 😛

        You know what.. let’s stop talking about Nolan’s films… too hard to figure it out.

  5. The Coen Brothers: Raising Arizona

    Scorsese: Mean Streets

    Cameron Crowe: Elizabethtown

    Kevin Smith: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back!

    Alexander Payne: About Schmidt

    Nicolas Winding Refn: Bronson

    Sidney Lumet: The Wiz

    Just some current directors (with the exception of the last one) of the top of my head.

  6. Not to copy Andrew, but he nailed it:

    Darren Aronofsky: Pi (Interesting first try, but rough; hasn’t demanded a rewatch yet.)

    Christopher Nolan: The Following (Boring.)

    Quentin Tarantino: Jackie Brown (Because one has to take the bottom spot and it’s the only one I haven’t seen more than once, though I’ll watch it again someday. It just pales in comparison to the others.)

  7. Gee, I’m going to mention Kurosawa, big shock for you I’m sure. Here it goes anyways:

    Kurosawa – The Quiet Duel (of the 27 Kurosawa films I’ve seen this is the only one that hasn’t earned a positive score from me)

    Wilder – Avanti! (just way too over the top with the ‘pro-affair’ stance)

    Spielberg – The Terminal (was a toss up between this and Crystal Skulls. I love me some Hook!)

    Miyazaki – Ponyo (this is easily his weakest film but that’s a bit like being the worst tasting skittle – assuming you like skittles, if not insert your own favorite mass candy collective of awesome)

    Scorsese – King of Comedy (it doesn’t help that I’m as far from a fan of Sandra Bernhard as one can get before they reach the land of ‘hate’)

    1. Terminal I can understand, since even though I like its cute factor and have mad respect for its craft, it’s certainly lower-echelon Spielberg.

      King of Comedy kills me though since I think in the fame-obsessed age we live in, it’s even more relevant now than in the 80’s. Do yourself a favour and watch it again sometime.

  8. Christopher Nolan: Following
    Darren Aronofsky: Black Swan
    The Coens: Intolerable Cruelty

    I would offer up a selection from Mann/Scorsese but I don’t really dislike any of their works.

    1. Black Swan eh? That interests me as when we did the year-end Matineecast last year, that was the one film to make everyone’s top five.

      If you’d had to pick your *least favorite* Mann and Scorsese films, what would you choose?

      1. The expectations for Black Swan were probably too high during my viewing, but it just felt so empty.

        Mann: Miami Vice
        Scorsese: The Age of Innocence

        1. I haven’t seen THE AGE OF INNOCENCE actually. I think one of these days I need to go on a bender and finally watch the Scorsese films I haven’t seen (read: AFTER HOURS, BOXCAR BERTHA, etc)

  9. Akira Kurosawa: “The Lower Depths”
    Johnnie To: “Running on Karma”
    Tom Tykwer: “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer”
    John Ford: “Donovan’s Reef”

  10. Of the Nolan I’ve seen, The Prestige is the only one I don’t like. In fact, I really dislike it intensely. I know I’m close to alone in that one.

    Mimic is the least of Guillermo del Toro’s films.

    I found Barry Lyndon to be too froofy for me to care about that much, despite the fact that it’s Kubrick.

    I fell asleep watching Fritz Lang’s Dr. Mabuse the Gambler. Twice.

    1. I watched BARRY LYNDON this year for The Film Locker, and now count it as the only Kubrick film to disappoint me. Thing is, I know people who swear by it…so maybe it’s the sort of flick that grows on you.

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