Most filmmakers in Hollywood are directors-for-hire, who are hired by studios, not because of their vision, but simply because they are reliable and get the job done. However, there are others who have such distinct styles and are held in much higher regard by cinephiles.
But being such a cinematic auteur can be a blessing and a curse, as they can't be criticized and people around them are "yes" men. Redditors think that what these directors have become known for are also anchors weighing them down. Redditors think that these directors are their own enemies, whether it's because they're trying to chase the thing that made them successful in the first place or not knowing how to edit themselves.
M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan's name gets thrown around Reddit so much, whether it's positively or negatively, as he has directed both two of the best and worst movies of all time. As the director became known for his shocking twist endings early in his career, GodFlintstone thinks that Shyamalan took the wrong turn by leaning into it.
The Redditor explains that "more than 20 years later, he's still chasing the ghost of The Sixth Sense." The director did have a seemingly temporary return to form with movies like The Visit and Split, both of which had great twist endings. But Shyamalan would have had more success and critical acclaim if he didn't feel like he needed to shoehorn a twist into every screenplay.
Tim Burton
Tim Burton rose to rockstar-like fame with his incredible gothic-fantasy movies like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands. But Matches_Malone83 argues that the director has "become a parody of himself," as the direction of his movies has become all too predictable.
It especially seems that way now based on the movies he chooses to direct. Instead of directing his own original screenplays, he has become something of a director-for-hire, putting his gothic aesthetic onto movies like Alice In Wonderland and Dumbo. And while an argument can be made that Alice In Wonderland suits Burton's style, the last movie that needs it is a live-action adaptation of a flying elephant.
J.J. Abrams
J.J. Abrams is the go-to director in Hollywood when looking to reboot a franchise. He successfully rebooted Star Trek and Star Wars, and while it isn't exactly a reboot, Mission: Impossible III was a very refreshing approach after the tepid Mission: Impossible 2. However, Hooda-Thunket believes that Abrams' "insistence on not overthinking things leads him frequently to -underthink- and gloss-over important plot elements."
While exorbitant amounts of exposition in a movie can totally ruin the immersion, the same goes for if things aren't explained enough. It seems that much worse in Abrams' case, as franchises like the above require those very explanations. And that's what leads to one of the most egregious scenes in Rise of Skywalker, when Poe monotonously says, "somehow, Palpatine has returned."
Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Sorkin has been around for decades, but he hasn't actually been a director for very long. He was solely a writer and had helmed screenplays for incredible, wordy movies like Moneyball and The Social Network, but in the late 2010's he had an itch that needed scratching. And that itch was wanting to direct.
But Freshankle thinks that "he shouldn’t be directing his own scripts," ut while other directors bring a cinematic version to Sorkin's epic screenplays, his directed movies Molly's Game and The Trial of the Chicago 7 are still fantastic. And as celebrated director David Fincher won't direct Social Network 2, maybe Sorking could give it a shot, as fans are clamoring for a sequel to the 2010 classic. But there's no doubt that in the hands of other director's Sorkin's material would have a much more theatrical feel to them.
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow popularized comedies in the mid-2000s that tackle real-life problems, such as unplanned pregnancies, humdrum marriages, and struggling to get laid. While the latter is a popular premise for many comedies, it was so refreshing seeing issues such as those being depicted in a comedy full of genius one-liners and adlibs. But Ames54 complains that Apatow is his own worst enemy because "every comedy movie is too long."
Even when an Apatow-directed movie feels like it's wrapping up, a brand new plot point is introduced and it goes on for another 30 mins, with the most obvious example being the 2.5 hour Funny People. However, the director may have learned from this, as his upcoming Netflix movie, The Bubble, is a lean 105 minutes.
Michael Bay
Michael Bay might not be the most beloved movie director in the world, but he has a unique brand of actions that a lot of audiences love. However, MX-6 complains that the director "can’t seem to make a movie without constant dolly shots and explosions. The ability is there but there’s a lot of times where it’s too much."
But that's Bay bread and butter, and without those, there wouldn't be much appeal to his films. Even Pain and Gain, which was labeled as the director's "indie movie" and even his "art film," was full of his trademark dolly shots and explosions.
Christopher Nolan
It often seems like Christopher Nolan, especially as every studio was fighting over him after he left Warner Bros. just last year. But Jokes_on_you_ha is extremely critical of his filmmaking styles. The Redditor posits that his "more recent movies have been getting longer, louder and more epic, but I don't think the ideas behind them are any more interesting than his earlier, leaner movies."
While the movies not being as interesting as his early work is debatable, the movies have certainly been getting louder and more confusing. And despite the constant criticisms of the musical score being too loud in his movies, Nolan seemingly has no interest in rectifying it, especially as Tenet was the loudest and most confusing movie in his filmography yet.
Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson can seemingly make a movie out of the smallest bit of lore, and he has even created three very long movies based on one fairly short novel. But that's both a blessing and a curse, as, sometimes, his films don't need to be anywhere near as long as they are. Robinothoodie notes that the lengthy runtimes are why Jackson is his own worst enemy, citing that "he let King Kong turn into a bloated mess."
While the 2005 movie is one of the best movies over three hours, it could still have been trimmed down a little. The director even turned a documentary about The Beatles into an epic, three-part trilogy, as The Beatles: Get Back comes to a total of almost nine hours long.
Guillermo Del Toro
Interestingly, DisneyDreams7 notes that Guillermo del Toro is his own worst enemy not because of some film technique or problem in his storytelling, but because "he has so many unfinished projects." Any cinephile would agree that the more del Toro the better, as he's one of the most visionary directors working today, but there are so many unrealized Guillermo del Toro projects that sound amazing.
However, it might not always come down to the director simply abandoning them, as there are other reasons as to why they're unrealized. For example, the only reason fans didn't get to see his Hellboy 3 was simply because of how high the budget was, and it was too much of a risk.
Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson has a very "love it or hate it" filmmaking style, as it's intentionally cartoonish looking, absurdly symmetrical, and every character speaks in such a deadpan manner. While the director is an award ceremony and festival darling, SalaciousCrumb17 that his style can often be too much to stomach.
The Redditor argues that "Wes Anderson’s style is what makes his movies interesting, but it can be very overbearing." While most of the director's movies are universally positively acclaimed, his latest, The French Dispatch, was criticized by some for leaning too hard on his unique style.