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For a time was once one of the best directors around

posted 6 years ago by looper007 (1158)
7 replies | jump to latest

I say from 1986's Salvador to 1999's Any Given Sunday, for me his film's ranged from all time classic's to flawed but still better then most film's out during that era. He took risks and it was proven a success, now he's far more miss then hit these days which is a shame. But he was untouchable in Hollywood for a while

All Time Classics: Salvador, Platoon, Born on the 4th of July, JFK, Talk Radio and Natural Born Killers

Flawed but still great: Wall Street, U Turn, Any Given Sunday, Nixon, Heaven and Earth and The Doors.

[–] Ace_Spade (9658) 6 years ago

Stone's work, to me, is always really well-directed, but extremely heavy-handed. It takes complicated, real-world social and political issues and then gives them the after school special treatment. The messages of Wall Street and Platoon are obvious and wind up feeling a bit patronizing to me. I like those movies, they just don't feel terribly mature and nuanced. Talk Radio and Natural Born Killers are really underrated, however.

[–] ebhaynz (3759) 6 years ago

I agree, I'll go so far as to say he's one of the all time great directors. I think in one stretch he made 5 can't miss movies in a row and won 2 best director Oscars. Very few, if any, directors can say that. I rank Platoon as one of the best movies ever made.

[–] looper007 (1158) 6 years ago

I think cause he really hasn't done a truly great film for me since 1999, many forget how great he was in his prime. Almost every film he released from Salvador onwards were fantastic to very good up to Any Given Sunday. Wished he knocked it out of the park one more time just to show how great he is. I probably put Salvador, JFK and Born on the 4th of July ahead of Platoon but I agree it's a fantastic film.

[–] ebhaynz (3759) 6 years ago

Yeah it's a shame he lost his mojo around 1999 honestly I think he was a pretty big time druggie, he got busted a few times. I forget all the stories but I think when he was shooting Any Given Sunday he got caught with Mescaline or something like that..he was rumored to be messing around with Cameron Diaz, if that's true there had to have been some serious drugging going on by both of them.
But looking back at his earlier career the man was a genius, way better than Quentin Tarantino. Stone won an Oscar for best screenplay for Midnight Express and he wrote Scarface Wow, just WOW! So over the top but also timeless entertainment right there. Then, as you said Salvador, Platoon, JFK, Born 4th of July, and Talk Radio and maybe even Wall Street(kinda blah to me, but still).
I really don't like Stone's politics but I will say he has said some really accurate things about corruption..it's just he's so far to the left it's like he's a commy lol. Still, as much as I don't like his persona I highly respect his life's work. When he passes away some day it will feel like a great American has tragically left us. Of course, Putin will send flowers lol.

[–] Jones70 (6862) 6 years ago

I liked World Trade Center and Savages but alexander, wall street 2, and snowden were pretty boring imo.

[–] TaRaNRoD (1579) 6 years ago

I thought World Trade Center was the absolute WORST... even though Alexander was awful as well.

[–] brux (14840) 5 years ago

Sorry, no, never.