10 Good Directors Who Often Make Bad Movies

I wrote an article listing ten actors who are often good but are likely to squander their talents in bad movies. That logic can apply to directors as well. These directors behind the camera are capable of delivering classic work, and sometimes have done so. However, they've made enough bad films to be particularly disappointing when they fail. These are ten directors that often display some great talent, but who more often make movies that waste it too much.

Woody Allen
Allen's main strengths are in writing, but that too has gone downhill. Ever since Mia left, almost every film Allen's made since "Husbands and Wives" has lacked real laughs, and real actual drama. Allen's tone has gotten a bit too light, and stale as well. And Allen's most recent attempt to shift to erotic crime drama, "Match Point", was really just a retread of his earlier, funnier work from "Crimes and Misdemeanors." But Allen seems to be more committed to making films for Scarlett Johansson than getting back on track as a director and writer.

Tim Burton
Burton is a Gothic director who was more on fire than anyone in the late 80's and early 90's. Burton creations like Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Jack Skellington perfectly complimented borrowed characters like Batman and Ed Wood. But when "Mars Attacks" came out, it began a string of Burton films that lacked his earlier touch as a director. Burton's later movies like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" were occasionally hits, but paled in comparison to Burton's best. "Sweeney Todd" got Burton back on track, but that may or may not stick to Burton in the future.