The 3 best and worst films by actors-turned-directors
Stephanie Curtis joined Kerri Miller to discuss what they like and don't like about actors who try to direct their own movies. They agreed that actors should feature themselves neither too much nor too little. Here are three movies they liked:
1. "Argo." Ben Affleck directed and starred in the movie that won Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. "I thought Ben Affleck got it right," Stephanie said. Kerri loved the film too.
2. "Play Misty for Me." Kerri described Clint Eastwood as "the gold standard" among actors-turned-directors. "Misty," his directorial debut in 1971, was "a great little thriller" and surprising for the ease he displayed in making the transition to the director's chair.
3. "Million Dollar Baby." Also by Eastwood, "Baby" must have been a challenge, Kerri said, because it included scenes that were "really intense." Added Stephanie: "And he was pretty old at this point already. What a man."
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And here are three movies they did not like.
1. "The Apostle," with Robert Duvall. "There was no one to tell Robert Duvall, 'You know, Robert Duvall, maybe you should put a little less Robert Duvall in there,'" Stephanie said. "A lot of people loved that movie, and I loathed it."
2. "Yentl." Kerri and Stephanie like Barbra Streisand, but not the movie she directed in 1983. But Stephanie insisted that Streisand was "not the worst actor-director ever," a distinction she reserved for ...
3. "Beyond the Sea," in which Kevin Spacey directed himself as Bobby Darin in 2004.
What's your favorite actor-directed movie?
Braveheart?
Away From Her?
Night of the Hunter?
Share your favorite in the comments.