Seth Paxton
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 1998
- Messages
- 7,585
I can't really agree with you on Anderson and Schuey, John.
For one, I thought Res Evil was pretty horrible and cliched. I enjoyed Event Horizon but I still think that film represented style over substance, simply done with more skill than normal. Not enough to make up for a dud film or two.
I also am not a huge fan of Falling Down. It's okay, but I don't see it as a classic. I have not seen VG to comment on it.
But outside of those films the only film of his that doesn't outright SUCK (not just bad films but wretched) is Tigerland. Then if you look at Aronofsky's PI and Requiem for a Dream you see a strong similarity between them, all due to Matthew Libatique's cinematography IMO. On top of that, another major factor in Tigerland turned out to be the unknown at the time Colin Ferrell. His talent and star power also added great strength to the film.
So in some ways this film feels like direction by proxy. It does not resemble his body of work elsewhere.
As for just taking the paycheck, this is NOT ACCEPTABLE as an excuse. You think Spielberg made Jaws just as a personal dream script or something? Few directors are really calling the shots, and most of the ones that are find themselves with FAR LESS RESOURCES because of this. I mean how does Joel defend his version of Batman versus Burton, head to head? That's not "well I got stuck with...". He was handed BIG MONEY, BIG STARS, a BIG CHARACTER, and an established franchise.
Sure other people have blown it on that level too, but at least they have other work to show for it. Joel has failed in many arenas and in the same manner every time. He's had many chances with many quality actors, plenty of resources, etc, and his WORK is basically always awful. Shot selections, composition, mise-en-scene, even the acting takes used are disappointing or even offensive in their lack of imagination.
I sincerely look at his work and think "I could have done better" simply by utilizing the cliches better, forget any aspirations of art I might have.
I agree with John here, although originally I do think his style was rather original, it has a feel that is hard to assign to other directors or a specific studio system. However, he does have a repeating narrative style that in retrospect becomes a little formulaic (not the story, but how he tells it). He just does it very well each time out.
And besides, John Ford didn't get famous for his genre range, and his main star Wayne didn't get famous for the personality range of his characters. Diversity is not the mark of greatness. Schuey is able to suck in all sorts of ways.
For one, I thought Res Evil was pretty horrible and cliched. I enjoyed Event Horizon but I still think that film represented style over substance, simply done with more skill than normal. Not enough to make up for a dud film or two.
I also am not a huge fan of Falling Down. It's okay, but I don't see it as a classic. I have not seen VG to comment on it.
But outside of those films the only film of his that doesn't outright SUCK (not just bad films but wretched) is Tigerland. Then if you look at Aronofsky's PI and Requiem for a Dream you see a strong similarity between them, all due to Matthew Libatique's cinematography IMO. On top of that, another major factor in Tigerland turned out to be the unknown at the time Colin Ferrell. His talent and star power also added great strength to the film.
So in some ways this film feels like direction by proxy. It does not resemble his body of work elsewhere.
As for just taking the paycheck, this is NOT ACCEPTABLE as an excuse. You think Spielberg made Jaws just as a personal dream script or something? Few directors are really calling the shots, and most of the ones that are find themselves with FAR LESS RESOURCES because of this. I mean how does Joel defend his version of Batman versus Burton, head to head? That's not "well I got stuck with...". He was handed BIG MONEY, BIG STARS, a BIG CHARACTER, and an established franchise.
Sure other people have blown it on that level too, but at least they have other work to show for it. Joel has failed in many arenas and in the same manner every time. He's had many chances with many quality actors, plenty of resources, etc, and his WORK is basically always awful. Shot selections, composition, mise-en-scene, even the acting takes used are disappointing or even offensive in their lack of imagination.
I sincerely look at his work and think "I could have done better" simply by utilizing the cliches better, forget any aspirations of art I might have.
I agree with John here, although originally I do think his style was rather original, it has a feel that is hard to assign to other directors or a specific studio system. However, he does have a repeating narrative style that in retrospect becomes a little formulaic (not the story, but how he tells it). He just does it very well each time out.
And besides, John Ford didn't get famous for his genre range, and his main star Wayne didn't get famous for the personality range of his characters. Diversity is not the mark of greatness. Schuey is able to suck in all sorts of ways.
