Getting To Know Me
Hi, my name is Ross Miller and I am the newest writer for Film Grotto, thanks to site founder John Allison. As an introduction to my new position I thought I would do a little chunk of lists of directors, actors, genres and other film stuff that I like and don’t like. This will hopefully let you get to know me as a film fan, my interests and tastes. So without further ado here is some of my movie opinons:
Directors who I love their work:
Quentin Tarantino
David Lynch
Terry Gilliam
Stanley Kubrick
David Fincher
Alfred Hitchcock
Martin Scorsese
Chan-wook Park
The Coen Brothers
Kevin Smith
P. T. Anderson
Sydney Lumet
Michael Mann
Steven Spielberg
Tony Scott
Robert Rodriguez
Ridley Scott
Tim Burton
Christopher Nolan
Guy Ritchie
Darren Aronofsky
Directors I don’t much care for:
Rob Zombie
Mel Gibson
George Lucas
Francis Ford Coppola
William Friedkin
Peter Jackson
Michael Bay
Directors who I want to see more of their work:
David Cronenberg
Orsen Welles
Takashi Miike
Guillermo del Toro
Neil Jordan
Spike Lee
Mel Brooks
Stephen Chow
Roman Polanski
Ang Lee
Film genres I love:
Crime/Gangster
Drama
Comedy
Foreign (if that counts)
Genres I don’t like:
Musicals
Romance
Favouite actors:
Samuel L. Jackson
Christian Bale
Steve Buscemi
Edward Norton
Robert De Niro
Actors I don’t care for:
Robert Carlyle
Danny Dyer
Mel Gibson
Viggo Mortensen
Dane Cook
Okay that’s enough of the lists (for now). Something you will become accustomed to as time and posts go on - I love making lists, so every so often there will more than likely be one. I just love the thought that goes into making one and the interesting dicussions they can conjure up. I will try my best to post as regularly as I can (depending on college work I have to do etc.) and I hope it works out well with me writing for Film Grotto.
John Allison said
November 11 2007 @ 8:21 am
Have you seen any Wes Anderson flicks? I own most of his movies but have only found the time to was Darjeeling Limited. From just the one movie I’m pretty sure he’ll be on my list of favorites.
You don’t like Viggo Mortensen… Is is the Lord of the Rings thing that you don’t like about him? I really enjoyed him in both History of Violence and Eastern Promises.
Oh and welcome about Film Grotto. Have fun posting.
Dave Becker said
November 11 2007 @ 8:31 am
I like your list of admired directors, and agree with just about all of them. I’m especially happy to see Tony Scott up there. He was getting beaten up for a while because of DOMINO (which, in my opinion, was a pretty fun movie), but DEJA VU seems to have put him back in good graces.
In the “directors who I want to see more of their work” list, you mention Guillermo Del Toro. I just recently saw his THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE for the first time, and if you haven’t seen it I would highly recommend this movie.
Dave
Ross Miller said
November 11 2007 @ 8:54 am
John,
I actually just finished watching all of Wes Anderson’s films (apart from th new The Darjeeling Limited which hasn’t opened here yet) culminating in last night’s viewing of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. The reason I didn’t mention him is I have mixed feelings about his work, here’s my opinion of his films:
Bottle Rocket - Didn’t care that much for
Rushmore - Liked it
The Royal Tenenbaums - REALLY liked (my fav of his so far)
The Life Aquatic - Didn’t care that much for either
Dave,
Yeah I LOVE Tony Scott’s style of directing (with the scratchy text/subtitles and dirty look of them). I really liked Domino also and really liked Deja Vu too (Man on Fire is amazing).
Well when I put him under that I wanted to see more of del Toro’s work I really was referring to seeing The Devil’s Backbone. I LOVE Pan’s Labyrinth (it has made it into my top 100 films of all time!) but HATED Cronos (and Hellboy is a lot of fun). Looking forward to TDB very much though.
TheSnowLeopard said
November 11 2007 @ 6:46 pm
I’d be interested to know why you don’t like Francis Ford Coppola or William Freidkin (or a least their earlier work). I don’t have much problem with your other director dislikes.
I can’t stand Tony Scott. All empty, flashy visuals and frenetic editing.
The Life Aquatic is a fun movie. I’ll travel enywhere to defend it.
The Devil’s Backbone is movie greatness and MUST be seen.
Kurt said
November 11 2007 @ 7:23 pm
I like DOMINO, I have my doubts about Tony Scott though. About 1 in 4 of his films is any good…
I’ll tag in on Snow Leopard on love for Life Aquatic. Damn, I love that film! Ditto on Devil’s Backbone. I’m a fan of William Friedkin (although curiously THE EXORCIST leaves me flat).
Kurt said
November 11 2007 @ 7:26 pm
More on Tony Scott (read that as you will. ha!) - His two best films have been from the products of their inventive and dynamic screenplays - Quentin Tarantino on TRUE ROMANCE (probably Scott’s best film) and Richard Kelly’s DOMINO screenplay (how could they have edited out the Chris Walken Nunchucks line? oi!)…I’ve been meaning to revisit THE HUNGER for some time, but MAN ON FIRE and TOP GUN make my skin crawl, while DEJA VU was a massively missed opportunity in favor of that ridiculously stupid ending…
Ross Miller said
November 12 2007 @ 3:40 am
Well I REALLY disliked The Exorcist - most overrated and UN-scary horror film I’ve ever seen (probably a product of not seeing it when it first came out and the hype (as I didn’t see it until recently)). And I must admit he shouldn’t be on my dislike list (I thought it was him who had directed some of the movies I dislike but it turns out it wasn’t:P).
About Coppola - apart from The Godfather I think he’s terribly overrated. Apocalypse Now (and I KNOW I am in the extreme minority) I REALLY disliked, it’s really overrated in my opinion (again a product of hearing all good stuff about it and it being hailed so highly). The Godfather Part II is perhaps THE most overrated film of all time and Part III was rubbish. Perhaps if I see some more of his work (The Conversation is high ony my rental list) my opinion of him may change.
Kurt,
what is it about Man on Fire that makes your skin crawl? Because of the dirty look of it? Or just because you think it’s crap?:P
And yeah I don’t know what it was about The Life Aquatic but it just didn’t do anything for me (I still didn’t dislike it though). Tenenbaums was great mind you. Can’t wait for Darjeeling:)
PS - Kurt, what did you make of Cronos if you’ve seen it?